Patna to Pune Flights

  About Patna

Patna is yet another city that is located along the banks of the river Ganges. It is also the capital of Bihar. The city is not only a popular tourist destination but also has spiritual significance. There are pilgrimage sites for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains, too. It was earlier called as Pataliputra and also had quite a few monuments to its credit. It is a blend of modernization and a glorious past. The Gandhi Ghat is a very popular tourist spot here since the ashes of late Mahatma Gandhi were also immersed here. The Ganga aarti performed here is also one of the highlights of the city.

Best Time to Visit Patna

Like a lot of other cities in India, the best time to visit Patna is also winter. The summer here is extremely hot and the monsoon unfavourable. The city witnesses winter from December to March. This temperature ranges from 12 to 32 degree Celsius during these months, and it is also the most ideal time to go sightseeing. The end of November and the seventh day after Diwali has people of Bihar performing the Chhath Puja. This is also a peak travel time to Patna. Since it is peak travel season, you can find great flight deals to Patna online. Make sure you book your hotel in Patna well in advance. You will also find quite a lot of tour packages during winter and at affordable prices.

July to September is when the city witnesses monsoon. The rainfall is quite irregular in the city, and the temperature reaches up to a maximum of 28 degree Celsius. The city looks beautiful during monsoon, and while it is a pleasant time to visit the city, it might affect your plans to go sightseeing. However, since it is off-season, you might get cheap flight tickets to Patna.

The temperature often soars up to a maximum of 41 degree Celsius during summer. Patna experiences summer from March to June. The heat is so bad that you will get tired and exhausted from sightseeing or even venturing outside soon. Since there are also not that many festivals celebrated during this time, it is not the best time to experience the rich culture and traditions of the city. If you do plan a trip to Patna during summer, make sure you are well-hydrated.

Places to Visit in Patna

Gandhi Ghat is a major tourist attraction in Patna. It is majorly popular because late Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the ghat here, which is also how it got its name. Another major highlight of this ghat is the Ganga aarti that happens in the evening. You'll see approximately 51 lighted lamps held by priests while performing the aarti. It is the most beautiful sight. Patna also has the Bihar Museum for the history geek in you and Patna Planetarium for the ones interested in astronomy. You will have to pay a nominal fee to get into both the places, but it will be totally worth it. You can also visit the Patna Museum, also called Jadu Ghar, which has Indian artefacts that date back to the middle ages and the British Colonial Era. You can visit the Patna Sahib Gurudwara that was built by Maharaja Ranjit Singh since Patna is also Guru Gobind Singh Ji's birthplace.

The Srikrishna Science Centre is the perfect place for you to take your kids. The Japanese Peace Pagoda is another tourist spot you must visit. It is a 125 feet tall statue that was built by the Buddh Vihar Society. It is also surrounded by greenery, which makes it a pleasant place to go to in Patna. You can also visit the Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan. It is a botanical garden that was established in 1969, and it is also a zoo. If you are here with your kids, you can also treat them to a toy train ride. Golghar, which is in the heart of the city, was constructed in 1786 by Captain John Garstin and was initially used as a storehouse. If you want to enjoy your solitude and soak in the beautiful scenic view of the city, this is the best place to go to. The Patan Devi Mandir is also a popular place in Patna. Dedicated to Goddess Maa Patneshwari, it is one of the oldest and a sacred place in the city. Locals also believe that the name of the city was derived from the Goddess' name. Chhoti Dargah is another historical site that you must not miss. The 3-storeyed mausoleum is where Makhdum Shah was buried in 1616. It is a popular tourist spot and a place of worship for Muslims.

Things to do in Patna

Patna was earlier called Patalipura and came into existence in the 5th century. While this may not be the best place for adventure lovers, it is apt for a fun, family vacation. You can either hire a taxi to go sightseeing around the city or use the public transport. Golghar is an architectural marvel in Patna. The dome structure was built by Captain John Garstin in 1786. It was used as a granary for the British Army but has now become a historical site. You climb up the spiral stairs inside the Golghar, and you will be treated to a scenic view of the city. Since Patna has a lot of temples, you can also add visiting those in your itinerary. The Sree Patna Sahib Gurudwara is also an important place of worship. You can sit here and meditate for a while after offering your prayers. You can also go to the Pataneshwari temple, dedicated to Goddess Maa Patan Devi.

You must also visit the ruins of Nalanda University. The university was established and run by Buddhist monks and had at least 10,000 students. It was also hosted by Buddha Siddhartha himself. It is about 80 km away from the main city of Patna, and even though it is in ruins, you will enjoy the tranquillity here. Visit the Gandhi Ghat and go boating here. Catch the beautiful sunset while you are boating here. Take an artistic piece of Patna back home with you. Stop by at Ajanta on Fraser Road to buy some genuine Madhubani paintings. The city also has a lot of shopping malls for you to please the shopaholic in you.

Food and Restaurants in Patna

You will mostly only find restaurants and stalls that serve vegetarian food in Patna. Not that you won't find any restaurant that serves non-vegetarian food. You will also get to satisfy your chicken, mutton or seafood cravings here. Litti Chokha is one of the most popular delicacies that you get here. The city is also popular for its desserts and snacks like Gujjia, Kesar Peda, Malpua, Chana Ghugni, Jhaal Mudi, Choora, etc. The street food is just as good as the dine-in restaurants. You will also find restaurants that serve Bengali, North Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisines in Patna.

Takshila is one of the most popular restaurants in the city that is within hotel Chanakya. You will absolutely love the Mughlai, Afghan and Tandoori food in this restaurant. Biryani Mahal is another very popular restaurant in the city, so much that you will either have to wait in a long queue to get a decent table or book one in advance. It's not a very big joint, but the food will leave you satiated. Basant Vihar is popular for its paneer cutlets and veg curries. You might have to wait a tad bit to get a table on weekends, but otherwise, you will have a smooth experience here. The city also has popular franchises like Pind Balluchi and Mainland China that serve delicious food with a great ambience. The dine-in experience and the local street food both will make sure that you leave the city happy.

How to reach Patna

By Air

The Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Airport, also called the Patna Airport, is the nearest airport in Patna that has both domestic and international terminals. The flight connectivity from Patna to other major domestic cities is excellent and quite frequent, too. While there are a lot of direct flights to Patna from major cities, connecting flights from Delhi, Bangalore, Varanasi and Lucknow are popular routes to Patna by air. Direct flights will only take about 2.5-3 hours to land in Patna, depending on which city you board the flight from to get here.

By Rail

Patna is connected to major cities in the country like Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow, Kolkata, Varanasi, Bangalore, Chennai and Amritsar. Not only express trains, but you will also get super fast trains to and from Patna. It is advisable that you make your ticket bookings to Patna in advance to avoid any last-minute inconveniences.

By Road

NH31 connects Patna to other cities. You will also find a lot of private and government-run buses or taxis from nearby cities that will help you reach Patna or leave from here. Though the bus services are frequent and it is also a far cheaper way to travel, taking a train or a flight would be more convenient than anything else.

  About Pune

Pune is easily one of the best cities in Maharashtra after Mumbai. Located just 160-180 km from Mumbai, the city of Pune is actually like a weekend retreat for Mumbaikars. It is also known as one of the most important cities in the state for its extensive growth in the IT industry. After Bangalore, Pune is the second-most leading cities to be a hi-tech hub. The city is perfectly connected with other metropolitans and holds a robust economic stance in the state and country.

Best time to visit Pune

Pune's monsoon and winters are to die for! The months from July to February have the best mix of seasons to attract tourists. The monsoon lights up the greenery that Pune has to offer. It often gets quite heavy with streets being flooded. However, there are various treks and trails around Pune that can be explored during the monsoon. Not to mention how they are all safe treks. The weather is cold and charming. Add the bit about various festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi and Raksha Bandhan that add more fervour to the city's celebratory moon.

Winter season in Pune is from October to February. The temperatures often drop low, making the city breezy and romantic. More than the weather though, the city's 3-day long celebration in December is what draws a majority of the crowd. The city organises a classical music rendezvous called Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, which unites stalwarts of the music industry. Aside from this, there are crazy music carnivals on NH7 called NH7 Weekender, which brings together famous global artists. You should book a hotel room in Pune ahead of these music festivals as the city does encounter multitudes of crowd.

Falling in the months from March to June is the summer season, probably not the best from the lot. The weather gets quite hot during summer as the scorching sun directly hits you in the face. Not to mention how there are high chances of suffering from heat strokes, especially if you are not comfortable or habituated with a tropical climate.

Places to visit in Pune

Shaniwar Wada Palace is actually a historical landmark for Pune. The majestic fortress was built back in 1732 during the existence of the Maratha Empire. Historically, the place holds a lot of significance and hence, should be visited. Aga Khan Palace makes for an intriguing setting that you should visit. Dated back to 1892, the landmark is said to have been built as an act of charity by Sultan Muhammed Shah Aga Khan III. You will be amazed by the story of this place and why it is one of the most-visited spaces in Pune.

Maharashtrian's worship Lord Ganesha and have quite a few famous temples to honour the deity. The Dagdusheth Halwai temple is also one such temple where pilgrims visit in large numbers. The place is especially lit with celebrations during Ganeshotsav, which falls in the months of August and September.

One of the most popular and renowned places to visit in Pune has got to be the Osho Ashram in Koregaon Park. Founded by spiritual leader Osho Rajneesh, the ashram further depicts some of his teachings and stories that you should learn about.

Things to do in Pune

Paash organic cafe, located in Pune, is known for its sustainable lifestyle. Right from the architecture of the cafe to the organic food, Paash certainly stands tall as a must-visit and indulge place in Pune. Lose yourself amid beautiful and rare flora that is preserved by the Agri-Horticultural Society of Western India at the Empress Garden. The garden is exquisite and stunning with the varied floral species of plants that simply captivate the senses. Sprawled across 39 acres of land, you can take postcard-worthy pictures at this garden and let your social media abuzz.

For the adventure junkies who want to spend a day away from the city and lose themselves in the green expanses of the Sahayadri Ranges, you should take up the Rajmachi trek. The place is always crowded with trekkers and hikers visiting from different parts of the state. The trek is especially enjoyable when undertaken during monsoon. In fact, there are many places that you can check out close to Pune that spring to life during the rainy season. Pune's food culture is the second-best in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai. There are dedicated streets in the city that cater to the foodie in you. Elevate your gastronomical senses and explore more of the food culture of Pune. You can explore this on your by ensuring that you visit the right streets to check out the delicious street food.

Food and Restaurants in Pune

Much of Pune's food culture comes from its inspiration from Mumbai city's eclectic restaurant chains. From the famous South East Asian restaurant Shizusan to the German joint Malzheit, these places have also found a sweet spot in Mumbai's culinary heart. However, Pune does have some standalone stars with scrumptious cuisine that would make one go weak in the knees. Head to the Greedy Man Pizzeria to devour the city's best Napolitano-inspired pizzas, with 12-inch being the standard and only size of the bread. Doolally may have found fame in Mumbai thanks to the lovely brewed beer and quaint vibe the place sells but it actually originated in Pune. You can go for a fun brunch here and relish their freshly brewed beer. Another perfect place to delve into exquisite culinary is the 212 All Day Cafe and Bar, a project introduced by Chef Paul Kinny. You will find a slew of scintillating seafood ranging from flavoured crustaceans to barbecued ribs.

The union of South Indian cuisine with Syrian Christian and you've got Savya Rasa. This restaurant sells lip-smacking dishes ranging from Gongura Mamasam (mutton being the prime meat), Meen manga curry (fish curry with mango) and Bendakkai Goju (okra), to name a few. You can also check out Malaka Spice, a restaurant specialising in South-East Asian recipes with special attention to Vietnamese and Thai dishes. The dishes range from Mandarin duck to mutton teamed with sweet-textured sauces made from fruits.

How to reach Pune

By Air

Pune International Airport, which will soon be renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje Airport, is a very important airport that sees a tremendously good connection with major cities in India. Located approximately 10 km away from the city centre, the airport sees a high footfall of passengers and is touted to be one of the busiest airports in India. The flight connectivity from Pune to various cities in India including Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Nashik, Ahmedabad, Goa, Kochi, Lucknow, etc. With such excellent domestic routes from Pune to other cities, the airport easily becomes one of the best.

For the domestic flights, the airport sees airlines such as AirAsia, Air India Express, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Vistara and Air India provide flight services to connect Pune airport to metropolitan cities in the country. The airport also has an international wing with dedicated flights to and from Dubai, Frankfurt and Abu Dhabi as well as layovers of other flights coming to Pune from international routes. Since Pune is an international airport too, it is split between two terminals handling domestic and international flight from and to Pune. The accommodation scenes in Pune are also quite convenient. You will find cheap but good hotels and luxurious hospitality settings too. You can book your hotel in Pune by choosing from the range of lovely accommodations they have to offer. It will enhance your staycation experience.

By Rail

Pune Junction Railway Station also caters to connecting the city to other prime destinations in India. Pune enjoys services of superfast and express trains which travel faster than a mail. This enables the city to be well-connected. Prominent express trains such as Deccan Queen, Mumbai and Shatabdi Express pass through Pune. The city's railway station has astounding intercity transportation options. There are buses and rickshaw rides available right outside the station. You will also find taxi cabs lined up outside the Pune station, waiting to take you to the hotel you booked in Pune. Reaching various parts of the city is not very tough as you can always book rides on your phones, in case you are unable to haggle with the taxi cab driver.

By Road

Pune's connectivity doesn't falter even via roadways. In fact, the Expressway built connects Pune and Mumbai perfectly, enabling smooth and quick transport. The Expressway is actually one of the popular routes connecting Pune, enabling less travel time. There are a plethora of public and private-owned buses that also travel to Pune from big cities. Many jeeps and vans also board passengers to share the ride to Pune. In fact, some travellers prefer going to Pune by road, mainly because it has a beautiful highway. The buses and other road transports reaching Pune will drop you at any of the stops falling on the way to the railway station. You can book your hotel room in Pune from their wide range of accommodations and ask the taxi cab driver to help you reach the same.

  About Patna Airport

Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is predominantly a customs airport with restricted international operations. The airport is located in Patna, the state capital of Bihar. The airport's name came from independence activist, Jayaprakash Narayan. The airport's runway is quite short and cannot accommodate heavy aircraft operations. Hence, it is known to be classified as a restricted international airport. Patna Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country with their passenger traffic increasing by 30.6 per cent, as of 2018-2019. Despite the infrastructural restrictions, the airport has managed to see a spike in the passenger traffic. Hence, the Airport Authority of India has proposed a measure to expand and modernise the external and internal facilities. Expansions projects have already begun and are reportedly set to complete by 2021. Additionally, the airport authority has also planned to develop a joint-use airport to be used by the Bihta Air Force Station too. The plan is to use civil enclave as the second airport for the city of Patna.

About Patna Airport Terminals

Currently, Patna Airport has only one terminal which is divided into domestic and international sections. You can find the arrivals and departures on opposite ends of the terminals. The airport is not massive and is rather stuck between two famous establishments, making expansion plans a challenge. The current runway length stands at 7,000 ft. The surface has been constructed with asphalt and measures about 1,954 x 148 ft. Much recently, the airport managed to complete the new terminal building's parking garage, which now accommodates more vehicles. The new terminal is set to complete construction by 2022. The new terminal is set to have more space and would be able to accommodate more facilities and even passenger traffic. The airport is also rooting to handle more flights, which can be done after the expansion plans are complete.

About airport authority

As part of its expansion plans, the airport currently stands at a runway length of 7,000 ft. The airport is right in the middle of Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan as well as Phulwari Sharif railway station. The terminal building's area is being increased from the current size, which is 7,200 square metres to a new size which will be 57,000 square metres. The new terminal building is slated to have two levels and will be equipped with six aerobridges along with an apron to park about 14 aircraft. Currently, the airport only has a small parking bay to accommodate six aircraft. To conduct expansion work, Patna airport has demolished several of its buildings, including the Airport Colony as well as IAS Bhavan. The airport also plans to accommodate several utility buildings which include the meteorological centre and Bihar Flying Club. Following this, Patna Airport also plans to construct a new Air Traffic Control tower which would be located adjacent to Birla Institute of Technology. A world-class terminal building will also be installed on the premise of the airport.

About 13.1 acres of land that is close to Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is being utilised for the two-levelled terminal building. The Airports Authority of India has also proposed to extend the terminal further, view a view to sustaining air operations. The terminal extension will be completed by 2035 and is set to handle about 6 million passengers in a year. The new terminal building would be connecting to the existing building with the help of a sky bridge. The civil enclave at Bihta Air Force Station is also under construction and stands about 20 km away from the city. The second airport is being worked on to cater to large aircraft. For the same, the Bihar government acquired about 126 acres of land to construct Bihta Airport. The new airport terminal is being designed by Singapore firm Meinhardt, accommodating about 4.5 million passengers annually.

Meanwhile, Nagarjuna Construction Company Limited, a Hyderabad-based firm, has been selected to execute the layout. The new terminal is set to be completed by 2022. Patna Airport also has a multi-level parking garage.

Facilities at Patna Airport

ATMs - Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport has installed domestic ATM kiosk to ensure that passengers can withdraw money when they wish to at the airport. It is a convenient location and is required too. The same can be found at the departures and arrivals of the airport terminal.

Payphone booths - Pay phone booths have also been added to the list of facilities at the airport. The idea behind maintaining phone booths is to help passengers with no mobile phones or networks to make use of the facility. You can make local calls and connect with the required contact to reach within the city. You will need to pay a small nominal fee to avail the benefits of the phone booth.

Forex counters - As the primary international airport in the state, Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport also has currency exchange counters. Travellers who are venturing from outside India can get their currencies exchanged at the airport's arrivals terminal. The facility has been added recently after the airport underwent some refurbishing. At the forex counters, travellers can also transfer money and receive the same from outside the country.

Medical services - Following the mandatory clause to have medical services in the premise of the airport, Patna Airport has also reserved a special room for the same. In case of any medical emergencies at the airport vicinity, one can directly reach out to their medical room for assistance. A team of dedicated professionals are constantly present at the airport in case of emergencies. Also, there are pharmacies present in the departure section of the terminal.

Hotel booking counters - Right outside the arrivals section of the terminal is the travel agent's booth. At the counter, you will be able to make bookings with respect to your travel and accommodation within the city. The agent will provide all the required details to venture within the city. Starting from top attractions in the city to modes of transport that would be convenient, the travel agent would guide you through all the necessary information about the city to ensure that your stay is comfortable and your experience is good.

Child care room - Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport has also allotted rooms for child care. Many travellers who travel with infants often find it challenging to cater to their child's needs in public. Activities such as changing of the diaper and breastfeeding require privacy in a safe and hygienic environment. Hence, the airport has reserved a child care room to enable the same. They have also installed comfortable chairs and changing tables in the rooms. You can find baby products also at the airport's child care room.

Special assistance - You can request for special assistance with your airlines, and the airport staff would be present to help you out. The trained staff will take you through the procedures of security checks and boarding without much hassle. Wheelchairs are also available, and a dedicated professional would accompany you around the Patna Airport.

Baggage - The baggage facilities at Patna Airport are quite exemplary. They cater to all kinds of baggage needs ranging from the wrapping of the luggage to storage. Trolleys are also present at the airport to help travellers take their luggage through the airport facility. You can also opt to store your luggage at a safe spot if your flight witnesses delay or if there are any layovers.

Top airlines flying from Patna Airport

Patna Airport majorly caters to domestic flights and airlines that fly to top cities within India. Although there are a few dedicated international cities in the Middle East that the airport does accommodate, predominantly, it is Indian cities. Airlines such as Air India, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet and Vistara operate from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. These airlines cater to connect to cities such as Amritsar, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Surat, Varanasi, Ranchi, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Raipur, Bagdogra and Jaipur. The five airlines have active flights flying to and from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. The schedules of the flight are not limited as the airport can accommodate them. Since the airport has a single terminal, the capacity is considerably limited. However, it is spacious enough to cater to the five airlines that operate from Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport.

How to reach Patna Airport

Pre-paid taxis and autos

The most convenient and viable means to reach Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport is by auto-rickshaws and pre-paid taxis. Since the airport is perfectly connected by various national highways, it is easy to reach Patna Airport by means of road transport. There are no dedicated bus services that connect to the airport. Pre-paid auto-rickshaws usually have a set fare to reach the Jay Prakash Narayan International Airport. Hence, it would help if you discussed the rates with the driver before you start your journey. Meanwhile, the taxis are also available in every part of the city. You can hail a cab from anywhere to reach Patna Airport. The airport has also made car rentals available to the travellers. You can book a rental at the airport when you reach the city. The same car can be dropped off at Patna Airport. Although the city does use the iconic horse-drawn trams to travel within the vicinity, the same cannot be used for the airport journey.

  About Pune Airport

Pune Airport is a civil enclave (a joint-use airport) that is situated approximately 10 km from the city centre of Pune, in the state of Maharashtra. The airport also caters to the Indian Air Force as the Air Force Station of Lohagaon. It serves as both domestic and international airport with quite a few flights operating for West Asia. Due to the increase in the demand for flights, the airport is undergoing renovation to accommodate a new terminal as well as extend the runway. The idea is to accommodate more flights at the airport and increase the connectivity to various Indian cities as well as international destinations.

The airfield was originally established under the Royal Air Force in 1939 to offer air security to the city of Bombay (renamed as Mumbai) and also played as a base to squadrons of de Havilland Mosquito and Vickers Wellington bombers, during World War II. After independence, Pune Airport primarily turned into a customs airport, as on January 1997 and serviced export of specific goods. Eventually, in 2005, the airport received a green signal to charter passenger flights along with being a customs airport. The same year, flights to international cities such as Dubai and Singapore commenced. While the airport started as one to only accommodate about 60,000 passengers in a year, rose to handle over 2.8 million in a year by 2011.

About Pune Airport terminals

Terminal 1 - Terminal 1 of Pune Airport is reserved for domestic services. Basically, all domestic and regional carriers have operations that take place from Terminal 1. The airport's Terminal 1 is divided into two levels, the ground level is for arrivals section while the first level is for departures. The terminal offers various facilities, including baby care rooms, ATMs, medical services, smoking lounge and spa services, to name a few.

Terminal 2 - Terminal 2 accommodates international operations. The terminal is reserved for all kinds of international flight activities. There are dedicated flights to Dubai and Germany that operate from Terminal 2. The terminal also caters to a few facilities such as ATMs, spa services, currency exchanges and restaurants, to name a few.

About Airport Authority

Pune Airport is owned by the Indian Air Force with operations taken over by Airports Authority of India. Although the airport authority has been trying to extend the runway at Lohegaon Airport, the lack of acquiring private plots on the western side of the airport has been concerning. The Indian Air Force has also been brought in to help with the acquisition of the land that is owned by the air force. With the growth in air traffic, the expansion project has become quite essential for the city of Pune. What makes it an important move aside from accommodating air traffic is how the extension of the runway could help accommodate operations of wide-body aircraft such as Airbus A330 and Boeing 777.

The airport authority launched an INR 1 billion worth airport expansion and upgradation plan to prepare for the Commonwealth Youth Games that was hosted in Pune. The construction of two new terminal extensions was completed in 2008 by the Airports Authority of India. The new terminal measured about 12,000 square metres on either side of the main terminal building. The previous terminal was inadequate for passenger traffic and flight operations. Hence the terminal expansions took place. With this, the airport managed to ease and accommodate passenger traffic. Newer facilities including a new parallel taxi track as well as an apron expanded enough to accommodate about eight Airbus A320 or a Boeing 737 aircraft, were also brought forth in the new airport terminal.

Further, as part of the expansion plans to introduce a new terminal building is also in the works with the Airports Authority of India is set to invest INR 400 million. They plan to integrate the new terminal into an existing one. The building will also accommodate offices of AAI. The airport authority is also working on renovating and extending the runway to 3,250 metres.

As the expansion options are limited, the government of Maharashtra has proposed the construction of a whole new airport in the Pune metropolitan region. Responsibility to execute the new Pune Airport called Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje International Airport has been entrusted to Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC). The greenfield airport is set to cover over 1,800 hectares of land and will accommodate two runways. For the same, the State Government allocated about INR 2 billion in 2012 to acquire the land for the airport.

Facilities at the Pune Airport

WiFi – Pune Airport offers WiFi services that can be availed for 30 minutes. If you need to use it for more than 30 minutes, then you will be asked to pay a certain sum.

ATMs – ATM kiosks can be found at the departure as well as the arrivals section of the terminals at Pune Airport. They are mostly of local banks.

Baby care rooms – For travellers who are with infants, the baby care rooms come as a blessing. These rooms can be utilized to feed the baby as well as change their clothes and diapers. The rooms are quite comfortable and sanitized to ensure that the parent and child are safe.

Medical services – Medical assistance is also provided with a 24/7 team of experts stationed at the airport's terminals. They often cater to medical emergencies and are equipped with basic first aid kits too.

Smoking lounge – To avoid discomfort to others, the airport has reserved smoking lounge where passengers can smoke away. You can also purchase cigarette boxes at the airport, right outside the smoking lounge.

Currency exchange – The airport offers currency exchange counters that can be found in the arrivals section of the airport terminal. The exchange rates are also quite decent and as per the market.

Baggage – With an international stature, the airport's baggage facilities are also quite next level. There are free trolleys that can be picked up from anywhere in the airport terminal. The airport also has luggage wrapping services that many can opt for if they are travelling with fragile content.

Restaurants and shops – There are many restaurants and shops available in the departure section of the airport terminal. To pass the time, one can indulge in some exquisite food that can be found at the airport's food court. Plus, there are shops also available where you can purchase exquisite items that glorify the cultural heritage of Pune.

Lounges - The airport has a specific lounge for the public called Bird Lounge. After paying a certain sum at the entrance, you can avail the comfortable services of the lounge. There are newspapers, cosy plush seating arrangement, quaint ambience, good food and hospitality, TV and more, available in the lounge. Passengers can also get access to the lounge WiFi without any specific time limit and finish office-related work.

Top airlines flying from Pune Airport

Pune Airport sees flight operations from airlines such as AirAsia India, Air India, Air Arabia, Air India Express, Alliance Air, GoAir, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Lufthansa, Silkair, Kam Air and Vistara. As an airport that caters to domestic and international cities, the airport connects to a slew of cities. In India, Pune Airport connects to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Jaipur, Goa, Nashik, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Indore, Coimbatore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Belgaum, Allahabad and more. As for international cities, Pune Airport has flights flying to cities such as Sharjah, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Kabul, Singapore, Frankfurt and more.

How to reach Pune Airport

By Bus

The city has dedicated shuttle services allocated by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML) to reach Pune Airport. Under the PMPML, the providers are separated into two, namely, Pune Municipal Transport (PMT) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Transport (PCMT). Although the airport doesn't have a direct bus stand or connection available, there are locations in the proximity that helps passengers to reach Pune Airport. Passengers will have to get down at Burma Shell Stop, which is situated about five minutes away from the main passenger terminal. Scheduled buses operate from within the city to reach Pune Airport, and the journey takes about 30 minutes. The ticket fare is quite cheap and affordable and perfect for budget travellers. Schedule of the buses can be found on the official website of Pune Airport. You can peruse through the page and get details about the bus service and which time is the most convenient for your journey.

By Taxi cabs and auto-rickshaws

Another sought-after transport mode to reach Pune Airport is a prepaid taxi and auto rickshaws. There are many taxis that can be found in the main city of Pune. To reach Pune Airport, you can hail a cab from the city, or you can also book a taxi cab in advance. A one-way trip from the city centre to Pune Airport should cost approximately INR 260. However, depending on where you are reaching Pune Airport, it may vary. You can also hail auto-rickshaws and car rentals. It would be beneficial to pay for the ride in advance or fix up a cost before the journey to the airport commences.