Hello and welcome to the forum!
Now for my query, how do I reach Lonavala and the hotel from Mumbai?
Your options for public transportation from Mumbai to Lonavala are:
1. MSRTC Buses. You can ride MSRTC Buses from Dadar in Mumbai to Pune. There are no direct MSRTC Buses that take you from Mumbai to Lonavala. Some of the timings of these MSRTC Buses are:
- Dadar to Pune Via Aundh Bus Timings: 05:30, 06:00, 06:30, 07:00, 07:30, 07:40, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30, 22:00, 23:00 and 24:00.
From Pune, you can just ride buses going to Lonavala which is about an hour away from here.
2. Private Buses. Several private buses operate directly from Mumbai to Lonavala. Some of them are:
- Purple Metrolink. Volvo Bus AC Seater at Rs. 400. Departs at 9:00 am and arrives at 12:00 pm.
- Neeta Travels. Volvo AC Bus Seater at Rs. 377. Departs at 8:15 am and arrives at 11:45 am.
- MR Travels India. Volvo AC Bus Seater/Sleeper at Rs. 800 to Rs. 1,000. Departs at 3:26 pm and arrives at 6:07 pm.
3. Trains. Some options for trains are:
- Mumbai - Pune Indrayani Expree Train No. 22105. This train runs everyday at 5:40 am and arrives at 9:08 am.
- Intercity Express Train No. 12127. This train runs everyday at 6:40 am and arrives at 9:57 am.
- Deccan Express Train No. 11007. This also runs everyday at 7:00 am and arrives at 11:05 am.
4. Taxi. You can hire a taxi as well:
- Taxi For Pune. Hatchback is at Rs. 2,150, Sedan is at Rs. 2,350 and SUV is at Rs. 3,100.
- Taxi Guide. Tata Indica AC at Rs. 2,920, Tata Indigo AC at Rs. 4,220 and Tavera at Rs. 3,620.
- Get Me Cab. Etios at Rs. 2,500 and Xylo at Rs. 2,812.
Should I hire a taxi which would take me there?
Your best option would be hiring a taxi as it's more convenient and comfortable. But if budget is an issue, you can opt for the other transportation options. There are many taxi agencies you can hire a taxi from. I've given you a few options on the list above.
Should I get something arranged from the hotel?
Hiring a vehicle from the hotel can be much more expensive. Only do this if you have money to spare. Otherwise, just hire a taxi from Mumbai to take you to Lonavala. It is cheaper but as convenient.
Which one would work out to be cheaper and better?
The cheaper alternative would be just hiring a taxi from Mumbai to take you to Lonavala. When you hire a vehicle from the hotel itself, you'd have to pay for the fuel to and from the hotel which can be more expensive. You'd also have to pay for the driver's time and effort. Getting the cab from Mumbai would be more cost-efficient and the comfort level is at par with hiring a vehicle from the hotel.
I hope this helps!