What You Can Eat Along Shatabdi Express Routes: A Regional Cuisine Guide

India is a country where the food changes every 100 kilometres. Each region has its own spices, its own cooking style, and its own soul food. Shatabdi Express connects many of these culinary capitals, from Delhi to Amritsar, Mumbai to Pune, and Chennai to Coimbatore.

But here is the thing: most passengers don’t know. You don’t have to wait until you reach your destination to eat like a local. Thanks to eCatering, the Food on Track app, you can order fresh, restaurant-quality regional food delivered straight to your chosen station along your route.

This guide walks you through the best regional dishes you can order on each major Shatabdi corridor. Hungry already? Good. Let’s go.

What Is eCatering and How Does the Food on Track App Work?

eCatering is IRCTC’s official food delivery service for Indian Railways. It lets you order food from FSSAI-verified restaurants, vendors, partners and aggregators. The food gets delivered to you at your chosen station. You can order in two simple ways:

• Visit the IRCTC eCatering website at ecatering.irctc.co.in
• Download the Food on Track app on your Android or iOS device

How to Place Your Order

1. Enter your PNR number.
2. Select your delivery station along the route.
3. Browse menus from local restaurants/food vendors/partners.
4. Choose your food, pay online or COD.
5. Your order gets delivered to you.

The process takes less than five minutes. You get live tracking, restaurant ratings, and a wide range of cuisines, from local cuisine to full meals. This is not train food. This is real restaurant food, ordered on a train.

Delhi to Bhopal – Mughal Flavours and Madhya Pradesh Classics

This route passes through the heart of North India. It cuts through Agra and Gwalior before reaching Bhopal, three cities with very distinct food identities.

What to Order at Agra and Gwalior Stations

Agra is more famous than the Taj Mahal. The city’s culinary identity is built around rich Mughlai cooking. When your train stops at Agra Cantt, use the Food on Track app to order:

Bedai with Aloo Sabzi

A crispy fried bread served with a tangy potato curry. It is the classic Agra breakfast.

Mughlai Biryani

Slow-cooked, aromatic, and deeply satisfying.

Petha

The iconic white gourd sweet of Agra. Order it as a dessert or a snack. It travels well.

At Gwalior, the food takes on a more rustic character. Look for:

Dal Baati Churma

A wholesome Bundeli classic. Baked wheat balls, lentil dal, and sweetened crushed wheat.

Poha with Jalebi

The quintessential Central Indian breakfast combo.

Mumbai to Pune – Maharashtra’s Finest on Your Tray

This is one of the most popular Shatabdi routes in the country. The train passes through Lonavala, offering you a window into both coastal Maharashtrian and Pune’s urban food culture.

What to Order at Lonavala and Pune Stations

The Mumbai-Pune belt has some of Maharashtra’s most beloved street food. Order these through eCatering:

Misal Pav

A fiery, flavourful curry made from sprouted lentils, topped with farsan and served with pav. This is Pune’s most iconic dish.

Sabudana Khichdi

A light and filling dish made from tapioca pearls, peanuts, and cumin. It is popular during fasting days but loved by everyone.

Vada Pav

The Mumbai staple. A spiced potato fritter inside a soft pav bun. Simple, but iconic.

Chivda and Chakli

Local dry snacks from Lonavala that make perfect train companions.

Delhi to Amritsar – Punjab’s Bold and Hearty Bites

The Delhi-Amritsar Shatabdi is a celebration of Punjabi food. The route passes through Ludhiana, and both cities are legendary for their generous, butter-drenched cuisine.

What to Order at Ludhiana and Amritsar Stations

Punjab does not believe in small portions. When you order on this route, expect bold flavours and hearty servings.

Amritsari Kulcha

A stuffed flatbread made in a tandoor, loaded with spiced potato or paneer filling. Served with chole and a knob of butter. Order this at the Amritsar delivery station.

Chole Bhature

Fluffy deep-fried bread with a rich chickpea curry. The Ludhiana version is particularly good.

Lassi

Thick, creamy, and sweetened. This is not the thin, watery kind. Punjabi lassi is almost a meal in itself.

Sarson da Saag with Makki di Roti

If you are travelling in winter, this is a must-order. A mustard greens preparation with cornmeal flatbread.

Chennai to Coimbatore – South India’s Comfort Food Trail

South India’s food is a lesson in balance. Rice, lentils, tamarind, coconut – every dish is precisely calibrated. The Chennai-Coimbatore Shatabdi passes through Salem, giving you access to two very different South Indian food traditions.

What to Order at Salem and Coimbatore Stations

Idli and Sambar

The ultimate South Indian comfort meal. Soft steamed rice cakes with a tangy vegetable lentil soup. Order these fresh from a restaurant near Salem station.

Masala Dosa

A crisp, golden rice crepe stuffed with spiced potato filling. Served with coconut chutney and sambar.

Chettinad Chicken Curry

One of India’s most complex and aromatic curries, originating from Tamil Nadu’s Chettinad region. Deeply spiced with kalpasi, marathi mokku, and star anise.

Filter Coffee

Thick, strong, and frothy. No South Indian meal is complete without it.

Coimbatore Special Parotta with Salna

Layered, flaky flatbread served with a spiced meat or vegetable gravy.

Howrah to Patna – Bengali and Bihari Flavours

This eastern corridor is one of the most underrated food routes in the country. The train passes through Asansol and Dhanbad – industrial cities with a surprisingly rich local food culture.

What to Order at Asansol and Dhanbad Stations

Bengal and Bihar have two very different food languages, and this route gives you access to both.

From the Bengali side, order:

Kosha Mangsho

slow-cooked, intensely spiced mutton curry. It is the pride of Bengali home cooking.

Rasgulla or Mishti Doi

Bengali sweets are world-famous. Rasgulla is a soft, spongy milk-cheese dumpling in a sugar syrup. Mishti Doi is a sweetened, fermented yoghurt.

Fish Curry with Rice

A simple but deeply satisfying Bengali meal. Look for Hilsa preparations on the eCatering menu.

From the Bihari side, don’t miss:

Litti Chokha

Bihar’s most beloved dish. Hard-baked wheat balls stuffed with roasted gram flour, served with a smoky mashed vegetable side of roasted brinjal and tomato. It is hearty, rustic, and delicious.

Sattu Paratha

A flatbread stuffed with roasted gram flour mix. A traditional Bihari breakfast that keeps you full for hours.

Tips to Order Smart on Food on Track

• Order at least 2 hours before your delivery station
• Check restaurant ratings before you order
• Pay with your preferred method of payment
• Track your order live
• Explore local specials, not just familiar dishes

Every Shatabdi Route Is a Food Journey

India’s regional cuisine is one of its greatest treasures. The Shatabdi network connects cities, but it also connects culinary traditions. With eCatering and the Food on Track app, you don’t have to wait to arrive at your destination to taste what makes each place unique. Order Amritsari kulcha on the way to Punjab. Eat Litti Chokha rolling through Bihar. Enjoy a Masala Dosa with Filter coffee on your way to Coimbatore. Every halt is an opportunity.

Order food for your next Shatabdi journey via the Food on Track app or the eCatering website. Your seat is your table. India’s regional kitchens are waiting to serve you.