Indian Railways is trying something new. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has awarded full train-branding rights for the Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express to Sprite, the beverage brand owned by The Coca-Cola Company. As a result, the train will officially run as the ‘Sprite Tejas Express’ for six months.
This move makes it India’s first passenger train to carry a commercial brand name. Station announcements, external branding, and internal advertising will all reflect the Sprite identity during this period. However, Sprite will not operate or own the train. IRCTC will continue running it exactly as before.
Quick Facts: Sprite Tejas Express
- Train name during branding period: ‘Sprite Tejas Express’
- Train numbers: 82501 (Lucknow to New Delhi) and 82502 (New Delhi to Lucknow)
- Branding partner: M/s Sprite, The Coca-Cola Company
- Branding duration: Six months, from August 19 to November 11, 2026
- Operator: IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation)
- Zonal supervision: North Eastern Railway (NER) zone
- Route: Lucknow Junction (LJN) to New Delhi (NDLS)
- Distance: Approximately 512 km
- Journey time: Around 6 hours 15 minutes
- Frequency: 6 days a week
- Original launch of Tejas Express: October 4, 2019
What Is the Sprite Tejas Express?
The Sprite Tejas Express is not a new train. Instead, it is the existing Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express, temporarily rebranded under a commercial advertising deal. IRCTC has sold the branding rights to Sprite for a fixed six-month period, running from August 19 to November 11, 2026.
During this window, station staff along the route will announce the train as the ‘Sprite Tejas Express’ at Lucknow, New Delhi, and stops in between. In addition, the train will carry Sprite’s branding both outside and inside its coaches. This goes well beyond the usual advertising posters found on regular trains.
Why Did IRCTC Choose This Route?
IRCTC picked the Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express for good reason. Launched in October 2019, this train already holds the title of India’s first “private” train, since IRCTC, not Indian Railways directly, has always operated it commercially.
The route also carries strong passenger numbers. It connects two major cities across a busy 512-km corridor, and the train has historically posted healthy occupancy rates. Therefore, the Sprite deal builds on a route that already attracts high visibility and steady ridership, which naturally raises the value of any brand associated with it.
How the Branding Deal Works
IRCTC has structured this deal purely as an advertising and revenue arrangement. It has nothing to do with train ownership or operations. Here is how the key pieces fit together:
- IRCTC retains full operational control. It continues to run the train and pays standard haulage charges to Indian Railways for using the tracks and infrastructure.
- Sprite receives branding and advertising rights only. This includes the right to use the train’s name, external livery, and internal advertising space for six months.
- North Eastern Railway handles announcements. Officials have been instructed to refer to the service as the ‘Sprite Tejas Express’ at originating and en-route stations throughout the branding period.
- The goal is non-fare revenue. IRCTC aims to generate additional income beyond ticket sales, helping offset operational costs without raising fares.
Tejas Express: A Premium Travel Experience
Even before the Sprite branding, the Tejas Express already stood apart from typical intercity trains. Since its 2019 launch, it has offered a fully air-conditioned, semi-high-speed service with several premium features:
- AC Chair Car and Executive Class seating options
- Onboard food and beverage service, despite having no attached pantry car
- Infotainment systems and large observation windows
- Only two stops along the entire route: Kanpur and Ghaziabad
The train cuts travel time between Lucknow and New Delhi to roughly six hours and 15 minutes. For comparison, the earlier fastest option, the Swarna Shatabdi, took six hours and 40 minutes to cover the same route.
A Broader Push Toward Commercial Railway Revenue
This branding deal fits into a larger pattern. Indian Railways has increasingly looked for ways to generate revenue beyond passenger fares, and train-naming rights represent a natural next step after station advertising and catering partnerships.
If the Sprite Tejas Express experiment succeeds, it could open the door to similar branding deals on other premium routes. Meanwhile, railway watchers will likely track passenger response closely, since public reaction to a corporate-branded national train remains something India has never tested before.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
It is the existing Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express, temporarily rebranded under a commercial deal between IRCTC and Sprite. The train will carry Sprite’s name and branding for six months, from August 19 to November 11, 2026.
No. IRCTC continues to operate the train exactly as before. Sprite has only purchased branding and advertising rights, not any operational or ownership stake.
Because no Indian passenger train has previously carried the name of a commercial brand at stations and on its exterior and interior branding. This makes the Sprite deal the first of its kind in Indian Railways history.
It runs between Lucknow Junction and New Delhi, covering approximately 512 km in around 6 hours and 15 minutes, six days a week.
The Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express first launched on October 4, 2019, and was India’s first commercially operated “private” train, run by IRCTC rather than Indian Railways directly.
The branding arrangement runs for six months, from August 19, 2026, to November 11, 2026.
IRCTC benefits through non-fare revenue generated from the branding rights it sold to Sprite. This helps the corporation earn income beyond regular ticket sales.
Passengers can choose between AC Chair Car and AC Executive Class seating, both available on the fully air-conditioned rake.
Public reports do not indicate any fare changes linked to the branding deal. The arrangement covers advertising rights only, separate from ticket pricing.
It’s possible. If the Sprite Tejas Express branding proves successful, Indian Railways and IRCTC may explore similar commercial branding arrangements on other premium routes.
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