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Travel
Pune traffic snarls force flyers to cover 741 km in 80 min, 18 km in 90 min
✍️ TOI City
🗓 19 Aug 2026, 05:42 PM
👁 9
Heavy congestion on Pune’s roads is turning short trips to the airport into long hauls, with commuters reporting 741 km in 80 minutes by air and just 18 km in an hour and a half by road.
Pune’s road network has become a bottleneck for air travellers, with the distance between the city centre and Pune International Airport effectively stretching to 741 km when measured by the time it takes to fly – 80 minutes – while the same journey by car covers only 18 km but consumes about 90 minutes in traffic.
Local commuters and airport passengers have voiced frustration as peak‑hour congestion, ongoing construction on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway and a surge in private vehicle usage extend travel times beyond reasonable limits. The slowdown not only disrupts personal schedules but also threatens airline punctuality and airport operations.
City officials acknowledge the strain and have urged commuters to consider alternative modes such as the upcoming metro link and to plan trips well ahead of flight timings. Traffic police have also increased patrols and signal coordination in the airport corridor to alleviate the worst of the gridlock.
Local commuters and airport passengers have voiced frustration as peak‑hour congestion, ongoing construction on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway and a surge in private vehicle usage extend travel times beyond reasonable limits. The slowdown not only disrupts personal schedules but also threatens airline punctuality and airport operations.
City officials acknowledge the strain and have urged commuters to consider alternative modes such as the upcoming metro link and to plan trips well ahead of flight timings. Traffic police have also increased patrols and signal coordination in the airport corridor to alleviate the worst of the gridlock.