From Platform to Plate: Swiggy Partners with IRCTC to bring seat delivery to 152 stations

Food delivery platform Swiggy has expanded its ‘Food on Train’ service in partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), now covering 152 railway stations across the country, up from 70 stations in February 2025 — a 117% growth within a year. 

Passengers can order meals directly to their seats by searching “Train” on the Swiggy app. The expanded network stretches from Guwahati in the East to Rajkot in the West, and from Pathankot in the North to Tirunelveli in the South, strengthening the platform’s nationwide reach ahead of the festive travel rush. 

Holi specials and festive offers 

To tap into Holi travel demand, Swiggy has introduced festive offerings available between February 28 and March 08, 2026. Travellers can order traditional favourites such as gujiya, pua and puran poli, delivered fresh onboard. 

The company is also offering a flat ₹125 discount on orders above ₹399 during the promotional period. 

A dedicated Holi section on the app will showcase sweets, gujiyas and chaats under a special widget, making it easier for passengers to access festive treats during their journeys. 

‘Train Friendly’ menu drives growth 

Swiggy’s expanded ‘Train Friendly Dishes’ menu — developed using a data-led approach combining individual customer history with insights from the 40 most-loved cuisines across railway routes — has emerged as a key growth driver. The curated collection now accounts for 22% of total train orders. 

Deepak Maloo, Vice President – Food Strategy, Customer Experience & New Initiatives at Swiggy, said food remains an intrinsic part of train travel in India and that the nationwide expansion is strategically timed for the Holi rush. He added that the company is doubling down on transit hubs across major junctions and regional stops such as Itarsi, Tirunelveli and Kharagpur to serve millions returning home for the Festival of Colors. 

Strong push beyond metros 

According to Swiggy, the service expansion reflects India’s evolving “convenience economy,” where hygiene and reliability remain top priorities even during travel. 

While metros such as Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru account for 15% of the network, Tier-1 cities contribute 30%, and a significant 55% of coverage is concentrated in Tier-2 and smaller towns. 

The network now includes industrial centres such as Dhanbad, Bina and Bhilai, cultural hubs like Agra, Gaya and Madurai, major junctions including Lucknow and Bhopal, and smaller towns such as Tadepalligudem and Deoghar. 

Among the busiest stations for train orders are Nagpur, Kanpur, Surat and Vijayawada, which consistently record the highest volumes. Swiggy said it has maintained a strong delivery success rate across stations, reinforcing customer confidence in ordering meals during transit. 

The company’s ‘City Best’ feature — which curates award-winning restaurants across all 152 stations — is also seeing traction, with one in four users engaging with the widget immediately upon opening the app. Swiggy said the engagement signals growing trust among travellers ordering food in unfamiliar cities. 

Station-level trends indicate distinct meal patterns: Itarsi and Ratlam lead in breakfast orders; Kanpur, Bhopal and Salem dominate lunch demand; while Nagpur and Vijayawada see peak dinner-time orders — suggesting that travellers are increasingly aligning app-based food delivery with their train schedules throughout the journey.