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Vande Bharat train menu set for makeover; Railways to serve regional cuisine onboard

Indian Railways Vande Bharat trains: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday instructed officials to introduce region-specific local cuisine on Vande Bharat trains.

3 min readUpdated: Dec 14, 2025 02:02 PM IST

The move is expected to further enhance the passenger experience by showcasing the culture and culinary preferences of the areas the trains pass through.

Indian Railways Vande Bharat trains: The move is expected to further enhance the passenger experience by showcasing the culture and culinary preferences of the areas the trains pass through. (Image: Ministry of Railways)

Vande Bharat train food menu, Indian Railways food menu: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday instructed officials to introduce region-specific local cuisine on Vande Bharat trains. The move is expected to further enhance the passenger experience by showcasing the culture and culinary preferences of the areas the trains pass through. Later, this new facility will be progressively expanded to all other trains.

Also Read | Railways to invest Rs 14,000 crore in maintenance depots for Vande Bharat trains

Vande Bharat train food menu, Indian Railways Vande Bharat trains latest news

Recently, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has launched Proof of Concept (PoC) meal trials on select Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat Express trains to enhance the quality of onboard meals. The focus through these trials remains on kitchen infrastructure, meal production processes, transfer of meal and service of meal in the entire supply chain.

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“IRCTC in this respect is undertaking PoC de-linking meal production and meal service, so that branded F&B players i.e. industrial kitchens, restaurant chains, and flight caterers are roped to provide fresh, hygienic meals for service to the passengers,” it added. The PoC is being conducted across various zones in some of newly introduced Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains.

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Vande Bharat train route

Presently, 164 services of Vande Bharat trains with Chair Car are operational across the vast network. Developed by Chennai-based Integral Coach Factory (ICF), these semi-high-speed trains have been running with full occupancies.

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Vande Bharat Express train features

Fitted with KAVACH.
Higher acceleration with design/operating speed of 180/160 kmph.
Air conditioning units with indigenously developed UV-C lamp based disinfection system.
Jerk Free Semi-Permanent couplers.
Centrally controlled Automatic Plug Doors and Fully Sealed wider gangways.
Better Ride Comfort.
CCTVs in all Coaches.
Emergency Alarm Push buttons and Talk Back Units on all Coaches.
Improved fire safety – Aerosol based fire detection and suppression system in electrical cabinets and lavatories.
For Divyangjan passengers special lavatory in the driving coaches on each end.
Driver-Guard communication with voice recording facility & Crash hardened memory.
Coach condition monitoring System (CCMS) display with remote monitoring.

Anish Mondal

Anish Mondal is a journalist with over nine years of experience covering the railways and roadways. Currently a member of the Indianexpress.com editorial team, Anish specializes in high-impact sectors. Professional Journey Anish began his career at the public broadcaster Rajya Sabha Television (now Sansad TV), where he developed a foundational understanding of legislative processes and national governance. In 2018, he transitioned to digital financial journalism at FinancialExpress.com, spending nearly six years refining his expertise in market trends and corporate reporting. Before joining The Indian Express in 2025, he served as a key contributor at ETNowNews.com. Education & Expertise Anish’s reporting is backed by a rigorous academic background in communication and the humanities: Master of Journalism and Mass Communication (MJMC) – Apeejay Stya University Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Production (PGTVRJP) – Apeejay Institute of Mass Communication Bachelor of Arts (English Honours) – University of Calcutta Areas of Coverage Connectivity: Detailed reporting on the expansion of Indian Railways and National Highway networks. ... Read More

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