Is Your Shatabdi Or Rajdhani Train Delayed? You Might Get A Free Meal

Travel plans rarely go exactly as scheduled, and anyone who has waited at a railway platform knows how unpredictable delays can be. While a late train is usually just an inconvenience, there are some lesser-known passenger benefits that many travellers are not aware of.

According to IRCTC's catering guidelines, passengers travelling on premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto may be entitled to complimentary meals if the train is delayed by two hours or more. Depending on the timing, this can include breakfast, lunch, dinner, tea or snacks.

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At the start of the journey, passengers are served tea or coffee with biscuits. Each service includes a kit containing sugar or sugar-free sachets and milk creamer. For breakfast or evening tea, the meal includes four slices of bread, either white or brown, along with butter, a 200 ml fruit drink and a cup of tea or coffee.

Lunch and dinner focus on wholesome, balanced meals. Common options include rice served with chole, rajma or yellow dal. Every meal comes with pickle sachets for added flavour. An alternative option consists of seven pooris served with mixed vegetables and sachets of pickle, salt and pepper.

If a train is delayed by more than three hours or its route is changed, passengers can cancel their tickets and receive a full refund through the original booking channel. For tickets purchased at a railway counter, passengers must cancel them in person to receive a cash refund.

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Indian Railways also puts additional measures in place to keep passengers comfortable during long delays. Waiting rooms are available free of charge, while food stalls at stations remain open for longer hours, particularly for late-night travellers. The Railway Protection Force also deploys additional personnel to help ensure passenger safety.