PRS in Irctc

PRS in IRCTC refers to the Passenger Reservation System. It is the system that is used by Indian railways to book and manage tickets. Unknown to many, PRS is the world's biggest online railway reservation system. Tickets can be booked online as well as offline through PRS. PRS counters are only used to book reservation tickets. For any other type of unreserved journey ticket booking, you have to visit UTS (Unreserved Ticketing System).

Train tickets via PRS can be booked through PRS counters in railway stations and online via IRCTC login credentials. You can easily book tickets online using the following steps. 

• Register if you don’t already have an IRCTC login ID and password.

• Search for trains from your source to the destination station on your required journey date.

• Choose the train based on its timing, fare, coach class, and travel duration according to your preferences and requirements. 

• Complete payment from the portal, and you will have your ticket with all details present. 

• You will receive an SMS and an e-mail with all your journey details in your registered phone number and email ID. 

Here are a few things to remember when booking tickets from PRS counters in railway stations.

• RAC tickets reserved from PRS counters can be used to board the train. 

• GNWL, PQWL, RLWL, and TQWL tickets booked from counters that do not get confirmed have to be cancelled, and a refund needs to be collected from the station.

• With modern digital upgrades, PRS counter tickets can also be cancelled online, reducing the hassle and time that was previously consumed. 

The various aspects of a PRS Counter Ticket include the following. 

• PNR Number: Every ticket booked online or offline via PRS has a unique PNR Number that acts as an exclusive identifier of the ticket. 

• Train Number: Every train that runs under Indian Railways has a number of its own that helps to distinguish it in one of the vastest railway networks in the world. 

• Date of Journey: The Date of the journey is available in the PRS Counter ticket as it denotes the date on which the ticket is valid and helps passengers, as well as railway staff, keep a check on the ticket. 

• Kilometres to be Travelled: By default, the distance between the source and the destination stations is measured and mentioned in a PRS Counter ticket. 

• Number of Adults and Children: You can book tickets for up to 6 people within a PNR Number. 

• Ticket Number: Every generated PRS counter ticket comes with a unique ticket number. This is different from the PNR number, and unlike the PNR number, is not required to check status or cancel or modify the ticket. 

• Travelling Class: The travelling class is also mentioned in the PRS counter ticket. Passengers are not allowed to board any other class in the same train, and if caught, can be fined and punished. 

• Source and Destination Stations: The source and destination stations are mentioned in the ticket as for most long-distance trains, people don’t book journeys for the entire train route, but rather between stations only. 

• Train Name: The train name is one of the most important aspects that has to be present in any ticket, be it counter or online. 

Passenger details like the following are also available. 

• Coach: For tickets that are confirmed during booking, the coach number is provided in the PRS ticket. But for RAC or waitlisted tickets, the coach number will not be present.

• Seat/ Berth: In the same way, the seat and berth numbers are provided only if you are booking confirmed tickets for your journey. In the case of RAC or waitlisted tickets, the RAC serial number or the General Waiting List (GNWL) serial number is present in this section.

• Gender: The gender of the passenger is present under other passenger details in this section.

• Age: The age of the passenger is also included and is extremely important as there are various quotas available for senior citizens. For women travelling alone and above 45 years of age, there is a special quota to provide them with confirmed lower berth seats in the Sleeper Class.

PRS counter tickets can be cancelled in multiple ways. You can go through all the details here and choose the method that fits your needs best. 

• Via IRCTC Website: It is now possible to cancel your PRA counter tickets online via the IRCTC website. 

• Via SMS: You can also send CANCEL (PNR Number) (Train Number) to 139 via SMS to cancel your ticket.

• Via PRS Counter: Counter cancellations are the most popular way people cancel PRS counter tickets. 

• Via Railway Enquiry: You can also choose to call 139 to cancel your ticket. 

PRS in IRCTC is the oldest method of booking tickets on Indian Railways. Most of the railway stations in the country are equipped with PRS ticket counters where you can book tickets with ease.