Indian Railways has introduced a new rule for passengers traveling on premium trains like Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Vande Bharat.
Now, when booking tickets, passengers must choose whether to “take or not take miles”. Without selecting this option, the booking cannot proceed. This ensures that passengers clearly state their preference.
Free Water for All Passengers
Railway officials have confirmed that all passengers will receive a free bottle of water, even if they choose the ‘no meals’ option. This has been included because water is a basic necessity during travel.
Meal charges will only be applied if passengers select the meals option while booking. If ‘no meals’ is chosen, the meal cost will be removed from the ticket fare.
Even if meals were not selected initially, passengers can still order meals during the journey. This is helpful for those whose plans change unexpectedly.
Optional Meals After Covid
After the Covid pandemic, Indian Railways decided that passengers can now choose whether to have train food or not at the time of booking.
For Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Vande Bharat trains, selecting whether to take meals is mandatory during booking, but passengers are still free to choose ‘no food’. This ensures that everyone makes a clear choice without forcing anyone to take meals.
Clearing Passenger Confusion
There were rumours on social media claiming that the ‘No Food’ option was removed. Railways clarified that this is not true.
The option still exists, but its position and presentation on the booking page have been changed. Passengers can still travel without food and enjoy the benefit of free water.
