Gourmet Express

by Liao Yusheng

I'm a seasoned rail traveler, having ridden everything from rickety 2nd class trains in China to the high tech Shinkensen bullet trains of Japan to the modern DB trains of Germany to deluxe overnight trains in Egypt, to name a few. Usually, if there's food, it's served from roaming carts and when there are proper meals served at your seat, they are unremarkable at best, dreadful at worst. So frankly, delicious food was the last thing I was expecting when I embarked on my trip across North India on Indian Railway, with the low ticket prices and well-past-its-prime trains. But, as it turned out, Indian cuisine translates really well to pre-cooked, train meals.

There was the full course meal from Chandigarh to Delhi that was better than anything I've had on trains anywhere, or for that matter, better than any meal on any transportation I've taken, planes, boats and buses included. It started with a fantastic tomato soup, followed by a tray full of sides, curries and fluffy rice, and capped with a serving of pistachio kulfi, all served by waiters in uniforms befitting a fancy Indian restaurant.

And the price of the 3.5 hour ride in First Class with the fancy meal? 16 US Dollars. Sure the cabin is old and well worn, but the service and food are top notch and you can't beat the price.

Then there was the breakfast on my way to the magnificent Taj Mahal that featured a bunch of stuff I can't identify but was delicious never the less. Despite it being a total tourist train that exclusively runs between Delhi and Agra (where the Taj Mahal is located), Indian Railways is not shy about showcasing Indian cuisine with all its spices. They easily could have gone with bland Western-style omelettes and ham and nobody would have complained, but they opted for the Indian flavors and I'm glad they did. The only thing I could have asked is a menu explaining what all those things were!

On shorter trips, you might get a cheese sandwich and a samosa (the ubiquitous Indian street food of fried dough filled with potatoes and vegetables). Simple, sure, but tasty and filling. And no matter the length of your trip, you will always get your own bottle of hot water and tea bags and cream to make your own  tea.

Riding Second Class on Indian Railways definitely has its own charms and rewards, and it's an experience one should have, once. But for the rest of your trips, unless you're on a very tight budget, I suggest that you go First Class. It's an  unmissable, unique gourmand experience that it would be such a shame to skip.

So book your ticket, get on the train with an empty stomach, and bon appétit!