139: Integration of Railway Helpline Numbers into a Single Number

Indian Railways updates itself from time to time. Several new trains are launched and existing routes are strengthened every year. This time, IR has given a gift to all train travelers in 2020. If we ask you of all the helpline numbers of Indian Railways, it’s most likely that you will not be able to tell about all of those. It’s not your fault. Indian Railways has admitted that several different railway helpline numbers not only make things difficult but also cause inconvenience to passengers. In a statement issued by the Ministry of Railways, officials said that all the existing helpline numbers will be integrated in a single railway enquiry number – 139. Earlier, there were different railway helpline numbers for different purposes such as 138 for medical emergencies, 1072 for information related to rail accidents, 9717630982 for registering complaints via SMS, 58888 for cleaning of coaches, 155210 for complaints related to vigilance and corruption and 1800111321 for catering services in trains. Now, all the other helpline numbers except 182 will be discontinued from January 1, 2020. 182 will still be used for railway security purposes.

How the Railway Helpline 139 will Benefit Passengers?
It’s great news for all passengers whether they are frequent travelers or not. Now, you can easily and conveniently register for any complaint and at the same time get information related to train inquiries such as train schedule, ticket bookings, PNR, and ticket fares through an integrated railway customer care number 139. This is done for quick grievance redressal and enquiries by passengers during their train journeys. It will be very easy for passengers to remember and use 139 for all their needs during travel. The Ministry of Railways also said that the helpline 139 will be available in 12 different Indian languages including Hindi, English, Oriya, Bangla, and others.Apart from learning the best use of the helpline numbers there’re certain Indian Railways laws and acts that every passenger should know in detail for their best use.

How to use Railway Helpline Number 139?
The best thing about this improved helpline number is that anyone can dial 139 and use its services. So it’s not limited to only smartphones. It is based on Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS). Make a call on 139 from any mobile phone and after the call is connected, follow the IVR instructions as listed below:

• Press 1 for information related to safety and medical emergencies.
• Press 2 for all the information related to PNR status, fare enquiry, and ticket booking
• Press 3 to file a complaint related to e-catering services
• Press 4 for general complaints regarding train journey
• Press 5 for complaints related to bribe and corruption in train travelling
• Press 6 to inquire about people during any train accident
• Press 9 to know about the current status of your complaints
• Press * to talk to customer care executive

Recommended Read:Transport Lifeline of the Nation: Different Train Types in India

SMS Services Available on Helpline 139
Apart from IVR services, train helpline number 139 also offers the SMS functionality for different services. The different SMS service keywords and purpose of SMS is listed below:

1. For Reserved Ticket Berth Status Enquiry: Send IRPNR <10 digit PNR No.> to 139. For e.g. IRPNR 9876543210
2. For Train Arrival / Departure Enquiry: Send AD Train Number Station STD Code to 139. For e.g. AD 12987 0631
3. For Accommodation Availability: Send SEAT Train Number DOJ : ddmmyy Station from : STD Code Station to : STD code Class Quota to 139. For e.g. SEAT 12307 28022020 0631 0141 SL G
4. For Fair Enquiry: Send FARE Train Number DOJ : ddmmyy Station from : STD Code Station to : STD code Class Quota to 139. For e.g. FARE 12561 010712 0542 0571 SL G
5. For Train Timetable: Send TIME Train Number to 139. For e.g. TIME 12307
6. For Train Number / Train Name: Send TIME Train Number or TN Train Number to 139. For e.g, TIME 12307 or TN 12987
7. For Live Running Status: Send SPOT Train Number or LOCATE Train Number to 139. For e.g. SPOT 12391 or LOCATE 12048
8. To Access all the services listed above: Send HELP or RAIL to 139.

Some Other Important SMS Services for Indian Railways

1. To Track Your Freight Consignment: Send FNR <11 Digit FNR> to 08860622020. For e.g. FNR 52412365856
2. To Avail On Board Housekeeping Service (OBHS): Send CLEAN <10 digit PNR No.> to 58888. For e.g. PNR 1234567890
3. To Lodge a Complaint: Send Your Complain Message to 9717630982
4. For security of travelling passengers, especially lady travelers: Send Your Standard Message to 182. You can also call on 1800-111-322 for this purpose.
5. For medical emergencies, food/catering, and suggestions: Send Your Standard Message to 138.

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Points to ponder Before You Call 139

1. If you are also one of those who are searching for “ Is Indian railway customer care number toll free or not?”, then we have an answer. It is not a toll free number. There is a standard charge of ₹2/ minute for calling 139.
2. If call to 139 is not getting connected, you can also use the USSD facility provided by Indian railways. To use USSD, dial *139# from your number and follow the on-screen instructions. Note that you will be charged Rs.3 for each message that you send.
3. It is a 24*7 helpline, so you can call 139 or send a message to this number at any time from your device.
4. If you are facing problems with railway helpline number 139, then you can tweet directly to the Ministry of Railways for any journey related complaints like safety, security, medical, electricity, corruption, over pricing, bed rolls, and food/ catering. The official Twitter handle is @RailMinIndia.
5. Indian Railways has also launched an official app on Playstore named “Railway Mobile Instant Tracking Response and Assistance (R-MITRA)”. So, if you have a smartphone, download this app on your device and get the best service from Indian Railways.
6. There is another way for non-smartphone users to avail services from Indian railways. Send ERAILHELP Your Custom Message to 56161 for quick assistance.