IRCTC Food Menu

Decoded: 8 Iconic Train Foods That Are As Nostalgic As They Are Delicious

Quick Summary

Train food in India is an integral part of train travel, with a wide range of breakfast, lunch, snacks, and tea foods. But now there is still a change in this service due to the IRCTC food menu's itinerant efforts and its fast-growing eCatering.

Deep Dive

Today’s IRCTC food menu offerings go beyond basic pantry options. Traditional railway catering continues to offer popular food staples such as idli-vada, poha, biryani, dal, rice and roti. With eCatering, passengers can now order from a restaurant menu at select railway stations. This innovation has changed the way passengers perceive food served on trains.

Why Food Is Part of the Indian Train Journey

Food takes on an interesting role in the train journey through the meal schedule. Breakfast is served early in the morning after the rush. Lunch comes during the long stretch of the train journey, evening tea comes with a halt at the stations, and finally, dinner is there for the final hour of travel. In the past, food items such as cutlets, omelette sandwiches, soup, biryani and railway-style mutton curry became synonymous with long journeys. Not to be left behind, the passengers chose regional snacks at their stops.

In recent times, the food experience has come a long way, with the IRCTC food menu now offering eCatering services for ordering at more than 300 stations, where anything from Indian street food to restaurant meals can be ordered.

1. The Railway Vegetable Cutlet

When it comes to railway catering, few foods have such an integral relationship with the railway industry as the crumb-encased vegetable cutlet. Traditionally served as a compact snack, it is shaped into a cutlet and deep-fried. The cutlet is often served with bread and butter or ketchup and is appreciated for its convenience.

The cutlet has also received a modern makeover. Current IRCTC food menu offerings include train-friendly versions inspired by the traditional railway cutlet, packed specifically for onboard consumption.

2. Idli and Vada for the Morning Run

Among the breakfast items, idli and vada with chutney are well-known items in the South Indian breakfast menu in the train catering service. The breakfast menu now consists of four idlis, four urad vadas, and chutney, packed separately. Other breakfast menu items are upma with vada and pongal with vada.

The food prepared has a soft, comforting feel, as idlis, being soft and mildly fermented, pair well with the crispy outer coating and spicy core of vada. The chutney makes the whole meal feel fresh. On routes through southern India, these familiar foods also connect naturally with the regional cuisine passengers encounter beyond the train.

3. Poha for an Easy Breakfast

Poha has a unique position as being filling yet lightweight, hence great for morning travels. Railway breakfast has had poha with bread, butter and chutney on the menu for breakfast, and IRCTC’s regional food guide has also included poha in its long-distance train breakfast offerings.

It’s easy to digest and has seasoning flavours that make it easy to eat in the morning compared to heavier meals. With poha, train food accommodates station food space in relation to the central and western route states.

4. Biryani When the Journey Gets Serious

Biryani serves well as a complete meal option in trains, especially for lunch and dinner. Current railway catering charges include both vegetarian and non-vegetarian biryani options, while the new eCatering menu has added regional varieties like Hyderabadi and Lucknowi chicken biryani.

It is a simple-to-eat, wholesome meal for travel, with seasoned rice, substantial protein or vegetable content, and an exceptional aroma. Biryani also shows how fare on the railway has evolved, and it is no longer limited to a single taste.

5. Dal, Rice and Roti for Familiar Comfort

Possibly the simplest train meal also turns out to be the most wholesome: dal, rice and roti (or paratha), often served with vegetables, curds (yoghurt) and pickles. Typical menu items here are dal tadka, rajma, dal makhani, chana dal and regional variations like sambar, served with either plain or flavoured rice.

The combination of dal, rice, and roti works well for lunch or dinner since it mimics a typical Indian meal and is less of a rare treat. Furthermore, it varies regionally, with different types of dals, veggies, and rice preparations appearing depending on the locale.

6. Samosa, Kachori and Masala Vada at Tea Time

Evening tea comes with its own section of the railway menu: the only items featured today are the familiar snacks, samosas, kachoris, and masala vadas, served with tea or coffee.

These quick bites, made to suit the time between the main meals of the day, add crispness or juiciness to the hot cup of tea served in train compartments, letting passengers enjoy a light snack in place of a full meal.

7. Regional Station Snacks

It isn't the pantry from which some of the delightful train snacks are served. There are some regional specialities, such as misal pav, sabudana khichdi, vada pav, and chivda, in the Mumbai-Pune corridor, while you can taste Amritsari kulcha, chole bhature, and lassi in Amritsar and Ludhiana.

The Ernakulam station in Kerala serves up an entirely different taste with pazham pori, banana chips, appam and stew, Kerala meals and Malabar chicken biryani among a host of other regional delectables.

8. Chai, the Unofficial Railway Constant

Among all the things on the menu, tea is the least complicated but the most integral part of the railway culture. In the catering menus, tea appears alongside breakfast and evening snacks, while the present-day tariffs also list standard tea, tea bags, and instant coffee.

The significance of tea lies not so much in the complexity of the item as in its timing. The morning tea marks the beginning of the day, while the evening tea is associated with snacks, gossip, and people waiting in anticipation at the railway station.

How Train Food Has Changed

The most significant change has been choice. In the past, people depended on the pantry car, on vendors serving food onboard the train, or on whatever could be bought at train stops. Currently, the IRCTC eCatering allows travellers to enter their PNR, choose a restaurant and request that their food be delivered to the train. 

The new system doesn’t cancel the old railway food tradition; rather, it enhances it. Traditional foods, such as cutlets and rice and lentils, now coexist with restaurant-style thalis, regional dishes, and new types of food created specifically for train travel.

Conclusion

Indian train food leaves a lasting impression on travellers, as it is associated with movement, time, and space. A cutlet may remind tourists of a pantry car, an idli may evoke the southern journey, and a meal at a local restaurant may turn a route into a new culinary experience. The IRCTC food menu options have changed a lot, but all its best offerings still do the same job: they make travel easier, more familiar, and more Indian.