A Partnership That's Picking Up Steam
The familiar stress of train travel—packing home-cooked meals or settling for inconsistent pantry car food—is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. Food delivery giant Swiggy, in a strategic partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation
(IRCTC), has transformed how passengers eat. Recent data reveals just how significant this change is: Swiggy reported a threefold year-on-year growth in orders for its 'Food on Train' service during the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, covering April to June 2026. This surge, driven by summer travel, shows that ordering a hot meal from a favourite restaurant directly to your train seat is no longer a novelty but a fast-growing habit for Indian travellers. The service has now expanded to over 180 cities, turning railway stations into dynamic hubs for on-the-go dining.
How Your Next Train Meal Gets on Board
The process is designed for convenience, leveraging the digital tools passengers already use. To place an order, a traveller simply needs the Swiggy app and their 10-digit PNR number. By entering the PNR, the app syncs with real-time train schedules, showing a list of upcoming stations where delivery is possible. Passengers can then browse menus from thousands of partnered restaurants—from national chains like McDonald's and KFC to popular local eateries—and place an order. A new 'Scan Your Ticket' feature even allows users to upload a picture of their ticket to automatically detect the PNR, further simplifying the process. Orders can be placed from four days in advance up to just 40 minutes before the train's arrival at the selected station, offering both planning and spontaneity. A delivery partner then brings the meal directly to the passenger's coach and seat, eliminating the need to rush out during brief station halts.
The Bigger Picture: India's Digital Meal Planning Revolution
This threefold growth is more than just a business success story for Swiggy; it signifies a fundamental shift in consumer behaviour. Indians are embracing digital meal planning for their journeys. The data shows a massive 300% year-on-year increase in multi-station orders, where a passenger orders meals for different points in the same journey—for example, lunch at Bhopal and dinner at Nagpur. Travellers who plan their meals across multiple stops spend nearly 2.2 times more, indicating a growing trust in the system's reliability. This trend is particularly strong on popular long-distance routes, turning the entire journey into a curated dining experience rather than a game of chance. Passengers are no longer just ordering food; they are planning their trip's culinary itinerary, choosing specific meals for specific locations, all from their smartphones.
From Major Hubs to Tier-IV Towns
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of this growth is its reach beyond metropolitan areas. While major junctions see high order volumes, the service is also introducing digital commerce to new audiences in smaller towns. In Guna, Madhya Pradesh, for instance, a remarkable 66% of 'Food on Train' orders came from first-time Swiggy users. These 'India Rise' stations—emerging towns on the delivery network—are seeing growth that outpaces metro markets, with a 253% year-on-year increase in orders. This expansion is bringing popular brands and reliable food options to routes that were previously underserved. The summer of 2026 saw roti as the most ordered item with over 400,000 units delivered to trains, alongside perennial favourites like masala dosa and chicken biryani. The demand for beverages like mango shakes and lassi also skyrocketed, reflecting how localised tastes and seasonal preferences are now being catered to on the move.
