IRCTC Ticket Booking: What is RLWL ticket? What are the chances of getting the seat confirmed if RLWL is 5, 10 or 50? How to know by looking at PNR status whether the ticket will be confirmed or not? What signals increase the chances of getting a seat before the chart is made?
Train Ticket Confirmation Chance: Train journey becomes relaxed only when the seat is confirmed. But there is tension when ‘Waiting’ appears on the screen as soon as the ticket is booked. In this also the biggest headache occurs when RLWL is written on the ticket. This is because many times the waiting number of RLWL is only 5 or 10, yet it is not confirmed till the last moment when the chart is made. On the other hand, the General Waiting List (GNWL) gets cleared in no time. If you have such a ticket in your pocket, then there is no need to worry about checking the PNR status again and again. In this article, we will learn in a very easy way how you can find out for yourself whether you will get a seat or not…
What is RLWL ticket?
RLWL stands for Remote Location Waiting List. In simple language, this is the quota of intermediate stations. Suppose a train is going from Ahmedabad to Varanasi. If a passenger travels from Ahmedabad to Varanasi, he will get General Waiting List (GNWL). But, if a passenger is going to catch a train from a big intermediate station like Kota or Mathura, then Railways gives him RLWL ticket. Railways reserves some seats for every major intermediate station, this is called remote location quota.
Why does RLWL ticket with number 5 also get stuck?
Often people think that my waiting list is only 5, it will be confirmed in a jiffy, but in the case of RLWL, this thinking can be difficult. The reason for this is that your RLWL ticket will proceed only if a passenger from your same station (i.e. the same remote location) has canceled his confirmed ticket. If a passenger going from Ahmedabad to Varanasi cancels the ticket, you will not get any benefit from it. Since the quota at intermediate stations is very small, ticket cancellations there are also very less. This is the reason why despite having a small number, this ticket does not move quickly.
Will the ticket be confirmed or not? Make accurate guesses from these 4 things
1. Check the waiting number
If your RLWL weighting is in single digits like 2, 3, 5 or 10, then your chances of getting confirmed are considered quite good. If the waiting figure is above 40 or 50, then assume that it is almost impossible to get this ticket confirmed.
2. Calendar and Festival Season
If you are traveling during Holi, Diwali, Chhath or summer holidays, then people do not cancel tickets till the last moment. In such peak seasons the waiting list does not even move. At the same time, if you are traveling on normal days, the cancellation rate is higher and the chances of getting a seat increase.
3. Timing of chart preparation
Railways prepares its first reservation chart a few hours before the departure of the train. Many people cancel tickets in the last 4-5 hours due to change in their planning. Therefore, a big change in the status may be seen just before the chart is prepared.
4. Event of PNR
If your RLWL number is decreasing slowly but steadily since the time you booked the ticket, then it is a positive sign. This means that there is movement on the route.
Check ticket status instantly with this trick
Whenever you book a ticket, visit the IRCTC app or any recognized railway prediction website and enter your PNR number. There you see ‘Confirmation Probability’ (probability of being confirmed) in percentage. If it is showing the probability above 80% and your RLWL number is continuously decreasing, then you can rest assured. However, it is only after the chart is prepared that it is confirmed whether the seat has been received or not.
What to do if you don’t get a seat even after the chart is prepared?
- After the chart is prepared, the seats which remain vacant in the train are put in ‘Current Availability’ by the Railways. Make sure to check once 2 hours before the departure of the train, sometimes you get a confirmed seat immediately.
- You can try Tatkal quota one day before your journey at 10 am (for AC) or 11 am (for Non-AC).
- Always choose ‘Vikalp’ option of IRCTC while booking tickets. Due to this, if your seat is not confirmed in your train, then Railways gives you a confirmed seat in another train of the same route.
Disclaimer: The information given in this article is only for general awareness. The rules, quotas and algorithms related to ticket booking, waiting list (RLWL/GNWL) and confirmation of Indian Railways and IRCTC keep changing from time to time. The Confirmation Probability shown by any app or website is only an estimate based on past data, it does not give a 100% guarantee that the ticket will be confirmed. The final chart and seat allotment is entirely decided by the Railway Administration. Please always consult IRCTC official website or railway inquiry number 139 for accurate and official information before travelling.