Dhaka: A trial run of the Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service began on Monday morning, reports Indian media.

The bus departed from Saltlake International Bus Terminal at Kolkata at about 9:00am.

The train, which is carrying Indian government officials, will cross over to Bangladesh later in the day and travel through the country and enter Tripura through the Akhaura check post and arrive at Agartala International Bus Terminus of Tripura Road Transport Corporation (TRTC) at about 11:00am on Tuesday.

The bus will return from Agartala on 3 June morning and reach Kolkata on the same day, says Indian media.

The total travel time is around 16 hours including formalities at the immigration centres.

The cross-Bangladesh service reduces the distance between Agartala and Kolkata by 513kilometres.

As per reports, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Bangladesh on 6 June, will sign the formal agreement of Agartala-Kolkata direct bus service with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.