The Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour 2026 hasn’t been officially announced yet, and that’s completely normal. Coca-Cola never reveals the route until a day or two before each stop, with the full schedule usually dropping in mid-to-late November. But that doesn’t mean we’re guessing in the dark!
Based on 15 years of tour history, the 2024 and 2025 confirmed routes, and the brand’s consistent preference for major retail destinations, we’ve put together our most likely 2026 stops, ranked by how often each location has featured and how well it fits the tour’s established patterns.
TL;DR
- No 2026 dates or locations have been officially confirmed yet
- Coca-Cola typically announces the route in November 2026
- The tour has visited 15 UK locations every year since 2024
- Stops run roughly late November to late December, 12pm to 8pm
- The tour is free to attend, with complimentary drinks and festive activities
- Track the Coca-Cola Truck live on our Truck Tracker
Bookmark this page. We’ll update it the moment Coca-Cola drops the official 2026 schedule.
What We Know About the 2026 Tour So Far
The Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour 2026 has not been officially announced. As of March 2026, Coca-Cola’s UK media centre has made no statement about this year’s tour dates, locations, or theme.
That’s entirely in line with previous years. In 2025, the official announcement came on 17th November, just days before the first stop in Edinburgh on 21st November. The 2025 tour ran until 21st December, covering 15 locations across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Here’s what the official record tells us about how the tour works:
- 15 stops per year (consistent since at least 2024)
- Late November to late December window, typically 4-5 weeks
- 12pm to 8pm at each location, usually one day per stop
- Free to attend, with complimentary Coca-Cola, limited-edition merchandise, and festive photo opportunities
- FareShare partnership: in 2025, Coca-Cola made a direct donation equivalent to 1 million meals to FareShare, the UK’s leading food redistribution charity. Additional donations were also raised via a Tesco Festive Meal Deal tie-in
One correction from our 2025 article: the FareShare donation is a fixed direct donation from Coca-Cola, not “1 meal per visitor.” It’s actually a more generous commitment than that.
The 2025 tour attracted over 53,000 attendees across its stops, according to Coca-Cola’s official figures, making it one of the UK’s most popular free festive events.
How We Predict the 2026 Route
Rather than just listing cities we’d like to see, we’ve based our predictions on three things:
- Repeat appearances – locations that featured in both 2024 and 2025 are highly likely to return
- Route geography – the tour follows a logical geographic progression. It typically starts in Scotland and London, works through Northern England and the Midlands, then finishes in the South and Wales just before Christmas
- Venue type – Coca-Cola consistently picks major shopping centres and city-centre retail destinations. High footfall and space for a large activation are the two non-negotiables
The 2024 and 2025 confirmed routes are our strongest evidence. Here’s what those looked like:
| Location | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| London | Yes (Truman Brewery) | Yes |
| Edinburgh | Yes (Fort Kinnaird) | Yes |
| Belfast | Yes (Custom House Square) | Yes |
| Manchester | Yes (Trafford Centre) | Yes |
| Birmingham | Yes (Bullring) | Yes |
| Liverpool | Yes (Liverpool ONE) | Yes |
| Leeds | Yes (White Rose) | Yes |
| Cardiff | Yes (St David’s) | Yes |
| Gateshead | Yes (Metro Centre) | Yes |
| Portsmouth | Yes (Gunwharf Quays) | Yes |
| Milton Keynes | Yes (Centre:MK) | Yes |
| Bristol/Gloucestershire | Yes (Cribbs Causeway) | Yes |
| Wakefield | Yes | TBC |
| Ashton-under-Lyne | Yes | TBC |
| Speke/Liverpool area | Yes | TBC |
The pattern is clear. Nine of the 2024 stops were confirmed again in 2025. Those nine are our highest-confidence predictions for 2026.
Top 15 Rumoured Coca-Cola Truck Tour 2026 Locations
These are our ranked predictions for the 2026 tour, from most to least likely. The top nine are based on consecutive appearances in 2024 and 2025. The remaining six are strong candidates based on route logic and venue suitability.
1. London
Confidence: Very High London has opened the tour every year and is the brand’s flagship UK stop. In 2024 it kicked off at Elys Yard in the Truman Brewery. Expect a high-profile central London or East London venue again in late November 2026.
2. Edinburgh
Confidence: Very High Scotland’s capital has featured every year, with Fort Kinnaird shopping park the preferred venue. The tour typically arrives here in the final days of November, making it one of the first stops after London.
3. Manchester
Confidence: Very High The Trafford Centre has hosted the truck in both 2024 and 2025. With its massive footfall and family-friendly setup, it’s the obvious Greater Manchester venue. Expect an early December date.
4. Birmingham
Confidence: Very High The Bullring is a near-certainty. Birmingham has appeared in every recent tour and is typically one of the penultimate stops in mid-to-late December, building towards the Christmas climax.
5. Belfast
Confidence: Very High Northern Ireland gets its own stop every year, with Custom House Square the established venue. Belfast reliably appears in early December and is one of the most anticipated stops for families across the province.
6. Liverpool
Confidence: Very High Liverpool ONE has been the venue in recent years. The city also appeared as a separate “Speke” stop in 2024, showing Coca-Cola’s commitment to Merseyside. Expect at least one Liverpool-area stop in 2026.
7. Leeds
Confidence: Very High White Rose shopping centre has hosted the truck for consecutive years. Leeds typically falls in early December as part of the Yorkshire sweep.
8. Cardiff
Confidence: Very High St David’s shopping centre is the consistent Welsh stop, usually arriving in the final few days before Christmas. It’s a brilliant way to end a family Christmas day out in the city.
9. Gateshead
Confidence: Very High The Metro Centre is one of the UK’s largest shopping centres and a reliable truck stop. The North East gets its moment in early December, and the Metro Centre’s sheer size makes it ideal for the activation.
10. Portsmouth
Confidence: High Gunwharf Quays featured in 2024 and is a strong candidate to return. The South Coast is often underserved by festive events, and Portsmouth gives the tour a solid southern anchor before the final push.
11. Milton Keynes
Confidence: High Centre:MK has hosted the truck and its central location makes it a logical stop for families across Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, and Buckinghamshire. Mid-December is the typical window here.
12. Bristol / Gloucestershire
Confidence: High Cribbs Causeway is the established venue for the South West stop. Bristol is a major family destination and the tour needs a presence in this region.
13. Glasgow
Confidence: Medium-High Scotland’s largest city doesn’t always get its own stop separate from Edinburgh. But when the Scottish leg expands, Glasgow is the obvious addition. A large retail park like Braehead or Silverburn would fit the bill perfectly.
14. Sheffield or Nottingham
Confidence: Medium Both cities have the retail footprint and family audience the tour targets. Sheffield’s Meadowhall is a particularly strong venue candidate given its size and accessibility. One of these two is likely to fill a Midlands/Yorkshire gap in the schedule.
15. Southampton or Brighton
Confidence: Medium The South East beyond Portsmouth is sometimes covered with a second stop. Southampton’s WestQuay or Brighton’s Churchill Square would both suit the format. With the tour needing 15 stops, one of these is likely to round out the southern leg.
Tips for Planning Your Visit
Once the official 2026 route drops, here’s how to make the most of it as a family!
How to find out when the truck is near you
Coca-Cola announces each stop just one or two days in advance via their Instagram account @cocacolagbi. The fastest way to stay ahead is to:
- Follow Coca-Cola’s official UK Instagram
- Check back on this page, which we update as each location is confirmed
- Use our live Coca-Cola Truck Tracker to see real-time updates and vote for your town
What to expect on the day
Each stop runs from 12pm to 8pm and is completely free. You can expect:
- Complimentary Coca-Cola (Original Taste, Zero Sugar, and Diet Coke)
- Limited-edition merchandise and festive giveaways
- Photo opportunities with the illuminated truck
- Festive games and activities for children
Queues can be long at popular stops, especially London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Arriving before 1pm or after 5pm tends to be quieter.
Combine it with a Christmas day out
The truck tour works brilliantly as part of a bigger festive day. Most stops are at major shopping centres, so you can pair the visit with Christmas shopping, a meal out, or nearby festive attractions. Check out our guides to the best Christmas markets near you and UK school holiday dates for 2026 to plan around the school calendar.
Key takeaway: The truck tour is one of the best free festive events in the UK. The secret to enjoying it is speed, not luck. Follow @cocacolagbi on Instagram and bookmark this page so you’re first to know when your nearest stop is confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour 2026 dates be announced?
Coca-Cola typically announces the full tour in mid-November, with individual stop details revealed just one or two days before each visit. Based on previous years, expect the first announcement in the second or third week of November 2026.
How many UK locations will the 2026 tour visit?
The tour has visited exactly 15 UK locations in both 2024 and 2025. We expect 2026 to follow the same format.
Is the Coca-Cola Truck Tour free?
Yes, completely free! There is no ticket or booking required. You simply turn up at the confirmed location during the 12pm to 8pm window and join the queue.
What does the FareShare partnership involve?
In 2025, Coca-Cola made a direct donation to FareShare equivalent to 1 million meals, supporting the charity’s work redistributing surplus food to over 8,000 community organisations across the UK. Additional donations were raised through a Tesco Festive Meal Deal promotion.
Will the truck visit my town?
If your town isn’t on the confirmed list, you can vote for it on our Truck Tracker. Coca-Cola has historically focused on large cities with major retail destinations, so smaller towns are less likely to receive a visit, but the tracker helps us make the case!