I am planning a Mumbai to Pune by road trip where I would self-drive for the first time. I would like some help on this journey of mine, so it all goes well. Some of the information and details I would like to know are mentioned below: 1. Road condition from Mumbai to Pune? 2. Which route do I take from Mumbai to Pune? 3. What is the road distance between Mumbai and Pune?
Hello, @Shashank, welcome to the forum! (Images from Amit, Rohit Patwardhan and Nikhil Kawale) Overview The distance between Mumbai and Pune is about 148 kilometres. Driving this distance can take around 3 hours if there is no traffic. There are two routes that you can choose from to reach Pune from Mumbai, the first one is via the expressway and the second one is via the old national highway. Both routes have their advantages and disadvantages that we would discuss below. Depending on your driving skills or your interest, you can choose which route is the best for you. But as a precaution, always leave from your departure destination early in the morning, at least 4:00 AM, to avoid the heavy early morning traffic that plagues most roads in Maharashtra. Mumbai to Pune - Routes As mentioned above, you can choose from two routes, either via the expressway or via the national highway. The expressway is shorter but is notorious for its high traffic conditions. 1. Route via Mumbai Pune Expressway - Mumbai > Belapur > Panvel > Mumbai Pune Expressway > Dehu Road > Pune Mumbai Pune Expressway (Image from Kprateek) This is the first route that one can utilise to reach Pune from Mumbai which is about 148 kilometres long. It is also known as the Yashwantrao Chavan Mumbai Pune Expressway, a six lane expressway with several exit tolls, along with dividers and fenced side roads to keep stray animals away from entering the roads. This is the usual route taken by travellers because it is faster and easier to navigate into. It isn't without faults though but we'd discuss that later. From Mumbai, continue driving on until Belapur, until you reach the Mumbai Highway. Continue on until you reach the Panvel where you'd be entering the Mumbai Pune Expressway proper. From Mumbai until Panvel, roads are quite good though they can be plagued by traffic during rush hours. The Mumbai Pune Expressway has good roads too but can also be plagued by traffic during rush hours and weekends. Continue driving on until you reach Somatane and then take the exit to reach Pune proper. Total journey duration with this route is around two and a half hours, that is if you are not delayed by the traffics. As far as the disadvantages of this route goes, it is also taken by trucks and other heavy vehicles. Aside from slowing down the traffic, they also pose a bit of a danger especially during night time, as some heavy vehicles don't turn their headlights on or simply don't have working ones. There's also a set limit of speed with this route or expressway that you need to follow, which is about 80 km/h and the authorities would check your receipt at the end to ensure that you have followed the rule. And finally, this route is prone to road blocks especially during monsoon season, which can lead to accidents. The monsoon season can also affect the road conditions, making the roads bumpy and patchy. Despite all these disadvantages, there's no doubt that the Mumbai Pune Expressway is the easier route to take. It has several tunnels that make the ride more enjoyable. It also has smooth roads, at least before the monsoon season, that are better to drive in. Just make sure you use this route during day light, when you can clearly see oncoming traffic even without their lights on. 2. Route via National Highway 4 - Mumbai > Belapur > Panvel > Shedung Interchange/Exit > Khopoli > Khandala Ghat > Kamshet > Pune Mumbai Pune Old Highway (Image from Amit) This is the second route that you have, which goes through the old National Highway 4. As compared to the previous route, this is a bit longer, about 160 kilometres. This is not the conventional route taken by travellers mostly because it passes through small villages and rural areas. However, if you do enjoy a scenic drive, away from the expressway traffic, then you can opt for this one. You begin the same way, from Mumbai into Belapur, then into the Sion Panvel Highway. This will lead you into the Mumbai Pune Expressway as well. But about 15 minutes later, you'd reach the exit for Shedung so take that exit to continue on to the National Highway 4. Enjoy the scenic drive until Khopoli, with village views, valley views and mountain views. Roads are well maintained too, though a bit narrower than the expressway route. Continue on until Lonavala, then into Khandala Ghat, until you reach Kamshet. Total journey duration to reach Pune from this route is about three hours. The disadvantage of this route is the presence of speed breakers along the national highway stretch. This can certainly lower your speed so keep that in mind. This route is also utilised by two wheelers so you need to be careful while driving with them. Further, the presence of infrastructures in this stretch is lower, like restaurants, petrol pumps and also bathroom facilities. Finally, around the Lonavala stretch, you cannot avoid the traffic here so allot a few more minutes to your schedule for this stretch. If you enjoy scenic views while driving, then you can opt for this route. Driving through this route is a bit more relaxing too, because there are less rule breakers in the road. Conclusion So there you have it, the two routes that you can take to reach Pune from Mumbai. Your options are either the Mumbai Pune Expressway route or the National Highway 4 route. If travelling during day time, you can opt for any of the routes. But if travelling during night time, it's best to take the second route only. Further, always drive with caution, following the set limits by the authorities, for your safety and for other people's safety. I hope this helps!
