Pune to Grishneshwar cab service

Grishneshwar is the twelfth and final Jyotirlinga, and it sits barely a kilometre from the Ellora caves — one trip gives you both. From Pune it is 255 km through Ahmednagar and Aurangabad, about five hours of driving each way.

That distance is why most people book this as a round trip rather than a one-way drop. A two-day round trip starts at ₹7,700 including driver and fuel.

One Day or Two?

This changes what you should book, so we will be direct about it.

One day is doable. Leave Pune at 5 AM, reach around 10, darshan and a quick look at Ellora until 2, back in Pune by 7 PM. That is ten hours of driving in a day. It works for a young group. With elderly parents or small children it is a lot.

Two days is more comfortable. Drive up on day one, stay in Aurangabad, do Grishneshwar early on day two when the temple is quiet, add Ellora and Daulatabad Fort properly, and drive back in the afternoon. The extra cost is one night's hotel and a second day of driver allowance.

Round Trip Fares

Two-day round trip, including driver allowance and fuel:

Includes 600 km, driver allowance and fuel. Toll, parking and state permits at actual cost. Extra kilometres beyond 600 charged at the per-km rate.

For a single-day round trip or a tempo traveller, call for a quote — both work out differently and we will give you the exact figure before you book.

Route and Driving Time

Pune → Ahmednagar → Aurangabad → Ellora → Grishneshwar

• Pune to Ahmednagar — NH-60, about 2 hours
• Ahmednagar to Aurangabad — NH-52, about 2 hours
• Aurangabad to Ellora — about 45 minutes
• Ellora to Grishneshwar — roughly 1 km

255 km in total, around five hours depending on traffic. The highway is good throughout; the slow stretches are getting out of Pune and passing through Ahmednagar town.

There is an alternate route via Shirur which some drivers prefer during peak traffic — slightly longer but it avoids the Ahmednagar bottleneck.

How the Fare Works

• Per-kilometre rate from ₹11.50 for a hatchback, rising by car type
• Daily minimum of 300 km, so a two-day trip carries a 600 km minimum
• Driver allowance of ₹400 per day, ₹500 for an Innova Crysta
• Fuel included; toll, parking and state permits at actual cost
• Night charge only between 10 PM and 6 AM

The full quote is given before you book and does not change afterwards.

One-Way Drop

If you are continuing from Aurangabad — a flight out, an onward trip to Ajanta, or family picking you up — a one-way drop costs considerably less than a round trip. Tell us at booking and we will quote both so you can compare. See one way taxi in Pune.

Which Car

• Sedan — Swift Dzire for four. Fine for this route and the most economical.
• SUV — Ertiga or Rumion for six, and more comfortable over 500 km.
• Innova Crysta — the pick if elderly parents are travelling. On a two-day pilgrimage the extra per person is small.
• Tempo Traveller — 13, 17 and 20 seaters for group yatras, cheaper per head than three cars.

Temple Timings and Darshan

Grishneshwar opens early and stays open through the day, with the quietest darshan between 5:30 and 8 AM. Weekends and Mondays during Shravan are busiest, and Mahashivratri brings very long queues.

The dress code is enforced more strictly than at most temples — men are generally required to remove shirts before entering the sanctum. Dress conservatively and carry a spare cloth.

Mobile phones and cameras are not permitted inside. Your driver can keep them in the car.

Ellora Caves

A kilometre from the temple and one of India's most remarkable sites — 34 rock-cut caves including the Kailasa temple, carved downward out of a single rock. Closed on Tuesdays.

Allow two to three hours to see it properly. On a one-day trip you will have to choose between Ellora and a reasonable return time. On two days it fits easily.

Other Stops on This Route

• Daulatabad Fort — 15 km from Ellora, a hill fort with a genuinely steep climb
• Bibi ka Maqbara — in Aurangabad, often called the mini Taj
• Ajanta Caves — 100 km beyond Aurangabad, closed Mondays. Realistically needs its own day.
• Shani Shingnapur — a short detour from the Ahmednagar stretch. See Pune to Shani Shingnapur.
• Shirdi — can be combined on a three-day circuit. See Pune to Shirdi.

Combining With Other Jyotirlingas

Grishneshwar is one of Maharashtra's five Jyotirlingas, and most pilgrims who come here eventually do the rest:

• 3 Jyotirlinga tour — Bhimashankar, Trimbakeshwar and Grishneshwar over three days
• Panch Jyotirlinga tour — all five over 4 nights and 5 days

Both cost less per temple than separate trips, and you keep the same car and driver throughout. See also Panch Jyotirlinga by taxi.

What Is Included

• Car and driver for the full trip
• Fuel
• Driver allowance
• Driver details by SMS before pickup
• Drinking water
• Flexible halts — food, rest, and a detour if you want one

Not included: hotels, meals, temple and monument entry, toll, parking and state permits.

Best Time to Go

October to March. Marathwada gets seriously hot from April, and 255 km in May heat is not pleasant even with air conditioning.

Shravan and Mahashivratri carry the greatest significance and the largest crowds. If you are travelling then, book two to three weeks ahead and start earlier than you think you need to.

Booking

Use the Outstation tab in the search box above, or call +91-8466847272. For a two-day trip a call is faster — we can plan the halts and tell you honestly whether one day or two suits your group.

Book two to three days ahead for weekends and festival dates.