Indian Railways Facilities: All You Need To Know About Services Offered

Indian Railways provide several amenities - both in trains as well as at stations to make travel comfortable and enjoyable. From medical facilities to catering services, there are a host of features offered by railway. Most of the important trains have pantry car facilities. Passenger can contact the train conductors/ coach attendants or other authorised catering staff of railway in order to avail the services, said Indian Railways on its portal- indianrailways.gov.in. At stations, cloak rooms and waiting rooms facilities are also offered.

Here are few services offered by Indian Railways:

1. Bedrolls are supplied free of cost, to all passengers travelling in AC First Class, AC 2-Tier and AC 3-Tier. However in Garib Rath Express Bedrolls are provided on demand on payment of Rs 25 per bed roll set, said Indian Railways.

2. Catering is also arranged in trains where this facility is not available. Most important stations have vegetarian and non-vegetarian refreshment rooms and light refreshment stalls managed by railway. The detailed menu and tariff are displayed in the refreshment rooms.

3. Guards/train superintendents or pantry car managers are equipped with first aid boxes. The front line staffs are also trained to administer first aid to sick persons. In case of any medical emergency passengers can approach travelling ticket examiner/train superintendent who will try to arrange relief through on board facilities and try to locate doctors among passengers of train. If required travelling ticket examiner/train superintendent shall transmit message to one of the oncoming stations. Details of nearby medical practitioners and hospitals along with their addresses are maintained by stations masters/deputy stations superintendents. Efforts will be made to arrange doctor/medical relief at the coming stations. Medical treatment will be provided by the doctor on payment of reasonable charges. In case hospitalisation is required, the passenger may have to discontinue his journey, stated Indian Railways.

4. Cloak rooms and safety lockers are available at major stations where luggage can be kept in safe custody. However, only luggage that has been locked is accepted in the cloak rooms. The luggage, duly locked, can be kept in the cloak room for a maximum period of one month, on payment of prescribed charges. 

5. Waiting rooms are available at major stations for use by genuine passengers. These can be used free of cost on production of journey tickets for a few hours till the connecting train arrives.