Pune-Nagpur travel fares have risen sharply ahead of Diwali, with trains nearly full, preferred flight timings costing more than Rs19,000 and private sleeper bus tickets reaching Rs7,000 for a one-way journey. The fare surge is leaving thousands of Vidarbha residents working or studying in Pune with limited affordable options to return home for the festival on November 8.
A check by the Times of India found that almost all trains operating between Pune and Nagpur during the first week of November are heavily booked. Around six trains are scheduled on the route on November 5 and 7, while seven services are listed for November 6. Tickets on all these services were reported to be booked, pushing passengers towards air travel, private buses and road journeys.
Air travel has also offered limited relief. Tickets on flights operating at less convenient timings, including a 1.30am service and early-morning departures, are priced at around Rs12,000. Fares for flights at preferred timings have crossed Rs19,000 for a one-way ticket, according to the report.
Private sleeper bus operators are charging between Rs4,000 and Rs7,000 per passenger. These fares are approximately Rs2,000 higher than during last year’s Diwali season. Travellers quoted by the Times of India said they were being asked to pay three to four times the regular fare, placing additional pressure on students and working professionals who depend on fixed incomes or family support.
Vivek Zore, an IT professional working in Pune, described the situation as an annual problem. “Every year, we face the same mess. If the government knows that fares skyrocket during Diwali, why can’t it introduce additional buses or regulate fares charged by airlines and private operators? We are ready to pay twice the regular fare, but charging three to four times is simply unaffordable,” he told the Times of India.
With rail, air and bus options becoming more expensive or unavailable, some working professionals are considering carpooling and shared cabs to reach their hometowns. The Samruddhi Expressway has emerged as a major road alternative for travellers heading towards Vidarbha from Pune and Mumbai, although the shift to private vehicles is expected to increase pressure on the highway network during the festive period.
Highway traffic police and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation have undertaken preventive measures in anticipation of heavier vehicular movement. These include intensified patrolling, vehicle checks and additional surveillance intended to minimise accidents and improve safety on the route. Travellers therefore face a choice between paying sharply higher fares, using shared road transport or risking delays that could affect their journey home before Diwali.
