The Steel City Flyer, a new bus that goes between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, has had a successful first month and is adding two trips on weekends.

One of the new trips will leave Harrisburg Fridays at 8 p.m. and will arrive in Pittsburgh at 11:30 p.m., according to a news release today.

On Sundays, its eastbound counterpart will leave Pittsburgh at 4 p.m. and arrive in Harrisburg at 7:50 p.m.

"This schedule makes it easier for people to spend a longer day in Harrisburg on Friday, or to connect from Amtrak service leaving East Coast points late in the afternoon, and still get to Pittsburgh for the weekend," bus line official George DeBolt said.

The new Sunday service will permit travelers from Pittsburgh to make it to Harrisburg by the evening and be rested for many legislative meetings that occur at the Capitol on Mondays, he added.

On Mondays to Fridays, two daily trips go from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg (leaving the Pittsburgh Hilton at 6:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.). There also are two Monday to Friday trips westbound, leaving the state Capitol at 8:20 a.m. and 3:40 p.m.

The Steel City Flyer started service during Thanksgiving week and has done well, company officials said. One reason they began the bus service is because air service between the two cities was recently ended.

More information is available at 1-877-743-5937 or www.steelcityflyer.com.

First Published: January 6, 2009, 8:30 p.m.