A train journey is fun. Be it an ordinary sleeper class or an “AC-ed” berth of a Rajdhani or Shatabdi or any other, train offers a unique experience. Many poets and philosopher have compared life’s journey to that of a train where passengers come and go; they mingle with each other for some time and then part ways.
Food makes a journey more interesting, especially when you can order khana online in train. Gone are the days when our mothers used to pack food for train travel. A typical home food packet would consist of “puris” and pickles, along with some dry snacks. These food items did not spoil fast and could dutifully serve your taste buds till the end of your journey.
Then came a few trains with pantry cars. The problem with these trains was that passengers had no choice of food. The menu was already decided…and it hardly changed over years. Hygiene and food quality were two other issues. Passengers of trains without pantry cars still had to do with their home packed food or had to buy from stalls on stations.
The rapidly changing face of Indian railways
With the advent of travel food services, passengers have got respite from boring meals. Issues of food quality and hygiene are also addressed. Several online vendors have come forward to deliver excellent quality food to passengers. Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has started “Food on Track” services.
The present scene:bring out your smart phone. Download an App. Order food online. Get it delivered at your berth. Relish it to your heart’s content. Pay in cash when the food is delivered to you or pay through debit card or credit card.
IRCTC’s e-catering service also lets passenger dial a toll free number and order food while traveling. There is also an SMS service. Type “meal,” your PNR number, and your seat number; send it to 139. The food reaches you in a short time.
Things to remember
Certain things you must take care of, like, you must order 2 hours in advance. Suppose your train is about to reach New Delhi station. There is a station-based e-catering service on this station. You must place an order 2 hours before your train reaches New Delhi.
Also, there is no guarantee of your food being delivered, in case your train is late or early of the determined service time. The timings for food service are from 6 in the morning till 10 at night. If your train reaches a station before 6 in the morning or reaches after 10 at night, you may not get your food through the particular service.
In case you wish to cancel your food order, again, you must do so 2 hours before the train reaches the particular station.
A delightful food service
This is what most passengers have to say. IRCTC launched its e-catering service with a target of touching 1 lakh food orders per day. It seems that they are about to meet their target. Their pilot project that started in 45 stations is a success. They plan to extend the service.
Earlier, IRCTC delivered food through its own “Jan Ahaar” units, fast food units, and food plazas. Today, it has many food giants coming together to make this e-catering idea a stupendous success. You can find KFC, Dominos, SavarnaBhavan, Haldiram, Nirulas, Bikanerwala, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, SagarRatna, Food Panda, and others joining hands with IRCTC to serve fresh, hot food to passengers.
The idea of ordering khana online in train has clicked with passengers beautifully. Such a huge acceptance has made IRCTC provide various offers and cash back facilities to travelers. You can still relish the homemade-like flavor; the difference is there is no home-made tiffin in your bag anymore.
