subject: Pune To Nashik Journey From The Queen Of Deccan To The Green Belt Of Deccan [print this page] A small but exciting hilly city in the state of Maharashtra, Pune is defined by several lakes and hills of the Western Ghats. It was the centre of operations of the celebrated king Shivaji Maharaj and later on for the British Empire and hence has a rich history. Shaniwar Wada, Aga Khan Palace, Parvati temple and the Pataleshwar rock cut temple and many other forts are places of natural beauty and historical importance. It is even known as the Cultural capital of Maharashtra as it has always patronised educational institutions, local art, crafts and theatre works.
A rapidly growing city in the state of Maharashtra, Nashik is situated on the banks of River Godavari in the Western Ghats. It is the largest producer and a chief exporter of fruits, vegetables and wine. Apart from agriculture, manufacturing, engineering and pharmaceutical industries are also fast emerging in Nashik. It homes a number of private as well as government run educational institutions offering higher education. Nashik, also known as Nasik is moreover the most visited holy place by Hindus due to its mythological significance.
The distance from Pune to Nashik is 210 kilometres and it takes around 4 hours to cover this distance by road. There are many state run as well as private buses plying in this route which charge anywhere form Rs. 400 to Rs. 1200 depending on the type of bus and other facilities provided. One could also hire a cab from Pune to Nashik. A round trip will be charged around Rs. 4000 to Rs. 5500 according to the type of car. The buses and cars will reach Nashik in 3 to 4 hours depending on the traffic.
Driving up all the way from Pune to Nashik is also an option for the people who are keen on driving. The best time is to start before dawn or late at night to avoid traffic as it is a busy route. It could be a crazy drive as the road from Pune to Nashik is non-divided and along 6 Ghats on the way. The regular route has Narayangaon, Sagamner and Sinnar as major towns in between. One can also try the BombayThaneKalyan route to reach Nashik.
There is only one direct train from Pune to Nashik which is the Pune Bhusaval Express (11026). Alternatively one can reach Mumbai easily by roadways or railways from Pune, and then take a connecting train to Nashik from Mumbai. There are numerous trains from Mumbai to Nashik. Air travel is not possible between the 2 cities. There is an airport in Nashik but it is not functional. Travelling by road to Nashik would be the best option.
