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Since you have told "That too in a Volvo".. IMHO Volvo(read as higher hp engines) can add no value addition in narrow roads like in Kerela.

There is a Mysore-Trivandrum service listed in Kallada's website. Since its showing via "Bangalore, Calicut", is it a Bangalore - Trivandrum service via Mysore-Calicut??

Actually, no such service exists! The service exists only on Kallada's website! I guess Kallada has a plan for such a service, but looks very difficult - its a longer route (in terms of run time).

I have seen this type of Config in some buses.Literally we cannot walk in the gangway and almost need to move sideways only.
In case of emergency, these buses will be a moving Coffin.


Image taken from Picasa - Harish Vaithy!

Saw Morning Star Travels today at Madiwala. They have Isuzu sleeper service to Hyderabad and Vijayawada and the bus looked new. Anyone traveled on any of these services?
Morning Star Travels - Online Bus Tickets to Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Eluru, Tirupati, Ongole, Amaravathi(AP)...

Yesterday, I saw my brother-in-law off in a multi-axled Mercedes Benz KSRTC Airavat Club Class bus from Bangalore Shantinagar BS to Chennai. I booked his ticket online in ksrtc.in costing Rs 615. Now, a printed e-ticket is not required. KSRTC has introduced paperless ticket facility wherein the confirmation sms received on the passenger's mobile needs to be shown along with the passenger's identification document in original.:thumbs up

IMO - It can. A volvo can overtake far easier than a regular bus on narrow kerala 2-lane highways. Spot a gap - they can almost accelerate like a car and get the job done, while the regular bus needs real empty oncoming traffic (I'm not including the KSRTC guys who can bully the traffic off the road. :D)

Me too agree with this. While SRM launched their multi axle Volvo from TVM to Bangalore, we were wondering how it will be possible handle this long vehicle on Kerala roads. But they are easily overtaking at every chance they get.

Just got back from a Bangalore-Hyderabad round trip.

Fare : 750

Bangalore - Hyderabad : I was booked on a VRL Multi-axle Volvo. I boarded the bus at Marathahalli at 2130 and the bus took me on a B'lore darshan. After stopping at various places to pick up passengers and for a long time at the VRL Bus Stand near Gandhinagar, the bus finally left at 2300.

The moment we crossed the Airport ramp, the driver maintained ~100 km/hr; he was overtaking KSRTC buses and others at ease. There was just 1 stop for pee-break; that too not at a hotel.

We were at Lakdikapul by 0700. The bus was maintained well and the driver wasn't rash per se.

What I didn't like was that none of the power points were working; the cleaner said, they'd work only as long as the TV was on. Didn't believe him but didn't argue either.

Hyderabad - Bangalore : I was on the KSRTC 2245 MB on the return trip; the bus left the stand only at 2315. The driver drove ~90 km/hr throughout. We reached Hebbal at 0730. The interiors of a MB bus look cheap! The drive was decent though; no rash driving.

The power points worked but they were 3-pin; you just can't insert a 2-pin plug in it.

Fare : 829

At times the Inverter is connected to TV and so the power points will work only when TV is switched on.

I know that here in the Bangalore Coorg Volvos the plug points only work when they switch on the TV, or more pertinently put that switch on down there even if they leave the TV off. Guess they are all connected on one box. However, it does work though so is useful to charge phones and laptops if need be.

Just back from a return trip to Bangalore from Chennai. Wanted to avoid the inconvenience of heading to Koyambedu to get into a bus..

Took Adyar pickup option on Road Link Travels on my way to Bangalore - the bus leaves from Lucky Travels in Shastri Nagar area - left about 10 minutes late. After the pickup at T Nagar and mandatory stop at Koyambedu, we were out of Chennai at around 1115 PM. I got down at Madiwala at 445 AM. No hectic braking/acceleration cycles and steadily driven. Bus was 130k kms old and looked in reasonably good condition - a B7R volvo.

Return I took Indira Nagar boarding option from Sea Bird Tourist. Bus came and left right on time (1045 PM) - but proceeded to a Bangalore Darshan - Domlur, Martahalli etc were also pickup points. Finally Left Madiwala at around 1145. Reached Koyambedu at about 450 AM. I didn't feel much of the journey and I would think the bus was being driven steady. I got down at Adyar at around 6 AM (Koyambedu - Central - Beach - Adyar was the route for the bus - finally headed to Tiruvanmiyur).
The bus was an older B7R and the interiors were also poorer. My major gripe was the smell from the blankets.

Overall, I may pick this route and bus options again for the convenience in pickup and drop points I get!

KSRTC's Non AC Sleepers that were added to Bangalore-Madurai route. All these were built on TML 1612 platform.

I have had a terrible experience travelling in one such a bus from Eranakulam to Bangalore once (was a last minute booking!). I in any which ways hate these hi-tech buses (love the simple built, non claustrophobic interiors in a bus) and in this one, I got the middle seat with no view of the outside view!! 9 - 10 hours was like going through hell!!

How could this bus even pass the RTO safety rules?