I travel frequently by train (work in sales, cover North India circuit) and I recently discovered that some credit cards give access to railway lounges. Used one for the first time at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) and honestly, I'm impressed!

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Access Details

Station: New Delhi (NDLS) - Main station
Lounge: Rail Yatri Executive Lounge (Platform 16, first floor)
Card used: HDFC Regalia (via DreamFolks)
Access time: 1:30 PM, weekday (Tuesday)
Waiting time before train: 2 hours

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How to Access

Most people don't know railway lounges exist! Here's how it works:

• Check if your card has railway lounge access (HDFC Regalia, Diners Black, some Axis cards do)
• Download the access app - For me it was DreamFolks app
• Select railway lounge in the app and show QR code at lounge entrance
• Boarding pass required - They check your train ticket to confirm you're actually traveling

Important: You need to have a confirmed train ticket for that day. Can't just walk in without traveling.

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The Lounge

Located on Platform 16, first floor above the platform. Easy to find - there are signboards.

Size: Smaller than airport lounges - capacity ~40 people
Occupancy when I visited: About 15 people (not crowded)
A/C: Yes, and it was COLD (relief from Delhi heat)
Cleanliness: 8/10 - Pretty clean for a railway station facility

Seating:
• Mix of sofas and dining chairs
• Comfortable enough for 2-3 hour wait
• Charging points at every table (this was great!)

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Food & Beverages

Honestly, I had low expectations but was pleasantly surprised.

Hot Food (lunch time):
• Veg Biryani
• Chole
• Paneer curry
• Plain rice
• Dal
• Rotis (freshly made, warm)

Snacks:
• Samosas
• Bread pakora
• Chips (packaged)
• Namkeen

Beverages:
• Tea (good, proper chai not machine-made)
• Coffee (instant, not great)
• Cold drinks (Coke, Sprite)
• Packaged water

Breakfast Menu (saw on board):
• Poha, Upma, Bread/Toast, Omelette, Tea/Coffee

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What I Liked [YES]

• Escape from platform chaos - This alone is worth it. No crowds, no vendors yelling
• A/C + charging - Worked on my laptop for 90 mins, phone charging, cool environment
• Clean washroom - WAY better than platform toilets (this is huge)
• Free food - Saved ₹200-300 on station food which is often terrible quality
• WiFi - They have it but slow (good enough for WhatsApp, not for Netflix)
• Platform view - Can see your platform from window, won't miss your train

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What Could Be Better [NO]

• Limited food variety - Same 5-6 items, gets boring if you're there for 3+ hours
• WiFi speed - Slow, couldn't join a video call
• Timing - Lounge closes at 10 PM (found this out later, won't work for late night trains)
• No alcohol - Not a deal-breaker for me but some might want it

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Comparison with Airport Lounges

Let's be real - it's not as good as airport lounges. But considering:
• It's at a railway station (low expectations)
• It's free with credit card
• Alternative is sitting on a platform bench

It's EXCELLENT value.

Airport lounges: 8-9/10
Railway lounges: 6.5-7/10
But relative to railway station platforms: 10/10

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Cards That Work at Railway Lounges

From what I researched:

[YES] Works at most railway lounges:
• HDFC Regalia, Regalia Gold, Diners Black
• Axis Magnus, Reserve
• Amex Platinum Travel
• SBI Elite, Prime
• ICICI Sapphiro

[NO] Usually doesn't work:
• Basic cards (SimplyCLICK, Amazon Pay, etc.)
• Entry-level cards

Check your card benefits doc or DreamFolks app to confirm.

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Other Stations with Railway Lounges

According to DreamFolks app, railway lounges are available at:
• Mumbai CSMT
• Bangalore Cantonment
• Chennai Central
• Secunderabad
• Jaipur Junction
• And a few others

Quality varies - I've heard Mumbai CSMT one is terrible (will review if I visit).

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Pro Tips

• Reach early - Some lounges have limited capacity, first-come-first-served
• Carry chargers - Great place to juice up all devices before long journey
• Don't rely on WiFi - Download content before coming to lounge
• Check closing time - Some close by 10-11 PM
• Platform visibility - Sit near windows so you can see your platform

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The App Experience

Used DreamFolks app for access:
• Easy to find railway lounges in the app
• QR code generation is instant
• They also show airport lounges
• App shows how many visits you have left (I get 12/year with Regalia)

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Overall Rating: 7/10

Would I use again? Absolutely yes. Any time I have 1+ hour wait at NDLS, I'm using this.

Best for: Business travelers, long waits, people who value comfort over platform chaos

Not worth it for: Quick 15-20 min waits (security check + finding lounge takes time)

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Railway lounges are an underrated perk. If your card has it, USE IT. Game-changer for frequent train travelers.