[bkbkr1212]

Hi all,
During the last week of December we plan to travel from Bangalore to Pune and then Ahmedabad.

Could you please suggest the best route available?

Please note, I would prefer road conditions/directions rather than an exhaustive travelogue.

Thanks in advance,
BR

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by bkbkr1212

Hi all,
During the last week of December we plan to travel from Bangalore to Pune and then Ahmedabad.

Could you please suggest the best route available?

Please note, I would prefer road conditions/directions rather than an exhaustive travelogue.

Thanks in advance,
BR

BLR-Pune: NH4:

>>Good condition:10-12hours depending on speeds

Pune-Panvel-Thane-Ghodbunder-Right Turn-NH8-Vapi-Surat-Baroda-Ahmedabad:

>>Excellent condition/4laned.
>>Baroda-AMD:Expressway-4laned
>>Surat-Baroda:6laned
>>Pune-Amd: 11-12 hours drive time.
>>Break facilities good on the highway

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by bkbkr1212

Hi all,
During the last week of December we plan to travel from Bangalore to Pune and then Ahmedabad.

Could you please suggest the best route available?

Please note, I would prefer road conditions/directions rather than an exhaustive travelogue.

Thanks in advance,
BR

Hey, I can help you with Pune-Ahmedabad.

Pune -> Panvel, Ghodbunder : Expressway
Right-turn under the flyover : connect to NH8
NH8 to Baroda : good road condition, 4-laned..
Baroda to Ahmedabad : excellent "superway", 4-laned..

You wouldn't need to go to Surat.
Toll would come to ~250..
Pune to A'bad : ~700km, ~11 hrs

Just one advice, make sure you are at the Ghodbunder turn latest by 7am.. after that, traffic build up terribly and you waste unnecessary time there..

[kartikk]

Throughout KK you get many under Rs.50/- tolls, once you get into MH there are couple of Rs52 toll booths. The total toll is around 450-550 dont remember the exact figure from Bangalore to Pune. My 2 cents.

[bkbkr1212]

Thanks a lot ranjit, libran and kartik for the very valuable input.


Warm regards,
BR.

[musafir_blr]

Even I am planning to drive to Ahmedabad from bangalore. Reading this post, I was thinking to drive to Pune in Day 1 and then driving to Ahmedabad on Day 2. Initial plan was to stop at hubli or belgaum on Day 1 and then Hubli to Pune on Day 2. On Day 3, Pune - Ahmedabad. Considering I am the only driver, is it a wise decision to reach Ahmedabad in 2 days?

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by musafir_blr

Even I am planning to drive to Ahmedabad from bangalore. Reading this post, I was thinking to drive to Pune in Day 1 and then driving to Ahmedabad on Day 2. Initial plan was to stop at hubli or belgaum on Day 1 and then Hubli to Pune on Day 2. On Day 3, Pune - Ahmedabad. Considering I am the only driver, is it a wise decision to reach Ahmedabad in 2 days?

2 days would be too hectic!
Bangalore-Pune would take ~15 hours and Pune-A'bad ~11 hours.. That is a lotta driving in 2 days!

You might have the stamina but then it just becomes a monotonous, laborious drive; you wouldn't enjoy a bit of it.

Stretch it out to 3 days; you would be fresh each day. Considering that only you would drive, the drive will be safer and enjoyable.

[ranjitp1]

Well,Pune-Ahmedabad can easily be done,no problems.Roads are excellent so nothing to worry about.Stay on the Mumbai bypass in Pune,ginger is a good option for an overnighter.

[musafir_blr]

Thanks libranof1987, ranjitp1.

I think then I should stick to my intial plan of:
Day 1 - BLR -> HUBLI
Day 2 - HUBLI -> PUNE (will be staying in my friend's place. No ginger hotel, my friend will kill me!!! )
Day 3 - PUNE -> AHMEDABAD.

Also one of friend was telling I need to be cautious after I leave PUNE so that I dont enter Mumbai (he did this mistake once long back) but bypass Mumbai. Any idea if there's any land mark on where the diversion to be taken?

[bkbkr1212]

Originally Posted by musafir_blr

Thanks libranof1987, ranjitp1.

I think then I should stick to my intial plan of:
Day 1 - BLR -> HUBLI
Day 2 - HUBLI -> PUNE (will be staying in my friend's place. No ginger hotel, my friend will kill me!!! )
Day 3 - PUNE -> AHMEDABAD.

Also one of friend was telling I need to be cautious after I leave PUNE so that I dont enter Mumbai (he did this mistake once long back) but bypass Mumbai. Any idea if there's any land mark on where the diversion to be taken?

s,
Hello my good friend musafir_blr,
Don't you think that's a good idea? Get to B'by do some pub hopping and then take the expressway from B'by-Pune.


Warm regards,
BR

[musafir_blr]

Hi BR,

My friend in Pune assured me of planning everything for the celebration of the x-mas and new year as I will be staying back in Pune for 3 days while coming back...

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by musafir_blr

Thanks libranof1987, ranjitp1.

I think then I should stick to my intial plan of:
Day 1 - BLR -> HUBLI
Day 2 - HUBLI -> PUNE (will be staying in my friend's place. No ginger hotel, my friend will kill me!!! )
Day 3 - PUNE -> AHMEDABAD.

Also one of friend was telling I need to be cautious after I leave PUNE so that I dont enter Mumbai (he did this mistake once long back) but bypass Mumbai. Any idea if there's any land mark on where the diversion to be taken?

You will need to connect to NH8 at Ghodbunder : you don't exactly "enter" Mumbai but you do get into Mumbai.

And as I have mentioned earlier on this thread, make sure you are at this junction latest by 6.30-7am because after that, traffic gets messy.

[ajithbr]

Interesting news and informative for people planning to drive one-way: VRL is starting a new Multi-Axle A/c Volvo Semi-Sleeper bus service between Bangalore and Ahmedabad (via Belgaum, Kolhapur, Surat) starting tomorrow (9-Sept-2011) and the departure time from Bangalore is 8 AM. Not sure if the ticket charges are more than air ticket charges though

[musafir_blr]

Interesting news and informative for people planning to drive one-way: VRL is starting a new Multi-Axle A/c Volvo Semi-Sleeper bus service between Bangalore and Ahmedabad (via Belgaum, Kolhapur, Surat) starting tomorrow (9-Sept-2011) and the departure time from Bangalore is 8 AM. Not sure if the ticket charges are more than air ticket charges though

Checked online in VRL site. Oneway one person Rs 1600/-. Not bad! .. I am interested to see the time to be taken. Tried to find out, but could not. :(

[ajithbr]

Originally Posted by musafir_blr

Checked online in VRL site. Oneway one person Rs 1600/-. Not bad! .. I am interested to see the time to be taken. Tried to find out, but could not. :(

Why dont we take some guesses and see VRL guys match to our timings?

It starts at 8 AM from Bangalore for sure. So, any guesses where the food and bio-breaks will be provided for passengers? I guess upto Belgaum (or even upto Pune), VRL will have their own complexes. Seen one such near Chitradurga or so where the Hubli->Bangalore bus stopped midnight once !

Another query I had was whether the bus is going to entertain Pune & Mumbai passengers or not. If so, where will be the drop/pick-up point for such passengers? Any idea on the route to be taken in the Kolhapur->Surat leg of the journey?