About Diesel Buses

Diesel buses combine robust powertrains, high-occupancy seating, strong chassis, and variant bodies built for specific applications. For instance, a basic school or staff bus will have simpler interiors and may focus purely on durability, while a luxury coach will emphasise passenger comfort, advanced suspension, infotainment, and long-haul efficiency.

Since the category spans mini-buses (GVW under ~8 tonnes), mid-sized intercity buses (~10-15 tonnes), and full-size luxury coaches (>18 tonnes), metrics like fuel-economy or price must be interpreted within each segment. Buyers should consider seating capacity, route profile (city vs inter-city vs long haul), body build-up costs, and service/support network in addition to engine specifications.

Diesel Bus Price in India 2025

Here are some representative models from across the diesel bus spectrum and their indicative pricing:

1) The Force Urbania is priced from approximately ₹26.34 lakh* (ex-showroom); this mid-sized coach uses a 114 HP Mercedes-derived FM 2.6 CR ED TCIC diesel engine and offers seating up to D+16.

2) The Volvo 9600 luxury coach is priced between ₹1.30 crore* and ₹2.00 crore* (ex-showroom); built for premium comfort, it features a high-output engine, aerodynamic body and premium amenities.

3) The Starbus Prime 51+A+D 916/52 price starts from ₹34.70 lakhs* and goes up to ₹35.30 lakh* from. This bus is another example of a diesel city/semi-urban bus built for staff or school transport with seating configurations up to 52 plus the driver.

4) The Mahindra Cruzio range starts around ₹22.50 lakh* (ex-showroom) and goes higher depending on seating layout and configuration; powered by Mahindra’s efficient mDi CRDe engine, it’s known for its refined ride, durability, and low operating cost—ideal for school, staff, and city transport.

Other well-known brands include models from Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors and BharatBenz that serve key market segments.

Diesel Bus Seating & GVW Range

In the diesel bus category, the gross vehicle weight (GVW) and seating capacity vary significantly. Compact buses may have GVWs under 8–10 tonnes with seating for 20–30 passengers; standard intercity buses may sit in the 12–18 tonne GVW band with seating for 30–50; full-sized coaches may exceed 22–25 tonnes and offer 50+ seats or sleeper variants. This wide range means operators must match the bus size, body type and seating to their route, duty cycle and load profile to maximise profitability.

Popular Diesel Bus Brands in India

-Tata Motors is a major player offering a variety of diesel bus models for city, school, and staff travel.

-Volvo India supplies premium diesel coaches and inter-city fleet vehicles with high comfort, safety and service levels.

-Ashok Leyland produces diesel buses across city and intercity segments with a strong service network.

-Mahindra & Mahindra has been active in the bus space offering diesel-powered commuter and staff buses.

New Features in Diesel Buses

Modern diesel buses have seen significant upgrades: advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) like hill-hold assist and ESP for safety, improved ergonomics and comfortable interiors, connected telematics for fleet tracking, improved fuel injection and after-treatment to meet BS6/BS6-Phase 2 norms, modular body-build options (semi-sleeper, luxury seater, city commuter), and improved maintenance intervals to reduce downtime and total cost of ownership.

Why Choose 91trucks for Selecting a Diesel Bus

91trucks allows bus fleet operators and transport buyers to filter diesel bus models by fuel type, seating capacity, body type, price and brand. You can compare diesel bus prices in India, engine specs, seating layouts, and emission norms side-by-side, and explore financing or EMI options suited to your budget and usage. With verified listings and updated ex-showroom pricing, 91trucks helps you shortlist the right diesel bus for your business route, capacity requirement and fleet strategy.