Optional Catering Services in Trains

Provision of Optional Catering Services in Trains

Railway introduced Optional Catering Services in Trains, first it was implemented in 2017 on a trial basis and Optional catering is now available in Puri- Howrah Shatabdi Express and Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Duronto Express. Now Railway implemented the Provision of Optional Catering Services in Rajdhani Express also. Details are here.

• Optional Catering Services in Trains Railway Zones Details
• Provision of Optional Catering Services in Trains introduced (01.08.2017)
• Provision of Optional Catering Services in Rajdhani Express from 01.09.2019

Provision of Optional Catering Services in Rajdhani Express from 01.09.2019

Railways have now made the on-board catering facilities for passengers of Rajdhani Express an optional exercise, officials said on Friday (30.08.2019). This facility of optional catering will be available for passengers booking their tickets for the journey from September 1, 2019.

Replying to a question, the official said that the facility of optional catering is already implemented in Puri- Howrah Shatabdi Express and Bhubaneswar-New Delhi Duronto Express. Ministry of Railways has already taken steps to make catering an optional service in important trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Gatiman, Vande Bharat type trains.

Passengers have the option of indicating their preference of availing catering facilities or not at the time of booking of tickets, they said. Once opted-out, the passengers will have to arrange for their own food during the journey and catering charge will not be added to the price of journey tickets.

Provision of Optional Catering Services in Trains introduced (01.08.2017)

Indian Railway announced that and Catering has been made optional in 31 premium trains, including seven Rajdhanis, six Shatabdis and Durontos, on a trial basis for six months from 01.08.2017. Passengers can now opt out of the catering facility offered by IRCTC while booking their tickets. This would mean tickets on these trains are going to cost less those with pre-booked meals. Passengers, however, cannot change their option during the journey once they opt out.

In order to improve its catering services, during the booking process, the IRCTC will seek feedback from passengers. Additionally, 100 kitchens managed by the Indian Railways will be handed over to IRCTC. Also, 20 new ‘modern kitchens’ will be opened to provide quality service to the customers of IRCTC.         

The scheme shall be implemented for an initial period of 6 months subject to mid-term review after 3 months. 

• Passengers will be required to mandatorily exercise either of the options at the time of the booking of ticket so as to enable them to be aware of this scheme.  Accordingly, catering service will be excluded or included after the mandatory option is exercised by the passengers. The catering charges shall be included in the ticket fare only in case passengers opt for catering services and excluded in case passengers do not require catering services.
• Passengers will not be allowed to change their options at any point of time once they exercise option at the time of booking.  No partial catering service shall be provided to passengers under this scheme, thus the option shall include/exclude complete catering service between pairs of stations.
• Optional catering services on the trains will be provided to passengers booking tickets from 01.08.2017 onwards for the journeys to commence on 01.08.2017 and onwards.
• Duration of trials of this scheme will be for a period of 180 days subject to mid-term review of the scheme after 3 months.

IRCTC Menu Rate

Optional Catering Services in Trains Railway Zones Details

South Eastern Railway announced that it has been decided to make catering services optional in the following trains under South Eastern Railway with effect from 1st August, 2017. Following are the trains

• Train Nos.12262/12261   Howrah-Mumbai Duronto Express
• Train Nos.12222/12221   Howrah-Pune Duronto Express
• Train Nos.12245/12246   Howrah-Yesvantpur Duronto Express
• Train Nos.12847/12848   Howrah-Digha Super AC Express

Eastern Railway announced that Optional catering service shall be introduced on all those Rajdhani/ Shatabdi/Duronto and other similar trains (except Gatiman Express) where catering charges are part of the ticket fare. Such trains under Eastern Railway are 

• Train Nos.12259/12260 Sealdah – New Delhi – Sealdah Duronto Express 
• Train Nos.12273/12274 Howrah – New Delhi- Howrah Duronto Express
• Train Nos.12301/12302 Kolkata Rajdhani Express 
• Train Nos.12305/12306 Kolkata Rajdhani Express 
• Train Nos. 22201/22202 Sealdah – Puri – Sealdah Duronto Express 
• Train Nos.12313/12314 Sealdah Rajdhani Express

South Central Railway announced that Railway Board has decided to implement the scheme of Provision of Optional Catering Services in place of mandatory Catering Services on all the 31 Rajdhani / Shatabdi / Duronto Express Trains to the Passengers booking their Tickets by these Trains, including the following two trains belonging to South Central Railway with effect from 1st August, 2017.

• Train Nos.12219 / 12220 Secunderabad – Lokmanya Tilak Duronto Express.
• Train Nos.12285 / 12286 Secunderabad – Hazrat Nizamuddin Duronto Express.

IRCTC Food Overcharging Action Rule

Central Railway announced that On Central Railway the scheme of optional catering service will be provided on following trains –

• Train No.12025/12026 Pune –Secunderabad Shatabdi Express
• Train No.12223/12224 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Ernakulam Duronto Express
• Train No.12293/12294 Lokmanya Tilak Terminus – Allahabad Duronto Express

Southern Railway has introduced the provision of Optional Catering Services on the following trains and passengers can avail the facility for booking of tickets made from 01.08.2017 onwards.

• Train No.12243 / 12244 Chennai Central – Coimbatore – Chennai Central Shatabdi express trains.
• Train No.12269 / 12270 Chennai Central – Hazrat Nizamuddin – Chennai Central Duronto express trains.
• Train No.22207 / 22208 Chennai Central – Thiruvananthapuram – Chennai Central AC super fast express trains.