Swiggy’s Food on Train Expands to 180+ Cities, orders 3x in Q1 FY27

Swiggy has expanded its Food on Train service to more than 180 cities across India, as demand for onboard food delivery continues to surge. The company reported a threefold (3x) year-over-year increase in orders during the April–June quarter (Q1 FY27), driven by strong adoption from passengers in Tier-2, Tier-3, and smaller towns, as well as new features that make ordering meals during train journeys more seamless. The milestone highlights how railway food delivery is emerging as a fast-growing segment within India’s online food delivery market.

The rapid expansion comes just months after Swiggy significantly widened its partnership with IRCTC, extending its Food on Train network by over 117% year over year. The latest growth reflects changing consumer behavior, with passengers increasingly preferring restaurant-quality meals delivered directly to their train seats instead of relying solely on pantry cars or station vendors.

Swiggy’s Food on Train Network Crosses 180 Cities

Swiggy announced that its railway food delivery service now operates across 180+ cities, significantly expanding its footprint across India’s railway network.

During the April–June 2026 quarter, the company recorded:

• 3x year-over-year growth in food orders.
• Coverage across 180+ cities.
• Addition of 17 new railway stations during the summer travel season.
• Thousands of first-time Swiggy users joining the platform every day through the railway service.

The newly added stations include Gurugram, Udaipur, Bikaner, Davanagere, Kayamkulam, Nanded, Amravati, Shoranur, Arrah, Tadpatri, and Nizamabad, helping Swiggy strengthen its presence across northern, western, southern, and eastern India.

New Features Improve the Passenger Experience

To simplify ordering while traveling, Swiggy recently introduced the “Scan Your Ticket” feature.

Instead of manually entering train details, passengers can simply upload or scan their train ticket, allowing the app to:

• Automatically detect the PNR.
• Identify upcoming delivery stations.
• Display available restaurants.
• Enable faster meal ordering.
• Reduce booking errors.
• Improve overall convenience.

The feature has been well received during the busy summer travel season, particularly among first-time users.

Multi-Station Ordering Emerges as a New Trend

One of the biggest trends observed during the quarter was the rapid rise in multi-station ordering, where passengers order food at two or more stations during the same journey.

According to Swiggy:

• Multi-station journeys grew over 300% year over year.
• Customers ordering from multiple stations spent 2.2 times more than those placing a single order.
• The most popular two-stop food trail was Bhopal to Nagpur, where more than 1,300 passengers ordered meals at both stations during a single trip.

This trend indicates that passengers are increasingly planning meals throughout longer train journeys instead of placing only one order.

Smaller Cities Fuel Growth

Unlike many digital services that remain concentrated in metro cities, Swiggy’s railway business is seeing strong traction from smaller towns.

The company noted that:

• Tier-2, Tier-3, and Tier-4 cities accounted for a significant share of new users.
• At stations such as Guna, nearly 66% of Food on Train orders came from customers using Swiggy for the first time.
• Students, families, and long-distance travelers emerged as key customer segments.

The railway platform is becoming an effective customer acquisition channel for Swiggy beyond its traditional urban markets.

India’s Favorite Railway Meals

Swiggy also revealed interesting food trends from millions of railway passengers.

Popular choices included:

• Fresh rotis.
• North Indian thalis.
• Biryani.
• South Indian meals.
• Snacks and fast food.
• Cold beverages.

Passengers ordered approximately 400,000 rotis during the quarter, making them one of the most popular items delivered onboard, while cold beverages saw strong demand during the summer travel season.

Strategic Importance for Swiggy

The Food on Train service is becoming an important growth pillar for Swiggy’s core food delivery business.

The expansion supports several long-term objectives:

• Entering underserved railway markets.
• Acquiring new customers at scale.
• Increasing order frequency.
• Expanding restaurant partner reach.
• Strengthening collaboration with IRCTC.
• Diversifying food delivery beyond homes and offices.

The initiative also complements Swiggy’s broader strategy of building multiple food consumption occasions across the day and across different consumer journeys.

Competition in Railway Food Delivery

India’s railway food delivery market has become increasingly competitive as digital platforms seek to serve the country’s millions of daily rail passengers.

The segment is benefiting from:

• Growing smartphone penetration.
• Digital payment adoption.
• Improved railway connectivity.
• Rising demand for branded meals.
• Better logistics coordination.
• Expanding restaurant partnerships.

With Indian Railways transporting millions of passengers daily, onboard food delivery represents a significant long-term opportunity for online food platforms.

Outlook

Swiggy’s expansion of its Food on Train service to more than 180 cities and the 3x year-over-year growth in orders during Q1 FY27 demonstrate the increasing popularity of digital meal delivery during rail travel. Features such as ticket scanning, multi-station ordering, and broader station coverage are making onboard dining more convenient while helping Swiggy attract new customers from beyond metro markets.

As Indian Railways continues to modernize and digital adoption accelerates across smaller cities, railway food delivery is expected to become an increasingly important growth engine for India’s online food delivery industry, creating new opportunities for restaurants, passengers, and digital commerce platforms alike.