A familiar railway announcement will sound different for passengers travelling between Lucknow and New Delhi from August 19, 2026. The IRCTC-operated Tejas Express, Train Nos. 82501 and 82502, is being announced as the “Sprite Tejas Express” under a commercial branding arrangement linked to Coca-Cola’s lemon-lime drink brand.
Reports say the branded name will be used at originating and en-route stations until November 11, 2026. That makes the premium service India’s first passenger train to have a commercial brand folded into the name used in station announcements. The train itself has not been sold or handed to Coca-Cola. IRCTC remains the operator.
Why Will Stations Call It The ‘Sprite Tejas Express’?
The reason is advertising, not a change in railway ownership. IRCTC awarded train-branding advertisement rights to Sprite through a Letter of Acceptance. Moneycontrol reported that the North Eastern Railway was asked to use “Sprite Tejas Express” while announcing the Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow service at starting and intermediate stations in both directions.
That takes railway advertising beyond the wraps, panels and station displays passengers already know. Sprite is not limited to being seen on the train. For the campaign period, the brand enters the spoken identity of the service too.
The reported announcement period runs from August 19 to November 11, while reports describing the underlying advertising award refer to a six-month arrangement. The two periods should not be confused. India Today also reported the August 19-November 11 announcement window.
Fortune India highlighted the development in an official post on X, drawing attention to the unusual naming arrangement. The story has travelled quickly because train names in India usually come from routes, destinations, geography, history, cultural references or service categories, not soft-drink labels.
What Changes For Passengers From Today?
For someone holding a ticket, the most noticeable change is likely to be what they hear and see rather than how the journey works. IRCTC continues to manage the Tejas service, and the train numbers remain 82501 and 82502.
Key points passengers should know are:
- Station announcements can use the name “Sprite Tejas Express” during the branding period.
- The Lucknow-New Delhi service continues under IRCTC operation.
- Sprite receives commercial visibility; it does not become the train operator.
- The route continues through key stops including Kanpur, Tundla and Ghaziabad.
- The branded announcement window is reported to continue until November 11, 2026.
Current timetable listings show Train 82501 leaving Lucknow at about 6:10 am and reaching New Delhi at about 12:35 pm, covering roughly 512 km. The return service, 82502, leaves New Delhi in the afternoon and reaches Lucknow at night. Passengers should still check their travel date on the official booking system because railway timings can change.
The naming experiment also lands on a train that already has a place in railway history. The Lucknow-New Delhi Tejas began service in October 2019 and was widely promoted as India’s first “private” or corporate train. That label needs context: IRCTC, which operates it, is a government-controlled railway company, not a private railway owner. Its October 2019 launch marked an unusual operating model within the railway network.
Why Is The Sprite Deal Bigger Than A Train Advertisement?
Indian Railways has used commercial advertising for years, including branding on coaches and railway property. What makes this campaign unusual is the brand becoming part of the name spoken over station public-address systems. NDTV noted that the experiment could create another route for non-fare income without relying only on ticket prices.
For Sprite, the appeal is straightforward. A premium intercity service offers repeated visibility across a busy corridor, inside stations and during announcements. Instead of a passenger glancing at one poster, the brand can appear at several moments of the same trip.
For IRCTC, the bigger question is whether naming rights can become a repeatable advertising product. If the campaign attracts advertisers and passengers accept the format without confusion, other premium trains could become attractive branding inventory. That is still a possibility, not an announced nationwide policy.
There is another reason this campaign stands out. Railway names are unusually memorable in India. Turning that familiarity into paid media gives advertisers something a billboard cannot fully copy: a name that may be spoken, searched, photographed and repeated in everyday conversation.
The “Sprite Tejas Express” therefore works as more than a green wrap on a coach. For a limited period, commercial branding enters the public identity of a scheduled passenger train. Whether travellers enjoy the novelty or find it odd, they are unlikely to miss the name.
FAQs
Is Sprite Now Operating The Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express?
No. IRCTC continues operating the train; Sprite only holds commercial branding and advertising rights temporarily.
From When Will Stations Say ‘Sprite Tejas Express’?
Stations are reported to use the branded name from August 19, 2026, during scheduled announcements.
How Long Will The Sprite Tejas Name Be Used?
The reported station-announcement period runs from August 19 through November 11, 2026, on this service.
What Are The Train Numbers Of Sprite Tejas Express?
The Lucknow-New Delhi and return services continue to operate as Train Nos. 82501 and 82502.
Will Sprite Branding Change Tejas Express Ticket Rules?
No operational change follows the naming deal; passengers should continue checking IRCTC for current rules.
More Business & Transport News
The RBI Held Rates at 5.25%. Why Are Borrowers Still Waiting for Earlier Cuts to Reach Their EMIs?
UPI Payments Above ₹2,000 Could Attract Merchant Fees: Is India’s Free-Payment Era Changing?
