Pune travel guide

Background

The early home of Shivaji, Pune became the Maratha capital in 1750. After a period under the Nizam of Hyderabad’s rule it came under British control in 1817, who then developed it as a summer capital for Mumbai and as a military cantonment. It is now a major growth centre with a booming computer software industry. For all its connections with the Marathas there are few physical reminders of their power. The Campsite has wide streets with a British colonial feel while old Pune still has narrow streets, old shops and brick and mud houses. The town is renowned for its military cantonment and educational and scientific institutions.

Best time to visit

The climatic contrast between Pune and the ghats just 70 km away is astonishing. The monsoon winds of June to September drop most of their rain on the ghats, over 3500 mm a year to Pune’s 715 mm.

Getting around

Pune is very spread out so it is best to hire an auto-rickshaw. Shared rickshaws run on popular routes, such as Pune Station to Swargate Bus Stand, and are more frequent but a bit more expensive than the red city buses.

Ins and outs

Getting there

The airport, 10 km to the northeast, has flights from major cities. There are airport buses, taxis and rickshaws to the centre. Pune Junction Station is on the main railway line south from Mumbai and has daily direct trains south to Goa, Bengaluru and Kerala, and north towards Delhi and Gujarat. The main station is in the thick of the action: 1 km north of MG Road, the main shopping street, and 2 km west of Koregaon Park and the Osho resort. The other station, Shivaji Nagar, is five minutes further west and handy for the hotels and shops of Deccan Gymkhana. Most buses from the north terminate at the nearby Shivaji Nagar Bus Stand, and those from the south at Swargate, 3 km to the south. The Railway Bus Stand, next to Pune Junction, serves the city and Mumbai.

Pune

Bengaluru (Bangalore) (840 km); Belgaum (336 km); Mumbai (184 km); Delhi (1424 km); Mahabaleshwar (120 km); Nashik (184 km).

Air

Transport to town: Ex-Servicemen’s coach for 8-km city transfer or airlines bus; taxi Rs 220. Daily flights to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata and Mumbai and Nagpur. Indian Airlines, T020-2605 2147, enquiries T140; airport, T020-2668 3211. Jet Airways, 243 Century Arcade, B/2 Narangi Bagh Rd, T020-2616 7524; airport, T020-2668 5591. Kingfisher, T020-2605 9351; airport, T020-2661 4040. Go Air, T(0)9223-222111. Indigo, T020-2612 5410; airport, T020-2661 0557. Spicejet, T020-2661 5603; airport, T020-26615525.

Bus

Local

Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) buses run throughout the city and suburbs from the City Bus Stand next to Pune Station, T020-2444 0417. Routes 2, 3, 4 between Pune Station and Swargate Bus Stand; Route 74 Pune Station to Deccan Gymkhana

Long distance

MSRTC buses connect Pune with all major towns within the state from three different bus stands.

City (Railway) Bus Stand, T020-2612 6218, for Mumbai and the south: Belgaum; Chiplun; Ganpatipule; Hubli; Kolhapur; Mumbai; Mahabaleshwar; ASIAD deluxe buses every 15 mins; Panaji; Ratnagiri; Solapur.

Shivaji Nagar Bus Stand, T020-2553 6970, for the east/northeast: Ahmedabad; Alibag; Amravati; Aurangabad; Indore; Nagpur; Hyderabad; Nashik; Shirdi; Vadodara.

Swargate Bus Stand, T020-2444 1591, for south/southeast. Belgaum; Kolhapur; Solapur; Mahabaleshwar; Mangalore; Ratnagiri.

Kadamba Transport Corporation, operates the Panaji route at 0630, 1800 and 1900, via Mapusa; buses poor and often dirty; Booking office open 0900-1200, 1500-1800. Asiad and Express buses run regular services.

Private companies run more comfortable buses to many of these destinations, and to Sahar International Airport, 4 hrs; agents have offices opposite Pune Station.

Car hire

About Rs 900-1250 per day, or from Rs 9000 per week with driver from Sai Services, Ashoka Pavillion, Dr Ambedkar Rd, T020-2605 5603. Budget, T020-2544 4118. Wheels, Pride Executive Hotel, T020-2325 5345; airport T020-2668 3615.

Auto-rickshaw

The best mode for getting around town. Drivers should use meter and carry a rate card; Pune Station to Koregaon Park costs Rs 30-40. Swargate to Railway Station Bus Stand Rs 40- 50. Extra charges out-of-town and 2400-0500. Shared rickshaws from next to the Town Bus Stand run on key routes, eg to Swargate; drivers call out their destination, Rs 15 per seat.

Taxi

Ordinary local taxis are not metered, but some companies offer point-to-point billing and time/distance packages, eg Cel Cabs, T020-6060 9090. Taxis to/from Mumbai (Dadar station), Rs 1000-1500, or shared Rs 260-320 per seat; enquiries, T020-2614 5365, T020-2416 0737.

Train

The main booking counter is at Pune Junction Station, which has a counter for foreigners on Platform 1. Other booking City, Raviwar Peth, and Deccan, Karve Rd. Mon- Sat 0900-1200, 1300-1700. Enquiries T131, Reservations T132. Bengaluru (Bangalore) via Guntakal (for connections to Hospet/ Hampi: Udyan Exp 6529, 1145, 20½ hrs; Coimbatore Exp 1013, 0200, 20 hrs. Mumbai (CST): 17 trains daily, best are Deccan Queen 2124, 0715, 3½ hrs; Shatabdi Exp 2028, 1735, 3½ hrs; Indrayani Exp 1022, 1835, 3¾ hrs; Pragati Exp 1026, 0750, 3¾ hrs; Sinhagad Exp 1010, 0605, 4 hrs; Deccan Exp 1008, 1530, 4½ hrs. Delhi (ND): Jhelum Exp 1077, 1720, 27¾ hrs; (Hazrat Nizamuddin) Goa Exp 2779, 0415, 26½ hrs. Hyderabad: Mumbai- Hyderabad Exp 7031, 1635, 13¼ hrs; Hussainsagar Exp 7001, 0150, 11½ hrs. Secunderabad: Konark Exp 1019, 1925, 12¼ hrs. Jammu Tawi: Jhelum Exp 1077, 1735, 42½ hrs. Chennai via Solapur and Guntakal: Dadar Chennai Exp 1063, 0010, 20 hrs; Chennai Exp 6011, 1815, 22½ hrs. Vasco de Gama (Goa): Goa Exp 2780, 1630, 14½ hrs.

Banks

ATMs accepting foreign cards are now everywhere, including the railway station. Amex, 19 MG Rd. Central Bank, MG Rd, accepts MasterCard and Visa. Thomas Cook, 13 Thakkar House, Gen Thimaya Rd, T020-2633 0978 (Mon-Sat 1000-1700) is best for TCs.

Cultural centres

British Library,917/1 FC Rd, Shivaji Nagar, T020- 2565 4351.

Internet

Many outlets across the city, Rs 20-30 per hr.

Medical services

Ambulance: T102. Ruby Hall Clinic, T020-2612 3391. Sassoon (Govt), JP Narayan Rd, T020-2612 8000.

Post

Head Post Office (city): Laxmi Rd.

Useful contacts

Fire: T101. Police: T100. Foreigners’ Registration Office, ground floor, Main Building, Police Commissioner’s Office, Sadhu Waswani Rd, T020-2612 8977.