Pune to Shirdi & Shani Shingnapur — One Day Cab Package
Two darshans, one day — from your door in Pune or straight from Pune Airport
- No toll, parking or charging extra
- No driver halt charges
- Fixed at booking — zero surge
About This Trip
A one-day Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur cab from Pune costs ₹6,499 in the MG ZS EV, ₹7,999 in the Kia Clavis EV and ₹10,999 in the Toyota Innova Hycross. The fare is all-inclusive of tolls, parking, charging and the driver's allowance, and covers roughly 480 km including local running between the temples, with a 5:30 AM pickup and a return around 9:30 PM. Pickup is door-to-door anywhere in Pune, or directly from Pune Airport.
Both temples in a single day, starting and ending at your door in Pune. We usually suggest Shani Shingnapur first because its queue is short in the morning, which leaves the whole middle of the day for Shirdi — but the order is yours to choose, and plenty of families prefer to reach Shirdi first. It is a long day — a 5:30 AM start and a late return — but it removes the overnight stay entirely.
Choose Your Vehicle
Every fare is all-inclusive for the whole trip. Our fleet is electric or hybrid — on this route the driver charges while you are inside for darshan, so it costs you no travel time.
Kia Clavis EV
6 seats · AC 4 cabin bags (6 seats) · 4 check-in + 4 cabin (3rd row folded)Electric MPV — most luggage
Toyota Innova Hycross
6 seats · AC 2 check-in + 2 cabin (6 seats) · 4 check-in + 4 cabin (3rd row folded)Hybrid MPV — quieter and more economical than the Crysta
Need a different vehicle, extra stops or an overnight version? Message us on WhatsApp and we will quote it.
What's Included
- Door-to-door pickup and drop in Pune, or direct from Pune Airport
- All tolls, parking and charging costs
- Driver allowance for the full day
- Air-conditioned vehicle with drinking water on board
- Driver contact shared before the trip
What's Not Included
This is a cab package — vehicle and driver. It is not a tour package, so the following are never part of it.
- Meals, refreshments and personal expenses
- Darshan passes, poojas, offerings and temple donations
- Accommodation and driver halt charges if you extend to two days
- Travel insurance
Day Plan
A suggested plan, not a fixed one — the temple order is your choice, and we will run it either way. Timings are typical; the Shirdi darshan queue is the one variable nobody can control.
- 05:30
Pickup from your address in Pune
Door-to-door pickup anywhere in Pune. Arriving on an early flight? We also pick up directly from Pune Airport — start the yatra straight from arrivals.
- 07:30
Tea and freshening halt
~120 kmA short stop on the Ahmednagar highway. Clean restrooms and hot tea.
- 09:30
Shani Shingnapur darshan
~40 kmArriving before the mid-morning rush. Allow around 90 minutes including the walk from parking.
- 11:15
Drive to Shirdi
~80 kmThe shorter of the two legs, through open country.
- 12:45
Shirdi — Sai Baba samadhi darshan
Phones and cameras are deposited before entering. Queue time varies from 45 minutes to over 3 hours on a busy day.
- 15:00
Lunch break
Several prasadalaya and restaurant options around the temple complex. Meals are at your own cost.
- 16:30
Optional: Shirdi complex
Dwarkamai, Chavadi and Gurusthan are all within walking distance if the darshan queue moved quickly.
- 17:30
Return drive to Pune
Your driver charges the vehicle during the darshan and lunch window, so the return leg begins on a full battery.
- 21:30
Drop at your address
~200 kmReturn timing depends entirely on the Shirdi queue. A Thursday or festival day can push this later.
Temple Guide
What to expect at each darshan — timings, dress code and the practical details.
Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan, Shani Shingnapur
Lord Shani (Shaneshwar)A swayambhu (self-manifested) black stone idol standing in the open — no roof, no walls, no door. The village is known for houses built without door locks, a tradition tied to the deity's protection.
- Hours
- 5:00 AM – 10:00 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 5:30 AM — Morning aarti · 7:00 PM — Evening aarti
- Darshan & passes
- Darshan is open to all and the temple does not operate a pass system. The trust has publicly stated that it has not authorised any online worship-service app — if an app or agent offers to arrange a Shani Shingnapur pooja for you, it is not sanctioned by the temple. Prasad is distributed 10 AM–3 PM and 6 PM–9 PM at a nominal charge.
- Dress code
- Traditional attire is expected for the platform ritual, and men have historically been required to wear a dhoti to approach the idol directly. Rules have varied over the years — your driver will tell you the current position on the day.
- Photography
- Restricted around the idol platform. Follow the posted signs and staff instruction.
- Seniors
- The idol is reached on foot across an open platform with no shade. Midday heat is the main difficulty rather than distance.
- Busiest days
- Shani Amavasya and Shani Jayanti draw the heaviest crowds of the year. Saturdays are consistently busier than other days.
- Official site
- shanidev.com ↗
Shri Saibaba Sansthan, Shirdi
Shri Sai BabaThe samadhi mandir of the 19th-century saint whose teaching 'Sabka Malik Ek' — one God governs all — draws pilgrims of every faith. The complex also holds Dwarkamai, the mosque where he lived, and Chavadi.
- Hours
- 4:00 AM – 11:15 PM, open all days
- Aarti
- 4:30 AM — Kakad aarti · 12:00 PM — Madhyan aarti · 6:30 PM — Dhoop aarti · 10:30 PM — Shej aarti
- Darshan & passes
- Free darshan is always available by joining the general queue — no pass is needed. The Sansthan Trust also runs an official portal for paid darshan passes, aarti bookings, accommodation and donations. The Trust asks devotees to use only its official website, so book there directly rather than through any agent or third-party app.
- Dress code
- Modest full-length clothing with shoulders covered. This is enforced at the entrance.
- Photography
- Phones and cameras are not permitted inside the samadhi mandir and must be deposited at the counters outside. Allow time for this in both directions.
- Seniors
- Wheelchairs are available and there is a separate queue for senior citizens and the differently abled. Ask at the entrance rather than joining the main line.
- Busiest days
- Thursdays are Sai Baba's day and by far the busiest of the week. Guru Purnima, Ram Navami and Vijayadashami see the largest crowds of the year.
- Official site
- online.sai.org.in ↗
Why an EV for This Yatra?
Most cabs on the Shirdi route run on CNG. On a 480 km day that difference shows up in four places — and none of them are on the spec sheet.
- Cylinder bolted into the boot floor
- Refuelling stop and pump queue en route
- Engine noise for eight hours
- Fare moves with fuel prices
- Exhaust running in the parking queue
- Full-depth boot — battery sits under the cabin
- Charges while you are inside for darshan
- Quiet cabin, no engine at idle
- Fare fixed at booking, whatever fuel does
- Zero tailpipe emissions on the EV fleet
No gas cylinder eating your boot
Most intercity cabs on this route run on CNG, and that cylinder is bolted into the boot floor. It is a rigid steel tank exactly where the flat floor should be, so a full-size suitcase often will not lie flat. Our vehicles are electric or hybrid — the battery sits under the cabin floor, so the boot keeps its full depth. On a pilgrimage day with four people and their bags, that is the difference between luggage in the boot and luggage on somebody's lap for eight hours.
No refuelling detour, and no queue
A 480 km day means a CNG cab has to refuel en route, and CNG pump queues in Ahmednagar district routinely run 20 to 40 minutes. That comes out of your darshan time. Our driver charges while you are inside the temple — the stop is absorbed into time you were already spending, so it costs you nothing.
A quieter cabin on a long day
Eight hours in a car is where noise stops being a detail. An electric drivetrain has no engine noise at idle and far less at speed, and a hybrid runs silent at low speeds. On the Ahmednagar highway stretch and in temple parking queues, the cabin stays quiet enough to sleep or talk in — which matters more on a pilgrimage than on a 40-minute city hop.
The fare does not move with fuel prices
CNG and diesel prices are revised regularly, and operators pass that through. Our fare is fixed when you book and does not change with fuel rates, the day of the week, festival demand, or how busy Shirdi is. What we quote is what you pay.
Cleaner travel on a journey taken for punya
A 480 km round trip in a diesel or CNG cab burns fuel the whole way. An electric vehicle produces no tailpipe emissions at all — no exhaust in the temple parking queue, none on the highway. Many of our pilgrimage guests tell us this fits the spirit of the trip rather than working against it. Whichever vehicle you pick, tolls are already inside the fare, so this changes nothing about what you pay.
The Toyota Innova Hycross is a self-charging hybrid rather than a full EV — it is in the fleet for groups who want the largest cabin. The MG ZS EV and Kia Clavis EV are fully electric.
Start straight from Pune Airport (PNQ)
You do not have to go home first. Land at Pune Airport and start the yatra straight from arrivals — useful for families flying in specifically for darshan, and for anyone on an early morning arrival that already matches our 5:30 AM departure.
- We pick you up directly from the airport
- 30 minutes of free waiting included
- Share your flight number and we plan the pickup around it
- Luggage stays in the vehicle for the full day
- Same fixed fare — no airport pickup surcharge
Before You Book
You choose the temple order
Our default plan takes Shani Shingnapur first because its queue is short in the morning, leaving the unpredictable Shirdi queue the whole middle of the day. But the order is yours — tell your driver at pickup and we will run it the other way. Shirdi first suits you if you want the Kakad or Madhyan aarti.
This is a long single day
A 5:30 AM start and a return around 9:30 PM, with roughly 8 hours in the car. This fare is for a single day only. If that is too much, the same route works comfortably as an overnight trip — tell us and we will quote it, including the driver halt charge.
Phones are deposited at Shirdi
You cannot carry a phone or camera into the samadhi mandir. Deposit counters are outside the complex and add time at both ends of the darshan.
Shani Shingnapur dress code varies
The rules for approaching the idol platform have changed over the years, and traditional attire is the safe assumption. Your driver will confirm the position on the day.
We are a cab service, not a tour operator
We provide the vehicle and driver. We do not arrange darshan passes, priests, poojas, guides or meals, and we cannot shorten a darshan queue. Everything inside the temple is yours to arrange.
Thursdays and festival days run long
Thursday is Sai Baba's day and the Shirdi queue can exceed three hours. If your date is flexible, any other weekday is a materially shorter trip.
Charging is planned around your darshan
Our vehicles are electric. On this route the driver charges while you are inside for darshan and lunch, so the stop costs you no travel time. You are never waiting at a charger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we visit Shirdi first instead of Shani Shingnapur?
Yes. The order is entirely your choice — just tell your driver at pickup or mention it when booking. We suggest Shani Shingnapur first because its queue is short in the morning, which leaves the unpredictable Shirdi queue the whole middle of the day. Going to Shirdi first works well if you want to attend the Kakad or Madhyan aarti, though it means reaching Shani Shingnapur later in the afternoon.
Does the price include meals or darshan passes?
No. The fare covers your vehicle, driver, tolls, parking and charging only. Meals, darshan passes, poojas, offerings and donations are at your own cost. Orbitmiles is a cab service and is not affiliated with any temple trust — we cannot arrange passes or queue access. Free darshan is always available at both temples by joining the general queue, and paid passes at Shirdi are booked directly on the Sansthan Trust portal at online.sai.org.in.
Why book an electric cab instead of a CNG cab for Shirdi?
Three practical reasons on a 480 km day. A CNG cylinder is mounted in the boot floor and takes most of the usable luggage space, while an EV battery sits under the cabin so the boot stays full depth. A CNG cab has to refuel en route and pump queues in Ahmednagar district often run 20 to 40 minutes, whereas our driver charges while you are inside the temple. And an electric drivetrain is far quieter, which matters across eight hours in the car. Our fare is also fixed at booking and does not move with fuel prices.
Is the Innova Hycross electric?
No. The Toyota Innova Hycross is a self-charging hybrid, and it is in the fleet for groups who want the largest and most comfortable cabin. The MG ZS EV and Kia Clavis EV are fully electric. All three carry the same all-inclusive fare structure with tolls, parking and fuel or charging included.
The cab is electric — will we need to stop and charge for a long time?
No. On this route your driver charges the vehicle while you are inside for darshan and lunch, so the charging stop costs you no travel time at all. You will not be waiting at a charging station.
Can this be done as an overnight trip instead?
Yes, and for many families it is the more comfortable option. Note this is a one-day fare — extending to two days is a separate quote, since it adds a driver halt charge and your own accommodation is not included. The overnight version removes the 5:30 AM start and the late return. Tell us your dates on WhatsApp and we will quote it.
Can you pick us up directly from Pune Airport for this trip?
Yes, from Pune Airport. We pick you up directly from the airport with 30 minutes of free waiting included — share your flight number when you book and we plan the pickup around it. A Pune Airport start fits the one-day plan comfortably. This package starts from Pune only; we do not run it from Mumbai or Navi Mumbai airports.
Is this trip suitable for senior travellers?
It is manageable but demanding — roughly 8 hours in the vehicle across a single day. Shirdi has wheelchairs and a separate queue for seniors, and Shani Shingnapur involves a short walk across an open platform. For anyone who tires easily, the overnight version is the better choice.
What time will we get back to Pune?
Typically around 9:30 PM, but this depends almost entirely on the Shirdi darshan queue. On a Thursday or a festival day it can be considerably later. We do not rush a darshan to hit a return time.
Is the fare fixed, or does it change on the day?
It is fixed at booking. Tolls, parking, charging and the driver's allowance are all included in the quoted figure, and there is no surge pricing on any date. The only variable is if you ask to add a stop that is not on the route.
Ready for this yatra?
All-inclusive from ₹6,499 · 480 km · Tolls, parking & charging included