MUMBAI: Soon you will be able to know details of your long-distance train journey by simply dialling a number or sending an SMS. You will also be able to book a taxi or hotel room. However, a fee will have to be paid for the service.

The Indian Railways will be introducing a paid 138 inquiry number in three to four months to complement the free 139 number presently in use.

resently, if you dial or send an SMS to 139, you can get basic information like train arrival and departure times and PNR status. You can also get the tentative arrival time of a delayed train.

The 138 service, for which you must register and pay a fee, will help commuters find out their seat number, the platform the train will be at and position of their coach. Travellers can also book hotels, tourist taxis and tours, and get information on the railway timetable. In Delhi, travellers are already booking taxis on the 139 number, a service that will be later shifted to 138.

Travellers will be able to register for the 138 service either online or through the mobile. "The 139 service has been overloaded with inquires and it is impossible to start any new services on it. So we decided to start 138. We will have a tie-up with network providers,'' said Rakesh Tandon, MD, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).