With Railway reservations difficult to secure and private bus fares touching Rs 9,000 on the Pune-Nagpur route, travelling home to Nagpur for Diwali is becoming an increasingly expensive proposition for thousands of Vidarbha residents working outside the region. Airfares, which touched nearly Rs 19,000 during last year’s festive rush, have already crossed Rs 12,000 a week before Diwali. With demand expected to rise further, fares on peak travel dates could touch Rs 25,000 this year due to increased demand. “Travelling home for Diwali should not cost a month’s savings. When train tickets are unavailable and bus operators charge nearly Rs 9,000, even a short flight becomes an expensive affair, particularly for those travelling with family,” said a Pune-based professional planning to visit Nagpur. A comparison of available one-way fares for November 5 to 12, conducted on October 31, shows considerable fluctuations on both the routes.

 

On Pune-Nagpur route, lowest available fares are around Rs 9,900 for November 5 and Rs 11,800 for November 6. The fares are around Rs 9,900 on November 7 before dropping to approximately Rs 7,300 on November 8. For November 9 to 12, the lowest options range between Rs 5,900 and Rs 7,800. However, these are the lowest advertised fares. Passengers opting for direct flights and convenient timings face considerably higher prices, while connecting flights offer cheaper alternatives at the cost of longer journeys. The Pune-Nagpur route witnessed a sharp spike during last year’s festive rush, with the three scheduled direct flights cost between Rs 15,000 and Rs 19,000 on October 17, 2025. Fares for return journey from Nagpur to Pune also touched Rs 19,000. On Mumbai-Nagpur route, one-way fares for November 5 are around Rs 7,500, rising to Rs 9,200 on November 6 and Rs 11,200 on November 7. Prices drop to around Rs 6,000 for November 8 to 12.

 

Nagpur-Mumbai fares are available from approximately Rs 6,500 to Rs 7,000 on most dates. During last year’s festive period, Nagpur-Mumbai fares reportedly touched Rs 23,964 on Air India and Rs 21,431 on IndiGo on October 27. Travel agents attribute the sharp escalation to concentrated festive demand, limited direct flights and rapid exhaustion of cheaper seats. “Once the lower-fare seats are sold, passengers are left with expensive options. On peak dates, combination of limited direct flights and last-minute bookings can push one-way fares beyond Rs 30,000,” stated Shailesh Arya, Proprietor, Connect India Tours and Travels said. Connecting flights provide some relief, but long journeys and inconvenient schedules make them less attractive, particularly for families travelling with children and senior citizens. With airlines following dynamic pricing based on demand and seat availability, passengers booking closer to Diwali end up paying substantially more. For thousands of Vidarbha residents, annual homecoming is increasingly turning into a costly exercise, with the expense of reaching home threatening to overshadow the festival itself.