Mumbai: Central Railway’s Restaurant on Wheels racing up popularity charts

This restaurant in CSMT has hosted 60,000 patrons since October

Over a lakh customers and counting in just eight months. Encouraged by the overwhelming response to India's first restaurant inside a train coach at CSMT and in Nagpur, Central Railway is planning to open 10 more, including five near Mumbai.

"The Restaurant on Wheels at CSMT started in October and in Nagpur in February and has been getting a steady response. Ten more are in the works. While they are being proposed at Kurla LTT, Neral, Kalyan, two near Lonavala and Igatpuri have also been planned. The other four locations include Akurdi, Miraj, Chinchwad and Baramati where tenders have been awarded," said a CR spokesperson.

"At CSMT, the ‘Restaurant on Wheels' is inside a modified coach mounted on rails, located in the Heritage Gully, opposite platform no 18. Named Bogie-Wogie, this fine-dining place offers a unique experience to diners and has 10 tables that can accommodate 40 patrons. The interiors of the restaurant have been decorated in such a way that diners can enjoy the dining experience in a rail-themed setting. It has become a landmark eating house in the area with about 60,000 visitors since its opening till date," he added.

"This was followed by a similar restaurant coach mounted on rails outside Nagpur railway station that was opened on February 3 this year. While decorating the coach, important places in Nagpur was considered. Also, the original colour and design of the coach has been maintained. This restaurant with 10 tables has had approximate 30,000 visitors till date," he added.

"These restaurants offer North, South, continental and other cuisines and the rates and menu are decided by the licensee and approved by the Railways as per market rates. These Restaurant on Wheels themes are a superb example of passenger-friendly initiatives combined with novel ideas of revenue generation," he explained.