Trains will be operating with regular (pre-COVID) train numbers
Trains will be operating with regular train numbers
South Central Railway Press Release
PR No. 539
Dt: 14th November, 2025
SCR’s Advisory to Rail Passengers
- Passenger reservation facility will not be available between 23:30 hrs to 05:30 hrs from the intervening night of 14th – 15th November to intervening night of 19 – 20th November 2025
- Trains will be operating with regular (pre-COVID) train numbers. Passengers to kindly note the same.
As part of preventive measures to contain Covid-19 pandemic, Indian Railways has been introducing train services in a phased manner. Accordingly, some trains during this period had been introduced to operate as Special trains with Special fares. Now, Indian Railways has decided to operate MSPC & HSP train services, included in the Working Time Table 2025 with regular train numbers and fares as applicable for the concerned classes of travel and type of train, as per extant guidelines.
Accordingly, Indian Railways are updating the train numbers of reserved train numbers to reflect this change. Since huge amount of past (old train numbers) and current passenger booking data are to be updated in all Mail / Express trains, this is being planned in a series of carefully calibrated steps and implemented during night hours in order to minimize impact on ticketing services.
As part of this Railways’ efforts to normalize passenger services and revert back in a phased manner to the pre-covid levels of service, the Railways Passenger Reservation System (PRS) will be shut down between 23:30 hrs to 05:30 hrs from the intervening night of 14th – 15th November 2021 to the intervening night of 19th – 20th November 2025. During these 6 hours (from 23:30 to 05:30 hrs) period, no PRS Services (ticket Reservation, current booking, cancellation, etc) will be available. Except for the PRS services, all other enquiry services including 139 services will continue to work uninterruptedly.
In this regard, passengers are advised to kindly:
- Note the Non-availability of ticket booking reservation facility during the above-mentioned dates and timings.
- Take note of the change in train numbers. While passengers are being sent SMS messages informing the revised train numbers, they can also get the details about the change in the train numbers near enquiry counters / help desks at the relevant stations.
Any inconvenience caused to the rail passengers due to the above is kindly regretted. South Central Railway seeks the co-operation of all its rail users for ensuring a safe and hassle-free rail travel and support Indian Railways in the effort to normalize and upgrade the passenger services.
Ch. Rakesh
Chief Public Relations Officer
South Central Railway
Yes — Indian Railways has now resumed operating trains with their regular pre‑COVID train numbers and schedules:
Contents
🔄 Restoration of Pre‑COVID Numbers & Frequencies
📍 Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) — Effective 1 January 2025
- All 60 pairs of NFR passenger trains reverted to their original train numbers.
- The temporary “0xxxx/0xxxx” numbering system used during the pandemic has been completely discontinued.
- Services now operate with regular timings and frequencies as before COVID‑19.
🧾 What It Means
- Second‑class coaches that were made reserved during COVID are now treated as they were pre‑pandemic—either reserved or unreserved, depending on original configuration.
- This shift reflects the broader national restoration of service levels—IR now operates more trains than pre‑COVID, with punctuality above 90%.
🧭 Broader Railway Context
- In 2025, Railways began reclassifying many “special” trains, removing the extra fares and reverting to pre‑COVID fare structure and numbers.
- By mid‑2025, over 1,700 Mail/Express trains were fully restored, and global freight and punctuality metrics had exceeded pre‑pandemic levels.
✅ Summary Table
| Railway Zone | Effective Date | Action Taken | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Frontier (NFR) | 1 January 2025 | Pre‑COVID train numbers and frequencies restored | All 60 pairs reversed to original numbering |
| Pan‑India Railways | From late 2025 onward | Resumed use of regular numbering system for Mail/Express trains | Rolled back temporary ‘0’ prefix numbers |
| Passenger Coaches | Ongoing | 2S class reverted to original configuration (reserved/unreserved) | Original arrangement reinstated |
✍️ What You Should Know
- If you see a train number in “0xxxx” format, it’s likely outdated. The number would now be replaced with its original 5-digit code (e.g. 05123 → 5123).
- The restoration happened in phases, differing by zone—NFR completed it as of Jan 1, 2025; most other zones followed earlier phases in 2025–2025.
- Ticket booking systems (IRCTC/UTS) have been updated with permanent numbers and fare categories.
🧭 Need Help With?
- Looking for a specific train’s old vs new number?
- Want to know if a particular passenger train you took earlier in “0xxxx” series is now restored?
- Need to check if coach reservation status (reserved vs unreserved) has changed?
Just provide the train number or route, and I can verify the new number and configuration details for you!