Sprite & IRCTC flag off Sprite Tejas Express

Sprite and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) have launched the Sprite Tejas Express, marking a new brand partnership in India’s rail travel space. The train was flagged off in the presence of senior representatives from Indian Railways, IRCTC and Coca-Cola India. The Sprite Tejas Express will operate on the Lucknow–New Delhi–Lucknow route for six months, starting in August 2026. Five coaches will carry Sprite branding on their exteriors, and the train will be announced as the Sprite Tejas Express at originating and en-route stations on both legs of the journey. As part of the onboard experience, Sprite will be included in passenger food bundles. During the inauguration, passengers were also offered Sprite samples and merchandise, with additional brand-led experiences planned during the association. The partnership also incorporates sustainability initiatives. Station benches made from recycled plastic will be used; each bench repurposes approximately 45 kg of post-consumer packaging waste. The flag used during the ceremonial launch was also made from repurposed PET bottles. Abhishek Gupta, Vice President, Customer Development, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia, commented, “We congratulate IRCTC on this innovative partnership and an important milestone for travel experiences in India. At Coca-Cola, we continue to explore collaborations that can unlock new avenues for growth and create shared value. Our association with IRCTC reflects our commitment to building long-term customer relationships and expanding our presence across the travel ecosystem. With the Sprite Tejas Express, we are bringing Sprite’s refreshment and creating a more engaging experience for travellers.” Ajit Kumar Sinha, Chief Regional Manager, Lucknow Division, IRCTC, said, “At IRCTC, we continuously look at opportunities to enhance the passenger experience across our premium train services through relevant partnerships and initiatives. Our association with Sprite on the Tejas Express brings an established consumer brand into the travel environment through an integrated onboard experience. We look forward to making the journey more engaging for passengers travelling on the Lucknow–New Delhi route.” Further linking the activation with food culture, Sprite has collaborated with Wow! Momo as part of the Sprite Tejas Express experience. The association brings Sprite into the rail travel occasion while connecting with passengers across business, leisure and family journeys on the Delhi–Lucknow corridor.