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Travel to Pune


Pune Travel Map

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Pune Tourism



Pune, nicknamed as the Oxford of the East or the cultural capital of Maharashtra, is located on the western border of the Deccan plateau and on the leeward side of the Western Ghats. Students travel to Pune in search of a better academic opportunities. Those hunting for a good job can travel to Pune to try their luck in the big companies.


Demographics
Time zone IST (UTC+05:30)
Territory Maharashtra, India
Population 3,115,431 (As per census conducted in 2011)
Area The area of the city is 270 sq miles or 700 km2
Main languages Marathi is the official language of the city. Other languages include Hindi and English.
Telephone code The telephone (STD) code for Pune is 020
Elevation The altitude of the city is 560 meters or 1,840 feet


Pune travel is also popular among local and foreign tourists. Pune tourism not only includes a visit to the famous tourist attractions in the city, but also means shopping at the famous places like Laxmi Road and M.G. Road. Travel to Pune is not incomplete without a visit to the popular places such as Shaniwar wada, Saras Baug, Raja Kelkar Museum, Aga Khan Palace, Parvati Hill and Vishrambaug Wada.

Your tour in Pune can also include a great gastronomical experience in the famous restaurants like Garden Court, Joshi Wade, Banjara Hills, Sanskruti and Abhiruchi. The pubs or the night clubs and discos are the favorite travel destination in Pune. You can tap your feet to the tunes of the greatest rock bands here!

Pune travel also offers a lot of amusement for the kids. The Holiday Inn's Supper Theatre, Marathi drama at Bal Gandharva and the video and virtual game parlors are scattered all over the city. One can also enjoy gunfights, pinball games, bike racing, virtual ice hockey and racing cars here.

Planning a trip to Pune is very easy. Just approach a Pune travel agent. The agent not only plans your trip, but also makes your stay comfortable in the city. For the best Pune India travel you can book the best packages on offer and put up in the best hotels of the city. Some famous hotels in Pune include Hotel Deluxe Suite, Taj Blue Diamond, Le Meridian, Sun And Sand, Pride, Woodland, Kohinoor, Oakwood and Aurora.

How to Reach Pune

The city of Pune is easily accessible from different parts of India. The city is an important transportation center in the state of Maharashtra. Find details about how to reach Pune by air, rail or road.

By Air

Pune Airport at Lohegaon serves the city and its neighboring areas. Regular flights are available from all the metropolitan and major cities in India such as the following:
  • Air India
  • Air India Express
  • Indigo
  • GoAir
  • Jagson Airlines
  • Kingfisher
  • Jet Airways
  • Lufthansa
  • Spicejet

By Train

The nearest railway station is the Pune city railway station. The trains connecting the city with other cities in India are as follows:

Ahmedabad
  • Ahmedabad Express
  • Ahimsa Express
  • Veraval Express
  • Jodhpur Express
  • Ahimsa Express
  • Jodhpur Express
  • Garib Nawaz Express
  • Jodhpur Express
  • Gandhidham Express

Delhi
  • Jhelum Express
  • Duronto Express
  • Nizamuddin Express
  • Sampark Kranti Express
  • Goa Express

Kolkata
  • Azad Hind Express
  • Howrah Duronto Express

Chennai
  • Chennai Mail
  • CSTM Chennai Express
  • Chennai Express

Mumbai
  • Deccan Queen
  • Pragati Express
  • Sinhagad Express
  • Deccan Express
  • Intercity Express
  • Indrayani Express

By Road

There are three national highways that serve Pune and they are as follows:
  • National Highway 4 connects Chennai in the south and Mumbai in the west and moves across the city of Pune. National Highway 4, a segment of the Golden Quadrilateral Project, joins Pune with Bangalore as well.

  • National Highway 9 connects Pune with Hyderabad.

  • National Highway 50 links Pune with Nashik.


Distance to Pune
  • From Delhi - 1417 KM
  • From Thane - 142 KM
  • From Hyderabad - 548 KM
  • From Nasik - 202 KM
Pune Distance Chart

Shopping in Pune

Shopping in Pune is an awe-inspiring experience altogether. There are both elegant shopping malls and roadside shops from where you can purchase the goods of your choice.

If you are looking for Kolhapuri chappals, you will get them on the street side.

Famous Markets in Pune

Given below are the names of the famous markets and shopping areas in Pune.
  • Tulshi Baug
  • M.G. Road
  • Laxmi Road
  • Vishram Baug Wada
  • Fashion Street
  • Juna Bazar
  • Hongkong Lane
  • Koregaon Park
What to buy from Pune?

You can pick from the markets in Pune the following products and accessories: Clothing, shoes, pottery items, gold ornaments, ladies garments, fashion accessories, footwear, gramophone records, rare coins, bags, stationary goods, electronics goods, kitchen sinks, utensils and furniture.

If you want to purchase books, you can visit 'Appa Balwant Chowk' for different varieties of books such as management books, law books, computer books, spiritual books, and books on music. House of Laptops, Sony World, and Croma are the electronics good selling chains in the city.

There are many food joints in the markets such as North Main Road in Koregaon Park. You will get a range of delicious cuisines like French, Italian, Thai, Mexican, Japanese, and regional Indian cuisines. ABC Farms in Koregaon Park is home to many eateries under one roof. Koregaon Park is known as The Restaurant Suburb of Pune. If you are looking for budget restaurants, you can visit Fergusson College Road.

Best time to visit Pune

The best time to visit Pune is between the months of November to February. Avoid your travel to Pune during hot, humid months of May to July.

Pune Travel Tips

Pune is usually a safe area to travel. Crime and hostility are almost absent in the city. However, it is advisable that you look after your luggage in public places as minor stealing can take place. Always inform the police about any such incident. You should also avoid touts all the time. The residents of the city are well behaved and amicable in nature. Nevertheless, instances of robbing at gunpoint have been reported from the fringes and suburbs of the city, particularly on freeways and deserted places. If your car gives away in the nighttime, you should not leave your vehicle. Sit in the car and call for assistance.

Pune Helpline Numbers

Given below are the emergency contact numbers of Pune:
  • Police: 100
  • Fire Department: 101
  • Ambulance and city centrally situated hospitals number: 102
  • Accident and trauma: 1099M
Popular things

Pune is a major cultural and educational hub of our country, and as such a sizeable number of India's youth brigade flock this city every year. The presence of these youngsters has earned Pune the reputation of being a vibrant city full of raw energy. This, along with the dominating influence of the Marathi culture, makes this city a subtle blend of tradition and modernity.

Pune epitomizes modern architecture in the form of different temples, museums and palaces. The Pataleshwar Cave Temple, Aga Khan Palace, Lal Mahal, Shaniwarwada, Sinhagad Fort and Shinde Chhatri are all fine examples of rock-cut structures which form the length and breadth of Pune landscape.

The booming economy has made this city a prominent shopping destination having the finest shopping malls and budget buying areas. Some of the best-buys of Pune are Shrewsbury biscuits, Chiwdas made of rice flakes, cornflakes and potato, bakarwadi and mango barfi. The best ethnic buys of Pune include the famous Kolhapuri chappals and Narayan Peth and Pochampalli sarees.

The world-famous Osho Ashram of Bhagwan Rajneesh, located at Koregaon Park, is very popular among foreign tourists who support his ideologies. A short tour of this ashram will enlighten you about the numerous meditation options. Therefore, if really interested, you are advised to book the tour in advance.

Local transport

Local bus services are the best mode of transportation in Pune. Buses plying within and in the suburbs of the city come under the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited. State buses operated by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation run in almost all the important towns and cities of Maharashtra. These buses usually begin their journey from their respective stations like Shivajinagar, Pune station and Swargate. The two Pune Darshan buses are meant for touring the city's major sightseeing destinations.

Next to buses, auto rickshaws are another very popular mode of local transportation in Pune. You can make use of the prepaid services of the auto rickshaws that are available from Shivajinagar, Swargate Bus Depot, and Lohegaon Airport. In the absence of prepaid services, however, you must insist on using the metre.

Transports owned by private companies are also very popular here, mainly due to the quality of their services. Radio taxis that come with air conditioning run 24x7 and are therefore always in demand. Among others, EasyRide renders the best cab services in Pune.

Food

Owing to the city's location, the food of Pune is generally meant to suit the taste buds of the Marathi people. Traditional Marathi cuisine is a blend of mild and delicate to very spicy dishes. Maharashtrian cuisine's popular dishes include puran poli, modak and batata wada made of basic ingredients like wheat, rice, jowar, bajri, fruits, vegetables and lentils.

Your visit to Pune will remain incomplete if you don't savor a typical Maharashtrian meal. Restaurants in Pune serving only traditional Marathi food, like Hotel Atithi, Shabree, Abhiruchi,offer a simple thali of two vegetables, chapattis, bhakris, rice, curd, salad and loncha. The inexpensive, basic and wholesome nature of the food served in these restaurants will make you come back over and over again. Those who have a fetish for non-vegetarian food will not be disappointed as Kolhapur Durbar serves awesome Kolhapuri-style mutton masala, keema masala and mutton biryani.

The metropolitan nature of this city has created a unique diversity in Pune's food culture. Street food in Pune has caught on people's imagination and when in this city, you'll be spoilt for choice. Bedekar Misal, famous for its misal paav, is a favorite of one and all. Hot golgappas, paani puris, bhelpuris, masala dosas, and parathas are but a few things available at unbelievable prices.

Cost to travel

Pune can be reached from anywhere around the country and the cost of travelling depends on the mode of transport. In the absence of a direct flight to the city, flying down to Mumbai and then reaching Pune by train or taxi is a much better option. Pune is located approximately 160 to 180 km from Mumbai by road and therefore, a long-distance private taxi journey will cost you around Rs. 1,600.

The three national highways in Pune make it easy to reach the city by road. For instance, if you are planning to reach Pune from Mumbai or Chennai you can make use of National highway 4, which is a part of the Golden Quadrilateral. Shared taxis ply in the Mumbai Pune route between Dadar Circle and Pune railway station. The seating capacity of these taxis is four to five people, with charges ranging from Rs. 200 to 300 per person for a regular cab. Hiring an Ambassador or a Fiat Premier will cost you anywhere between Rs. 800 and 1,000.

It takes almost three hours to traverse the distance between Mumbai and Pune via the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The services of both private and state-owned buses can be availed on this route throughout the day, every fifteen minutes. State-owned buses charge you Rs. 185 and Rs. 320 for non-AC and AC ride, respectively.

How many days are enough to travel?

The young population of Pune lends a peculiar vibrancy to this place making it equally attractive and enjoyable for one and all. This city has something to offer for people of all age groups. For instance, when in Pune you can't get enough of the city's nightlife. Pune is a shopper's paradise for sure; from the inexpensive to the branded, from clothes to watches, you name it and you get it. Sightseeing in Pune is also a fun thing to do; but you must remember to plan in advance. Hence, two to three days is a must to soak in all the goodness of this city.

Pune is surrounded by some beautiful sightseeing destinations. Places like Matheran, Alibaug, Panchgani, Lonavala, Khandala and Mahabhaleshwar will inevitably attract your attention. Therefore, you can reserve two days for visiting any of these scenic locales.



Last Updated on : December 16, 2013