Pune Airport (PNQ) Guide

Before security

• Entry: boarding pass/ticket plus photo ID checked at terminal entry gates.
• Check your airline’s website in advance for the exact terminal — some flights are still being gradually shifted between T1 and T2 as the transition continues.
• Self-check-in kiosks at T2 (25 of them) can save real time over counter queues.

Good to know

• Because PNQ shares its runway with the Air Force, night flight operations are more restricted than at a purely civilian airport — factor this in if booking a very late or very early flight.
• The airport operates round-the-clock, but with the above restriction in mind for specific hours.
• Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal.

In the arrivals hall

• Currency exchange counters are available for international arrivals.
• SIM cards: telecom counters near international arrivals — bring your passport and a photo.
• Child Care Room — free of charge; ask any airport staff member for access.

Meeting someone?

• Greeters wait outside the terminal exits — entry to the building requires a ticket.
• Both taxi and auto-rickshaw stands are clearly marked at arrivals.

Indian citizens

• Immigration applies to international trips only — passport, boarding pass, and destination visa where needed.
• Fast Track Immigration (FTI-TTP) e-gates are being rolled out at major Indian airports — check current availability at PNQ before relying on it, given T2 is still a relatively new build.
• Returning residents get a duty-free allowance (general goods up to a rupee limit, plus limited alcohol and tobacco) — check current CBIC limits before shopping abroad.

OCI holders & PRs abroad

• OCI card holders use visa-free entry with a valid foreign passport + OCI card.
• Indian-origin travellers with foreign PR (e.g. US green card) but no OCI need a visa/e-visa like other foreign nationals.

Foreign nationals

• e-Visa holders: follow the dedicated e-Visa lanes at T2 immigration — carry the printed ETA approval.
• Regular visas use the standard foreigner queues; complete the arrival card from the plane or the hall.
• Customs: green channel if nothing to declare; currency above prescribed limits (foreign cash beyond ~US$5,000, or higher total instruments) must be declared.

Lounges

• Port Lounge — a genuinely nice touch: available to all passengers, including Economy, with Wi-Fi, drinks, and reading material. Not every airport offers a lounge this inclusive.
• Additional premium lounges are available in both terminals for card/Priority Pass holders or walk-in.
• Card note: bank lounge programmes changed across India in late 2025 — confirm your card’s current access before relying on it.

ATMs & forex

• ATMs are available throughout both terminals.
• Currency exchange counters serve international passengers — airport rates carry a premium, so change only what you need.
• India runs heavily on UPI; a working international card plus a small cash reserve covers most travellers.

Shopping

T2 has full duty-free shopping for international passengers, alongside clothing, books, newspapers and gift shops in both terminals.

Food

A mix of local and international cuisine across cafés and full-service restaurants — Pune’s strong Maharashtrian food culture means it’s worth seeking out local options like misal pav or vada pav over generic fast food if you have time.

Restrooms & essentials

Restrooms are frequent and well-signed with accessible facilities. The airport also has a free Child Care Room, currency exchange, and Wi-Fi throughout.

The basics

T1 and T2 are on the same airport campus, on opposite sides of the old terminal building. There’s no long cross-city trek like Mumbai’s, but you’ll still need transport (shuttle, taxi, or a walk depending on exact distance) between them rather than a simple corridor — allow real time rather than assuming it’s instant.

Connecting flights

International→domestic: you still clear immigration, collect bags, and check in again — keep at least 2.5–3 hours, more given the terminal transition is relatively recent and signage may still be unfamiliar to some staff and systems.

Metro & feeder bus (new)

Pune Metro doesn’t reach the airport directly, but Pune Metro and PMPML launched a feeder bus service to Lohegaon Airport in September 2024 — connecting the airport to the nearest metro station. A genuinely useful, budget-friendly new option worth checking for current routes and timings.

Taxi & ride-hailing

• Taxis are the most popular and comfortable option — prepaid counters and app-based cabs (Uber/Ola) both operate from the airport.
• Auto-rickshaws are widely available and economical for shorter trips.

Bus & rail

• City bus routes (A1, A5, A6 and others) stop close to the airport — an affordable option.
• Pune Railway Station is about 10 km away, 20–30 minutes by car depending on traffic — useful if you’re continuing onward by train.

Under 30 min away

• Aga Khan Palace — historic Gandhi-associated site (Kasturba Gandhi’s memorial is here), ~20–25 min.
• Koregaon Park — Pune’s café and boutique district, ~20 min.

Worth it with 6+ hours

• Shaniwar Wada — the historic Peshwa fortress-palace at the heart of old Pune, ~30–40 min.
• Sinhagad Fort — hilltop fort with sweeping views, a longer trip (~1–1.5 hrs) but a Pune classic.
• Osho Ashram — internationally known meditation retreat, ~30 min.

Closest to the airport

• Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple — one of Maharashtra’s most revered and visited Ganesha temples, ~25–30 min in central Pune.

Pune’s icons

• Parvati Hill Temples — a temple complex on a hilltop with panoramic city views.
• Osho Ashram — while not a traditional temple, it draws spiritually-minded visitors from around the world.
• St. Mary’s Church, Pune Camp — one of the city’s oldest churches.
• Azam Campus Mosque area — among the historic mosques serving Pune’s Muslim community.

Lost something at the airport?

• Pune Airport is operated by the Airports Authority of India — report lost items at the terminal’s lost & found desk, or contact the airport office directly: +91 20 2668 3232 / [email protected].
• Left something on the plane? That goes to your airline, not the airport — contact the airline directly.

Airline customer service

Use only the contact details on airlines’ official websites — fake “customer care numbers” planted in search results are a common scam in India:

• Air India — airindia.com → Contact Us
• IndiGo — goindigo.in → Contact Us (24/7 chat in-app)
• SpiceJet — spicejet.com → Contact Us
• Akasa Air — akasaair.com → Support
• International carriers: use the airline’s own site, or their T2 ticketing counters.

At the airport

Basic medical assistance is available on-site — ask any airport staff member for the nearest facility. India’s all-in-one emergency number is 112 (ambulance also via 102/108).

Major hospitals within ~30 min

• Sahyadri Hospital, Nagar Road — full-service private hospital, close to the airport corridor.
• Ruby Hall Clinic — one of Pune’s most established multi-speciality hospitals.
• Jehangir Hospital — well-regarded private hospital in central Pune.

In Pune

Look for honorary consulates for countries with strong education or business ties to Pune, generally in the central and Koregaon Park areas — check current listings before you travel.

If Pune can’t help

• Full consular services for most nationalities are in Mumbai, about 150 km away.
• For a lost passport you’ll typically also need a police report (Maharashtra Police supports online lost-property complaints).
• In a genuine emergency, your country’s Delhi embassy can coordinate remotely even without a local consul.

Physical stores

• Viman Nagar — the closest well-developed commercial area to the airport, with pharmacies, supermarkets and malls, ~10 min.
• Kalyani Nagar & Koregaon Park — a short drive further, with a wider range of options.

The shortcut: delivery apps

Staying near the airport? Quick-commerce apps — Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy Instamart — deliver groceries, toiletries, chargers, and medicine, with strong coverage across Pune’s built-up eastern suburbs.

Viman Nagar

The closest real dining hub to the airport — cafés, restaurants and bars covering everything from quick bites to a proper sit-down meal, ~10 minutes away.

Koregaon Park

Pune’s most famous café and nightlife district, ~20 minutes away — worth the trip if your layover allows it, especially for Pune’s well-regarded craft beer and brewery scene.

Don’t skip: Maharashtrian street food

Misal pav, vada pav, and Pune’s famous bakeries (try a classic Maharashtrian bakery for shrewsbury biscuits) are worth seeking out over generic multi-cuisine menus if you have any time at all.