Frankfurt to Pune Flights

  About Frankfurt

Another beautiful city in Germany worth visiting is Frankfurt. It is home to a lot of world-renowned museums, galleries and historic cathedrals. Not to mention, it promises several stunning views, too. Frankfurt is a popular city for layovers, and if you have to wait for a longer duration, you must head out to explore the city. If Germany is the next destination on your travel list, you must also add Frankfurt to the itinerary. It is the fifth-largest city in Germany and has a lot in store for tourists. Not only does Frankfurt have a lot of tourist attractions but it also has a lot of activities in store for you. The city is also known for its eclectic dining scenes and connects to other cities in the country, along with other popular cities in the nearby European countries. It goes without saying that you cannot get enough of the beer here. Germany is known for its craft beer, and you must certainly try some here. It is also quite easy to book a hotel in Frankfurt on your budget.

Best Time to Visit Frankfurt

April to September is said to be the best time to visit Frankfurt. The temperature is mild and pleasant, and you can enjoy the views of the city without any hindrance. March to May is spring season in the city and June to August is summer. You can attend the largest folk festival called Frankfurt's Ratsweg Fairground and the Frankfurter Sausage Festival that has a lot of arts and crafts markets along with rides that you can enjoy. Spring is not exactly a high season in the city, which makes booking a hotel in Frankfurt quite easy and affordable. You will also see fewer tourists as compared to summer, and this is the perfect time to plan a trip to Frankfurt.

Summer is the most popular season for people to plan a trip to Germany. The days are longer and night shorter. Though the temperature barely crosses 26 degree Celsius during the day, it is best to plan your commute in advance. Travelling by trams or buses that have no air conditioning can be a little bit of trouble if you can't bear the heat. Since it is high season, it is advisable to book your hotel in Frankfurt in advance. Most hotels will be booked and getting decent accommodation at the last moment will be a hindrance. You might have to settle for something you are not entirely happy with, at a higher price. Make sure you also book your flight tickets to Frankfurt in advance, so you don't have to spend extra when there is a surge in prices. This is the best season to binge on Frankfurt'sFrankfurt's Apfelwein, which is basically apple wine. You will find it in a lot of pubs and bars in the city. The city also hosts numerous festivals and events that you can attend. You can check out the open-air screenings or head to the beach bars for a party along the Main River. If you are visiting the city in August, make sure you carry a light jacket with you with an umbrella since there are chances of rains in this month.

September to October are fall season in Frankfurt, and the city sees relief from the scorching heat. Frankfurt'sFrankfurt's version of Oktobeerfest is not as big as it is in Munich, but you will enjoy yourself here. You will also find a lot of events hosted in the city during this time, and you can sign up for the event's newsletter to get all the updates about it to buy the tickets as soon as it is available. You will find fewer tourists in Frankfurt since the high tourist season ends by August end and early September.

November to March is winter in the city, and this is not an ideal time to visit Germany. However, you can still plan your trip to Frankfurt in December if you want to celebrate Christmas here. You can treat yourself to hot gluhwein (mulled wine) to stay warm. Head to St Paul's Square, Hauptwache and Friedrich-Stoltze-Square area and Mainkai, which is the Main Quay. The temperature drops below freezing temperatures, so you might want to pack an extra set of warm clothes. There is also a high chance of rainfall during winter, which is what makes it an unfavourable time to visit the city. You will also get cheap flight tickets to Frankfurt during this time since it is not a big tourist time in the city.

Places to Visit in Frankfurt

Goethe House is a popular tourist attraction in the city that all history buffs can visit. Renowned writer Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe was born here and lived here till 1765. The house suffered severe damage during World War II after the bombarding, but a lot of it was restored after the war ended. Palm Garden is the largest botanical garden in Frankfurt and the best place to go to for an evening stroll. St Bartholomew'sBartholomew's Church was built between the 13th and 15th century with red sandstones. It holds the status of being an Imperial Cathedral and is an important place to visit. You will find yourself admiring the architecture of the Church. Head over to Sachsenhausen to indulge in some apfelwein or ebbelwoi, and these are kinds of apple ciders produced locally. Head over to Hauptwache if you want to go on a shopping spree and grab a quick bite on the way. If you are an art lover, you can visit the Schirn Kunsthalle. The centre hosts a lot of art exhibitions, be it contemporary or historical themes.

Things to do in Frankfurt

If you are a die-hard romantic, head over to Eiserner Steg, a pedestrian bridge near River Main, you will find a lot of colourful padlocks on the railings. You can also give in to the tradition and add a padlock of your own hoping for eternal, everlasting love. Apple wine is a popularly found drink in Frankfurt, and the locals swear by it. You can head to the best pubs and bars in the locality to try some of it. You can also sign up for a local, guided sightseeing tour of the city. You can head to the Dialog Museum where you can experience what a blind person does, for an hour. A blind guide will lead you through the pitch darkness, and you can experience going on a boat ride, buying a drink and other such tasks through your other senses. Sounds fun, right? Head over to the art and history museums in the city if that's what attracts you to the city. Frankfurt is also known for its eclectic dining scene, and you will find a lot of pork-related dishes in the restaurants here. Sign up for a food and beer tasting tour of the city if you don't feel like exploring the city on your own.

Food and Restaurants in Frankfurt

Not just beer but Germany is also known for its cuisines. You can binge on German sausages, commonly called Frankfurter Wurstchen. It is served with a slice of bread, mustard and horseradish. If you are a cheese lover, you must definitely try the Handkaes mit Musik that are served in most gastro pubs and restaurants. Appelwoi is a popular type of beer that the locals enjoy and you must, too. You can also try the other types of craft beer in the city. Germany is popular for its variety of pork dishes. Reserve a table at The Legacy Bar and Grill or Thai and Turf - Steakhouse. You will also find a lot of cafes in the city that you will enjoy. Trattoria I Siciliani is a popular Italian restaurant in the city. If you are in the mood for steak or Japanese food, make sure you head to Kabuki Frankfurt. You can head to the various pubs and bars to have a mug of strong German beer.

How to reach Frankfurt (Transportation)

Frankfurt International Airport is the fifth-largest in Germany and is also the main hub for Lufthansa, Condor and AeroLogic. The flight connectivity to Frankfurt from India is excellent. Gulf Air, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa are some of the airlines that have frequent flights to Frankfurt. If you book well in advance, you might even get cheap flight tickets to Frankfurt. It is quite easy to get a taxi or car rental from the airport to your hotel. The airport also has WiFi, restaurants, cafes, shopping areas, currency exchange and a lot of other facilities that you can use. If you have to kill time during a layover at Frankfurt airport, you will not get bored at all. If you are heading to Frankfurt from another city in Germany or any other nearby European country, you can take the train. The city is well-connected by rails. You can also opt for a road trip, and you will be treated to the stunning views of European cities and cultures.

  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 Frankfurt Airport

Germany's Frankfurt International Airport is located close to Kelsterbach in Frankfurt. It is an important international airport in the country and also serves as the main hub for Lufthansa airlines. This also includes Lufthansa CityLine and Lufthansa Cargo. There are two passenger terminals and has the capacity to handle an approximate total of 65 million passengers in a year. In Europe, Frankfurt International Airport is the busiest after Paris–Charles de Gaulle Airport and Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, with respect to passenger traffic.

About Airport Terminals

Frankfurt am Main Airport has two main passenger terminals along with a First Class Terminal that is exclusively used and operated by Lufthansa. It follows the similar structure that London Heathrow Airport, Los Angeles International Airport (Tom Bradley International Terminal) and Toronto Pearson Airport. Chicago's O'Hare Airport is also working towards completion of its First Class terminal called Global Terminal, which would see operations of airline alliances. Terminal 1 is the passenger terminal which is larger in comparison to the other terminals and is also the older one. It is 420 meters long and has experienced constantly expansions multitudes of times. The terminal is divided into four concourses, namely A, B, C and Z. It also can accommodate about 50 million passengers in a year. The terminal is further split into three levels with each dedicated to special services.

The departures level is on the upper floor while the arrival and baggage claim rests on the ground floor. There is a dedicated distribution floor too, which has access to the underground as well as multilevel parking available. The airport authorities have further built separate street to connect the departures and arrivals levels. The terminal has 103 gates in total out of which, 54 gates are equipped with jetways. The terminal primarily caters to Lufthansa and the airlines associated namely, Brussels Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines and Eurowings. Even Star Alliance operates from Terminal 1 with airlines such as Aegean Airlines, Air China, Croatia Airlines, Air Canada, Air India, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Turkish Airlines, Asiana Airlines and United Airlines, to name a few.

Terminal 2 has been reserved for airlines falling under Oneworld (British Airways, Iberia, Kuwait Airways, American Airlines, Japan Airlines, Finnair and more) as well as SkyTeam alliance airlines namely, Air France, KLM Royal Dutch Airways, Korean Air and more. A handful of airlines that do not belong to the alliances also operate from the terminal. Lufthansa First Class Terminal operates from near Terminal 1 and is reserved for first-class passengers and frequent flyer members of HON Circle.

About Airport Authority

Frankfurt Airport's airport authority is Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide. Commonly recognized as Fraport, the German transport company also works on operations of various airports along with Frankfurt Airport. Fraport is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and Xetra as well. Interestingly, Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide also has ownership and stakes in Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport under the DIAL (Delhi International Airport Private Limited) consortium.

Fraport made it possible for Indira Gandhi International Airport to accommodate A380 operations. The company also has Deutsche Lufthansa AG as a shareholder with about 8.44 per cent stakes. To enhance the climate protection targets as well as contribute to mitigating climate change, they have built green electricity. Fraport plans to make use of renewable energy to meet the climate protection targets. At the same time, they are also rooting for the Frankfurt Airport to slash the CO2 emissions from 170,000 to 80,000 metric tons at least by 2030. Their eventual plan is to make Frankfurt Airport CO-2 free by 2050 with the use of a renewable source of energy.

Further, on the same, Fraport is also aiming at generating its electricity to run the Frankfurt Airport. Solar panels are being installed at the CargoCity South. The authority claims that as and when the panels are completely installed, Frankfurt Airport would generate about 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity in a year.

Top airlines flying from Frankfurt Airport

Frankfurt Airport sees a large space reserved for Lufthansa and the Star Alliance partners falling under its account. The airport sees 77 per cent of passengers from flights of Lufthansa and the airlines that fall under Star Alliance. Dedicated airlines are already present as the Frankfurt Airport has been perfectly balanced for various international flight operations. Sixty-five per cent of intercontinental flights in Germany also function from Frankfurt Airport. Lufthansa, which is a German-based enterprise, sees a dedicated terminal reserved for flight operations.

Meanwhile, several international airlines flying from Frankfurt Airport include Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air China, Air Europa, Air France, Air India, Air Malta, Air Serbia, Alitalia, All Nippon Airways, American Airlines, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Condor, Croatia Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Finnair, Gulf Air, Iberia, Iran Air, Icelandair, KLM Royal Dutch Airways, Korean Air, Japan Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Saudia, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways and Vietnam Airlines. They connect to various major international cities such as New York City, London, Bangkok, Addis Ababa, Mexico City, Brussels, Cape Town, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and more.

Facilities at the Frankfurt International Airport

In-terminal shuttle service - There are buggy and shuttle services for quick transit from one terminal to another. These services come in handy when there is a connecting flight that you need to catch in a short period of time. They are available at all the terminals in departures as well as arrivals zones.

Special assistance - There are trained staff at the Frankfurt International Airport you can take assistance from to escort you through the vicinity and offer to be a personal guide.

Porter service - The airport also provides porter services. They will take care of all your luggage and even transport them to the terminals required. You can leet the staff to handle your luggage concerns, and they will do a good job.

Lounge and VIP rooms - Exclusive lounges and VIP room facilities are available at the airport premise. The elegant lounges with exquisite decor and world-class hospitality would certainly be a good way to spend time at Frankfurt International Airport. There are business meeting rooms also available as are conference lounges.

ATMs and foreign exchange - ATM kiosks are spread across all terminals at the airport. The arrivals section also has dedicated foreign exchange counters for international travellers. You can get your money exchanged at the airport itself instead of getting it beforehand and fearing the safety and security of the money you're carrying.

Hotels - There are a plethora of lavish airports in the proximity of Frankfurt International Airport as well as within the terminal. Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel is right at the airport premise. Meanwhile, other hotels around the Frankfurt International Airport include InterCityHotel Frankfurt Airport, Hyatt Place Frankfurt Airport, Park Inn by Radisson Frankfurt, to name a few.

Work stations - One of the perks of Frankfurt International Airport is the provision of workspace. Travellers who have to work on the go can avail this service and take up a workspace within the airport premise while you wait for your flight. It is quite convenient.

Dog hotel - For travellers who cannot take their pets along with them for vacations, you can always avail the airport's Dog Hotel benefits. It serves as a dog hostel where the services are good, and the pets are well-maintained.

Baby care rooms - Frankfurt International Airport facilitates baby care rooms for new mothers with infants. Sanitary products and the well-kept room is ideal for mothers and their babies.

Medical services - The airport also ensures to keep devoted staff to take care of medical emergencies. There are pharmacies also available at the departure as well as arrival zones of all the terminals.

How to reach Frankfurt Airport

Rail

It is easy to reach Frankfurt Airport from the city's regional station. You can find it at Terminal 1's concourse B. There is proper access to S-Bahn commuter rail lines which depart at regular intervals. The connectivity is spectacular as the train would take on 10-12 minutes to reach Frankfurt Central Station from the airport. Additional services to connect Frankfurt Airport and the Central Station are also available. Frankfurt Airport also caters to the long-distance station, which was opened in 1999. From the Frankfurt Airport, you can reach Cologne and even Netherlands and Belgium through Cologne.Buses and coaches

Several transport companies also provide bus services that would reach you to Frankfurt Airport. They also have services that work for long-distance destinations from the airport. You can reach Frankfurt Airport from various parts of Germany by using their buses and coaches operations. Interestingly, All Nippon Airways had a dedicated bus service to Düsseldorf from Frankfurt Airport exclusively for passengers. The connection was perfect and extremely convenient for people who were travelling from All Nippon Airways to reach Frankfurt Airport. However, a separate flight from Tokyo to Düsseldorf was chartered, and since then, the bus services have been suspended.

Rental cars and taxis

Another good way to reach Frankfurt Airport is to take up car rentals and taxis. It would be easy to reach Frankfurt airport without any stress as it would mean you can rest easy in the car.

  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.