[julupani]

Wow, that is truly a shocker for me.

But at least in Orissa most of the buses are seater-cum-sleepers and even the pure sleeper buses dont have family acco. So I dont think there is any such danger.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by greatmana2000

In Andhra many private operators used to offer sleeper services . The reason why it was withdrawn was because people started using the services for prostitution . Instead of renting rooms in unsafe hotels and due to fear of police raids ,people started using the sleeper buses . The sleeper buses had "family " accomodations I believe .

Misusing sleeper buses are there for long time. I remember a bus from Bangalore to Goa about 10 years back by "Island Express" (not sure about the correct name). If I remember correct, this bus was fitted with a sliding partition type arrangement instead of curtains.

[TKMCE]

First time in a KeSRTC Volvo. Additional service to Trivandrum with a 1900 Dep Friday evening. Since it was a last minute trip, had gone to the KeSRTC counter at Majestic in the morning asking for any seat in any bus at 1800 or later to Trichur or EKM. Was told Tiruvalla "Airbus" was full but that this additional service was there which was only loaded on the reservation system late Thu evening.Apparently the bus had reached on Thu morning itself but because of poor bookings expected for Thu evening, the bus was held back a day to operate as an additonal service on Fri evening . Was offered seat 16, an aisle seat, The counter was empty and the helpful reservation guy told me that the bus already had 25 seats booked and that that you can only book to either Ernakulam or Trivandrum for this service.

Bus came as expected at 1830. All seats were full by that time. Started on time, around Hosur I tried to recline my seat and found that it would not recline. Went and told the conductor whether he can check this out since after all I had paid for a premium service. He tried some pushing and prodding but the seat would not budge. Was told the only option is to move to the last row window seat where the guy who got the seat was apparently desparate to move to the front recline or non recline. I said no thanks - I didnt want a sauna bath as well to add to my reduced leg room. Since I was getting down at Alwaye and it was an aisle seat, decided to stick it out. In the end it wasnt too bad. There was only one driver when we started.But the guy literally zooomed off. Dinner was at 1030 and by that time we were already well on the way to Salem stopping at a place near a milestone indicating 60 kms to Salem!!! After that things were a little slower, a small road block afte Walayar meant we pulled into Palghat bus station at 2.50 Am where the bus put on more diesel. A new driver boarded and took over, the guy who was driving (and did well) moved to a back seat blocked off for him. The conductor was good too, and there were people getting off at Koadakara, Angamaly and Alwaye (myself) and in all cases lights were not flashed on nor was the usual hollering to announce the destination done which generally wakes up the entire bus. Our man had noted who were getting down where and quietly went to the concerned person and reminded him - not bad for a KeSRTC conductor!!! Was off at Alwaye at exactly 5 AM. and bus went through Trichur byepass. Bus was good - driving was very good - but in additon to my non reclining seat, no blanets nor water nor was there any movie shown on the TV. But 10 hours end to end BLR to Alwaye for a 7 PM departure was not bad and I guess the ontime running of KeSRTC Volvos without blanket,water or video is any time preferable for me to KSRTC Airvavaths with Water, Video and blankets but never sticks to time!!!!

[mash]

But 10 hours end to end BLR to Alwaye for a 7 PM departure was not bad and I guess the ontime running of KeSRTC Volvos without blanket,water or video is any time preferable for me to KSRTC Airvavaths with Water, Video and blankets but never sticks to time!!!!

What is so great reaching 10 hours for Alwaye, i travel regularly by KSRTC Airavata or Sharma they take 10 hours for EKM and 13 hours for TVM, recently on my trip to HYD by KSRTC multiaxle Volvo it covered 570 KMS in 9:20 hours
The preference for comfort is personal choice, i prefer to travel comfortably and reach safely even if it is 30 min late

[silversteed]

Perhaps KaSRTC provides blankets, so do many private operators. But I prefer not to use them for reasons of hygiene. Water bottles, yes, it's a good thing to have.

Generally I find KeSRTC to be more comfortable and punctual than TNSTC/SETC and KaSRTC, for interstate trips from KL.

[Soccerfan]

Travelled in KeSRTC Volvo from Blr to Ekm in Dec. Started from Madiwala by 5.40PM and reached EKM bus stand @ 2.45AM. Was really shocked that it reached so fast.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by Soccerfan

Travelled in KeSRTC Volvo from Blr to Ekm in Dec. Started from Madiwala by 5.40PM and reached EKM bus stand @ 2.45AM. Was really shocked that it reached so fast.

Thats normal for them! I've done Thrissur - Alappuzha in two hours flat in a KeSRTC Volvo! A regular bus takes 3.5-4 hours!

[TKMCE]

What is so great reaching 10 hours for Alwaye, i travel regularly by KSRTC Airavata or Sharma they take 10 hours for EKM and 13 hours for TVM, recently on my trip to HYD by KSRTC multiaxle Volvo it covered 570 KMS in 9:20 hours
****

First of all dont compare BLR-HYD to BLR-COK.

Also BLR-COK - nothing great may be for you, in my case what was great for me was travelling END TO END (and BLR is not madivala for me - it is mysore road bus stand ) and reachinng Alwaye at 5 AM!!! Maybe it is common place for you, this was the first time I was reaching at 5 Am for me - most of the time i end up at 7 Am or later and that two hours or so for me is precious , hard it is to steal a weekend to spend time with my family.
It is also the reason I dont fly, the timings are just not convenient as I dont have flexitime facility to get off early on a weekend nor afford to reach late on a Mon morning.

[mash]

First of all dont compare BLR-HYD to BLR-COK.

Also BLR-COK - nothing great may be for you, in my case what was great for me was travelling END TO END (and BLR is not madivala for me - it is mysore road bus stand ) and reachinng Alwaye at 5 AM!!! Maybe it is common place for you, this was the first time I was reaching at 5 Am for me - most of the time i end up at 7 Am or later and that two hours or so for me is precious , hard it is to steal a weekend to spend time with my family.
It is also the reason I dont fly, the timings are just not convenient as I dont have flexitime facility to get off early on a weekend nor afford to reach late on a Mon morning.

Don't mistake me, i respect your feelings.
I also leave in south-west part of Bengaluru and always use Mysore road satellite bus stand or KR market for Sharma and travel once a month to EKM, i always travel by 20:15 KSRTC Airavata or 19:30 Sharma Pathanamthitta Volvo and they generally drop me at EKM, 6:15-6:30 for KSRTC and Sharma is slightly faster at 5:00-5:15 am and hence was my reply to your earlier post. I have yet to travel by KSRTC multiaxle to EKM and check how it is but on HYD it was very good

[TKMCE]

No issues MASH

I had a bad experience with KSRTC last time. Booked the 0630 PM Volvo Airavath from EKM, which is supposed to reach Mysore Road bus stand by 5 AM. Nowadays there is a pick up point at Alwaye which can be dsignated at the time of booking. The bus is supposed to reached Alwaye by 7PM which is anyway fiction, but reached at 8 PM. Finally at 6 AM the driver had not even reached Silk Board. At 6.45 AM I am told that I can be dropped of at Majestic- the most convenient point for me - but it will go to MYSORE ROAD first. Got fed up and got off the bus at Corporation circle and then made my way home. May be my bad luck but I never had a single good experience with Airavaths with respect to timings.
For most of the people it doesnt matter as 90% get off at Madivala anyway and they may actually prefer to reach around 7 AM exspecially in the cold winters. But then why the few peoplle like me who book the eartlier bus be penalised?

For a long time to overcome this problem I used to book the 2000 Trichur Bangalore AC bus although it involves a tiresome additional jouney from Alwaye to Tirchur, but nowadays the AC Globus bus operation has become highly unrelaible. The ideal bus for me should have been the Tiruvalla Bangalore "Air Bus" but unfortunately you cannot reserve this bus from Ernakulam although there is no issues on the other direction from Bangalore.

I agree about the "club Class" by KaSRTC. I find one of the buses passing through Hebbal around 4 .30 AM on many days whenver I take an early flight out from BLR.


Maybe I will try the Sharma Volvo (I assume you mean the B7R and not the multi axle) as that seems to leave earlier than the Non AC or the multi axle - non AC is exlusively useful only for the Madivala gang unless you have a 12 Noon or later start!!!

[TKMCE]

Update


Took the 1745 EKM BLR Rajahamsa (the earliest KaSRTC bus leaving EKM). Reached Alwaye where I boarded at 1915 and Trichur at 2045 a full one hour late. In the end reached Majestic at 8.45 AM- 15 hours end to end and a waste of everyones time and money

Saw the Tirvalla Bangalore Kesrtc super deluxe passing by at 6 PM. If only they allow booking for that bus from EKM!!!

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by TKMCE

Saw the Tirvalla Bangalore Kesrtc super deluxe passing by at 6 PM. If only they allow booking for that bus from EKM!!!

AFAIK, they have this phone booking facility for this bus. You can call up the conductor to block a seat for you. Please get in touch with the reservation counter at Bangalore to get the crew's number - not sure of this facility, but I vaguely remember reading this somewhere.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by binaiks

AFAIK, they have this phone booking facility for this bus. You can call up the conductor to block a seat for you. Please get in touch with the reservation counter at Bangalore to get the crew's number - not sure of this facility, but I vaguely remember reading this somewhere.

Yes, they entertain phone booking facility but getting a seat on Sundays are difficult.

Few months back, I called up the conductor and reserved two tickets from Ernakulam (boarding from Kaloor) on a week day. The bus was full at Ernakulam bus stand but still he reserved two tickets for us though he kept on calling us till we boarded the bus!

[ghodlur]

Took a Volvo from Pune Swar gate to Thane yesterday. The bus was supposed to leave at 3 pm as per scheduled timing but left at 3.30 pm reasons best known to the driver/conductor. Also instead of the usual food malls on the e-way the bus stopped at a hotel in Lonavala. Since when does the Volvo have to stop at Lonavala for snacks/tea considering that it does not entertain passengers wamting to board from Lonaval? Some shady tie up between the hotel and MSRTC, I guess. The reaching time was 6.30 considering less traffic due to Republic day.

[New.Novice]

@ghodlur - it seems there is something seriously wrong with Pune volvo's. I took one way back in 2006. I was to go to Shirdi from pune after having stayed at a friends place for a couple of days. He thought volvo was the best option for me (he himself didnt use one before).

Series of things that went wrong. First, when we reached at the designated place at 5:30 in the morning we were told it will go from their "other" office. This friend of mine was still new in the town and he had a lot of difficulty in locating this new place. Then, it just did not move well after 6 which was its scheduled departure. With then 3 month old kid of ours, it was getting difficult. It then circled around pune picking passengers from various "offices". Stopped at a place for break fast which was no way hygenic. Finally, reached Shirdi at 3:30 PM.

No need of telling I cancelled my return ticket and booked a taxi our way back to pune.