In an attempt to enhance the rail commuters’ dining experience during the journey, the Indian Railways has initiated extensive meal trials on select trains. This move is a part of a major push to elevate
the quality of on-board catering.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) currently serves around 16.5 lakh meals daily across the Indian Railways network and is working toward a significant “paradigm shift” in passenger dining experiences.
The trials focus on strengthening kitchen infrastructure, refining meal production, improving food transfer processes, and enhancing the overall service delivery chain. A key feature of the initiative is a Proof of Concept (PoC) aimed at de-linking meal production from meal service. Through this model, IRCTC is partnering with branded food and beverage providers—including industrial kitchens, restaurant chains, and flight caterers—to supply passengers with fresh, hygienic, and restaurant-quality meals.
The PoC is being implemented across various newly introduced Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains. Participating trains and partners include:
Nagpur–Secunderabad Vande Bharat Express (20101/20102): M/s Haldiram’s (Nagpur) and Elior (Secunderabad)
Delhi–Sitamarhi Amrit Bharat (14047/14048): M/s Touch Stone Foundation
Kasargod–Trivandrum Vande Bharat (20633/20634) and Mangalore–Trivandrum Vande Bharat (20631/20632, starting 16/12/25): Casino Air Caterers & Flight Services (CAFS)
Ahmedabad–Veraval Vande Bharat (26901/26902): M/s CAFS Kitchen (Gandhinagar) and M/s Safal Foodies (Rajkot)
Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra–Srinagar Vande Bharat (26401/02 & 26403/04): Vaishno Devi Sarovar Portico
Bapudham Motihari–Anand Vihar Amrit Bharat (15567/15568): ISKCON, Dwarka
Passengers have responded positively, praising the improved food quality and diverse menus featuring regional specialties. IRCTC will evaluate insights from the PoC to further refine and expand its catering services, aiming to enhance comfort and satisfaction for millions of rail travelers.
