Updated June 3, 2023
IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation)
The full form of IRCTC is the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation. A subsidiary of Indian railways, founded on September 27, 1999, is a Government of India initiative. Being the nation’s only approved company in catering and hospitality for railways, IRCTC has broadened its services to include hotel booking, besides online ticket booking.
Role of IRCTC in Railways
With a large 67,000 km network, Indian Railways needed a platform to provide services like ticket booking and catering.
Let’s now discuss some of its essential services, moving on from the question of the full form of IRCTC and whether it is a private or government organization.
Top IRCTC Services
Online Ticket Booking
One of the highly in-demand services of IRCTC is the e-booking of train tickets. One can check seat availability, choose their preferred class of travel, and book their tickets in a hassle-free manner.
IRCTC offers the following types of ticket-booking services:
#1 I-ticket
It refers to railway ticket booking in which the confirmed ticket gets couriered to the customer.
#2 E-ticketing
It is the booking of a train ticket where the customer uses the electronic reservation slip print with an authorized personal identification ID used as a standard train ticket.
Tatkal Ticketing
It is the ticket booking using the Tatkal quota with payment of additional premium charges on an emergency basis train booking. However, such tickets are subject to availability and thus are limited.
Catering and Hospitality
It includes:
#1 Mobile Catering
Serving over 460 passenger trains with pantry cars, including Gatimaan Express, to the newly launched Vande Bharat Express, IRCTC is offering quality mobile catering servicing.
#2 Train Side Vending (TSV)
In trains with no pantry cars, like superfast trains, TSV service is there. Here, onboarded vendors take customers’ orders, pick readied orders up from designated pickup points and serve them to the customers.
Food Plazas:
IRCTC manages 144 such multi-cuisine plazas that offer comfortable in-dine ambiance PAN India.
Fast Food Units:
IRCTC operates over 160 outlets that offer self-service counters serving snacks at market-driven rates.
Other catering and units include:
- Jan Ahaars
- Refreshment Rooms
- Cell Kitchen
- Base Kitchen
- Retiring Rooms
- BNR Hotels
- Executive Lounges
#3 IRCTC’s E-Catering
Pairing technology with supply-and-demand, today IRCTC allows customers to book their meals from their partner outlets through a mobile application. The passengers then receive their food at their respective berths.
Important IRCTC E-Catering Points:
- Service is available for reserved tickets only.
- Available at 300 stations presently.
- Both online and cash on delivery service are available.
- The food menu is per the provided restaurants, though by the passengers’ choice in case bulk orders are also available.
How does IRCTC Ensure Quality Servicing?
IRCTC prioritize:
- The conduction of customer satisfaction surveys through third-party professionals and agencies.
- It has a dedicated Catering Services Management Services Module for catering businesses.
- Rail Madad module for complaints.
- On-board supervisors to monitor service quality.
Ticket Cancellation
Online Cancellation is available only for e-tickets and Tatkal tickets. For I-tickets, one has to go to the PRS counter for the cancellation and electronic refund.
IRCTC Call Centre
One can access its call center by dialing 139 to get all information from Indian Railways.
Other Services
#1 Online Bus Booking Services
One can book a bus ticket for both private and SRTC buses conveniently.
#2 Tourism Services
IRCTC also offers The organization offers tour packages for different Indian tourist destinations. The tour packages include transportation, accommodation, sightseeing, and other activities. IRCTC made booking tour packages easier with its customized tour packages facility with a choice of including add-on services like that of a tour guide, road transfers, etc. What’s more fun than booking a hassle-free international tour package from IRCTC Tourism? The company also runs several tourist trains under Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train Services.
#3 Maharaja Express
It is one of the most luxurious trains in India, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including fine dining restaurants, a lounge bar, a spa, and a gym. Maharaja Express train offers a fantastic domestic tour package that includes iconic destinations in India, including the Taj Mahal, Jaipur, Mumbai, Ranthambore, etc.
IRCTC Hotel Booking
To complement tour packages, IRCTC also offers hotel booking facilities.
From single to group booking of up to 8 rooms or for 20 passengers at a time, it is one of the best platforms to plan one’s Indian holiday tour. IRCTC has rapidly boosted the Indian travel experience with its class service. From providing an online ticket booking portal to booking national to international tourist packages, IRCTC is India’s best representative of India’s rapid economic development.
The article decoded everything about India’s only railway catering and hospitality company, IRCTC. From discussing the full form of IRCTC and its services to quality-ensuring methods, we even touched upon how IRCTC is the best platform for tourism services.
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