Fizz on the tracks: Lucknow-Delhi Tejas Express adopts corporate brand title with beverage giant

Station public address systems across the Lucknow-Delhi corridor are set to echo a novel phrasing starting August 19, when Train 82501/82502 steps into commercial history.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has awarded full train-branding advertising rights for the premium Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express to beverage brand Sprite through a Letter of Acceptance. The commercial arrangement marks the first time an Indian train will formally incorporate a corporate brand name into its official title and station audio-visual announcements.

Under the temporary commercial agreement running from August 19 to November 11, 2026, the North Eastern Railway zone has been instructed to refer to the corporate superfast service as the 'Sprite' Tejas Express at originating, terminating, and en-route stations.

While exterior vinyl advertising wraps have long been used on regular trains to generate non-fare income, this arrangement pushes the boundaries of rail monetisation into brand nomenclature. Operating on a 512-km corridor in roughly six hours and 15 minutes, the premium service offers fully air-conditioned LHB coaches, onboard catering, infotainment options, and group booking provisions.

Rail officials clarified that while IRCTC handles onboard management and operations — paying haulage fees to Indian Railways for track and station usage — the train remains part of the public infrastructure system. The temporary identity shift serves purely as an expanded advertising avenue to bolster non-fare revenues while maintaining standard passenger services across its six-day weekly schedule.