IRCTC Introduces E-Pantry on Pune–NZM Darshan Express, Pune–Howrah Azad Hind Among 25 Trains
Reported by Amit Singh
Pune/New Delhi, 9th February 2026: The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has launched its E-Pantry online meal booking service on 25 Mail and Express trains, including multiple long-distance services originating from or passing through Pune, enabling passengers to pre-book meals digitally on trains where catering is not included in the ticket fare.
The service, introduced on February 9, 2026, allows passengers travelling on selected Mail and Express trains to pre-order meals and Rail Neer through the IRCTC ticketing platform. The facility is available to passengers holding confirmed, RAC or partially confirmed tickets.
Among the trains covered under the E-Pantry rollout, Pune-linked services have been given priority. These include Pune–Nizamuddin Darshan Express and Pune–Howrah Azad Hind Express, both of which connect Pune with major destinations in northern and eastern India.
Other trains included in the E-Pantry service are Vivek Express, Asr–Kochuveli Express, Jaynagar–New Delhi Swatantra Senani Express, Hatia–Anand Vihar Swarnajayanti Express, Kirandul–Amritsar Chhattisgarh Express, Secunderabad–Danapur Express, Tatanagar–SMVT Bengaluru Express, Ajmer–Sealdah Superfast Express, Karnataka Sampark Kranti Express, Mangladweep Express, Kalinga Utkal Express, Goa Vasco Express, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–CSMT Pushpak Express, Mumbai Central–Amritsar Paschim Express, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Jaynagar Express, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus–Thiruvananthapuram Netravati Express, New Delhi–Chennai Grand Trunk Express, Visakhapatnam–New Delhi AP Express, Howrah–New Delhi Poorva Express, Anand Vihar–Sitamarhi Lichchhavi Express, Indore–Shri Vaishno Devi Katra Malwa Express, Ahmedabad–Barauni Express and Puri–New Delhi Purushottam Express.
IRCTC stated that passengers can opt for the E-Pantry meal option either during ticket booking or later through the “Booked Ticket History” section on the IRCTC website. After booking, passengers receive a confirmation message along with a Meal Verification Code (MVC) via SMS or email.
On the day of travel, passengers are required to share the MVC with pantry car staff, who deliver the pre-booked meal directly to the passenger’s seat. Payments are processed digitally through the IRCTC platform.
The E-Pantry service was initially piloted on the Vivek Express and has now been extended to 25 Mail and Express trains across different zones. The system also provides for digital order tracking and refunds in cases of non-delivery, with updates communicated through electronic channels.
IRCTC operates under the Ministry of Railways and manages catering and hospitality services across the Indian Railways network.
