RAC vs WL in IRCTC: What You Need to Know Before You Book

Seeing “RAC” or “WL” on your train ticket and not sure what it means? These are critical IRCTC seat statuses that determine whether you'll get a confirmed seat or not. Here's a complete breakdown so you can travel confidently.

🔄 What RAC and WL Mean

• RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation): You get a shared seat. It might convert to a full berth before departure.
• WL (Waitlist): You don’t have a confirmed seat. If cancellations occur before charting, your status may improve.

📈 How Chart Preparation Affects Them

IRCTC prepares charts 4 hours before departure. This is when:

• RAC tickets may upgrade to CNF (Confirmed)
• WL tickets may move to RAC, or remain unchanged
• Remaining WLs are automatically canceled if not upgraded

📊 RAC vs WL: Conversion Chances

Status	Before Chart Prep	After Chart Prep
WL-1 to WL-3	Likely to get RAC or CNF	Low chance unless lucky
RAC-1 to RAC-10	Very likely to become CNF	Usually upgraded at charting

🧭 Final Takeaway

If you’re stuck between RAC and WL, always prefer RAC. You’ll at least board the train. WL after charting = no journey at all.

👉 Check how seat status changes in the chart here