Why GNWL confirms faster
GNWL benefits from all cancellations in the general quota — which has the most passengers and therefore the most cancellations. RLWL only benefits from cancellations in a small remote-station quota. More cancellations in the pool = faster movement.
Speed comparison by route type
On busy routes (Delhi-Mumbai, Delhi-Kolkata, Delhi-Bangalore): GNWL 20 typically confirms before RLWL 3 does. On lighter routes with few passengers: RLWL 1 may confirm, but GNWL 10 would still confirm faster.
When to prefer a higher GNWL over a lower RLWL
If you are choosing between trains, GNWL 25 on one train is almost always a better bet than RLWL 5 on another. The probability difference is significant.
When RLWL might be your only option
Sometimes the only available train has RLWL instead of GNWL. In that case, RLWL 1-5 is worth keeping with a backup, while RLWL above 8 warrants immediate alternatives.