How to Track Your Train Live on Google Maps Easily

By: Swarn Rajhans | onMay 31, 2025

Have you ever been on a train and got a call from your relatives inquiring about the location of the train? Relatives need your train location so that they can estimate your arrival time and hence receive you properly. To answer such a question you need to track your train live.

There are different methods to track your train live. You can check it using RailMitra’s dedicated Live Train Running Status service as well. But, do you know you can track trains easily with Google Maps?

In this blog, you will know why people need to track their train, how they can do it using Google Maps along with some other techniques to access this important rail service.

Why Should You Track Your Train?

Before we begin to explore how Google Maps helps you track your train, we must address the why first. Here are some of the reasons:

Informing the family: As mentioned in the introduction, our families often demand the live location for our smooth reception. You can track your location and provide the details to them. Alternatively you can teach your family members how to check the service themselves for seamless tracking.

Avoiding unnecessary delays: When you track your train live, you are automatically informed if the train is delayed, on time or before time. Using this you can make changes in your schedule. If the train is delayed and you are unaware about this you would have to wait for a long time at the station. Train tracking prevents such unnecessary waiting time.

Helps in planning the journey better: The ability to track your train also improves your overall planning for the journey. It informs about the changes in train schedule beforehand which can be crucial if you are going to board connecting trains. Train tracking helps in journey coordination and helps you travel with the peace of mind.

Tracking the platform of arrival: Many a time due to traffic at the station, Trains change their platform of arrival. Without having this information you would enter into a panic situation rushing to another station. When you track your train, you are also provided with the platform on which the train will arrive. Thus, protecting you from any unwanted last minute anxieties.

Steps To Track Your Train with Google Maps

Few years ago Google rolled out its live train tracking feature on Google Maps. The service can be easily accessed on Android as well as iOS.

Just follow these simple and easy steps:

Go to Google.com/Maps or open the Google Maps app on your phone.
In the Search Google Maps space, enter the name of the Destination. Select the most appropriate option from the provided suggestions and hit Enter..
Select Directions option from the results.
You will be asked to Choose Starting Point. Enter the Location from where you want to start the Journey. Select the most appropriate option from the suggestions and hit enter.
You will find an icon similar to a train at the top. It would be named Transit. Click on the icon.
A list of all the trains operating on the route will be displayed. Select the train for which you want to track the location.

You will be able to access the live station of the selected train along with the platform of arrival.

Note: Google Maps provides you the option to track your train. However, by default “Leave Now” options are selected. This shows trains that are yet to depart from the starting location. You can select the “Depart At” option to customize the Departure time and date.

Benefits of tracking train on Google Maps

There are several benefits of tracking your train with Google Maps:

No new app to download: Google Maps is installed on most of the phones be it Android or iOS for daily navigation purposes. Using this app to track your train, protects you from installing a new app and using the one already installed on your phone.

Ease of access: Most of the users are familiar with the way to track daily navigation through Google Maps. Tracking your train is no different than normal navigation with this app. You just have to click on the Train icon at the top and can easily track your train.

Guide to the nearest station: If you haven’t boarded the train, Google Maps can help you to track the station nearest to you. This level of convenience and one-stop resolution of issues is unparalleled.

Familiarity for elders: If you have an elderly family member who is not that familiar with tech, you understand how difficult it is to teach them about a new app. Google Maps is a convenient solution as you can tackle daily navigation as well as track your train with this. No need for learning a new app.

Complete travel application: Google Maps doesn’t just track your train. It helps in point to point logistics from your home to the final location. In between whether it be trains or cabs, Google Maps help you with them all.

Some Alternative Methods to Track Your Train live

Issues with Google Maps

Google Maps is one of the best platforms to track your train. However, there are some limitations to this platform as well. Train tracking on Google Maps works best for long distance journeys. For a short journey there might be shortcomings in tracking. You might also not be able to access live locations for short journeys.

There is also the case of unreliable internet on the Rail journey. Internet connectability fluctuates and we often need an offline method to check Where is my train.

Owing to these reasons we have compiled a list of alternative methods to track your train. These are:

RailMitra’s train tracking feature:

RailMitra provides one of the most smooth, efficient and fast ways to track train timings with the help of its Live Train Running Status service. Whether it be a long train journey or a short trip to a nearby city, RailMitra’s train running status service tracks live train stations for them all.

RailMitra’s offering is not limited to just tracking your train. You can check Booking Status with the help of a PNR Check, access train timings with the help of a Train Time Table and check available seats with the Train Seat Availability service.

You can also order for delicious train food delivery with this app. The food is hygienic and tasty with fssai approved food delivery partners and is delivered right on to your seat.

Tracking your train with SMS

A major issue in tracking trains is the internet connectivity issues. Connectivity is not reliable and people need an alternate offline method as well.

You can track your train with SMS by simply typing SPOT <Train No.> or LOCATE <Train No.> and send it to 139. For example, checking the live status of The Sampoorna Kranti Express whose train number is 12393, we would type SPOT 12393 or LOCATE 12393 and send it to 139.

The information about the train would be delivered on your phone via SMS.

Conclusion

In today’s fast paced world, having reliable real time information about a journey is no longer a matter of comfort but of necessity. Google maps provide a handy and easily accessible method to track your train.

However, relying on one single service can be troublesome. Pair Google Maps with RailMitra’s seamless live train tracking services and SMS tracking services for the best train planning.

So, next time you board the train don’t leave things to uncertainty. Track your journey, with ease and precision.