India-based food delivery platform Swiggy has partnered with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to provide food delivery services to train passengers.
From 12 March 2024, travellers on Indian railways can pre-order meals from Swiggy's restaurant network.
The service is initially available in Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
IRCTC chairman and managing director Sanjay Kumar Jain stated: “At IRCTC, our focus has always been to explore new ways to make train journeys comfortable and convenient for the billions of passengers aboard the Indian railways every year.
“This partnership with Swiggy will bring more convenience and food options to our passengers, making their journeys more memorable.”
The collaboration is set to expand to more than 50 stations.
Passengers can place orders through the IRCTC app by entering their passenger name record and selecting their preferred station for food delivery.
Once the station is chosen, passengers can browse Swiggy's restaurant listings and select an establishment offering delivery at the desired location and time.
The meals will be delivered in insulated Swiggy bags by the delivery partners, who will ensure the food reaches the customers on the platform just before the train's arrival.
Swiggy Food Marketplace CEO Rohit Kapoor said: “Swiggy’s mission is to bring convenience to the lives of consumers. The Indian railways are the lifeline of our nation, transporting more than eight billion passengers annually.
“IRCTC and Swiggy's collaboration is natural in several ways. Both organisations have built a reputation for leveraging technology to improve the consumer experience. Both have a pan-Indian presence.
“In the first phase, we are starting with deliveries on stations in Bengaluru, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar. We are hopeful of a buoyant response from passengers and restaurant operators on this route, which will hopefully lead to us providing services on more stations and newer routes.”
Earlier this year, Pret A Manger partnered with Swiggy to expand its presence in Mumbai and Delhi.
