[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by ampere

Good to note about the uneventful drive. How were roads around Shirdi. Especial the last 25km ? Are there any signs of work? Its quite bad.

Nagar bypass? Which road did you take?

After you cross Smilestone, and in about 9 km's, I saw a board asking you to take let for Shirdi. This is much before Ahmednagar town. This road, from start and for about 14-15 km's was really really bad.

Lot of work going on though.

The last 25 Km's was good Ampere - there are a few potholes/small craters, but after you experience this by-pass, this one was a breeze. Again, I could see lot of road work happening - more around putting Patches. But I didn't face any issue on the last 25 KM's.

On the return, from Shani Singnapur - I took the route towards A'nagar and hit another by-pass, and this one was equally bad. And unfortunately, this road joined the other bypass after 9 km's, that I took in the morning. I'll try and put the co-ordinates of these places in google maps and post.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

After you cross Smilestone, and in about 9 km's, I saw a board asking you to take let for Shirdi. This is much before Ahmednagar town. This road, from start and for about 14-15 km's was really really bad.

Did you mean this road?

Route Link

[hserus]

There are two or three bypasses around that save you quite a lot of distance. However God help you if you have a breakdown or need a loo break, petrol, food etc anywhere on one of those bypasses

[hserus]

Originally Posted by ampere

OT: See your introduction note. I had asked the same question then.

Good to note about the uneventful drive. How were roads around Shirdi. Especial the last 25km ? Are there any signs of work? Its quite bad.

Nagar bypass? Which road did you take?

There's a road that goes past some sort of industrial estate on the outskirts of ahmednagar, but that has a lot of truck traffic and isn't in any better repair. Just hang a left soon after smile stone and its a straight road to shirdi.

[msdivy]

Planning a visit to Shirdi from Bangalore. I was thinking of hiring self-drive rental from Pune airport. Found 2 options - Zoomcar & selfdrive.in. Any advice on self-driving or is better to hire with driver?

[hserus]

The drive to Shirdi from Pune is quite easy. You're well advised to park at a good hotel (I can wholeheartedly recommend keys temple tree) and use the hotel shuttle to get to / from the samadhi mandir as parking is a hassle. Leave your cellphone at the stand that the mandir provides.

Book Darshan or Aarti online at https://online.sai.org.in and carry the printout plus ID proof, it considerably shortens the time required.

Zoomcar is good but their cars are routinely abused so please do a full PDI inspection of your allotted car / work with their support team in advance to request that a good vehicle be reserved for you else you might end up with a badly abused Scorpio or Figo with bald tyres.

No clue about selfdrive.in sorry.

If you use a cab - all the usual vendors like carzonrent are available.

[jkrishnakj]

And there isn't that bit a parking hassle at Shirdi. Lots of pay and park available.

There is also this 'Smilestone' dabha that comes on the left between Pune to Nagar and that's a good place for a pit stop. There are plenty of Vittal Kamath restaurants too.

Overall driving would be good and stress free.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

And there isn't that bit a parking hassle at Shirdi. Lots of pay and park available.

It depends just when you turn up - if on a thursday all that pay and park either disappears and/or mysteriously jacks up the rates to an extortionate amount.

Free hotel shuttles are quite useful as your vehicle remains parked under the eye of a security guard. I am not entirely sure I trust the pay and park places all that much.

[centaur]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Planning a visit to Shirdi from Bangalore. I was thinking of hiring self-drive rental from Pune airport. Found 2 options - Zoomcar & selfdrive.in. Any advice on self-driving or is better to hire with driver?

For car rentals you can also try Girikand cars. Once when I had compared long back, I found them to be cheaper than selfdrive and zoomcar. Apart from these you have myles as well. So do compare the rates and policies before booking. Unfortunately I have never had to book with any of these and dont have a direct experience.

Only advantage of having a drive is that you dont need to bother about parking but that would come with his additional expense. Also many times the drivers know about the quicker/better routes and best times and stuff. So that could be an added advantage

[hserus]

There aren't any quicker / better routes to Shirdi than the "nagar road" (the locals seem strangely reluctant to call it by its full name Ahmadnagar Road) and that is a straightforward route with no significant shortcuts except a single bypass that Google Maps knows all about.

[centaur]

Not talking about getting to Shirdi but within Shirdi (different parking points/entry routes to the temple) and if he plans to visit any nearby places like for e.g. Shani Shingnapur. Sometimes the main road is jammed with vehicles and you can easily get through nearer to the temple from by lanes.

[silverado]

From whatever I read in newspapers, Shirdi Airport is slated to open before end of 2016.Hope it meets the deadline.

Another option is travel to Mumbai and take a overnight bus to Shirdi.
Since there will be multiple flights between Bangalore and Mumbai, and many tourist buses running to shirdi overnight which reach early morning.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by centaur

Not talking about getting to Shirdi but within Shirdi (different parking points/entry routes to the temple) and if he plans to visit any nearby places like for e.g. Shani Shingnapur. Sometimes the main road is jammed with vehicles and you can easily get through nearer to the temple from by lanes.

The best (probably the only usable) entry into the temple is through the Shani Gate - after advance booking online at online.sai.org.in

There are quite a few hotels within easy reach of the Shani gate - or if you stay at the Keys, their shuttle drops you like two minutes down the road from there.

So I have never felt the need to try Shirdi's bylanes.

As for Shani Shingnapur - please stop by a grocery / supermarket in Pune and buy a litre of til oil right there. If you use a cabbie it is practically a guarantee that he has a friend or relation who runs a shop in Shingnapur that'll sell you oil (and other unnecessary stuff like a black cloth doll, horseshoe etc that allegedly ward off the evil eye) - at prices calculated for gullible tourists.

[centaur]

Originally Posted by hserus

If you use a cabbie it is practically a guarantee that he has a friend or relation who runs a shop in Shingnapur that'll sell you oil (and other unnecessary stuff like a black cloth doll, horseshoe etc that allegedly ward off the evil eye) - at prices calculated for gullible tourists.

True that. Probably at the prices being quoted for the miniature dolls and horseshoes, you could buy an entire gold shop

[msdivy]

@centaur, @hserus: Thanks for the suggestion. The visit is mainly for my folks. Train or bus or driving all the way will make it 4 days trip. I would like to make it a mini adventure & do in 2 days. This is the plan - drive to BLR airport, drop the car, board flight to Pune. Reach Pune by noon, take Zoomcar and drive to Shirdi, reach by evening & relax, while the folks visit the temple. The next day, perform quick darshan and head to Shani Shingnapur and reach by noon. Later drive back to Pune, drop zoomcar, board flight to BLR and in BLR, take my car and drive back home. Lets see how it goes.
PS: I will buy til oil in Pune or in Shirdi