International cuisine, plush seating, personal lockers and the option to freshen up before or after your journey; and where? No, not the airport, the New Delhi railway station!

The Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has officially opened the doors of its “executive” waiting lounge on the Ajmeri Gate side of the station. At Rs.300 per person for 3 hours, the lounge offers a wide range of facilities that will give India’s best airports a run for their money. It is accessible through a smart card, you can pay extra and stay longer. It will come in handy for passengers who get stuck at the station owing to delays.

Spread over 300 sq m and two floors, the lounge has a seating capacity for 125 persons. “The lounge offers food and beverages, wheelchairs, Wi-Fi connectivity, business centres with phone, fax and laptop facilities, lockers and foreign exchange kiosks. We have also provided sofas, recliners, televisions and a separate private dining area,” Pradip Kundu, public relations officer, IRCTC, said. There are TV screens with train information display, apart from other screens that display other channels. Passengers can also book cabs and hotel rooms from the lounge.

Catering services are provided by SSP Catering India, which also provides catering to Emirates’ lounge at T3, IGI Airport. The facility also houses a retail convenience store of WH Smith, with a bookshop. You can just relax and chill, maybe take a short nap on the comfortable recliners. For large groups or families, the lounge has a separate private seating area. IRCTC is a Railways subsidiary and will pay 25 per cent of the revenue earned from this facility to Indian Railways.

IRCTC plans to introduce such facilities in 50 stations, including Delhi, Anand Vihar Terminal and Nizamuddin in National Capital Region, Howrah, Mumbai, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Agra, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Puri, Amritsar and Hyderabad.