For one or two people visiting only Shirdi, take the train or an MSRTC bus. Train 11423 runs daily, Pune 06:55 → Sainagar Shirdi 12:00, returning 18:10 → 23:55 as 11424. Buses offer more departure times and half fare for women and seniors aged 65–75. For a family of four, or to add Shani Shingnapur the same day, a cab works out cheaper per head and far simpler.
Train timings, coach mix and MSRTC concessions checked on 15 Sep 2026 — see the sources at the end. Fares change; confirm before you travel.
Side by Side
| What matters | Train 11423 / 11424 | MSRTC bus | Cab (our package) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Departure | Fixed: 06:55 from Pune, 18:10 back from Shirdi | Several departures a day; check MSRTC | You choose — our plan picks up at 5:30 AM |
| Time on board | 5 h 05 min out, 5 h 45 min back | About 5–6 h, as listed on booking sites | About 4–5 h each way |
| Door-to-door extras | Get to Pune Junction; Shirdi station is a few km from the temple; home after midnight | Get to the ST stand at each end | None — door to door |
| Cost for one person | Low fixed fares by class; see IRCTC / RailOne | Fares revised 18 Jul 2026; women and 65–75s pay half, over-75s free | ₹6,499 — the same for one person as for four |
| Cost for a family of 4 | 4 return tickets + autos at both ends | 4 return tickets (less with concessions) + autos | ₹6,499 (MG ZS EV) — about ₹1,625 a head |
| Time at Shirdi | About 6 hours | Depends on the buses you catch | As long as the queue takes |
| Shani Shingnapur same day? | Not realistically | Only with an overnight stay | Yes — built into the plan |
The New Daily Train: 11423 and 11424
Central Railway made the Pune–Sainagar Shirdi service a regular daily train from 22 June 2026, replacing special trains that ran only a few days a week. Some route planners and older articles still show the earlier pattern, so do not be put off if a site says it does not run on your day.
11423 leaves Pune Junction at 06:55 and reaches Sainagar Shirdi at 12:00. 11424 leaves Shirdi at 18:10 and reaches Pune at 23:55. It stops at Daund Chord Line, Shrigonda Road, Ahilyanagar, Rahuri and Belapur — a longer loop than the road, which is why the train takes about as long as a car. The rake has one AC Chair Car, eight Second Class Chair Cars and four General Second Class coaches; book on IRCTC or the RailOne app, where the current fare for each class is shown.
What the train does well: a reserved seat, a toilet on board, no road fatigue, and low fixed fares. For a solo pilgrim or a couple who want only Shirdi, it is hard to beat.
What to plan around: the timetable is fixed. You need to be at Pune Junction before 06:55, which means leaving home around 6 AM from most parts of the city. Sainagar Shirdi station is a few kilometres from the temple, so budget an auto ride to the temple. You get about six hours in Shirdi — comfortable on a quiet weekday, tight on a Thursday, when Shri Sai Baba's day can push the queue past three hours. And the return reaches Pune just before midnight, when you will still need a ride home.
MSRTC Bus: Flexible, and Half Fare for Many
State Transport buses run between Pune and Shirdi several times a day, from Pune stands including Swargate and Vallabhnagar. Booking sites list the journey at around 5 to 6 hours. The big advantage over the train is choice: you are not tied to one departure each way.
Concessions matter here. Women and senior citizens aged 65–75 pay half fare on MSRTC buses, and those over 75 travel free. From 1 August 2026, you need a National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) to claim these concessions — carry it.
On fares: MSRTC revised its fares on 18 July 2026 — a 13.56% increase on ordinary buses, with different revisions for other categories. We could not find an official post-revision Pune–Shirdi fare, and the figures on unofficial timetable sites predate the change, so we have not quoted one. Check the MSRTC booking app or ask at the counter.
The Cab: What It Costs and What You Get
Our one-day Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur package is a fixed fare per vehicle: ₹6,499 in the MG ZS EV (4 seats), ₹7,999 in the Kia Clavis EV (6 seats) and ₹10,999 in the Toyota Innova Hycross (6 seats). Tolls, parking, charging or fuel and the driver's allowance are all included; darshan passes and meals are not. The EV does not avoid tolls on this route — they are simply built into the fare.
Be clear-eyed about the maths. For one person, ₹6,499 is many times the train or bus fare. For four people in the MG ZS EV it is about ₹1,625 each for the whole day, door to door, with both temples — and nobody is waiting on a platform at midnight. For six in the Clavis EV it is about ₹1,333 each.
Tolls, parking and charging included. We are a cab service — darshan passes, pujas and meals are arranged by you.
Adding Shani Shingnapur: Where the Options Split
Shani Shingnapur is about 80 km from Shirdi by road, and most Pune families want both. By cab it is simply part of the loop: Pune to Shani Shingnapur (about 160 km) in the morning, on to Shirdi, and home — the full route is in our hour-by-hour one-day plan.
By train, it does not fit reliably. Six hours in Shirdi has to cover the station transfer, the Shirdi darshan and a round trip of about 160 km by local taxi to Shani Shingnapur, with the 18:10 train as a hard deadline. By bus, it realistically means a night in Shirdi. If you are going to Shani Shingnapur on a Saturday, Shani Dev's day, allow extra time whichever way you travel. Timings, and the branded-oil rule, are in our Shani Shingnapur guide.
Why Pune–Shirdi Road Distances Disagree
You will see anything from 180 km to 207 km quoted, and the sources are not really in conflict. There are two main roads — north through Sangamner, or east through Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) and Rahuri — and route guides do not even agree on which is shorter; the gap between them is small. What moves the number more is where the measurement starts: central Pune, or your own address in Hinjewadi or Kharadi. Our return leg from Shirdi to a Pune address is planned at about 200 km, and whichever road the driver takes, the fare does not change.
So Which Should You Choose?
Choose the train if you are one or two people, visiting only Shirdi, and happy with fixed times. Choose the bus if you want more departure options, or if women or seniors in your group can use the MSRTC concessions. Choose a cab if you are four or more, travelling with elderly parents or luggage, want both temples in one day, or would rather not be on a station platform at midnight.
Sources
- Punekar News — Pune–Sainagar Shirdi daily train (timings, halts, coach mix)
- PuneNow — daily service from 22 June
- Storyboard18 — MSRTC fare revision, July 2026
- Deccan Herald — NCMC card mandatory for concessions from 1 August
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a direct train from Pune to Shirdi?
Yes. Train 11423 leaves Pune Junction daily at 06:55 and reaches Sainagar Shirdi at 12:00. The return, 11424, leaves Sainagar Shirdi at 18:10 and reaches Pune at 23:55. Central Railway began running it as a regular daily service from 22 June 2026, replacing special trains that ran only a few days a week.
What classes does the Pune–Shirdi train have?
It runs with 15 LHB coaches: one AC Chair Car, eight Second Class Chair Cars, four General Second Class coaches, plus a generator car and a luggage-cum-brake van. Tickets are sold on IRCTC and the RailOne app, where you will find the current fare.
How far is Pune to Shirdi by road?
Roughly 180 to 207 km, depending on the route (via Sangamner, or via Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) and Rahuri) and where in Pune you start. Allow 4 to 5 hours by car in normal traffic.
Do women get a concession on MSRTC buses to Shirdi?
Yes. Women and senior citizens aged 65–75 get 50% off MSRTC fares, and those over 75 travel free. Since 1 August 2026 an NCMC smart card is required to claim these concessions.
How much is a cab from Pune to Shirdi?
Our one-day Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur package is a fixed ₹6,499 in the MG ZS EV (4 seats), ₹7,999 in the Kia Clavis EV (6 seats) and ₹10,999 in the Toyota Innova Hycross (6 seats), including tolls, parking, charging or fuel and the driver's allowance.
Can I visit Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur on the same day by train?
Not realistically. The train gives you about six hours in Shirdi, and Shani Shingnapur is about 80 km away by road in each direction. Once you add the Shirdi queue, which can run past three hours, there is no reliable margin for the 18:10 train home. By cab, both temples fit in one day.