Bangladesh Railway Live Train Tracking — Check Your Train’s Location by SMS

Standing on a platform with no idea whether your train is ten minutes away or an hour late is one of the more frustrating parts of travelling by rail in Bangladesh. The good news is that Bangladesh Railway has had a solution for this for years — a free-ish SMS service that tells you exactly where your train is, which station it last passed, and roughly how delayed it might be. The tool above lets you fill in your train number and fires off the SMS automatically, so you do not have to type it out every time.

This page covers everything about how the tracking system actually works, the exact format the SMS needs to be in, what the reply looks like, and a few honest warnings about apps and websites that claim to do something they cannot.

If you are looking for train schedules, ticket booking guides, popular routes, fare information, and other travel resources, visit our Bangladesh Railway home page for everything you need in one place.

The Bangladesh Railway Live Train Tracking service is the easiest way to check whether your train is running on time or delayed. By using the official SMS system, passengers can quickly receive the latest train status without needing an internet connection.

Please enter a valid train number (numbers only).

Prefer to send it yourself? Type TR followed by a space and your train number, then send to 16318. Example: TR 701.

Train Tracking — Quick Facts Method: SMS only — type ‘TR [train number]’, send to 16318 Works on: Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, Teletalk Cost: Approximately ৳ 4 + 15% VAT (~৳ 4.60) per SMS, deducted from your balance Internet Needed: No — works on a basic mobile signal System Name: TTMS — Train Tracking and Monitoring System Coverage: Major intercity express trains. Local and commuter services are not tracked.

The Bangladesh Railway Live Train Tracking system works through an official SMS service that provides the latest available train location and delay information. It is simple, reliable, and supported by all major mobile operators in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Railway live train tracking guide showing a train at Kamalapur Railway Station with SMS tracking method TR train number to 16318 for checking live train location and status.

How to Track Your Train — Step by Step

Using Bangladesh Railway Live Train Tracking only takes a few seconds. Once you know your train number, you can send the required SMS and receive your train’s latest running status directly on your phone.

There is genuinely only one official way to do this, and it has not changed in years. Bangladesh Railway runs the system, the major mobile operators carry the SMS, and the whole thing works without needing a smartphone or a data connection. Here is exactly how:

Step1:

Open your phone’s SMS app Any basic SMS app works — you do not need WhatsApp, Messenger, or any internet-based app. This works on the most basic feature phone as well as any smartphone.

Step2:

Type TR, a space, then the train number The format is strict: TR followed by a single space, then the numeric train code. For example, to track Subarna Express, you would type TR 701. Capitalisation does not matter — ‘tr 701’ works the same as ‘TR 701’.

Step3:

Send the message to 16318 This is the official Bangladesh Railway short code. It is the same number regardless of which train you are tracking or which network you are on.

Step4:

Wait for the reply Within seconds to a couple of minutes, you will receive a reply SMS with the train’s last crossed station, current approximate position, and whether it is running on time or delayed. Network congestion can occasionally slow the reply down, particularly during Eid travel periods.

What the Reply Actually Tells You The reply SMS typically includes the train’s last confirmed station, the time it crossed that point, and an estimate of any delay against the scheduled timetable. It does not give you a live GPS dot moving on a map — there is no such public-facing system in Bangladesh. What you get is a snapshot based on signalling and station-crossing reports, updated periodically as the train moves along the line.

Finding Your Train Number

To use Bangladesh Railway Live Train Tracking successfully, you must enter the correct train number. You can find it on your ticket, booking confirmation email, or confirmation SMS.

The tracking SMS only works if you have the correct numeric code for your train, and a fair number of people get stuck here because the name on the ticket and the number used for tracking are not always obviously connected at first glance. Your train number is printed on your e-ticket or paper ticket, usually right next to the train name. If you have already booked online, it is also visible in your booking confirmation SMS and email.

Dhaka — Chattogram

Train Name	Up	Down
Subarna Express	701	702
Sonar Bangla Express	787	788
Mahanagar Godhuli	703	704
Mahanagar Provati	721	722
Turna Nishitha	741	742

Dhaka — Sylhet

Train Name	Up	Down
Parabat Express	709	710
Joyontika Express	717	718
Upaban Express	739	740
Kalni Express	773	774

Dhaka — Rajshahi

Train Name	Up	Down
Silk City Express	753	754
Padma Express	759	760
Dhumketu Express	769	770
Banalata Express	791	792

Dhaka — Khulna

Train Name	Up	Down
Sundarban Express	725	726
Chitra Express	763	764

Dhaka — Dinajpur / Rangpur / North Bengal

Train Name	Up	Down
Ekota Express	805	806
Drutojan Express	757	758
Rangpur Express	771	772
Nilsagar Express	765	766

Dhaka — Cox’s Bazar

Train Name	Up	Down
Cox’s Bazar Express	813	814
Parjatak Express	815	816

Other Routes

Train Name	Up	Down
Udayan Express (Dhaka–Noakhali)	723	724
Paharika Express (Ctg–Rajshahi)	721	722
Egarosindur Express (Dhaka–Kishoreganj)	737	738
Maitree Express (Dhaka–Kolkata)	3107	3108

Note: Most Bangladesh Railway intercity trains use two numbers — one for each direction, generally referred to as Up (toward Dhaka) and Down (away from Dhaka). A handful of routes share the same number for both legs, and the convention is not perfectly consistent across the whole network. If you are unsure which code applies to your specific train, your ticket will always show the exact number to use — that is the safest source. This list covers the major intercity routes; if your train is not listed here, check your ticket directly.
For the complete, always up-to-date list of every train and its number, the official Bangladesh Railway portal — useful if your train is not in the table above or you want to double-check before sending the SMS.
If you want to confirm that your booking is active before tracking your train, our Bangladesh Railway PNR Status Check guide explains how to verify your ticket online.

A Word of Caution — Fake Tracking Apps and Sites

This needs to be said plainly: there is no official live map showing a moving train icon in real time in Bangladesh. The only government-backed tracking method is the SMS system described above. If you come across an app on the Play Store or a website promising a live GPS map of your train’s exact position updating every second, treat it with real scepticism. Some of these tools are built on guesswork using the published timetable rather than actual live data, and a few exist purely to harvest phone numbers or push ads.

That does not mean every third-party tracking page is useless — several reputable sites simply make the official SMS process more convenient, or estimate position using scheduled timings, and say so honestly. The distinction worth remembering is this: anything claiming actual live GPS tracking through an app, without going through the official SMS gateway at some point, is not something Bangladesh Railway provides.

When Tracking Your Train Actually Helps

Before leaving home for the station — if you are catching an overnight train or one departing very early, a quick SMS check 30 to 45 minutes before you plan to leave can confirm whether the train is running on schedule or significantly delayed, saving you an unnecessary wait at the platform.
During Eid and other peak travel periods — this is when delays are most common, and also when the tracking system is most useful, since heavy passenger loads at intermediate stations often push timings back by 30 minutes to over an hour.
If you are picking someone up — rather than guessing the arrival time from the printed timetable, a tracking SMS sent an hour or two before the scheduled arrival gives you a far more realistic estimate.
Monsoon season — heavy rain occasionally affects track conditions on certain routes, particularly in the northeast. If you know your route has had recent weather issues, checking the train’s status before heading out is a sensible habit.
If you are connecting to another train or onward transport — knowing whether your first train is running late by 10 minutes versus 90 minutes changes how much buffer you need for the connection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How do I track a Bangladesh Railway train live?
A: Send an SMS in the format ‘TR [train number]’ to 16318 from any Bangladeshi mobile network — Grameenphone, Robi, Banglalink, or Teletalk. For example, to track Subarna Express, type TR 701 and send it to 16318. You will receive a reply with the train’s last crossed station and delay status within a minute or two.

Q2: How much does the train tracking SMS cost?
A: Approximately ৳ 4 plus 15% VAT, totalling around ৳ 4.60 per SMS. This is deducted directly from your mobile balance regardless of which operator you use.

Q3: Is there an app that shows live train location on a map? A: Bangladesh Railway does not currently provide an official app with a real-time moving map of train positions. The only verified, government-backed tracking method is the SMS service to 16318. Be cautious of third-party apps claiming live GPS tracking — many estimate position from the timetable rather than actual live data.

Q4: What if I do not know my train number? A:
Check your e-ticket or paper ticket — the train number is printed alongside the train name. It is also included in your booking confirmation SMS and email if you booked online. A quick search of the train name will also confirm the correct number for both directions.

Q5: Does the tracking SMS work without internet?
A: Yes. This is one of its main advantages — it works on any mobile signal strong enough to send and receive a regular text message, with no data connection or smartphone required.

Q6: Does train tracking work for all Bangladesh Railway trains?
A: It works reliably for major intercity express trains across the network. Local and commuter trains generally are not covered by the tracking system. If your service is a named intercity express — Subarna, Parabat, Silk City, and similar — tracking should work normally.

If your travel plans change after booking, you can also read our Bangladesh Railway Ticket Cancellation guide to understand the cancellation process and refund rules.

One Less Thing to Worry About

The Bangladesh Railway Live Train Tracking service helps passengers plan their journey with greater confidence by providing the latest available train status before they leave for the station.

A two-minute SMS exchange is a small thing, but it removes one of the more genuinely stressful parts of train travel — not knowing. Whether you are heading to the station yourself, waiting at home for the right moment to leave, or trying to time a pickup at the other end, knowing your train’s real position rather than just its scheduled one makes the whole journey easier to plan around.

Use the tool above to send the tracking SMS without typing it manually, or follow the steps directly: type TR [train number] and send it to 16318. Works on every major network, no internet required.