Chart Prepared is the final reservation chart prepared by Indian Railways before the train departs. It is typically prepared 3-4 hours before departure from the train's origin (sometimes again at major boarding points).
What changes after chart preparation:
- Your PNR status freezes — CNF stays CNF, RAC may stay RAC, WL e-tickets are auto-cancelled.
- Vacant seats are released to TTE for on-board allocation.
- No more automatic upgrades happen.
If you're WL after chart preparation:
- e-ticket: Auto-cancelled and refunded.
- Counter ticket: You can still board, but rely on TTE for any seat allocation.
For live trains, current location updates work even after chart preparation.