[ace959]

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My dear car loving brothers and sisters...mostly brothers I'm guessing, and may be a few sisters too here and there, how you doin'...

Here's the thing:
I am doin' a roadtrip from Kolkata to Goa and back starting 24th October 2012, I have to be back in Kolkata by 12th November. I have my wife and my dog(MoFo) to give me company in my Money-saving, Oilburning Highway-Eating Verna(the old model, and yeah I still prefer that old shape to the new one!), but that unfortunately also means that I can only drive from 4:00am - 7:00pm max each day and not more. Although I never rush on highways (except a couple of dramatic emergencies), but I don't like being unnecessarily lazy either on an open road, if ya know what I mean!

As far as route is concerned, I am looking at a couple of options, and road condition, road safety(woman in the car, remember?), place to stay for the nights, how long should I take overall, how long each day etc etc etc are the genre of information I'm looking for, to determiine which road to really take!

Option A: Kolkata, Visag, Hyderabad, Solapur/Hubli(either one of course), Goa

Option B: Kolkata, Raipur, Nagpur, Solapur, Goa.

I'm also open to other cars tagging along in a big caravan, as long as the sex ratio remains fairly equal - it will only make the trip more fun, and safer too!

All ideas, suggestions, advices, information will be appreciated and are definitely welcome!

Please refrain from any profainity, unnecessary attitude, or irrelevant conversation in your reply posts here. All other posts are welcome!

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ace959

Option A: Kolkata, Visag, Hyderabad, Solapur/Hubli(either one of course), Goa

Option B: Kolkata, Raipur, Nagpur, Solapur, Goa.

Instead why dont you do it all along the GQ,especially since you are travelling with a dog.Excellent roads throughout.The two options that you have listed have bad roads and single carriageway once you leave NH5.Too much time consuming and bad facilities at many sections.

Instead do

Day 1:Kolkata-Vizag:12-13hrs :Stay at Vizag BW Ramachandra at Gajuwaka close to NH5.Easy to get in and get out.Around 2000-2500.Best Western Ramachandra

I am not sure if Ramachandra accepts pets.Will need to check on this.

Day 2:Vizag-Bangalore:14-16hrs: Vizag-NH5 till Nayudepet-Srikalahasti-Tirupati-Chittor-Bangalore

Stay in Bangalore.Upteen number of hotels.

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...&via=1&t=m&z=8

Day 3:Bangalore-Goa:10-12hrs:NH4-Tumkur-Hubli-NH63-Ankola-Karwar-Goa

https://maps.google.co.in/maps?saddr...mra=ls&t=m&z=8

Compare this with Hyd route:

Day 1: CCU-VSKP
Day 2:VSKP-Vijayawada-Hyd: 12-13hrs.VJA-Hyd 4 laning in progress.6hrs
Day 3:Hyd-Goa:Single lane and is a good 15hour drive(Hyd-Homnabad-Bijapur-Amboli-Sawantwadi-Goa)

[ace959]

That's not a bad idea, and I got a place in Bangalore too, so no worries there. I didn't even think about Bangalore because I thought Hyd route would be shorter and I've lived in Hyderabad so would be good to drop in, but if the route you mention is really way better and way smoother, and lesser chance of getting stuck in traffic, then I'ld love to reach Blore, stay in my sister's house, meet friends and then head to Goa. If I leave on 25th Early Morning from Kolkata, then I should be in Goa by 29th latest, even if I spend a day in Blore. That's a solid option to consider...Thanks! I'd love more feedback on that road for sure!

Another thing:
How's the road from Kolkata to Vizag now? that bit's common for hyd as well as Blore from Kol. I did Kol-Hyd in 2004 last in my first car, Esteem(Love that car, in fact after that I ended up getting another esteem, before moving to this Verna crdi last year), road was not too good, fuel after vijayawada was crappy, no 4 lane at all except some in Orissa, plus truckers jams.......any better now? I want to get that bit done in as little time as possible, the next 2 days I don't need to rush! Should leave Kolkata by 3:30/3:45am. I think I paid Orissa Road tax of abt 600 bucks that time - 6 months' valid road tax or something like that, I wonder how much that'd be now!

Bangalore-Goa I've done many times, same for Hyd-Goa - both are beautiful, smooth and safe even for night travel, so I'm not worried about that side.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ace959

Another thing:
How's the road from Kolkata to Vizag now? that bit's common for hyd as well as Blore from Kol. I did Kol-Hyd in 2004 last in my first car, Esteem(Love that car, in fact after that I ended up getting another esteem, before moving to this Verna crdi last year), road was not too good, fuel after vijayawada was crappy, no 4 lane at all except some in Orissa, plus truckers jams.......any better now? I want to get that bit done in as little time as possible, the next 2 days I don't need to rush! Should leave Kolkata by 3:30/3:45am. I think I paid Orissa Road tax of abt 600 bucks that time - 6 months' valid road tax or something like that, I wonder how much that'd be now!

Refer to this thread for more details on the CCU-VSKP sector http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...kolkata-2.html

As for Orissa tax,it still happens at times and at other times it doesnt.Somebody whom I know paid 800rs and its totally illegal but then.

[gauravdgr8]

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[ace959]

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[noidea]

Hello ace959,
I presume you are back from your trip by now.
How did it go?
Could you provide us with an update on the route you took and the road status.
Thanks.

[DriveTrain]

Just concluded a Kolkata Goa trip today. Thanks to HVK for providing me the detailed route descriptions. Here are the route updates :


Route Driven – Kolkata – VIP Road – Nivedita Setu – NH 6(till Kharagpur) – NH 60 (till Balasore) – NH 5 (upto Diwancheruvu) – Then via 4th Godavari Bridge and on till Eluru – Vijaywada (took the Bypass) – Suryapet – Hyderabad ORR (entry exit 11 , exit via exit 18) – Chevella – Pargi – Kodangal – Ribonpalli – Sedam – Malkhed – Gulbarga – Jewargi – Sindagi – Bijapur – Bagalakot – Lokapur – Yaragatti – Nesargi – Belgaum – Bicholim – Mapusa – Panaji.


Total distance of 2180 Kms in 2 and a half days.

Day 1 Kolkata to Gajuwaka – 878 Kms in 14 Hrs 30 mins at 16.6 Kmpl.

Day 2 – Gajuwaka to Gulbarga 813 kms , 14 hrs at 16.5 Kmpl.

Day 3 Gulbarga to Panaji 489 Kms in 9 hrs at 15.4 Kmpl.


Road conditions are good throughout except for the section mentioned below :


For the Bengal Orissa border , did not take a risk and took the Jaleswar bypass , but was struck for 15 mins at the level crossing. At the Icchapuram border had to tail local traffic on the opposite flank to get out


Heavy traffic within Vizag on NH5 till Gajuwaka.


Dewancheruvu to Eluru via 4th Godavari Bridge. You can still drive at an Avg of 80 to 90 Kmph and it significantly cuts the distance of following NH5 through Rajamundhry


Took the Vijaywada bypass , it took about 35 mins to cross Vijaywada. The main route through town is closed with multiple diversions due to a flyover construction near the Kanakadurga temple.


After exit 18 from ORR till start of toll road at Ribonpalli – again 80 to 90 Kmph is possible.


Bijapur to Bagalakot same as above , rest all are pretty smooth.


As advised by HVK took the Bicholim – Mapusa route to Panaji as it was much less congested.


Drove about 200 kms in Goa , exploring from Querim right down to Palolem and Patnem.


Return was accomplished in 2 days via mini canon ball runs.



Day 1 drove from Palolem to Vijaywada a distance of 1020 kms in 18hrs 15 mins at 14.9 kmpl.
Day 2 was from Vijaywada to Kolkata – 1192 kms in 19hrs 30 mins at 16.2 Kmpl.

Total of 2212 Kms on the way back.

From Palolem , took the Highway towards Margao , then the Margao bypass – Canorlim – Borim – Ponda – Sanquelim and joined the main route back to Belgaum. Rest of the route as same as the inward journey.


Besides the road conditions noted on the onward journey , this time took the Vizag Bypass from Ankapalle , a distance of 49 kms covered in 55 mins. This is mostly a 2 lane undivided carriage way with moderate road surface and heavy truck traffic. This might be considered if you are crossing Vizag during peak hours as there will be zero wait time in the various signals within Vizag city.


Had to again tail local traffic in the opposite flank to cross Icchapuram border. There are multiple diversions from Bhubaneswar till near Bhadrak ( but not on the other flank). This is due to 6 laning of NH 5. As I was driving through the night , Sonakania (Jaleswar) border was absolutely empty.

There is very heavy fog enroute from outside of Bhadrak till about Belda . Tailed a couple of local night buses plying the route to safely get out , at places visibility was down to literally a couple of metres.

Total tolls paid was Rs 1898 till Goa (including the INR 250 Goa entry fee).

Tolls on the way back was Rs. 1643.



I was driving my Duster AWD and had my family accompanying me. Total distance traveled 4594 Km from door to door. Any speed over 98 to 100 Kmph ( not recommended anyway) drastically affects the fuel economy of the Duster.


I had charted the entire route using MyMaps in Google and exported the KML to LocusPro (Android) . I already had the entire offline areas downloaded from GMaps into Locus Pro and just followed the the route on my android phone.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by DriveTrain

Day 1 drove from Palolem to Vijaywada a distance of 1020 kms in 18hrs 15 mins at 14.9 kmpl.
Day 2 was from Vijaywada to Kolkata – 1192 kms in 19hrs 30 mins at 16.2 Kmpl.

Thanks for sharing this update. Might just come handy if someone up there smiles.

Could you let me know the time at which you started on your return leg? On both days? I know you start real early.

And no travelogue?

[DriveTrain]

Originally Posted by Sheel

Could you let me know the time at which you started on your return leg? On both days? I know you start real early.

And no travelogue?

Return leg - Day 1 start from Palolem at 3:45 AM , reaching Vijaywada at 10 PM.
Day 2 start from Vijaywada at 10:30 AM reaching Kolkata at 6 AM in the morning of the next day.

I do plan to write a travelogue , but it might take a while , wanted to post the route update hot off the press