PTI

New Delhi, July 19

The Railways has eliminated on-board service cost on all meals and drinks that aren’t pre-ordered on premium trains. But there’s a catch – the Rs 50 cost has been added to the costs of snacks, lunches and dinners.

The costs of tea and occasional would be the identical for all passengers, who’ve pre-booked it or ordered these on the practice, and can see no improve within the charges.

Under the earlier norm of the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), if the individual has not booked their meals together with their practice ticket, they needed to pay a further Rs 50 whereas ordering meals throughout the journey, even whether it is only a Rs 20 cup of tea or espresso.

Now, a passenger on board premium trains like Rajdhani, Duronto or Shatabdi who have not pre-booked their meals pays Rs 20 for tea (just like the quantity paid by those that pre-booked their meals). Earlier, the price of such non-pre-booked tea was Rs 70, together with the service cost.

Previously, the charges for breakfast, lunch and night snacks have been Rs 105, Rs 185 and Rs 90, respectively, whereas a further cost of Rs 50 was once levied with every meal. However, the passengers will now need to pay Rs 155, Rs 235, and Rs 140 for these meals with the service cost being added to the price of the meal.

“The removal of the service charge will only reflect in the prices of tea and coffee. In this, the passenger who has not pre-booked will pay the same amount as a passenger who has booked it. However, for all other meals the service charge amount has been added to the cost of meals for non-booked facilities,” an official defined.

For Vande Bharat trains, passengers who have not booked the on-board companies need to shell out the identical quantity for breakfast/lunch or dinner/night snacks as they did once they have been charged service costs, with the rise exhibiting in the price of the meals as an alternative of the costs.