[msdivy]

I did this journey on Monday. The flight, zoomcar, all worked out well. Just a word of caution, I took this stretch - https://goo.gl/maps/T3XAyBLXa572 and got stuck among slow moving truck traffic. Road was horrible and resembled a dirt track. The whole stretch looked like track for testing suspension of heavy vehicles. 15 Km took 1 hour to cross. I would suggest to avoid this road and go via Ahmednagar.

[hserus]

That road does have truck traffic but was newly relaid and for some reason quite empty at the time I passed through it.

Thanks for letting me know it has deteriorated to this extent. Going into Ahmednagar town is usually a guaranteed traffic jam.

Though if you do pass through Ahmednagar - this is a nice alternative to Smile Stone (and easy to find on google maps)

Hotel Panchavati, Besides S.P. Office,, Ahmednagar - Aurangabad Road, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra 414001

[centaur]

Originally Posted by hserus

Going into Ahmednagar town is usually a guaranteed traffic jam.

Have always and always taken this route only and never faced a traffic jam even once so far. I drive till DAP chowk and take a left at that chowk through Patrakar chowk and onwards. Its longer but worth it

[hserus]

Originally Posted by centaur

Have always and always taken this route only and never faced a traffic jam even once so far. I drive till DAP chowk and take a left at that chowk through Patrakar chowk and onwards. Its longer but worth it

That might be a much better idea - that left turn. Thanks!!

I suppose the timings were an issue? When do you normally do that drive?

We have one of two choices - flight that arrives in Pune just before lunchtime, lunch at Pune and then proceed to Shirdi with a short break for coffee / bathrooms at the Smile Stone, after which we do the Shej Aarti and then leave early in the morning after a full night's sleep at the hotel, or take an afternoon flight in, reach Shirdi sometime around dinner time and then three or four hours sleep before the Kakad Aarti.

I suspect that the jam I ran into in Ahmednagar was in option #2 - evening peak hour traffic in the town.

[centaur]

Oops! My Bad. I missed that you would be coming via a flight. I generally leave from Pune by 6-7 in the morning. Like you say, evening could be an issue but thankfully I always got only slow moving traffic and I hope I dont face a jam either

[autospeaker]

Originally Posted by hserus

Local stay -
You can also book these AC rooms on the online.sai.org.in site.

Hello. Just wondering if the Temple provided accommodation is good enough for a 3 days stay. Got a year old kid and hence would not like to take a chance.
In the website mentioned above, there are a lot of options and I am confused.
It would help me if you have any suggestions on the accommodation.

Plan is to fly to Pune and take a cab to Shirdi on a Friday. Return to Bangalore on a Sunday noon flight. Dates are Feb 3rd 2017 - Feb 5th 2017.

[hserus]

If you are traveling with a young kid and can afford 3..4k for a night's hotel stay get a decent hotel by all means. That is a bit of a basic dormitory type accomodation so if you just travel alone or with your wife you can adjust. With kids it is tougher.

Get a zoomcar or if available Myles car in Pune and drive there, better.

[Simhi]

Originally Posted by hserus

ALWAYS pre book your darshan (or aarti) at https://online.sai.org.in ..
Once you book the darshan you have access to a priority queue that will enter through the Shani gate, so you have about half an hour or so of waiting instead of ~ 1-2 hours.

Hi Suresh, Though I am staying in Pune, it was around 12 years since I visited Shirdi. Your post was really helpful in planning the trip. Thanks.

We first booked darshan at https://online.sai.org.in for 27th Dec and then did booking at Keys Temple Tree. We were apprehensive of the rush but online booking really helped and we were able to get darshan in 35 minutes. The Hotel rooms were good but can't say the same about food. Food was average.

While going to Shirdi, we stopped at SmileStone. The toilets were clean but food was also not up to mark. We did not try CCD though.

We had our own car. Onward journey took 4hrs 15 minutes from Viman Nagar (one break of 30 minutes) and return we did in flat 3hrs 30minutes (no breaks)

We did not take the bypass at Ahmednagar, but went through the city Pune -> DSP Chowk -> Patrakar Chowk - Shirdi.

[hserus]

The food at Key's temple tree is certainly very hit or miss but by shirdi standards it is gourmet cuisine.

Time through either Ahmednagar or the bypass entirely depends on the time of day. An early morning drive out of Pune works best.

[drive_angry]

Hello Suresh, BHPains,

Thanks for your redirection!

Although you've already posted a very detailed experience but I still have few questions, if you could help me answer them.

1) Since I am new to this place (Maharashtra), I would like to travel by AC Volvo service. Would you know any good travels by any chance? I live in Viman Nagar, Pune currently.

2) Any reliable and safe travelers which plans and guides your complete trip?

3) Any other place to visit besides Shirdi Baba? I heard Shani Shingnapur is a must visit too but its 70 KMS far off How to manage that?

Looking forward to your valuable feedback!

-Varun

[hserus]

Neeta Travels (www.neetabus.in) is good or the maharashtra state rtc buses really cheap if you don't mind some discomfort.

If you stay at the samadhi mandir lodging booked online they have a bus to the mandir or all the better hotels have a Tata Magic or jeep that will provide a shuttle to the mandir and back.

Shani Shingnapur - there is a huge crowd of sumo, tata ace type vehicles that leave from outside the samadhi mandir. Extortionate rates for uncomfortable travel of course. And they will always stop at the shop of one of their friends and relatives at shingnapur so buy a litre of til oil at pune itself or at shirdi before you go.

Similarly don't buy the overpriced flowers, cloth etc being sold by vendors outside the samadhi complex because all such things will be collected by temple staff and thrown into a big bin before you enter the mandir main hall.

There is nothing to overthink - once you book online leave your cell and shoes at the mandir provided counters (not at the various shops) and proceed to the Shani gate. After that you just follow the people ahead of you that's all. Have a good darshan and leave all the worrying to baba once you do the elementary preparation in my earlier post.

[centaur]

Originally Posted by drive_angry

1) Since I am new to this place (Maharashtra), I would like to travel by AC Volvo service. Would you know any good travels by any chance? I live in Viman Nagar, Pune currently.

2) Any reliable and safe travelers which plans and guides your complete trip?

3) Any other place to visit besides Shirdi Baba? I heard Shani Shingnapur is a must visit too but its 70 KMS far off How to manage that?

Is it going to be you alone or you have a group? If you have a group, better hire a cab and go through all the places. Works out way convenient.

If looking for buses only, you dont really need to depend on a volvo. There are plenty of MSRTC buses going throughout the day. Adding to it, I would suggest you visit the numerous travel agents near Jehangir/Ruby hall hospital and you will have plenty of options to choose from.

When I go alone, I generally take a one way ticket in an over nighter to Shirdi. these generally leave post 10-11 PM from Pune and are in Shirdi early morning 4-5ish. You can go ahead and take the kakad aarti and be out by 7-8 AM but also depends on the rush on the day you go. Once out, have breakfast and walk down to the ST Stand nearby and hop onto the plenty of buses to Pune. You will mostly be in Pune by 1-2 PM. However, this is only if you dont plan to visit Shani Shingnapur

[drive_angry]

Originally Posted by hserus

Shani Shingnapur - there is a huge crowd of sumo, tata ace type vehicles that leave from outside the samadhi mandir. Extortionate rates for uncomfortable travel of course. And they will always stop at the shop of one of their friends and relatives at shingnapur so buy a litre of til oil at pune itself or at shirdi before you go.

Thanks for your reply Suresh! Although you have made it look so easy but question (probably the last one) is, do we have an option to hire a vehicle at Shirdi? I dont want to use Tempo/traveller for 60 KMs. Perhaps a bike?

Originally Posted by centaur

Is it going to be you alone or you have a group? If you have a group, better hire a cab and go through all the places. Works out way convenient.

Hello Centaur, I would be traveling solo hence was looking for a 'safe' travel.


Quick question: Out of Sat & Sun, when does Baba get to see maximum rush of devotees? and what about the other days (Weekdays)?

[hserus]

You can't hire vehicles at shirdi - besides the mandir there isn't much there, just a small town

Hire a myles car from pune and drive yourself to shirdi and shani shingnapur would be my advice

Saturday and Sunday are crowded and so are Thursdays. Also national holidays and festival days like rama navami see extra huge rush. The kakad Aarti should see far less queue but anyway book online.

And arrival 4-5ish in an overnight bus means you can't attend kakad Aarti - probably the next Aarti in line.

Here are the timings, note that you need to queue a good amount of time before, and less queue if you book online

http://shrisaibabasansthan.org.in/daily-schedule/

[DragonRider]

Anyone driving from Pune to Shirdi should avoid the Ahmednagar bypass as its in a really pathetic state. Completely broken patch of around 20 kms and heavy truck traffic causing it to be full of dust. I was able to manage in my Safari Storme but it will be tough for low GC vehicles. Better to go through Ahmednagar till the bypass is fixed.