[Ashley2]

I am not sure why KaSRTC is not promoting Rajahamsa AC's.
They should have a counter part to Indra from APSRTC and I feel only Rajahamsa can do it.

[dhandapanik]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

I am not sure why KaSRTC is not promoting Rajahamsa AC's.
They should have a counter part to Indra from APSRTC and I feel only Rajahamsa can do it.

+1

But i don't think KSRTC is promoting its Rajahamsa AC service because we didn't see them adding any new Rajahamsa AC services.

Old Mayura's which got downgraded as Rajahamsas came to Madurai as specials from Bangalore.




Corona AC Seater also accompanied the above guys as a SPL to madurai.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by dhandapanik

+1

But i don't think KSRTC is promoting its Rajahamsa AC service because we didn't see them adding any new Rajahamsa AC services....

TML 1618 is capable of taking AC and its with AC provision.
But KaSRTC is voluntarily using them as Non AC. This should have gone with AC's in my opinion.

[silversteed]

Last night, while travelling from Bangalore to Palakkad, I saw the yellow (with grey stripes) Kallada B9R gone off road, from the L&T bypass, CBE, at around 4am. Looked like the bus had hit a lorry from the front. The truck's cab was mangled, but the bus looked like it didn't take much damage. Later, towards evening, at around 5pm, I saw the same Kallada bus passing Palakkad, going towards Ekm. Couldn't have a look at the front, but i'm certain that it was the same bus - it was covered with slush on either side, and had a broken LHS tail lamp cluster - things I'd noticed when I saw the bus earlier in the morning. The bus was being driven very slowly when I saw it pass by.

Any updates, anyone? Scouted the news sites, but nobody seems to have any mention of this accident.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by Ashley2

I am not sure why KaSRTC is not promoting Rajahamsa AC's.
They should have a counter part to Indra from APSRTC and I feel only Rajahamsa can do it.

My guess is that KaSRTC might be looking at the new Volvo 9100 for a "low cost" AC service - a notch below Airavat. Rajahamsa AC was supposed to fill in that void - but sadly, the concept did not succeed much.

Mayura and Meghadoota were not big hits, either. I haven't traveled in either of them, and hence I cannot comment/guess why they did not click. Perhaps ride quality/NVH were the reasons. MSRTC had tried out 12M AL buses under their "Mahabus" brand (the buses were leased from a private operator) - that did not click either.

Originally Posted by silversteed

Last night, while travelling from Bangalore to Palakkad, I saw the yellow (with grey stripes) Kallada B9R gone off road, from the L&T bypass, CBE, at around 4am. ...

Any updates, anyone? Scouted the news sites, but nobody seems to have any mention of this accident.

Since no casualties were involved (probably), the media wouldn't be interested in reporting this incident. Yellow B9R would be the one going to Kottarakkara (the same one that met with an accident a few months ago, in which the driver was killed). There is one Yellow bus in their new lot as well.

Kallada has launched a new Bangalore-Trivandrum service. The bus departs from Bangalore at 1430, arrived Trivandrum at 5AM. It starts from TVM at 2100hrs and arrives Bangalore at 1130hrs. The bus goes via Salem, Coimbatore, Ernakulam. They have put in two brand new B9Rs on the route:




This bus services as a day service between Bangalore and Coimbatore, and a night bus from CBE to Trivandrum. Through tickets are available as well. The bus had very decent patronage on both the days I saw it.

[TKMCE]

Have a few questions.


1 What times does the Kallada day service between Bangalore and Ernakulam reeach Coimbatore and where is their boarding point at Kovai??? This bus is of particular interest for me because of the following reason

The frequent bandhs (ooops- Harthal) in Kerala to protest anything from diesel price rise or Mullaperiyar or even stinking garbage (apparently the last one was in Trivandrum) means that flying into Kochi sometimes give you last minute shocks. For me particularly it is like "so near yet so far" kind of situation. The airline I usually fly with usually has no problems in such a situation to switch my Kochi ticket to Coimbatore without charge if they have space available. Since bandhs are usually from 6 to 6 nowadays, the Kallada service should normally run and if I catch it will get me to Aluva before 8 PM.

2 Any other late afternoon buses from CJB to Kochi leaving around 3 -4 PM??? Supaa has a AC bus around 2 PM which was cancelled during the last bandh and their 5 PM service seems to be always full. Any other options???

Last time I got caught in a bandh , Supaa was cancelled, but luckily the 1 PM
KeSRTC express was running .

3 What is the situations in Kochi airport if you fly in during a bandh??? Are there any autos. taxis avaiable especially fior short distance travel???


Interestingly during non bandh times and if you are flying in around noon (which is the time a lot of BOM and DEL flights of all airlines arrive), you have KeSRTC Volvos every 30 minutes. Unlike the Bangalore ones they seem to be surprisngly cheap. For getting down at their second fare stage on the outskirts of Aluva (about 10 km run) they charged me a princely sum of 14 Rs one month backwhile in Bangalore even if you get down at the NH outside the airport it is 100 Rs or more . What I dont like about the Kerala service is that most of their services are to Fort Kochi and they do not go anywhere near a single railway station- Aluva, EKM north or south as they go through Aluva bye pass, Edaplaay Bye Pass, Vytilla and Kundannur. Only a very few services run to EKM town.

Interestingly since the railway line passes just outside the airport, they should long have had an airport rail station. A ferw monthsback a foundation stone for a rail station was laid but now that the minister of state for Railways at that time has got his old job back (external affairs) I hope he and everyone esle has not lost interest. There are two Janashatabdis now running between Trivandrum and Kozhikode, one via Alleppy and one via Kottayam. Both of them do not have stops in Aluva anyway and since they are fully reserved trains, imagine the benefits if the airport station comes up and these trains are given a stop in the "airport" station. The benefits to everyone will be huge!!! Why cant we learn a lesson from National Express (the coach operator) in UK where getting to most airports is a breeze thanks to them!!! Most UK airports have good train connections as well.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

What times does the Kallada day service between Bangalore and Ernakulam reeach Coimbatore and where is their boarding point at Kovai???

That bus reaches Coimbatore around 1430~1500hrs. The pickup point is at Omni Bus Stand, and at Sow-Ma complex (near the Cross cut road signal).

Normally, traffic resumes in Kerala after around 1400hrs on hartal days. Autos and Taxis would be available at the airport on hartal days after noon - however, be prepared to pay upto 100% extra.

There are quite a few private guys from Coimbatore after 2-3pm. Supaa, No 1 Air are a few to name. KeSRTC would operate normally on Hartal days (unless there is major violence around morning).

[gold class]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Last night, while travelling from Bangalore to Palakkad, I saw the yellow (with grey stripes) Kallada B9R gone off road, from the L&T bypass, CBE, at around 4am. Looked like the bus had hit a lorry from the front. The truck's cab was mangled, but the bus looked like it didn't take much damage. Later, towards evening, at around 5pm, I saw the same Kallada bus passing Palakkad, going towards Ekm. Couldn't have a look at the front, but i'm certain that it was the same bus - it was covered with slush on either side, and had a broken LHS tail lamp cluster - things I'd noticed when I saw the bus earlier in the morning. The bus was being driven very slowly when I saw it pass by.

Any updates, anyone? Scouted the news sites, but nobody seems to have any mention of thstainedis accident.

It was the B9R belonging to Kallada G4 group. The truck driver sustained serious injuries, that he later died in the hospital.This was doing Changanassery -Bangalore Service.

[gold class]

Originally Posted by binaiks

That bus reaches Coimbatore around 1430~1500hrs. The pickup point is at Omni Bus Stand, and at Sow-Ma complex (near the Cross cut road signal).

Normally, traffic resumes in Kerala after around 1400hrs on hartal days. Autos and Taxis would be available at the airport on hartal days after noon - however, be prepared to pay upto 100% extra.

There are quite a few private guys from Coimbatore after 2-3pm. Supaa, No 1 Air are a few to name. KeSRTC would operate normally on Hartal days (unless there is major violence around morning).

Kallada picks up passengers to both Bangalore And Ernakulam in a spare volvo bus from their office @omni Bus stand and shifts them to Ekm/Blr bound buses. That means the B9R doing day services doesnt enter CBE city. They shift near L&T Toll @Neelambur.Both the buses,the one to Blr and to Ekm comes in a time gap of 15-20 min.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Unlike the Bangalore ones they seem to be surprisngly cheap. For getting down at their second fare stage on the outskirts of Aluva (about 10 km run) they charged me a princely sum of 14 Rs one month backwhile in Bangalore even if you get down at the NH outside the airport it is 100 Rs or more .

This is how BMTC becomes the profit making public transport corporation in India. They are damn expensive for short distances but cheap for long distances/daily-monthly pass holders.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by gold class

Kallada picks up passengers to both Bangalore And Ernakulam in a spare volvo bus from their office @omni Bus stand and shifts them to Ekm/Blr bound buses. That means the B9R doing day services doesnt enter CBE city. They shift near L&T Toll @Neelambur.Both the buses,the one to Blr and to Ekm comes in a time gap of 15-20 min.

Oh! So this explains why the old Volvo was missing at Omni bus stand when I went there last month (during afternoon). When did they start this pick-up bus business? The Multi-axle used to go all the way to the Omni BS when the service was launched.

The spare volvo you are talking about works Trivandrum-Coimbatore service (9pm departure from both ends).

[naveenroy]

Recently (20th December), travelled from Bangalore to Nagercoil in the KPN Benz multi-axle bus. It started off from Bommannahalli at around 10:45 PM and I thought it would reach at around 10 in the morning. But it reached Nagercoil at around 8:10 or so. And I saw the bus consistently going at around 120 kmph or were my eyes deceived?

Somehow thought the drive was more comfortable than the Volvo buses though the seats seemed a little cramped.

[gold class]

Originally Posted by binaiks

Oh! So this explains why the old Volvo was missing at Omni bus stand when I went there last month (during afternoon). When did they start this pick-up bus business? The Multi-axle used to go all the way to the Omni BS when the service was launched.

The spare volvo you are talking about works Trivandrum-Coimbatore service (9pm departure from both ends).

Ya..TVM-CBE service. I also saw a Tempo Traveller with kallada sticker;might be used as a pickup bus.

[ranjithrnath]

I have seen a run down MK2 KL 45 regn B7R volvo of Kallada doing the 21.30 EKM BGLR trip. The bus strats from Iyyattil Jn, Kallada Office close KPCC Jn on MG road.
But according to Kallada website, the service is a B9R A/C SEMI SLEEPER. They charge Rs 950.00 against Rs 798.00 for AIRAVAT(BENZ/ VOLVO AC) MULTI AXLE (CLUB CLASS) SSL and Rs. 808.00 for CORONA AC SLEEPER.
Its Rs 607.00 for Day service Airavat [via KKD MYS], Rs. 860.00 for Kallada B9R VOLVO A/C SEMI SLEEPER Day service on the same route.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by ranjithrnath

I have seen a run down MK2 KL 45 regn B7R volvo of Kallada doing the 21.30 EKM BGLR trip. The bus strats from Iyyattil Jn, Kallada Office close KPCC Jn on MG road.

When did you see this bus? Being a KL regn, it should be a special / weekend service.