Indian Railways: What Is A RAC Status Ticket? Is it Better Than A WL Ticket? All You Need To Know

by Mallika Khurana
Indian Railways: What Is A RAC Status Ticket? Is it Better Than A WL Ticket? All You Need To Know

Have you ever attempted to book your train tickets online? If you have, you might have noticed some acronyms like the RLWL, RAC, or GNWL. These acronyms indicate the status of your ticket. But are you aware of what these statuses actually imply? If not, you are in luck. Read on for everything you need to know about the RAC status of your train tickets.

What Does A RAC Status Imply?

RAC ticket
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A reservation against cancellation (RAC) is a status for a ticket on Indian railways. Technically, when you get a RAC status on your ticket, it means that you have a waitlisted ticket. However, you are still guaranteed a seat on the train. A reservation against cancellation does not, however, assure you of a full seat or a sleeping berth on the train. The Indian Railway frequently splits a RAC seat between two passengers. There may not be room for you to sleep at night since there will be two people sharing a RAC seat.

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How Is Different From A Waitlisted Ticket?

RAC status
Photo Credits: Canva

When buying train tickets, you might have seen the GNWL or RLWL status. These are waitlisted train tickets. They offer no advantages over tickets with a reservation against cancellation. With a waitlisted ticket, you will only gain access to the appropriate coach; no seat will be provided. However, RAC tickets come with the assurance of a shared seat. Further, in the event that anyone with a confirmed seat cancels their ticket, the RAC status will be prioritised while allotting those.

If another person’s ticket is cancelled, your RAC ticket can be changed into a confirmed ticket. There can be instances where passengers with confirmed seats change their plans at the last moment and your ticket status will not change to confirmed. When the situation arises, confirm the status of your reservation against a cancelled ticket with your TT. He will certainly inform you if your RAC reservation is valid.

Knowing all about the train tickets and their status is quite crucial, especially when you are booking them online. Now that you know about RAC, you will not miss out on the perks it offers!

Cover Image Courtesy: Canva