Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC), a Navratna CPSE under the Ministry
of Railways, Government of India, serves as the hospitality and travel arm of Indian Railways. IRCTC
is dedicated to enhance catering services and promote rail-based domestic and inbound tourism.

IRCTC has recently launched E-Pantry meal booking facility for the convenience of the Mail/Express
train passengers, the trains wherein meals are not included in ticket fare. E-Pantry is a digitally enabled
solution to pre-book meals on select trains with pantry cars. With introduction of E-Pantry service on Mail/Express Trains, passengers can now travel hassle free with their meals booked in advance.

Integrated into the IRCTC ticket booking platform (www.irctc.co.in), this facility allows passengers
with confirmed, RAC, or partially confirmed tickets to pre-order standard meals and Rail Neer,
delivered directly to their seats by pantry car staff.

The E-Pantry service process flow:

1. Booking: Passengers can select the E-Pantry meal option during the booking process on the
   IRCTC website (www.irctc.co.in), either from the confirmation page or the “Booked Ticket
   History” section.
2. Confirmation: After booking, passengers receive a confirmation message and a Meal
   Verification Code (MVC) via SMS or email.
3. Meal Delivery: On the day of travel, passengers share the MVC with the vendor, who delivers
   the pre-ordered meal directly to their seat.

Key Features of the E-Pantry Service:

• Digital Meal Booking: Passengers can easily pre-book a Standard Meal or Rail Neer online, ensuring meal delivery during their journey.
• Cashless Payment: Payments can be made online via digital payment methods, eliminating the need for cash transactions during travel.
• Verified Delivery: A Meal Verification Code (MVC) is used to confirm that the meals are delivered to the correct passenger.
• Transparency & Trackability: All meal orders are managed through digital dashboards, ensuring greater transparency, accountability, and compliance with tax regulations.
• Refund for Non-Delivery: If a meal is not delivered as per the booking, passengers are entitled to a refund. Cancellation and refund details will be communicated through Email, SMS, or WhatsApp.