PUNE: Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) will introduce its ‘Shivneri’ Volvo AC bus service between Pune and Bengaluru from Thursday.

The bus will depart from MSRTC’s Swargate depot at 5.30 pm daily and will reach Bengaluru next day at 8.45 am.

The same bus will leave Bengaluru for Pune at 6.15 pm and reach here next morning at around 9.30 am.

The one-way journey from Pune to Bengaluru, which would cover Kolhapur-Kagal-Belgaum-Dharwad-Hubli-Haveri-Harihar-Davangiri-Chitradurg-Tumkur stations, would cost Rs 900 per passenger.

This ‘Shivneri’ bus service is in addition to the existing general bus service of MSRTC between Pune and Bengaluru, which costs Rs 500 per passenger.

MSRTC officials said that blankets, mineral water and newspaper will be provided free of cost to the passengers to make their journey more comfortable.

State Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil is expected to attend the launching of ‘Shivneri’ bus service on Thursday evening.