For those who often travel by train, it’s common to pay for the meals served onboard, which are usually included in ticket prices. Some prefer the old way, packing homemade paranthas, sabzis or sandwiches wrapped in foil, carrying a bit of home with them on their journey. But what if we told you there’s a train in India where every passenger is served a hot meal, completely free of cost? Yes, the Sachkhand Express that runs daily between Nanded and Amritsar is one such train. Here’s everything you need to know about this one-of-a-kind service.
Sachkhand Express: The Only Train That Serves Free Meals
Sachkhand Express is a superfast daily train operated by Indian Railways. It runs between Hazur Sahib in Nanded, Maharashtra, and Amritsar in Punjab, connecting two of the most sacred Sikh gurudwaras: Hazur Sahib Gurudwara in Nanded and the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
It ferries thousands of passengers every day and provides them with freshly home-cooked style vegetarian meals for free. Following the Sikh tradition of langar seva (community kitchen), these meals are available to everyone on board, regardless of class. What makes it even more special is that the food doesn’t come from the train’s pantry. Instead, it’s prepared at local gurudwaras along the route. The cost of these meals is covered by donations from devotees at these gurudwaras.
Langar On Wheels
Curious about the menu? Just like a gurudwara’s langar, passengers are served Kadhi Chawal, Chhole, Dal, Khichdi, Aloo Gobi, and Roti. The menu may change depending on the day and season, but what remains the same is love, devotion, and warmth it’s cooked with.
The Sachkhand Express covers nearly 2,000 kilometres over a 33-hour journey, stopping at 39 stations, including Parbhani, Jalna, Aurangabad, Bhopal, New Delhi, and Marathwada. Volunteers come aboard at scheduled stops to serve langar and home-cooked food to everyone. Interestingly, this beautiful tradition has been going strong for the last 29 years. It remains a core part of the Sachkhand Express experience.
So, if you ever plan to travel from Maharashtra to Amritsar or vice versa, skip the flight and take the Sachkhand Express instead. It’s an experience you will truly cherish. We promise!
Sachkhand Express Route: Runs daily between Nanded, Maharashtra and Amritsar, Punjab
Ticket Cost: Starting at ₹760
Cover Image Courtesy: Sachkhand Express, Wikipedia/ Sid Sharma5911 and Canva Pro/ prabhjits
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