IRCTC's new service lets you pre-book meals on select trains
IRCTC rolled out E-Pantry, letting you pre-book standard meals and Rail Neer water on 25 Mail/Express trains with pantry cars.
You can order right when you book your ticket—or even after—using the IRCTC website or app, as long as your ticket is confirmed, RAC, or partially confirmed.
Cashless payments and refunds available
No more surprise meal charges—prices are fixed and payments are cashless for total transparency.
After booking, you'll get a Meal Verification Code (MVC) by SMS or email; show this to get your food delivered straight to your seat by authorized staff.
If something goes wrong and your meal isn't delivered, refunds are available and updates land in your inbox or WhatsApp.
Quality is tracked digitally to keep standards up.
Check out the list of trains covered
E-Pantry started on Vivek Express but now covers 25 popular trains—including Swatantra Senani Express, Swarnajayanti Express, Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express, Mangladweep Express, Kalinga Utkal Express, Pushpak Express and more—making meal planning way easier for regular travelers.
What's the difference between e-pantry and e-catering?
E-Pantry brings you classic pantry car meals during the journey at scheduled delivery times with that handy MVC check-in.
eCatering is more about ordering restaurant food at select stations using your PNR—so if you want simple and predictable eats on board, E-Pantry's got you covered.