[narayans80]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

Is there any development on the traditional Sagar - Jhansi - Gwalior route? Any major bottlenecks or simply bad roads?

Nagpur-Jhansi goes on a year-on-year toss during monsoons and this sometimes does not get fixed properly. Agra-Gwalior is a long time WIP road.

Apart from these factors, Google maps does not show the cattle menace on NS corridor.

The pace on Bhopal-Kota-Delhi and Aurangabad-Ratlam-Kota-Delhi routes benefit from the sections of DME that are open where you are on higher pace.

Also Kannad and Chalisgaon-Dhule that were the bottlenecks before, are history.

[bhupesh]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

It either shows the Aurangabad - Kota route or it shows Nagpur - Jabalpur -Satna - Agra route.

Is there any development on the traditional Sagar - Jhansi - Gwalior route? Any major bottlenecks or simply bad roads?

I'm in the same boat. I'm currently in Jabalpur and need to go to Agra and then Uttarakhand. I believe that Jabalpur - Satna - Agra route, though 100km longer, is more predictable and has Bundelkhand Expressway and Agra Expressway. The Sagar - Jhansi route keeps showing different ETA based on the time of the day. I'll take the former tomorrow.

[bhupesh]

On Pench to Jabalpur, while the road was devoid of potholes, I absolutely hate white cemented roads. The car doesn't seem planted. Moreover, the route doesn't have much vegetation on the side, so SUVs tend to sway a little whenever it's windy outside.

[bhupesh]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

it shows Nagpur - Jabalpur -Satna - Agra route.

Did this route today.

+ Predictable with no roadblocks. ETA will not change
+ Can marvel on the infrastructure

- Bundelkhand Expressway was extremely boring with 290km of straight line driving with almost negligible traffic (especially cars). Was sleepy a couple of times, so switched off cruise control
- Jabalpur to Satna is smooth. From Satna to the beginning of expressway, one has to traverse through roads through villages. The roads are not bad but very unfamiliar and can be deterring for sedans/hatcbacks (see the marked area below)

[swunkjyn]

Planning to travel for the 4th time, I have usually done the Seoni, Narsinghpur route. When I did it in 2023, the roads were being widened. Should I stick to the same route or take the Jabalpur one, coz that is what google is showing as the preferred route.

PS : I'll be driving in a 3D Thar.

[minzanurag]

Days - 11 and 12 April 2025


Route taken -
Day 1 - Bengaluru - Hyderabad - Nagpur (1,100 kms) (Start time 04:00 - End Time 21:00)
Day 2 - Nagpur - Jabalpur - Katni - Satna - Chitrakoot - Bundelkhand Xway - Lucknow XWay - Agra XWay - Noida (1,230 kms) (Start Time 05:30 - End Time 23:45)

Drivers - 1 (Solo)
Car - Tiago 2019 AMT Petrol
Door to door - 2,330 KMS
Toll - INR 4,405/-
Fuel - INR 10,600/-
Food - INR 1,250/-
Night Halt - INR 1,000/-
Mileage - 23.xx Km/L

Breaks - Only for meals and fuel breaks

Road Condition
Excellent - Bengaluru - MH Border, Nagpur - Satna - All the Xways
Average - MH Border - Nagpur
Below Average - Satna - Chitrakoot
Bad - 5-10 kms near Chitrakoot on small ghat section

Decent food options disappear after Hyderabad.
Also did not find anything for lunch except MTDC outlets after Jabalpur.
Bundelkhand Xway even though has fuel bunks but the adjoining eateries are very basic.
Apart from that from Jabalpur till the Lucknow Xway food junction I could not find decent enough place to stop and eat. Please keep in mind this might be about 7-8 hours of drive.
Carry enough water and snacks.

Hope this helps.

[nitinralli]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Nagpur-Jhansi goes on a year-on-year toss during monsoons and this sometimes does not get fixed properly. Agra-Gwalior is a long time WIP road.

Apart from these factors, Google maps does not show the cattle menace on NS corridor.

The pace on Bhopal-Kota-Delhi and Aurangabad-Ratlam-Kota-Delhi routes benefit from the sections of DME that are open where you are on higher pace.

Also Kannad and Chalisgaon-Dhule that were the bottlenecks before, are history.

Any idea if Pench Jhansi roads improving by June?

Also, any good place for lunch on bhopal Kota Delhi route?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by nitinralli

Any idea if Pench Jhansi roads improving by June?

I would be going as far as Pench this summer, which I can update late May.

Also, any good place for lunch on bhopal Kota Delhi route?

Not sure where you are starting from. We did Jaipur-Kota-Biaora, we left Jaipur post breakfast and we lunched at Tatva in Kota town after a Garadia visit. It was easy-in, easy-out. Didn't spend more than 5-10 minutes each way.

[nitinralli]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Not sure where you are starting from. We did Jaipur-Kota-Biaora, we left Jaipur post breakfast and we lunched at Tatva in Kota town after a Garadia visit. It was easy-in, easy-out. Didn't spend more than 5-10 minutes each way.

Starting from Hyderabad to Delhi. Maybe stop at Bhopal for the night as i couldn't find any good stay options on that route.

Planning to take Bhopal - Kota route to reach South Delhi. Unless ofcourse Jhansi route is back to normal by Mid June time. That used to be the fastest route and did it in 20 hrs non stop as well few times.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by nitinralli

Starting from Hyderabad to Delhi. Maybe stop at Bhopal for the night as i couldn't find any good stay options on that route.

I think Bhopal is the best choice, and you can easily make it. Food should not be a problem for this day, you have lots of options till Adilabad for breakfast and Haldirams allover Nagpur. There is a brand new outlet at Jamb too. And you would make it to Bhopal for dinner.

For day 2, the safest option is to take breakfast at Bhopal and leave for Delhi. You should make it to Kota for lunch. During my drive, it took little over an hour from Biaora to north end of Bhopal. Kota to Biaora took about 3-3.5 hours. Only unknown is the jams near Mukundra tunnel, which I was lucky enough to clear in 10 minutes but have heard 30-45 minute wait times too.

I remember seeing few MPT Midway treat boards between Jhalawar and Biaora, but have not tried them.

This route choice has been made attractive due to the depressing lack of maintenance on the N-S corridor (given it takes a beating every monsoon) and incremental completion of Delhi-Mumbai expressway sections and Betul-Bhopal.

[swparth18]

Planning a drive from Bangalore to Dharamshala mid week of May (~ 17th weekend). I'll be the solo driver (and driving alone) and want to do in 2 halts. I have driven to dharamsala before, but that was more leisure trip with halts in panvel, surat, udaipur panipat.

Which route should i follow this time?

Route 1: Bangalore -> Aurangabad ( 950kms) -> Ajmer/ Sawai Madhopur ( 850 kms) -> Dharamshala (850 kms). I expect decent stay options on the way.

Route 2: Bangalore -> Nagpur -> Delhi-> Dharamsala.

Any other route options?

[nitinralli]

Originally Posted by swparth18

Planning a drive from Bangalore to Dharamshala mid week of May (~ 17th weekend). I'll be the solo driver (and driving alone) and want to do in 2 halts. I have driven to dharamsala before, but that was more leisure trip with halts in panvel, surat, udaipur panipat.

Which route should i follow this time?

Route 1: Bangalore -> Aurangabad ( 950kms) -> Ajmer/ Sawai Madhopur ( 850 kms) -> Dharamshala (850 kms). I expect decent stay options on the way.

Route 2: Bangalore -> Nagpur -> Delhi-> Dharamsala.

Any other route options?

From Nagpur you need to decide which one to take, Bhopal Kota Sawai Delhi
or
Jabalpur Satna Bundel Agra Delhi.

Jabal is 50 odd kms extra than Bhopal one.