About Waiting List, Quota and Related Abbreviations Used in Indian Railways

Indian Railways Waiting List Explained, Understanding the waiting list system in Indian Railways is crucial for travelers planning their journey. This guide will walk you through the various types of waiting lists, quotas, and related abbreviations, providing clarity on how the system operates and what each status means for your travel plans.

Types of Railway Waiting Lists

General Waiting List (GNWL)

The General Waiting List (GNWL) is the most common type of waiting list. It is typically allotted to passengers starting their journey from the train’s source station or a station close to it. Tickets under this quota have the highest chances of confirmation due to the larger number of reserved seats for the source station, resulting in more cancellations.

Remote Location Waiting List (RLWL)

RLWL is allotted to passengers boarding from significant intermediate stations. These stations are marked as remote locations along the train’s route. Since each remote location has a limited number of reserved seats, RLWL tickets have a lower probability of confirmation compared to GNWL. The confirmation depends on cancellations corresponding to the remote location station.

Remote Location General Waiting List (RLGN)

RLGN is essentially an alias for RLWL. After booking seats under the RLWL quota, they are marked as RLGN.

Pooled Quota Waiting List (PQWL)

The Pooled Quota Waiting List (PQWL) applies to passengers starting their journey from the source or an intermediate station and ending it at an intermediate station before the train’s final destination. This single pooled quota covers all small en-route stations, making PQWL tickets less likely to get confirmed.

Other Waiting Lists

Roadside Station Waiting List (RSWL)

RSWL is allotted when berths or seats are booked from the originating station up to a road-side station, with no distance restrictions. This waiting list also has low confirmation chances.

Request Waiting List (RQWL)

RQWL is for tickets booked from one intermediate station to another not covered by general, remote location, or pooled quotas. Confirmation of RQWL depends on cancellations of confirmed tickets from the originating station to the intermediate station.

Tatkal Waiting List (TQWL)

Formerly known as CKWL, TQWL is for tickets booked under the Tatkal scheme after all Tatkal seats are exhausted. Unlike other quotas, Tatkal tickets directly get confirmed without going through RAC status. However, during chart preparation, general waiting list tickets are preferred over Tatkal waiting list tickets, making TQWL confirmations less likely.

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Understanding Quota Abbreviations in Indian Railways

Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC)

An RAC ticket usually gets confirmed by chart preparation time. If not, the passenger is allotted a half berth (side-lower berth shared by two RAC passengers). RAC seats are marked with “R” followed by the coach and seat number. TTEs are responsible for allotting canceled berths to RAC passengers after chart preparation.

Confirmed (CNF)

A CNF status means the passenger has a confirmed berth. In First AC (1A) class, berth details may not be provided immediately and are allotted manually by the TTE during chart preparation.

Special Quotas

Indian Railways also has several special quotas for different categories of passengers, such as:

  • Out Station (OS) Quota for ticketing agencies in other towns.
  • Head Office/High Official (HO) Quota for railway officials.
  • Parliament House (PH) Quota for ministers and high-ranking bureaucrats.
  • Defence (DF) Quota for defense personnel.
  • Foreign Tourist (FT) Quota for foreign tourists.
  • Handicapped Person (HP) Quota for travelers with disabilities.
  • Ladies (LD or LQ) Quota for women travelers.
  • Duty Pass (DP) Quota for railway employees traveling on privilege passes.
  • Emergency Quota (EQ) for urgent travel needs.

Each quota can have its own waiting list, usually denoted by the quota abbreviation followed by “WL” (e.g., FTWL, DPWL, HPWL).

Frequently Asked Questions on Indian Railways Waiting List

How Many Types of Railway Waiting Lists Are There?

Indian Railways has several types of waiting lists, including GNWL, RLWL, PQWL, RSWL, RQWL, and TQWL. Each type caters to different travel scenarios and has varying probabilities of ticket confirmation based on the quota and cancellation trends.

Is PQWL Better Than RLWL?

PQWL and RLWL serve different purposes and have different confirmation probabilities. PQWL tickets have lower chances of confirmation compared to RLWL because the pooled quota is shared among many small stations, while RLWL depends on cancellations at specific intermediate stations.

What Is GNWL, PQWL, and RLWL?

  • GNWL (General Waiting List): Highest chances of confirmation for passengers starting their journey from the source station or nearby.
  • PQWL (Pooled Quota Waiting List): Lower chances of confirmation for passengers traveling between intermediate stations.
  • RLWL (Remote Location Waiting List): Moderate chances of confirmation for passengers boarding from important intermediate stations.

Is WL and GNWL the Same?

WL (Wait List) is a general term indicating a waitlisted status, while GNWL (General Waiting List) is a specific type of wait list with typically higher chances of confirmation due to its allocation for the source station and high cancellation rates.

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This comprehensive guide aims to clarify the complexities of the Indian Railways waiting list system, helping you plan your journey better and understand your ticket’s status. Safe travels!