Love South Indian food? These 4 Vande Bharat trains serve Chettinad curries, Kerala appam and more on board

South Western Railway officials have said two 16-coach Vande Bharat Sleeper trainsets have been commissioned for the proposed Bengaluru–Mumbai service. The rakes were manufactured by BEML under an Integral Coach Factory-led programme. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw officially announced in May that a Bengaluru–Mumbai Vande Bharat Sleeper service was expected to start soon.

Train numbers 20641/20642 have rotating breakfast choices including idli, medhu vada, sarkarai pongal, pineapple kesari, wheat upma and lemon sevai upma. Lunch and dinner options include Ponni rice, Chettinad vegetable gravy, Pallipalayam chicken curry, Kozhi Varutha Kozhambu, Koli Saaru and Chettinad Kozhi Curry. Items are served on a cyclic basis.

Passengers travelling on train numbers 20101/20102 can be served Maharashtra’s Kanda Poha along with regional dishes including Dondakaya Karam Podi Fry and Andhra Kodi Kura. The route’s menu combines culinary influences from Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh rather than representing only one regional cuisine.

The standard rake is expected to include 11 AC three-tier coaches, four AC two-tier coaches and one First AC coach. The overall trainset design accommodates approximately 823 passengers. Reports suggest a 3AC fare of around Rs 3,000 including meals, but Indian Railways has not issued a final fare notification.

The 20633/20634 Kasargod–Thiruvananthapuram Vande Bharat offers a Kerala-inspired spread. The official Railway Ministry release lists white rice, Pachakka Cherupayar Mezhukku Perati, Kadala Curry, Kerala paratha, curd, appam and Palada Payasam among the available items. (AI generated representative image)

Train numbers 20631/20632 also serve Kerala dishes including appam, white rice, Kadala Curry, Kerala paratha, vegetable preparations and Palada Payasam. The service connects coastal Karnataka with Kerala and gives passengers a menu shaped primarily by Kerala’s culinary traditions. (AI generated representative image)

The listed dishes are part of official or route-specific menus, but passengers should not assume that every item will be available on every journey. IRCTC menus operate cyclically and may vary by travel direction, meal time, class, catering contract and operational availability. (AI generated representative image)