What if you board a bus and find leather seats, a personal screen, free Wi-Fi, a hostess serving food and even a washroom onboard? Would you still call it a bus—or a flight?
Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has launched a new premium bus service between Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, and a video showing its facilities went viral on social media on September 8, 2026.
The route covers around 200 to 227 kilometres, with KSRTC aiming to turn a regular government bus journey into a premium travel experience.
Leather Seats, Personal Screens, Wi-Fi and an Onboard Hostess
The bus features plush leather seats along with individual entertainment screens for passengers.Travellers also get free Wi-Fi and charging ports, allowing them to stay connected and charge their devices during the journey. One of the features attracting the most attention is the onboard bus hostess.The viral video shows the hostess serving passengers hot beverages and a shawarma roll, giving the service an airline-style onboard experience.
The bus also has an onboard chemical toilet, reducing the need for passengers to depend on roadside stops for washroom breaks during the long journey.
These facilities distinguish the premium service from conventional KSRTC buses and are aimed at providing greater comfort on long-distance travel.
From Business-Class Plan to Viral Premium Service
The service is part of KSRTC’s plan to make public transport more competitive with private luxury travel. In March 2026, Kerala Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar announced plans for Business Class services on the Kochi–Thiruvananthapuram corridor, including an onboard toilet, pantry and bus hostess.
That plan has now moved into operation, with the premium bus offering the proposed facilities to passengers.
The onboard experience gained wider attention after the video went viral on social media. Indian Railways Chief Project Manager Ananth Rupanagudi also shared the video on X and praised the KSRTC initiative.
The service marks a shift from focusing only on getting passengers to their destination to adding premium comfort and onboard services to government-run long-distance bus travel.
