Bangladesh Railway Live Train Tracking

Waiting at a station without knowing where your train actually is can turn a short delay into a stressful guessing game. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait blindly anymore — there are two reliable ways to check a Bangladesh Railway train’s live location: the official SMS service run by Bangladesh Railway, and a free third-party app called TrainKothai. This page walks you through both, so you can pick whichever fits your situation.

Why Live Train Tracking Matters

Train delays happen for all kinds of reasons — signal issues, single-line crossings, weather, or simply a busy network. Instead of standing on the platform hoping your train shows up “any minute now,” knowing its real-time position lets you:

• Time your arrival at the station instead of waiting for hours
• Let family or coworkers know a realistic pickup or meeting time
• Decide whether there’s time to grab food or use the restroom before boarding
• Reduce the general stress of uncertain wait times

Method 1: Official SMS Tracking (Bangladesh Railway)

This is the tracking method run directly by Bangladesh Railway. It works on any basic mobile phone, doesn’t require an app or internet connection, and gives you a straight reply with the train’s status.

How it works:

1. Open the SMS/messaging app on your phone.
2. Type your message in this exact format: TR (space) Train Number — for example, TR 701. It isn’t case-sensitive, so tr 701 also works.
3. Send the message to 16318.
4. Within moments, you’ll get a reply SMS showing the train’s last crossed station, current position, and any delay.

Cost: A standard SMS charge applies per message (roughly ৳4–5 depending on your operator), since each check sends a fresh request.

Good for: Anyone without a smartphone or data connection, or anyone who wants a quick one-time check without opening an app.

Method 2: TrainKothai — BD Train Tracker (App)

If you’d rather see the live position visually, without paying per message, TrainKothai (BD Train Tracker) is a popular free option. It’s important to know upfront: TrainKothai is an independent, third-party, community-powered app — it is not built or operated by Bangladesh Railway. It relies on passengers on board actively sharing updates, which is what keeps the tracking data live.

How to use TrainKothai:

1. Open the Google Play Store on your Android phone (an iOS version is also available on the App Store).
2. Search for “TrainKothai – BD Train Tracker” and install the app.
3. Open the app and search for your train by its name or train number.
4. View the train’s current live location on the map, along with delay status and estimated arrival at upcoming stations.

Cost: Completely free, with no sign-up required to view live locations.

Good for: Smartphone users who want a visual map view, delay history, and repeated free checks throughout the journey — without paying per SMS.

Note: Since TrainKothai depends on passengers actively sharing their location from inside the train, coverage can vary by route and time of day. For the most officially reliable single check, the SMS method above remains the direct source from Bangladesh Railway.

SMS vs. TrainKothai App: Which Should You Use?

If you only need one quick check and have no internet access, SMS is the simplest. If you’re a regular commuter with a smartphone and want to keep an eye on the train’s progress over time, TrainKothai is the more convenient, cost-free option.

Finding Your Train Number

To use the SMS method, you’ll need your train’s number, which is printed on your ticket. If you don’t have it handy, here’s a quick reference for some of the most-traveled routes:

For a complete, regularly updated list of trains and numbers across all routes, check our Train Schedule page.

Frequently Asked Questions