How to Explore Pune using the Public Transport and Google Maps

[TusharSuradkar]

In response to @Rahul001’s post about Celebrating Public Transport Day, I took the city bus service in Pune to reach the central market from my residence.

Celebrate with me logo design by Rahul001

I walked from my residence to the Hotel Mahabaleshwar Bus Stop.

A bus stop shed in Pune typically looks like this:

It is a stainless steel structure with a minimalistic design, enough to provide shelter from rain and sun. This is because the weather in Pune is not extreme at all.

Pro Tip: As shown in the image above, there are bus stops on both the up and down routes, but a steel shelter may not necessarily be on both sides.

If you see a bus stop on one side of the road, a bus will always stop on the other side without the need for a shelter.

Where a bus shelter is not installed, a yellow board displays the bus numbers on that route.

At some crowded places, larger bus stop shelters are installed to accommodate more people.

There are four types of buses in Pune, colored Red, Blue, White, and green.

The green and white buses are electric and also air-conditioned.
The blue bus is electric but not air-conditioned.
The red bus runs on Diesel and also not air-conditioned.

This is the cabin of the bus station master. Travelers can enquire about bus timings and avail services like monthly passes here.

The destination of the bus is painted near the entrance for diesel buses.
For electric buses, an electronic display shows the bus route number.

Inside the bus are helpful features, such as a hammer for breaking the emergency window and reserved seats for senior citizens.

Additional features include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, strong grip holders for standing passengers, and a stop request button.

An electronic display shows the next stop, and a speaker also announces it to the passenger in Marathi, the language used in Pune and spoken by 180 million people worldwide, making it the 5th most widely spoken language in the world.

A CCTV camera also keeps an eye on the passengers’ security.

The exit door is always on the front side, adjacent to the driver’s cabin, and looks like this.

Here’s the ticket for the Pune city bus.

One side travel is a minimum of INR 10 to INR 60.
Full-day multi-use passes are available for INR 70.

Passengers can pay in cash or via the UPI system by scanning a QR code that the bus conductor provides.

Besides that, the unified Pune Metro Card can also be used on all city buses.

Google Maps’ useful features for the city bus public transport include

1. Popular timings on any given day of the week.
2. Bus Route numbers.
3. Departure board.

I hope visitors and residents of Pune find this information useful when exploring the Pune city bus public transport using Google Maps.

Lastly, I would like to highlight an amazing logo designed by top local guide from India @EshaHarish, who lives in Bengaluru.

Isn’t this fascinating?

Here are my interpretations:

1. Shoes and a backpack - readiness to travel and explore.
2. Holding a lamp - showing others the way.
3. Posture - leading from the front.
4. Untied hair - fearlessness and ambition.
5. Bindi on forehead - rooted in Indian culture.

Fabulous work, Esha greatly appreciate your art and creativity.

[curatorofmemory]

@TusharSuradkar . Nice detailed post which will definitely help new visitors to the city. And refreshingly a very different type of post

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation, @curatorofmemory
Pune is fast catching up with Delhi, which remains the gold standard for public transport in India.

Before the metro became mainstream in Delhi, back in 2002, I remember DTDC buses arriving at a bus stop every minute That was an incredible experience for me.

FF to 2025, I see the buses pouring in regularly at bus stops in Delhi.

[NERKARAMIT]

Very informative @TusharSuradkar
Too many things I was not aware before this post.

[Np45]

Very informative for Pune visitors @TusharSuradkar ji🎊

[TusharSuradkar]

Bus travel in Pune is a good time pass at the bus stop and in the traffc after boarding the bus, but for people like me it is the only option presently @NERKARAMIT

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation, dear @Np45

[Ssiddharth2000]

Wonderful, detailed post on one of the most important public transportation services in Pune. This will surely help visitors in ease of travel. Loved the way you took care to take pictures of bus stops and Google Maps to explain better.
BTW there’s a card known as National Common Mobility Card - we can use it to travel in Metro and bus all over India. As far as I’m aware it’s already implemented in Delhi and Chennai. Does Pune also have this in place? The best part of NCMC card is we don’t need to top up, the amount would automatically get deducted from our bank accounts as NCMC card would be linked to our bank account.

Definitely it’s a beautiful logo designed by @EshaHarish Well done Esha

Thanks for sharing this post @TusharSuradkar

[mahatokoushik623]

Wow, a practical and engaging post @TusharSuradkar ji Loved how you’ve blended real travel experience with useful tips for using public transport in Pune. The details about bus types make it handy for new explorers .

And that logo designed by @EshaHarish is absolutely meaningfully— the backpack, lamp, and confident posture capture the true of Local Guides​:backpack:.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thanks a bunch for reminding about the ticketing and card, and for the appreciation @Ssiddharth2000

I have added the information to the main post.
Yes, I read the news that the NCMC card has recently been integrated into the bus system in Pune, though I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. The price is a steep INR 200 and is non-refundable

[TusharSuradkar]

Thanks a bunch, dear @mahatokoushik623 for the appreciation

[SudhanshuTuti]

Very helpful info for people to navigate across Pune @TusharSuradkar sir. The expansion of Pune Metro in Phase 2 will certainly increase the comfort and accessibility across other areas which are not yet connected.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you, dear @SudhanshuTuti, for the appreciation

I think the next time you arrive in Pune for a meetup or meeting friends, you could travel to Baner, most other places directly from the station using the metro

[EshaHarish]

The post was wonderful to read and very informative about Pune’s public transport system. Loved how you connected it with Google Maps features too!
Thank you so much, @TusharSuradkar sir!
I’m really glad you liked the logo.

[Hemang_Rindani]

Liked the way you detailed everything. Gives a clear view on the public transport in Pune. Thank you for sharing.

[TravellerG]

I fully agree with our @curatorofmemory… Yes this is a unique post…
Very helpful explanations and photos with arrows…
Thanks for sharing these, dear @TusharSuradkar

[SwetaDhondoo]

@TusharSuradkar

There are four types of buses in Pune, colored Red, Blue, White, and green.

The green and white buses are electric and also air-conditioned.
The blue bus is electric but not air-conditioned.
The red bus runs on Diesel and also not air-conditioned.

Very interesting post @TusharSuradkar Thank you

I guess there must be a difference there also in the travel fare for the 4 types of buses serving in the same route, right? Fare regulated by the government?

Are all these buses government-run, or private from one supplier or multiple suppliers?

Fact about MU

Mauritius has both government-owned operators (e.g., NTC) and private companies (e.g., RHT, TBS). Some standard, double-decker, electric and also hybrid. They often share routes, though some have designated routes, such as those serving the North. Fares are government-regulated and vary by distance; for short and long routes from 17MUR to 60MUR. With AC buses priced slightly higher than non-AC ones; some have Wi-Fi coverage, audio system, USB ports etc. Services run daily from early morning to evening, making buses the most affordable and widely used mode of transport. The network is extensive, covering nearly all towns and villages with 200+ routes and ~900 bus stops.

[Benmac]

Very informative and detailed post, loaded with information that very much helpful for all type of travelers.
Thank you for this information @TusharSuradkar.

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation @EshaHarish

[TusharSuradkar]

Thank you for the appreciation, dear @Hemang_Rindani