[Concorde]

Wow! Team-bhp seems to have a thread for all topics we need help with. The list is just amazing. Looking for a Volvo bus service from Bangalore-Coimbatore Bangalore-Hyderabad, Banaglore-Chennai. If you can rate the better ones, that would help.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by Concorde

Wow! Team-bhp seems to have a thread for all topics we need help with. The list is just amazing. Looking for a Volvo bus service from Bangalore-Coimbatore Bangalore-Hyderabad, Banaglore-Chennai. If you can rate the better ones, that would help.

KaSRTC Airavat services are best on all these routes. Additionally, I prefer:

Bangalore - Coimbatore : KPN
Bangalore - Chennai: KPN, VRL & Seabird (for Chennai-Bangalore)
Bangalore- Hyderabad: APSRTC, Orange & VRL

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Also the Bharathi refuelling fuel station at Perundurai (the refuelling was a leisurely affair as well) has no catering facilties not even for any tea/cofee for which they stop again barely 15 min after leaving Perundurai, In short with all these virtually unlimited unscheduled and scheduled breaks, the day I travelled, the multi axle merc barely covered 40km between 2 and 3 AM.

Bharathi is a soft operator. They are never aggressive on the road. They take very limited breaks. I found their staff very co-operative and well-behaved, on my only trip by them. I avoid them since its a Mercedes (the dreaded window facing air-vents are too much for me). They used to stop for refueling at Tirupur, not at Perundurai - not sure if they have changed now. I've seen their bus arriving Alappuzha at 7AM regularly - so guess the delay on the day of your journey was a one-off incidence.

Originally Posted by Concorde

Looking for a Volvo bus service from Bangalore-Coimbatore Bangalore-Hyderabad, Banaglore-Chennai. If you can rate the better ones, that would help.

Bangalore-Chennai is a route with not many operators running day services. But for night services, any operator other than Sangita or Shama Sardar would be great.

Originally Posted by coolclouds

KaSRTC Airavat services are best on all these routes. Additionally, I prefer:

Bangalore - Coimbatore : KPN
Bangalore - Chennai: KPN, VRL & Seabird (for Chennai-Bangalore)
Bangalore- Hyderabad: APSRTC, Orange & VRL

Bangalore-Hyderabad: Has to be APSRTC Garuda Plus. These guys are the fastest on the route (8 hrs end to end). They are very decently driven, and staff are well behaved.

Bangalore-Coimbatore: I hear from some sources that the new operator "Hindustan Travels" is doing a great job. Their buses are new, and heard they stick to timings. I haven't traveled by them yet, so cannot say more on them. Otherwise, KPN is a good operator. KaSRTC Airavats are best avoided on this route - most of them go via Mysore, which only adds to the journey time. The ones heading to Palakkad/Thrissur are a good bet though.

Edit:

Bangalore-Chennai: SRM has launched Multi-axle buses on that route. From the reservation stats, they don't seem to be doing great on that route. They have both day and night services. The other major operator on this route is KPN. KaSRTC would be the single biggest operator on that route - you can choose between their Volvo and Mercedes operations. Mercedes Multi-Axle buses operate only day services between Bangalore and Chennai, while they operate ONLY night between Chennai and Bangalore. NWKRTC has two buses on the route as well - not really sure how the services are.

[shalini_g]

Last friday , I need to travel to Chengannur and was last minute decision. So got tickets only in Sharma-Atlas Non AC bus. I was told that the bus will leave Madivala at 6PM. Reached the office at 5.30PM, had a tea and reached Sharma office . Saw the bus parked there. To my surprise, driver took the bus at 5.50 itself. Instead of going towards Hosur, it went towards Christ college side and took a U turn at Dairy circle and stopped opposite to the Christ college. Almost an hr , luggage was loaded and the bus left the place around 6.50PM. Bus stopped at the petrol bunk just after Housr for the dinner and again the luggage loading started. Looks like the driver of the bus was more interested in having the luggage (boxes of flowers ) and 45 minutes lost there. There were 2 drivers and doing good speed. Now the most irritating part of the journey. From Mannuthy onwards , they started offloading the luggage and each stops account for minimum 15min. Next stop was at Anagamaly, Muvatupuzha, Ettumanoor, Kottayam, Chinagavanam,Changanassery,Thiruavalla, chenagannur.

Bus reached Kottayam at 8AM and by the time , it reached Chenagnnur, it was 9.15AM.

My advice is not to go this bus if you are very keen in arriving early. So Bharati, Viji-Yatra etc overtaking and they might have reached atleast 1hr earlier. I am not sure this a daily routine or happens only on fridays...

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by shalini_g

Last friday , I need to travel to Chengannur and was last minute decision. So got tickets only in Sharma-Atlas Non AC bus....

My advice is not to go this bus if you are very keen in arriving early. So Bharati, Viji-Yatra etc overtaking and they might have reached atleast 1hr earlier. I am not sure this a daily routine or happens only on fridays...

These days, most non-AC buses are merely luggage carriers. Sharma is notorious for being slow, on almost all their services to Kerala.

[ramzsys]

Hindusthan travels:

Coimbatore to Bangalore. Started at friday night 11.20 pm and reached Bommanahalli by 4.45 am.

And yesterday night started by 11.15 pm at Madiwala and reached Hope college by 5 am.

Needless to say, the driver was harnessing all the horses.

[TKMCE]

Binaiks

I stand corrected. The Bharati fuel stop is at Tiruppur as you mentioned and not Perundurai. I hope my exsperience was a one off.

Intgerestingly HKB, another higly regarded small time operator like Bharathi has started Bangalore Ernakulam Volvo Multi Axle. The bus was operarting around the same time as the Bharati one I travelled and initially I thought this must be a charter service as the HKB website does not sell the service, but it appears they have started a regular service since Zam Zam travels of Alwaye is selling seats on this one. I will confirm this today when I am returning back to Bangalore (but on a Sharma Non AC). Choosing this one as this is a 6 45 Dep from Aluva, There is another Sharma Non AC at 9 PM but that one is notorious for late arrival at BLR.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

returning back to Bangalore (but on a Sharma Non AC). Choosing this one as this is a 6 45 Dep from Aluva, There is another Sharma Non AC at 9 PM but that one is notorious for late arrival at BLR.

If its a non a/c, try a bus NOT originating from Ernakulam. There are some buses starting from Kottayam/Pathanamthitta/Kollam etc and passing through Alwaye. These buses will reach Alwaye mostly filled and will not go to Trichur/Palghat for pick up thus saves lot of time.

Sona and ZamZam will have quota for these services.

[autotranny]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Binaiks

Intgerestingly HKB, another higly regarded small time operator like Bharathi has started Bangalore Ernakulam Volvo Multi Axle.

The HKB buses look new and well maintained in Hyd-Blore route. Though i have never travelled in them, the reviews and experiences I have heard about them have always been good.

[Mpower]

Originally Posted by binaiks

I avoid them since its a Mercedes (the dreaded window facing air-vents are too much for me).

Could you elaborate please? Is it all Mercedes or just this operator?

[TKMCE]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

If its a non a/c, try a bus NOT originating from Ernakulam. There are some buses starting from Kottayam/Pathanamthitta/Kollam etc and passing through Alwaye. These buses will reach Alwaye mostly filled and will not go to Trichur/Palghat for pick up thus saves lot of time.

Sona and ZamZam will have quota for these services.

You are right. I did specifically ask for the SPS service starting from Kottayam which passes Aluva before 7 PM, but the Zam Zam guy was not keen on selling it saying except on Sundays it reaches late at Aluva. However the day I travelled the bus passed Aluva at 6.30 itself. These travel agents havre specific quotas on specific buses of the same operator. Sona fof eg does not sell at all on the 6.45 Dep of Sharma and instead sells the 9 PM departure which Zam Zam does not touch!!!

The ZamZam guy did tell me the 6.45 PM bus goes to Trichur, but what he did not tell me is that after Trichur it goes to Palghat the roundabout way via Wadakkancherry, Shornur,Ottapalam and Parali . Finally the bus reached Madvala at 7 and Kalasipalayam at 7.45AM!!!

The best bet for an arrival before 7 Am at Majestic/Kalasipalayam is the first Merc Klub class departuire of KaSRTC from Ernakulam which leaves at 1830 but that one also enters Trichur Town and has a stop at Potta Ashramam at Chalakkudy (as per their website!). The Tiruvalla Bangalore KeSRTC super deluxe passed by alwaye at 6 PM. The moment that bus gets a reservation/boarding faciliity at Aluva, I will shift permanently to that one.

By the way it is confirmed HKB is now running on Bangalore Ernakulam. Zam Zam has a quota but not Sona. The bus is however a single axle volvo not multi axle.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by autotranny

The HKB buses look new and well maintained in Hyd-Blore route. Though i have never travelled in them, the reviews and experiences I have heard about them have always been good.

My friend traveled on HKB Mumbai-Bangalore route last week. As per website, their travel time was less compared to other operators but it took same time as any other operator. The bus, as per him, was neatly maintained.

Originally Posted by TKMCE

The Tiruvalla Bangalore KeSRTC super deluxe passed by alwaye at 6 PM. The moment that bus gets a reservation/boarding faciliity at Aluva, I will shift permanently to that one.

Tiruvalla - Bangalore KeSRTC seats are not available online even from Tiruvalla. God knows when are they going to start. KeSRTC buses are keen on introducing only Super Express services these days.

In the mean time, is the Garuda service still running?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

In the mean time, is the Garuda service still running?

Nope, still not running.. Out of the 3 coaches, 2 are in a workshop in Bangalore and one in Ernakulam. There were reports that the disputes between Volvo workshop and KSRTC has now been resolved and the 2 coaches under repair in Bangalore would soon be on the road.

Another Garuda service-of APSRTC- is flying high with the recently introduced Garuda Plus!! When will KeSRTC learn

[shalini_g]

Now Bharathi has two multi Axle service towards Kottayam.

The Mercedes goes towards Pathanamathitta via Kottayam, thiruvalla,Kozenchery and the Volvo goes to kottarakkara via kottayam,chengannur,Adoor. When compared to Viji and Kallada, thay are always late and sedate.
Once I availed their Pathanamthita service and it reached Kozenchery by 8.30AM. They start late from Bangalore and will be non stop service and goes via EKM.

[deepclutch]

I have a doubt: Bangalore buses from Changanassery and south, are they increasingly taking Alappuzha-Ernakulam route than MC road-Angamaly?

I think there are only 2 volvos in MC road(Angamaly) route, One from Modern Travels and another one is KPN or Kallada Volvo.