Trip to Shirdi Sai from 1 Dec - 4 Dec 2015
Took Goa Exp (12780) to Shirdi on 1 Dec 15. Leaves Nizamudin at 1500 hrs and gets to Manmad / Kopargaon between 10 and 11 the next morning. Taxi charges from Manmad to Shirdi are Rs700. Auto charges from Kopargaon are Rs300. Manmad to Shirdi is about 75 km and Kopargaon is 30 km. Takes 1.30 hrs and 30 minutes. Train ride between Manmad and K Gaon is about 40 minutes.
Travel in 3 AC on GoaExp was alright. It was cleaned at two spots by private company staff. Travelers have gotten better and try to keep the train clean except toilets. Food and drinks are available and neatly packed. Bio toilets are a total fail. They're always super dirty. Earlier toilets could be used even if dirty. Now travelers avoid bio toilets and look for other toilets in different compartments.
Stayed at Hotel Sai Kanahyia, just 200 meters from the Mandir. It's near Hotel Tulsi at Gate 3 of the Mandir. Sai Kanahyia was a good experience. Very clean. Non AC room for Rs900 per day. Food/tea available across the street at fair prices. Lots of restaurants near the Mandir. Sai Kanahyia is opening its own restaurant soon. Hotel staff was helpful and polite.
To visit the Mandir, you can book through internet - Aarti Rs500, Darshan Rs100. Or have Darshan in the regular queue without booking. Senior citizens and government officers can go to PRO’s office near gate no. 1. ID proof and Rs 500 / Rs 100 are required for priority entry through a shortcut. Thursdays and Fridays are busier, as well as other festival days.
Shani Shingnapur Mandir is about 70 km away. Taxi charged Rs1100 for round trip. Takes 1.30 hrs each way. You can take 'Tel, Kale Til’ and black thread to the Mandir, available in the market outside. Mobiles are allowed inside but no belt or leather items.
Stayed at Hotel Mauli Prasad, about 6 km from Shingnapur. Had delicious Kadhi Pakori and rice. Bajra Bhakri was tasty. Chhach was great.
Return trip from Shirdi to Manmad by taxi for Rs500. Bought Bhelpuri for Rs20 on the way, 30 km from Manmad. Yummy.
KarnatakaExpress at Manmad leaves at 2.45 pm, halts for 15-20 minutes. Same deal as GoaExpress.

Travel Experience – Shirdi Sai – 1 Dec -4 Dec 2015
Shirdi gaya tha Goa Exp (12780) se 1 Dec 15 ko. Nizamudin se 1500 baje nikla aur agle subah Manmad / Kopargaon mein 10 aur 11 baje ke beech pahuncha. Manmad se Shirdi tak taxi Rs700 hai. Kopargaon se auto Rs 300 ka hai. Manmad se Shirdi ka fasla lagbhag 75 km hai. Kopargaon se 30 km. 1.30 aur 30 minutes mein pahunch jaata hai. Manmad aur K Gaon ke beech ki train ka safar lagbhag 40 minutes ka hai.
GoaExp mein 3 AC se safar kafi kharab nahi tha. Yeh do jagah private company ke staff se saaf kiya gaya tha. Yatriyon mein thoda sudhar aaya hai aur zyadatar log train saaf rakhne ki koshish karte hain sauchalaya ke alawa. Khana aur peene ka samaan milta hai aur saaf pack kiya gaya hai. Bio toilets ka anubhav poori tarah se nakam raha. Bio toilets hamesha gande hote hain. Pehle ke saman toilets gandagi mein bhi upyog kiye ja sakte the. Ab yatri bio toilets ka upyog karne se bachte hain aur anya toilets ki taraf dekhte hain anya bogies mein jane ke liye.
Hotel Sai Kanahyia mein ruka, bas mandir se sirf 200 meter door. Yeh Hotel Tulsi ke T junction, Mandir ke Gate 3 ke paas hai ek sadak par sthit hai. Sai Kanahyia ka anubhav accha raha. Bahut saaf suthra. Non AC kamra ke liye Rs 900 prati din. Khana / chai sadak ke dusri taraf uplabdh hai aur munasib kimat par. Mandir ke paas kai saare restauranat hain. Sai Kanahyia apna restaurant chalana shuru karne ja raha hai kuch dino mein. Hotel ke staff madadgar aur vinamr the.
Mandir ki darshan online booking ke through bhi kiya jaa sakta hai - Aarti Rs 500, Darshan Rs 100. Darshan queue mein bhi kiya ja sakta hai bina booking ke. Senior citizens aur sarkari adhikari PRO ke daftar ke paas ja sakte hain, gate no. 1 ke pass, highway aur Mandir Road ke kone mein. Unhe ID proof aur Rs 500 / Rs 100 dikhana hoga. Unhe priority entry slip di jaati hai jo unhe shortcut se pravesh karne ki anumati deti hai. Gurubar aur Shukarwar prativarsh bahut bhid hoti hai. Aise hi anya tyohar wale din.
Shani Shingnapur Mandir lagbhag 70 km door hai. Taxi ne Rs 1100 charge kiye upar neeche ka safar ke liye. Har ek taraf 1.30 ghante lagenge. Jaruri nahi hai, lekin koi 'Tel, Kale Til ' aadi aur kaale dhage mandir le ja sakte hain. Ye mandir ke bahar market mein uplabdh hain. Mobile andar le ja sakte hain. Belt ya anya chamda se bane vastu pehenna mana hai.
Wapas, Shingnapur se 6 km door Mauli Prasad Hotel mein achha anubhav raha. Kadhi Pakori aur chawal behad shandaar the. Bajra Bhakri (roti) lazeez thi. Aur Chhach behad acchi thi.
Wapas ka safar Shirdi se Manmad tak taxi se Rs 500 mein hua. Raste mein, Manmad se 30 km door, Rs 20 mein Bhelpuri khareeda - bada packet. Shandaar.
Manmad par KarnatakaExpress ka samay 2.45 pm hai. Vahan 15-20 mniutes ke liye rukti hai. Ufficially yeh 10 minutes ke liye hai. GoaExpress ke liye bataya gaya sab kuch KarnatakaExpress ke liye bhi sach hai.