Pune to Shillong Flights

  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 Shillong

The capital of Meghalaya, Shillong, is also called Scotland of the East. Shillong also means The Abode of Clouds and the city complements Nestled between pine trees, the hill station is also home to a lot of waterfalls. Not just waterfalls but you also get a picturesque view of the mountains and lakes in the city. The climate is pleasant throughout the year, which makes any time of the year suitable for you to plan your trip to Shillong. The warm hospitality, the scenic view and the weather will leave you impressed and in awe of them. The city is also popular for hosting a lot of music festivals and giving the country a lot of talented musicians. Shillong is one of the places in the North-East that you must visit. It is one of those hill stations which you can visit throughout the year. The summer is not too hot, but the winter is chilly and perfect. You wouldn't have to worry about your plans as they won't be affected during this season. Not just summers and winters but even monsoons paint a beautiful picture and only makes the hill station look more attractive.

Best Time to Visit Shillong

Even though the weather is quite pleasant throughout the year, September to May is considered to be the ideal time to plan a vacation to Shillong. It does rain slightly, but it doesn't necessarily have to put a damper on your outdoor plans. March to June is summer in Shillong, but the climate is pleasant. It doesn't get too hot, but it does get slightly cold at night. You can book a hotel in Shillong that has a view of the hills and the beautiful sky. You can also opt for a quaint homestay, which is a popular option that people choose when they visit Shillong. Getting around the city is not that difficult, too. The people are quite friendly and will help you with whatever you need.

October to March is when Shillong experiences winter. The hill station also begins its celebration of The Autumn Festival and the Nongrem Dance Festival. It is the ideal time to visit Shillong. You can either take a flight to Shillong or take a train. Since it is also considered to be a peak season, you might get good flight deals with hotel accommodation combos. You can join the celebrations of the locals during their festivals or be a spectator.

Monsoon is from July through September, and it is during these months that the hill station sees heavy rainfall. But the torrential downpour does not really ruin your vacation. Since it is off-season, there are chances you might get cheap flight tickets. In fact, even booking a hotel in Shillong might be less expensive than it is during other seasons. This is also the best season for backpackers and nature lovers to visit. A lot of them take off to Shillong during this time to enjoy the picturesque view of the hill station.

Place to Visit in Shillong

Shillong is a hill station that has a lot of waterfalls amidst the lush green trees. The Elephant Falls is a popular tourist location in Shillong. There is a stone that resembles an elephant at the foot of this waterfall, which is one of the primary reasons why it has been bestowed the said name. The Shillong Peak is 1965 m above sea level and is the highest point in Shillong. The view of the entire city from atop is breathtakingly beautiful. You can even opt for a trek up the hill to capture the best views.

The David Scott Trail is a popular trekking route in Meghalaya. The path was laid by British officer David Scott in the 1800s. Mawlynnong, a village which is 90 km away from Shillong, was declared as the cleanest village in Asia in 2003. It is a very famous tourist site and is also called God's own Garden. This is also one of the best places to take pictures. Jaintia Hills is another place you must visit when you travel to Shillong. You'll find the Krang Suri Falls and the Nartiang Monoliths here. The lovely expanse and scenic beauty of the place will leave you in awe. While you're here, you must also visit the Mawjymbuin Cave in the Mawjymbuin village in Cherrapunji. The cave is like paradise for all geologists or everyone interested in geology. Since it also has religious significance, it attracts pilgrims, too.

Things to do in Shillong

If you are a water baby, visiting all of the famous waterfalls in Shillong is a must. The Spread Eagle Falls, on the outskirts of the city, is a top-rated tourist spot. Nohkalikai Falls of the Sweet Falls, about 8 km from Shillong, is another destination that you must visit. The place looks far more beautiful when it is raining. Shillong's Lewduh Bara Bazaar is a popular place for you to go on a shopping spree. Clothes, shoes, accessories, you'll get everything you need. Don't forget to buy tea that has dried orange peels in it. You can also buy souvenirs that you can take back home from your trip. If you are planning to spend more time in the city, try and learn the language to communicate better with the locals.

You can go boating in the magnificent lakes of Shillong to soak in all the beauty of this hill station. Visit the Butterfly Museum if you have a keen interest in zoology. The museum has a massive collection of different types of butterflies, and some of them are rare species, too. Go on a food crawl and try out the local cuisine of the hill station. Learn more about their lifestyle and cuisine. You will definitely not regret it. All you adventure and nature lovers can opt for several trekking options that are available here. You can either go alone or join a group. You'll find something worth trying even if you decide to go trekking at the last moment.

You can opt for nature camping or even take a trekking tour. You will find a lot of camping and trekking packages, too, in Shillong. You can either book them online or find a local tour guide who can help you with your camping trip. Visit a wildlife sanctuary or go to a Museum to get to know the hill station better. If you are visiting the scintillating hill station during a festival, make sure you try to blend in and celebrate it with the locals. If meeting new people and learning more about the culture is your motive for the trip,

Food and Restaurants in Shillong

Shillong is known for its seafood cuisines, its variety of Momos, Tarumbai and Tungtab. You must also try Kyat, a beverage that is prepared from rice. You will also find restaurants that have Chinese, Tibetan and Indian food in their menu. Cafe Shillong is one of the most popular cafes in Shillong. The delicious shakes and vegetarian momos are the highlights of this place. Ginger is yet another place you will love. It is one of the trendiest restaurants and quite affordable, too.

Head over to Delhi Mishtan Bhandar for some lip-smacking desserts. The lassis, halwas, jalebis and other snacks will leave you satiated. Don't hesitate to try the local street food here. Shillong is also one of the only cities in India where you get alcoholic beverages for the cheapest price. Don't forget to stop by the City Hut Family Dhaba and La Galerie for some delicious Indian and Continental cuisines. You can stop by any one of these restaurants or even try all of them depending on the duration of your stay.

How to reach Shillong

By Air

The Shillong Airport or Umroi Airport, as it is called, is approximately 30 km away from Shillong. It is also the nearest domestic airport. The flight connectivity to and from Shillong is quite limited. The next nearest airport is the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, popularly referred to as Guwahati International Airport. Though it is 120 km away from Shillong, it connects all domestic flights to Shillong and all international flights from Shillong, too. The domestic routes from Shillong are connected to cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore, Imphal, Singapore and so on. You will come across great flight deals and cheap flight tickets to Shillong, provided you book at the right time.

By Rail

Guwahati Railway station is the closest and best way to reach Shillong. You will have to take a taxi or a bus to Shillong from the station. From the station, you can hire taxi cabs or private rentals that will reach you to Shillong. In fact, there are state-run buses that take the domestic routes to Shillong from Guwahati. Guwahati railway station is well-connected with major cities through Gorakhpur and Kolkata. Besides, you can also get down at the Bagdogra railway station and opt to travel via road.

By Road

Government-run and private buses to Shillong are quite frequent. The NH40 highway connects Shillong to other major cities in the country. Though flights do seem like the most convenient option to reach Shillong, trains and buses are no less. Road and Rail are also great options to get to Shillong. The panoramic view of the lush green valleys and mountains will rejuvenate you.

  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.