By Kavita Mistry 
We all have traveled by train at some point in life. So, if you or your loved one recently traveled by train, you must have faced one thing; how to track train’s live running status accurately.
I know there are many apps available on the internet for the same, but we all know many of them are not even near accurate. Sometimes, I even faced that the Indian Railways official platform sometimes stop updating the live results on time, which was very frustrating.
That’s why I thought to create a list of the most accurate train live running status apps that I personally used. So, in this article, I am going to list the most accurate train live running status apps that provide real-time location with the help of GPS and crowdsourced mapping.
The 5 Best Apps to Check Train Live Running Status
So, without taking more of your time, just move on to the list of the best Android and iPhone apps to check train’s live running status.
I am ranking these apps based on my own personal preference. The first one is my most favorite and the last one is the least. But, I liked all of them because among the hundreds of train live running status apps, these 5 worked most accurately.
1. Where is My Train
This is one of the most trusted apps I have ever used to check train live running status on my Android phone. It is known for its offline tracking capability. The thing that adds more trust to this app is that it is owned by Google.
I like this app more than anyone else because it uses cell tower data to provide accurate train live running status even without internet and GPS.
This app also allows you to check live running status of metro and local trains across the country. Just add the city name and start tracking from anywhere.
Pros
- Checks live train running status using cell tower data.
- Works offline, without an internet connection.
- Shows platform numbers and coach positions.
- Supports multiple languages.
- Station alarms and speedometer for users inside the train.
Cons
- Platform numbers can sometimes be wrong if railways change them last minute.
- Ticket booking option isn’t available, so, you’ll need another app for that.
Available for Android
However, there are many apps with the similar name on Apple App Store but those are not developed by the developer of this app. If you’re looking for a lightweight mobile app for checking train live running status without any extras you don’t need, this one is for you.
2. RailYatri
RailYatri is another well-known and trusted train-tracking application. It not only allows you to track live train running status but also lets you check PNR status and seat availability, and book train and bus tickets. It also lets you book food on the train.
I liked the GPS-based train tracking system of this app. This is another most accurate train tracking application because it also collects information from the passengers’ mobile GPS.
So, just because of its GPS-based train tracking system, it collects the most accurate data even when there’re network issues in their mobile phones.
Pros
- Checks train live running status using GPS.
- Train and bus ticket booking feature.
- Allows you to check PNR status and train timetable.
- Lets you book food on the train.
- Helps with medical emergency on the train.
Cons
- A lot of features can confuse first-time users.
- The app sometimes hangs, especially during peak times.
If you are looking for a one-stop solution to all your train travel needs from booking the tickets to checking live running status, this app can be a good solution for you.
3. ixigo Trains
Just like the RailYatri app, ixigo is also an IRCTC Authorized Partner. It not only provides the train live running status but many other features like PNR status, seat availability, ticket booking, platform locator, station alarm, and more.
Apart from the trains, this app also lets you book bus and flight tickets as well. You can also book hotels from ixigo Trains mobile app.
The accuracy of ixigo Trains app for checking train live running status depends upon NTES and the GPS data of the passengers inside the train. That’s why it provide the most accurate data as compared to many other apps in the market.
Pros
- Checks live train running status using GPS.
- Train live running status on the interactive map.
- PNR status and confirmation prediction.
- Many useful features like station alarm and platform locator.
- The app is available in multiple languages.
- Introduced Travel Guarantee; get a confirmed ticket or 3X refund.
Cons
If you want GPS-based tracking with interactive map view, this app is for you. Apart from the train’s live running status, this app has a bundle of features as mentioned above.
4. NTES
NTES (National Train Enquiry System) is the official Indian Railways app that lets you check train live running status, schedule, and information about canceled trains.
However, this app doesn’t collect data from the GPS or cell towers. Instead, it collects data from the Control Office Application (COA) system of Indian Railways.
It means the train’s live running information in the NTES is not fetched directly from the smartphones of the passengers inside the train but from the COA system of Indian Railways.
Pros
- Official and trustworthy.
- Data comes directly from the Indian Railways systems.
- Check trains between stations.
- Most accurate information about canceled trains.
- Live Station and Train Schedule features are available.
Cons
- GPS tracking isn’t available.
- The app doesn’t work without an internet connection.
- Ticket booking and PNR Status features are not available.
If you are looking for a train tracking app that collects data from Indian Railways’ official sources, this app is for you.
5. Trainman
This is another popular mobile app that checks the train’s live running status using GPS and mobile network data of the passengers inside the train.
It not only shows the live train status but also the seat availability, PNR status, train timetable, and chart. Being the IRCTC Authorised Partner, it also lets you book train tickets from inside the app.
Pros
- Checks train live running status using GPS.
- Provides live station updates.
- PNR status and seat availability.
- Some features work in offline mode.
- Easy to use and clean interface.
Cons
If you are looking for yet another app to check real-time train running status with many other features like ticket booking and PNR status checking, this app can be a good option.
Conclusion
It’s not really easy to check the accurate live running status of your train. There are hundreds of apps available for this purpose and only a few of them provide accurate updates.
This article is purely to help you find out the most accurate train live running status apps. Among the listed top 5 apps, I found the Where is My Train app as the perfect choice for Android users. But, if you use an iPhone, RailYatri and ixigo Trains are the best options.
You can also try NTES which is the official app of Indian Railways. So, if you want to relay only the official information, you can try this app. But, sometimes I noticed that the NTES app delayed the live update of my trains as compared to Where is My Train and other apps listed in this article.
Well, it’s all your choice. Let me know via comments which app you are using to check the live train running status on your phone.