subject: Ways To Arrive Shirdi To Pune [print this page] Shirdi, known for the great saint Shirdi Sai Baba, is a popular destination of pilgrims throughout the year. Sai Baba, who was born in 1838, first visited Shirdi when he was sixteen and stayed there till his death in 1918. A temple was constructed in Shirdi in 1922 in Babas memory.
Temple complex includes Khandoba, Gurusthan, Samadhi Mandir, Dwarkamai, Chavadi and Lendi Baug. Maruti Temple and Shani Temple, constructed under the supervision of Shirdi Sai Baba, are the other places of attractions in Shirdi.
The distance from Shirdi, known as the Land of Sai, to Pune is about 195 km by road. Pune, situated in Deccan Plateau near west coast, was earlier known as Punya-Nagiri or Queen of Deccan. The Britishers called the place Poona. It has now got its original name Pune. The eighth century Pataleshwar Cave Temple, dedicated to the god of underworld, is a marvel of rock-cut architecture. This is a major attraction for tourists here.
Other major tourist destinations in Pune included Shrimant Dagduseth Halwai Temple, Osho Park, Aga Khan Palace, Film Institute, Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park, Shaniwar Wada, Sinhgad Fort, Saras Baug, Sadhu Vaasvani Mission and Katraj Jain Temple.
Air travel is not possible because Shirdi does not have an airport. Thus the option of travel from Shirdi to Pune is limited to rail or road. There are a few trains running between Kopargaon, which is situated 16 km away from temple town, and Pune. Gondia-Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (Terminus) Maharashtra Express No.11040, Howrah-Pune Azad Hind Express No.12130 and Patna-Pune Express No.12150 are the direct daily trains.
Besides, there are many other trains which run only on certain days of the week. The train takes nearly five hours to six hours to reach the destination from Kopargaon (Shirdi). Moreover, the travellers will have to take the road route to reach Kopargaon from Shirdi. Bus, taxi or autorickshaw is available for tourists to travel from Shirdi to Kopargaon.
The most convenient way to travel from Shirdi to Pune is to go by road. Buses and cabs are available in plenty in this route. The bus fare for the trip ranges from Rs.250 to Rs.400. The direct bus takes less than four hours to travel from Shirdi to Pune. The bus journey is suitable for individual travellers and backpackers.
The journey by taxi from Pune to Shirdi is convenient for families travelling with kids and senior citizens. Taxi fare ranges from Rs. 12 to Rs.20 per kilometre depending on the type of cab the travellers hire. Cabs take less than four hours to reach the destination from Shirdi. The road route passes through (with the distance in kilometres from Shirdi in brackets) Samgamner (40), Manchar (120), Chakan (170) and Pune (200).
