Indian Railways brings local flavors to Vande Bharat trains
Indian Railways just made train food a lot more interesting—11 Vande Bharat routes now serve up regional dishes inspired by the states they travel through.
It's all about letting passengers taste authentic local favorites, thanks to a push from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
What's on the menu?
Depending on your journey, you could get Maharashtra's Kanda Poha, Andhra Kodi Kura, Gujarati Methi Thepla, Kerala-style rice with Kadala Curry, West Bengal's Murgir Jhol, or Jammu Chana Masala.
Each route highlights signature dishes from that region.
Food bookings are up
Since these new menus launched on the two Kerala Vande Bharat services (Thiruvananthapuram-Kasargod on November 15, 2025 and Mangaluru-Thiruvananthapuram on December 15, 2025), food orders on those trains shot up by 50%.
Better quality and packaging—and some serious staff training—seem to be making a difference.
The plan is to roll out these changes across even more routes soon.
Why it matters
This move isn't just about tastier meals—it celebrates India's food diversity and makes premium train travel feel a bit more like home.
For anyone who loves trying new foods (or misses their hometown snacks), this is definitely worth checking out next time you're on board!