To make the transitions smooth and simple, the Railways have decided to replace the existing four- digit numbering system for trains with five-digit.

"Ministry has decided to use five digit for numbering trains, in place of the existing four digit numbering system," the Ministry of Railways said in a statement here.

"To make the transition smooth and simple under the new scheme, only a prefix of the digit 1 (one) will be added to the four-digit numbers of the existing trains which would cover all scheduled and regular express or mail and superfast trains including the Durontos, Yuva Trains, Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi Express, Jan Shatabdi Express, Garibrath Express, Sampark Kranti Express," it added.

The new system will make the numbering trains of Indian Railways "more scientific, logical, uniform and computer-friendly", the statement said.

"The new five-digit numbering system of trains will come into effect from tomorrow," it added.

Ministry, however, clarified that the names of the trains are not being changed or modified.

The special trains run by the Railways to clear holiday or festival rush shall be numbered on the pattern of the mail and express trains except that they shall have the prefix of digit '0' (zero).

"This shall apply to all special trains, whether superfast, express or passenger train in character, running between any pair of destinations," the release said.

The introduction of the new system covering all kinds of passenger carrying trains run by Indian Railways will lay scientific and logical basis for numbering of trains on all India basis for all the trains which was earlier confined to express trains only, enabling better dissemination of information to the public, it said.

"The new system will go a long way in monitoring the movement of trains more effectively on all India basis and in facilitating dissemination and management of train information more scientifically benefiting the public," it said.

"This major initiative will create a unique train number which will be a national level identity for each train and will cover all the passenger carrying trains running in the Indian Railways network," it added.

Five digit train numbering scheme had become necessary in view of the four digit numbering scheme having got exhausted as Indian Railways runs more than 10 thousand trains every day, Ministry said.

"Need has also arisen to integrate the passenger and suburban train services in various information systems such as Control Office Application, Passenger Reservation System and other software applications," it added.