Swiggy expands Food on Train service to 201 railway stations

Swiggy has expanded its Food on Train network to 201 railway stations across India. Traditional thalis account for more than 65% of orders, while passengers are increasingly choosing lassi and buttermilk over carbonated drinks.

— FiledFri, 28 Aug, 2026, 09:16 IST·First seen Fri, 28 Aug, 2026, 09:16 IST·Source ET Retail

What happened

Swiggy expanded its Food on Train service to 201 railway stations across India. Train passengers increasingly prefer lassi and buttermilk over carbonated

Key facts

  • 201 railway stations
  • more than 65% of food orders are traditional thalis

Why this matters

Swiggy’s scaled rail network makes partnerships with railway catering, station retailers and regional food brands increasingly strategic, particularly for travel-friendly traditional meals and beverage formats.

What to watch

  • Food on Train order growth and repeat-order rates by station, route, and journey length.
  • Average order value, beverage attachment rate, and thali share after the network expansion.
  • On-time handoff rate, cancellation rate, train-delay-related refunds, and customer support contacts.
  • Number of active restaurant partners per station and concentration of orders among top stations.
  • New IRCTC or railway policy changes affecting delivery access, platform fees, vendor licensing, or passenger data.
  • Competitive expansion, exclusive railway partnerships, or price promotions from Zomato, IRCTC e-catering, and rail-food specialists.
  • Evidence that non-carbonated beverage demand persists beyond seasonal heat and specific regional routes.
  • Add train-number and PNR-linked pre-order flows with delivery-slot confirmation before key stations.
  • Build station-specific menus centered on thalis, breakfast, regional specialties, lassi, buttermilk, and sealed travel-friendly packaging.
  • Use journey duration and route data to target meal occasions such as breakfast departures, lunch stops, overnight travel, and family group orders.
  • Expand partnerships with IRCTC, railway caterers, station vendors, and high-rated local restaurants to improve coverage and reliability.
  • Introduce delay-aware fulfillment, live order tracking, and refund guarantees to reduce missed handoffs.
  • Bundle meals with beverages and multi-passenger combo packs to raise basket sizes without relying on discounting.

Also reported by