Indian Railways has withdrawn on-board service fees on all meals and beverages that are not pre-ordered on premium trains, according to a circular released after the company received criticism for charging for tea served on one of the trains.
Yet, if passengers order snacks, lunches, or dinners and do not pre-order them while purchasing a ticket, they will be charged an additional 50 rupees. When ordering food while travelling, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) used to charge an extra 50 rupees , even if it was just a cup of tea or coffee, if the passenger had not pre-booked their meals along with their train ticket.
A traveller on a premium train like the Rajdhani, Duronto, or Shatabdi who hasn’t reserved their meals would now have to spend Rs.20 for tea (similar to the amount paid by those who pre-booked their meals). Previously, the price for such a non-reserved tea was Rs.70, including the service fee. The cost of breakfast, lunch, and evening snacks, which previously cost Rs.105, Rs.185, and Rs.90 respectively, will now be Rs.155, Rs.235, and Rs.140 for passengers due to the addition of the service tax.
“Only the prices of tea and coffee will change as a result of the absence of the service charge. In this, a passenger who hasn’t made a reservation will pay the same price as one who has. However, the cost of meals at unreserved facilities has now included the service charge price for all other meals “An official clarified.
For breakfast, lunch, dinner, or evening snacks on Vande Bharat trains, passengers who have not pre-paid for the on-board services must pay the same price they did when they were charged service fees, with the increase reflected in the price of the food rather than the fees.
Image Credit: Indian Railways
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