Platform numbers and live station boards: how to use them
How platform numbers are assigned, why they change, and how to read a live arrivals and departures board.
Knowing the platform before you reach the station saves time on foot overbridges, especially at big junctions with a dozen or more platforms.
How platforms are assigned
Each train has a usual platform at each station, but the final platform is decided by the station control office shortly before arrival. It depends on which platforms are free, how late the train is and what other trains are moving at the same time. A late train often lands on a different platform from its usual one.
What our pages show
- On a train page, the live view shows the expected platform for each upcoming halt when it is available.
- On a station page, the live board lists trains due in the next few hours with expected times, delay and platform.
Treat a platform number shown a few hours ahead as likely, not final. Within the last 20 to 30 minutes it is usually confirmed.
Reading a station board
- Scheduled and expected time: the timetable time and the current estimate.
- Delay: shown in hours and minutes. A cancelled train is marked clearly.
- Platform: blank means it has not been decided yet.
Tips for big stations
- Large cities often have several terminals with different codes, for example New Delhi (NDLS), Delhi Junction (DLI) and Hazrat Nizamuddin (NZM). Always check the station code on your ticket.
- Listen for announcements and check the display boards at the station entrance. They are the final word.
- Allow extra time at stations where platforms are far apart or linked by a single foot overbridge.
