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Overview
There's this little town in the Ahmadnagar district of Maharashtra revered so holy by Hindus, Muslims and other religions that over 20,000 pilgrims visit it daily. This is known as the Shirdi, more specifically the Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir, where the holy father, Sai Baba, lived most of his life in. It is about 241 kilometres away from Mumbai and about 201 kilometres away from Pune. If you're planning to give your respects to Sai Baba, thankfully, Shirdi is easily accessible by rail from different cities in India.
Shirdi Sai Baba Temple - Nearest Railway Stations
| Railway Station | Distance from Shirdi Sai Baba Temple |
| Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station | 2.7 kilometres |
| Kanhegaon Railway Station | 15 kilometres |
| Puntamba Junction Railway Station | 16.2 kilometres |
| Sanvatsar Railway Station | 21 kilometres |
| Kopargaon Railway Station | 21 kilometres |
| Chitali Railway Station | 22 kilometres |
The table above depicts the
closest railway stations to Shirdi Sai Baba Temple. As you can see, the Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station is the nearest, at about 2.7 kilometres away. All the other railway stations are about 15 kilometres and above away from the temple. Also a good option is the Kanhegaon Railway Station, since it is just 15 kilometres away from the temple. The Puntamba Junction Railway Station is also just 16.2 kilometres away from the temple. The last three railway stations, Sanvatsar Railway Station, Kopargaon Railway Station and Chitali Railway Station, are located about 20 kilometres away from the temple.
The Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station - Closest Railway Station to Shirdi
Merely 2.7 kilometres away from the Shirdi Sai Baba is the Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station. The Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station was opened in 2009 and has since then been catering to the pilgrims who need to reach Shirdi from other cities in the country. There are trains from Chandigarh, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Mysore up to the Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station. There are only three trains from Mumbai to the Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station.
Trains from Mumbai to Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station
| Train Name and Number | Departure Station - Time | Arrival Time | Schedule |
| Dadar Sainagar Shirdi Express Train No. 12131 | Dadar Central - 21:45 | 3:51 | Monday, Wednesday and Saturday |
| Dadar Sainagar Shirdi Special Fare Train No. 01135 | Dadar Central - 21:45 | 3:51 | Friday |
| Mumbai CST Sainagar Shirdi Fast Passenger Train No. 12131 | Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus - 22:55 | 10:55 | Daily |
These are all the trains plying between Mumbai and Sainagar Shirdi. As you can see, from the table above, they depart either from the Dadar Central or Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Only the last train has daily schedules and it's a fast passenger type. Fares for this one are Rs. 50 for General Quota, Rs. 175 for Sleeper and Rs. 720 for 3AC. Journey duration is long though at 12 hours. The first two trains have shorter journey durations at 6 hours. Fares are at Rs. 145 for General Quota, Rs. 305 for Sleeper and Rs. 840 for 3AC.
From the Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station, you can just ride a taxi or an auto rickshaw to reach the temple premises. By taxi, the fare would be around Rs. 200 to Rs. 300. By an auto rickshaw, fare would be around Rs. 5o to Rs. 100. You can also share an auto rickshaw with another passenger, bringing the fare into a lower rate of Rs. 20 to Rs. 40.
Conclusion
Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station is the closest railway station to the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple. Although you can also reach the other railway stations mentioned above, they are quite further away from the temple. Since the Sainagar Shirdi Railway Station is directly connected to some major cities in India, including Mumbai, where you come from, it's your best option. If you take the lower class of seat, fare would be very minimal. But for a comfortable journey 3AC would suit you well.
I hope this helps!
