British family stunned by Vande Bharat service: ‘11 pounds for a four-hour ride with food’

A BRITISH family travelling across India has gone viral after sharing their first experience aboard the Vande Bharat Express.

The Hutchinson family of five posted a video on Instagram documenting their four-hour journey, and their cheerful reactions to the onboard service have struck a chord with viewers in India and abroad.

In the clip, the parents and their three daughters can be seen settling into their seats and sampling the complimentary snacks served on the train.

“These tickets actually cost us about 11 pounds each for four of us, and it comes with food. The girls have got their food already,” the mother says, sounding pleasantly surprised.

Their meal tray included a diet mixture, caramel popcorn, a patty, mango juice and a ginger tea sachet. As they began reviewing the items, the family admitted they didn’t quite know what to expect from Indian train food.

“India train food! What did you expect? We were confused with the chai powder but then hot water arrived and it was so delicious,” they captioned the video.

The mother added, “It’s really nice… it smells delicious too. Wow.”

The video has been viewed more than 1.4 million times, with users appreciating the family for highlighting the positive experience of travelling in India.

“First of all, thank you for visiting India. Your positive comments about our trains have been noticed by people around the world. This is our Vande Bharat Superfast Train, which has two classes — Executive and Chair Car. Next time you travel on this train, you can ask your travel agent to book tickets in the Executive Class for a more comfortable experience. Once again, thank you for your kind words,” one user wrote.

Another viewer explained, “Vande Bharat are very convenient trains, for those who can afford.”

Others welcomed the family warmly.

“Finally some foreigners showing good side of india and have a good budget,” a comment read.

One user added, “Welcome to Bharat. Vande Bharat is a level-up train. Also try Tejas, Rajdhani, and a Vistadome journey too!”

Designed and manufactured at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, the Vande Bharat Express is one of India’s flagship achievements under the Make in India initiative.

The train is equipped with homegrown technology, including Kavach, the country’s indigenous anti-collision system that automatically applies brakes if another train is detected on the same track.

With more travellers documenting their experiences online, Vande Bharat continues to gain global attention — and the Hutchinson family’s viral review has added yet another boost to its growing popularity.