Indian Railways to Change PNR Rules After Decades: What Passengers Need to Know
However, the older PNR numbering system is reportedly creating difficulties during the modernization process. This is one of the reasons behind the planned change.
By: Priya Chowdhary Nuthalapti | 6 Oct 2026 11:05 AM IST
Indian Railways is preparing for a major change in its ticket reservation system. A decades-old system related to Passenger Name Record (PNR) numbers is expected to change from December 2026. The new system is being introduced as part of the modernization of the railway reservation process.
At present, passengers get a 10-digit PNR number when they book a reserved train ticket. These numbers follow the existing series used by the railway reservation system.
According to reports, the Railways may introduce a new migrated PNR system from December. A pilot project has already been carried out on selected trains. The aim is to make the reservation system easier to manage and support the upgraded technology.
One major change will be seen in the way PNR numbers begin. Under the proposed system, PNR numbers for trains are expected to start with odd numbers such as 1, 3, 5 or 7.
At present, the starting digits are connected with different railway reservation database centres. The existing system uses even numbers for some of these centres. For example, certain numbers are linked to reservation centres in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata.
The change is connected to an upgrade of the railway reservation system by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). The upgraded system is designed to improve several ticket-related services. These include ticket corrections and information about seat positions.
However, the older PNR numbering system is reportedly creating difficulties during the modernization process. This is one of the reasons behind the planned change.
Reports say around 1,230 trains have been selected for the pilot project related to PNR migration. The new system is expected to be expanded to more trains later. The complete change may begin around the third week of December.
The new system may also affect some passengers who already have tickets. If a passenger booked a ticket under the old system and later wants to change the journey date, the change may not be possible after migration.
In such cases, passengers may have to cancel the existing ticket and book a fresh ticket under the new system.
Railway passengers are therefore advised to check the latest official information before making changes to their bookings. The new PNR system is expected to bring the reservation process in line with the upgraded railway technology.