The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation’s e-catering service is now available in 39 pairs of trains. The IRCTC e-catering service has been introduced in trains which do not have a pantry car. The passengers order the food dishes of their liking on the e-catering website www.ecatering.irctc.co.in or calling phone numbers 1800-1034-139 (toll-free), and 0120-4383892-99 (toll), and sending an SMS MEAL to 139.
Ordering Food –
When the passenger enters the PNR number, a stations list will appear. The passenger then selects the station at which the meal is to be served. The menu will appear with prices. The passenger can choose the items and book the order. An email and an SMS with the details of the order will be sent to the passenger and the email to the service provider.
By Telephone or SMS –
The passenger can call 1800-1034-139 or 0120-4383892-99 and book the order with the call center executive. The passenger will get a confirmatory SMS and email. If the passenger sends an SMS, MEAL<PNR>, to 139, a call center executive will call the customer for taking the order and later confirm it. The e-catering services are available from 6 am to 10 pm.
E-Payment –
The passenger has to make an e-payment for orders through the website. If the order is on phone or through an SMS, the payment is to be made in cash on delivery of food. The passenger can cancel the order two hours before the delivery time by paying Rs20 as cancellation charges. The refund will be given after three days. The minimum order has to be worth Rs60.
Quality Food Offer –
Train travel has been bothersome because no clean and good food was available either in the train or on the platforms. That had been the drawback of rail journey for decades. Not everyone could carry home-made food and it would be impossible to carry food that will last throughout long journeys or for big groups. The pantry car food too was not to everyone’s liking. But the things are changing now. The Railway Canteen network, run by award-winning food-in-train service, TravelKhana, is now offering freshly-made delicious food to passengers. The traveler can log on to the Railway Canteen website and order choice food dishes. The range of choice is wide and includes vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes prepared in different styles. The passenger has to mention the train number, seat details, and the station at which the order is to be served. Railway Canteen will present the ordered food well-packed and warm at the passenger’s seat. The passenger may pay in cash on delivery or pay online while ordering the food.
Change for Better –
The department of railways is changing, and changing for the better. With the internet becoming accessible to the average passenger, it has become simpler for all to know the schedules of trains, availability of seats, to book tickets, and know about their actual movement. This has eliminated so many hassles the traveler had to face in the earlier era. Now, TrvelKhana’s Railway catering is gearing up to supply quality food, prepared in hygienic ways as per the orders of the passengers. Surprises never cease.