Pune-Nagpur Vande Bharat’s Luxury Tag: Nearly Double Train Fare, Triple Bus Fare
Reported by Amit Singh
Pune, 11th August 2025: Pune’s first Vande Bharat Express to Nagpur is set to begin service with a 12-hour daytime journey, Executive Chair Car fare of ₹3,725 and Chair Car fare of ₹2,040. While it is the fastest train on the route, its pricing and timings have drawn comparisons with existing train, bus, and flight options.
Daily Train Options
Currently, two trains operate daily between Pune and Nagpur:
Azad Hind Express (12129) departs Pune at 18:35 and arrives at 09:50, taking 15 hours 15 minutes. Sleeper Class fare is ₹485; 2AC costs ₹1,795.
Maharashtra Express (11039) departs at 22:20 and arrives at 15:25, taking 17 hours 5 minutes. Sleeper Class fare is ₹455; 2AC costs ₹1,745.
Several weekly trains connect the two cities:
Nagpur Garibrath (1213) – 15 hrs 35 mins
Howrah Duronto (12221) – 12 hrs 55 mins
Pune Ajni AC Express (22130) – 13 hrs 35 mins
Nagpur Humsafar (22141) – 14 hrs 47 mins
Ajni Humsafar (22139) – 14 hrs 50 mins
Most trains offer overnight journeys, a long-standing demand for Pune-Nagpur travel, but the Vande Bharat’s daytime schedule means passengers cannot use it for overnight commuting.
Bus Alternatives
More than 100 buses operate daily between Pune and Nagpur, with sleeper class tickets ranging from ₹800 to ₹2,000, and seating class tickets between ₹500 and ₹1,200 depending on facilities and demand. Overnight sleeper buses remain a preferred choice for students and working professionals due to lower prices and convenient timings.
Flight Comparisons
Flights between Pune and Nagpur take 1.5 to 6 hours (including layovers), with fares ranging from ₹4,600 to ₹8,000 depending on booking time and seasonal rush. The average regular passenger fare is around ₹5,500. When compared, Vande Bharat’s Executive Chair Car fare (₹3,725) is lower than flight tickets but offers a significantly longer travel time.
Passenger Reactions
Brijbhushan Shukla, Secretary of Rail Yatri Sangh, said, “A 12-hour daytime journey in a seating-only train is not practical for such a long distance. Evening or night timings would have been better.”
Swapnil Joshi remarked, “Who would pay this amount for a 12-hour seating journey, just three hours less than Garibrath or Pune-Ajni AC? Even during Diwali, people now prefer Samruddhi.”
Vishal B. Dargude added, “It takes 9 hours for me to reach Manmad by Sevagram Express and 8 hours by Vande Bharat. Paying 5–6 times more for a fare to save 1 hour? We think it is very good if it’s expensive.”
Basant Shukla, Secretary of Bharatiya Yatri Kendra, said, “The catering charges of ₹450–₹540 are shocking. We expected fares around ₹1,500 for Chair Car and ₹3,000 for Executive Chair Car, but the actual prices are much higher.”
Railway Officials on Speed and Timings
A railway official explained that the 12-hour timing with an average speed of 73 km/h is the fastest on the route. The train covers 10 prominent stoppages, and in sections like Daund–Pune, Vande Bharat will run at an average speed of 120 km/h. He added that the train saves approximately one hour compared to the current fastest service, the Duronto Express.
