Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus

Dieseltuned · 10th April 2014, 12:02

The fare seems to be much higher than the Shatabdi Express first AC fare. The shatabdi fare is approx 1300 INR which includes breakfast and tea. while, this bus is charging approx 2100 INR.

The travel time by Shatabdi to Surat is also around 2hr:30min to 2hr:45 minutes, while the bus takes around 4 hours.

Gannu_1 · 6th November 2014, 08:52

Had an opportunity to travel by SVLL Connect’s Scania bus (semi-sleeper) from Surat to Udaipur last Sunday and the experience was amazing.

Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus-wp_20141102_23_32_29_pro.jpg

Ground clearance at the front was shockingly low! I doubt if a 1 L water bottle would squeeze there. Then again, there aren't many awkward speed bumps on this route.

Ambient lighting:

Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus-wp_20141103_00_07_18_pro.jpg

They turn it off during the journey. Turned on only during the breaks.

AC sockets for all the rows on either side:

Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus-wp_20141103_00_13_18_pro.jpg

Plugged my laptop and caught up with all the episodes of Homeland!

Every seat gets an independent seat belt plus emergency hammers for all the windows (means all windows serve as emergency exits?):

Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus-wp_20141103_00_08_33_pro.jpg

No curtains for windows. Instead, there are window blinds.

Driver’s console. Tacho redlines at 2500 rpm and there’s a huge blue backlit MFD:

Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus-wp_20141103_00_14_04_pro.jpg

No clutch since this is an automatic. Rear view is displayed on the LCD. AC controls can be seen adjacent to the display.

Seat-backs recline till almost 140 degrees. Foot supports can also be preset at any position using a lever:

Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus-wp_20141103_00_13_27_pro.jpg

Seats have 2 grab-handles at the rear and a back seat tray:

Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus-wp_20141103_00_08_23_pro.jpg

We were provided with a nice comfy blanket and a bottle of water. No media was being played in the LCDs since passengers prefer to sleep during the night.

Charges - Rs. 1200 using redbus.in. Another Rs. 100 off if booked via their mobile application. Personally I didn’t bother with the discount.

Tatkal charges for 3 AC - Rs. 1342. Had booked a tatkal ticket from IRCTC initially which got wait-listed at 3. Got the entire amount refunded including the surcharges.

Time taken by the Scania bus - 8 hours 30 minutes

Time taken by train - 12 hours 20 minutes (only 2 direct express trains available on this route)

Experience - first class for a bus journey!

DWind · 6th November 2014, 12:56

Is the bus in the first photo same as the one you took? because the first one has a partition for passengers and driver cabin while your interior photos does not have one

Gannu_1 · 6th November 2014, 13:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWind

Is the bus in the first photo same as the one you took? because the first one has a partition for passengers and driver cabin while your interior photos does not have one

Good catch! I forgot to mention that part below the image.

This was from a different bus parked adjacent to SVLL's office which I presumed was ours but it wasn't. Ours was coming from Mumbai.

zalaps · 6th November 2014, 16:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Had an opportunity to travel by SVLL Connect’s Scania bus (semi-sleeper) from Surat to Udaipur last Sunday and the experience was amazing.

Same evening I was returning from Udaipur as well. I was in very humble Eon. Bus overtook us @ Himmatnagar I guess. I simply could not understood what happened! It was lightning fast! I had to floor the pedal of Eon to catch the bus again.

Scania is good choice, but GT TDI would have been a better one any day

Gannu_1 · 6th November 2014, 16:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by zalaps

Scania is good choice, but GT TDI would have been a better one any day

Please don't rub salt over the wound zalaps. :(

I wanted to take my car to Udaipur (having been there before via Ahmedabad-Himmatnagar) but she is wearing eye patches ever since she underwent an eye surgery 2 weeks back. The patches will be removed in a couple of days' time after the retinal implants are in.

karpusv · 6th November 2014, 17:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

...
Ground clearance at the front was shockingly low! I doubt if a 1 L water bottle would squeeze there. Then again, there aren't many awkward speed bumps on this route....

They usually have ride height control. When parked, the bus is lowered to enable easy ingress & egress.

Ashley2 · 7th November 2014, 16:03

It will be lowered during cruising also.
Height will be increased if needed. And speed will be at max 30 kmph when its in max height.

pawarsw · 16th January 2015, 18:59

Hi,
Sorry for off topic.
Can anybody give information regarding pricing of Tata/ashok Leyland's 2x1 sleeper buses.

Ashley2 · 17th January 2015, 19:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by pawarsw

Hi,
Sorry for off topic.
Can anybody give information regarding pricing of Tata/ashok Leyland's 2x1 sleeper buses.

Tata has one model called 1618, and is available at around 17.5lks. Body price is same as detailed in Viking thread.

pronad · 27th January 2015, 16:23

After drooling over the several internet images and videos of this grand luxurious bus service, I finally got a chance to travel in the SCANIA 36 Seater this Republic day from Vashi to Baroda.

The booking process online was smooth and I got SMS confirmation of the booking as well as the PNR number, pick up location and contact mobiles of persons both at Mumbai and Baroda end. This was quite assuring.
I eagerly waited at the designated pick up point on the highway, which had no office or agent to support on ground. I made calls at the given number and was given another mobile number of the person traveling in the incoming bus. I was given an estimated time of bus arrival at the pick up location, and the bus reached in exact time.
I was not aware till this that the bus was actually coming all the way from Pune and was headed to its final destination at Rajkot, via Baroda- Ahemdabad. So considering that , the punctuality was very good.
There were uniformed drivers( 2) and one assistant. Additionally one more Assistant was in the bus for coordinating with th other pick up passengers, calling them beforehand, and directing them about the locations of pick up point, updating regularly. i find this as a good support when you dont have proper offices at all locations to wait and board.
The Bus was nice and comfortable. Excellent space, bucket seats with side head support due to the curved top.Suspensions are top class, and the bus literally glides. The shades at the windows are corrugated cloth type, which seal the outer lights well , but are a bit odd because they extend between two seats along the length, and hence if one of them want it to be open, there is a situation.
The LCD is a small screen at the extreme front end, and looks out of place for this grand bus. Also if the front-most curtains behind driver are to be closed, the ongoing movie has to be stopped.I could see a young girl cringing in disappointment , when the asstt. switched off the movie in between , and closed the curtains at 10.30 pm.
In that regard the professionalism of the staff is very poor and needs a lot of work.They are little rough to talk to and do things as and when they want...no discussion!! In my case , the water bottle never came and neither did the blankets, even when all were feeling chill. Finally someone called and asked, at which the chap tells him, "Rakhey toh huey hain saamne, Le saktey hain aap bhi"!!
The dinner stopover place was a Pathetic( with a capital P) restaurant somewhere in Manor. OMG!! The less said about it is better. I somehow ate something which i felt would be "least unhygienic"
In fact a couple of passengers got very wild at the Asst. when the bus left the restaurant cause they could not even buy a packet of wafers, to break their fast. there was no shop or anything other than that lame food joint. The Asst was equally un-courteous and carelessly walked away saying this is what the company has chosen, not them!! I doubt it though..!! There was a big ruckus in the bus after this, and the duo argued a lot with fists shown and eyes flared. Later the irate passenger called up the CONNECT H.O. and the bus was later stopped at a nice place, where he could buy food for breaking his fast.
SVLL Connect is completely to be blamed for such lapse in the Top Class Service it claims to be offering, and ultimately not able to deliver. One thing is sure, it is One thing to Own a fleet of GRAND BUSES, and another to RUN the same in a GRAND manner.

Overall my experience & observations can be summarized as follows:-
1) SVLL Connect- bookmyconnect.com- Nice experience in Booking the ticket.
2) Great Buses- Comfy , stylish, and spacious.
3) Shoddy Pick up points planning- I can't imagine waiting with my family,at the Baroda Pick up point on that Dark, Shady, Golden-Chowkri By-pass road ever ..!!

4) Staff can do with some training on customer service.
5) Rest Stops/Meals Stops should be seriously reviewed. Else this Company is a Goner in next 2-3 years!!
6) Since I traveled alone, it was affordable, else 1450/- one way to Baroda from Mumbai is Steep!!!

Hope the extra Long post of my this experience will help some of you BHPians in planning their trips ahead. Chao!!

Note from Support: Post Edited. Smiley usage is restricted to two per post on Team-BHP. Please do NOT use more than two smileys in a post.

Ashley2 · 2nd February 2015, 22:50

But whatever maybe the reason, intended 120 numbers are not purchased limiting to 20 odd coaches. Operational, Maintenance, service support- no idea but as expected the service has not taken off well. So yet an another partner to feel sorry after joining hands with DC.
This is in spite of the fact they have largest fleet of trucks in country.

10th April 2014, 12:02	#46
Dieseltuned BHPian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Bombay Posts: 728 Thanked: 1,197 Times	Re: Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus The fare seems to be much higher than the Shatabdi Express first AC fare. The shatabdi fare is approx 1300 INR which includes breakfast and tea. while, this bus is charging approx 2100 INR. The travel time by Shatabdi to Surat is also around 2hr:30min to 2hr:45 minutes, while the bus takes around 4 hours.
	() Thanks

6th November 2014, 08:52	#47
Gannu_1 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Madras Posts: 7,339 Thanked: 20,688 Times	Re: Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus Had an opportunity to travel by SVLL Connect’s Scania bus (semi-sleeper) from Surat to Udaipur last Sunday and the experience was amazing. Ground clearance at the front was shockingly low! I doubt if a 1 L water bottle would squeeze there. Then again, there aren't many awkward speed bumps on this route. Ambient lighting: They turn it off during the journey. Turned on only during the breaks. AC sockets for all the rows on either side: Plugged my laptop and caught up with all the episodes of Homeland! Every seat gets an independent seat belt plus emergency hammers for all the windows (means all windows serve as emergency exits?): No curtains for windows. Instead, there are window blinds. Driver’s console. Tacho redlines at 2500 rpm and there’s a huge blue backlit MFD: No clutch since this is an automatic. Rear view is displayed on the LCD. AC controls can be seen adjacent to the display. Seat-backs recline till almost 140 degrees. Foot supports can also be preset at any position using a lever: Seats have 2 grab-handles at the rear and a back seat tray: We were provided with a nice comfy blanket and a bottle of water. No media was being played in the LCDs since passengers prefer to sleep during the night. Charges - Rs. 1200 using redbus.in. Another Rs. 100 off if booked via their mobile application. Personally I didn’t bother with the discount. Tatkal charges for 3 AC - Rs. 1342. Had booked a tatkal ticket from IRCTC initially which got wait-listed at 3. Got the entire amount refunded including the surcharges. Time taken by the Scania bus - 8 hours 30 minutes Time taken by train - 12 hours 20 minutes (only 2 direct express trains available on this route) Experience - first class for a bus journey! Last edited by Gannu_1 : 6th November 2014 at 08:58.
	(11) Thanks

6th November 2014, 12:56	#48
DWind BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Singara Chennai Posts: 805 Thanked: 238 Times View My Garage	Re: Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus Is the bus in the first photo same as the one you took? because the first one has a partition for passengers and driver cabin while your interior photos does not have one
	() Thanks

7th November 2014, 16:03	#53
Ashley2 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NH7 Posts: 2,117 Thanked: 1,526 Times View My Garage	It will be lowered during cruising also. Height will be increased if needed. And speed will be at max 30 kmph when its in max height. Last edited by khan_sultan : 21st November 2014 at 10:14. Reason: spell check
	(2) Thanks

16th January 2015, 18:59	#54
pawarsw BANNED Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Amaravati Posts: 37 Thanked: 11 Times	Re: Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus Hi, Sorry for off topic. Can anybody give information regarding pricing of Tata/ashok Leyland's 2x1 sleeper buses.
	() Thanks

27th January 2015, 16:23	#56
pronad Newbie Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Navi Mumbai Posts: 5 Thanked: 14 Times	Re: Siddhivinayak Logistics gets first Scania Metrolink intercity luxury bus After drooling over the several internet images and videos of this grand luxurious bus service, I finally got a chance to travel in the SCANIA 36 Seater this Republic day from Vashi to Baroda. The booking process online was smooth and I got SMS confirmation of the booking as well as the PNR number, pick up location and contact mobiles of persons both at Mumbai and Baroda end. This was quite assuring. I eagerly waited at the designated pick up point on the highway, which had no office or agent to support on ground. I made calls at the given number and was given another mobile number of the person traveling in the incoming bus. I was given an estimated time of bus arrival at the pick up location, and the bus reached in exact time. I was not aware till this that the bus was actually coming all the way from Pune and was headed to its final destination at Rajkot, via Baroda- Ahemdabad. So considering that , the punctuality was very good. There were uniformed drivers( 2) and one assistant. Additionally one more Assistant was in the bus for coordinating with th other pick up passengers, calling them beforehand, and directing them about the locations of pick up point, updating regularly. i find this as a good support when you dont have proper offices at all locations to wait and board. The Bus was nice and comfortable. Excellent space, bucket seats with side head support due to the curved top.Suspensions are top class, and the bus literally glides. The shades at the windows are corrugated cloth type, which seal the outer lights well , but are a bit odd because they extend between two seats along the length, and hence if one of them want it to be open, there is a situation. The LCD is a small screen at the extreme front end, and looks out of place for this grand bus. Also if the front-most curtains behind driver are to be closed, the ongoing movie has to be stopped.I could see a young girl cringing in disappointment , when the asstt. switched off the movie in between , and closed the curtains at 10.30 pm. In that regard the professionalism of the staff is very poor and needs a lot of work.They are little rough to talk to and do things as and when they want...no discussion!! In my case , the water bottle never came and neither did the blankets, even when all were feeling chill. Finally someone called and asked, at which the chap tells him, "Rakhey toh huey hain saamne, Le saktey hain aap bhi"!! The dinner stopover place was a Pathetic( with a capital P) restaurant somewhere in Manor. OMG!! The less said about it is better. I somehow ate something which i felt would be "least unhygienic" In fact a couple of passengers got very wild at the Asst. when the bus left the restaurant cause they could not even buy a packet of wafers, to break their fast. there was no shop or anything other than that lame food joint. The Asst was equally un-courteous and carelessly walked away saying this is what the company has chosen, not them!! I doubt it though..!! There was a big ruckus in the bus after this, and the duo argued a lot with fists shown and eyes flared. Later the irate passenger called up the CONNECT H.O. and the bus was later stopped at a nice place, where he could buy food for breaking his fast. SVLL Connect is completely to be blamed for such lapse in the Top Class Service it claims to be offering, and ultimately not able to deliver. One thing is sure, it is One thing to Own a fleet of GRAND BUSES, and another to RUN the same in a GRAND manner. Overall my experience & observations can be summarized as follows:- 1) SVLL Connect- bookmyconnect.com- Nice experience in Booking the ticket. 2) Great Buses- Comfy , stylish, and spacious. 3) Shoddy Pick up points planning- I can't imagine waiting with my family,at the Baroda Pick up point on that Dark, Shady, Golden-Chowkri By-pass road ever ..!! 4) Staff can do with some training on customer service. 5) Rest Stops/Meals Stops should be seriously reviewed. Else this Company is a Goner in next 2-3 years!! 6) Since I traveled alone, it was affordable, else 1450/- one way to Baroda from Mumbai is Steep!!! Hope the extra Long post of my this experience will help some of you BHPians in planning their trips ahead. Chao!! Note from Support: Post Edited. Smiley usage is restricted to two per post on Team-BHP. Please do NOT use more than two smileys in a post. Last edited by Eddy : 27th January 2015 at 18:33. Reason: Note inline
	(3) Thanks $Received Infraction$

2nd February 2015, 22:50	#57
Ashley2 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: NH7 Posts: 2,117 Thanked: 1,526 Times View My Garage	But whatever maybe the reason, intended 120 numbers are not purchased limiting to 20 odd coaches. Operational, Maintenance, service support- no idea but as expected the service has not taken off well. So yet an another partner to feel sorry after joining hands with DC. This is in spite of the fact they have largest fleet of trucks in country.
	() Thanks