[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by sawan_dubey

Hi everyone,

We (my wife and I) are taking a roadtrip from Bangalore to Bhutan on our motorcycle (RE Classic 500) this March and the route we have planned is BNG > VIZAG > BHUBANESWAR > KHARAGPUR > SILIGURI > sikkim & Bhutan.

We are looking for some of your valuable advice about the route we should take from Bhubaneswar onwards. Should we cross KOLKATA? OR take the Kharagpur>Bankura>Ranigunj>Chittaranjan>Jamtara>De oghar>Banka>Bhagalpur>Vikramshila Setu>Purnea>Dalkhola>Siliguri ROUTE?

We're fairly experienced travelers on the road and can do 800 KM/day on 4 lanes without any issues. Is the above plan feasible?

In case the road surface of the route mentioned by you is good and you are sure of it, you may go ahead. I am specifically talking of the Raniganj-Jamtara-Deoghar stretch here. If you do not know anyone who has taken this stretch in recent times and has reported that the roads are good, please forget it. Take the Raniganj-Asansol (Jubilee petrol pump)-Nala-Masalia-Dumka-Deoghar route instead. Though much longer, this road is in good shape. You may even consider taking Raniganj-Dubrajpur-Messanjore-Dumka-Deoghar route. But this is only my personal opinion.

I also request you to take the Kharagpur-Vikramshila bridge stretch at daylight hours.

[sawan_dubey]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

In case the road surface of the route mentioned by you is good and you are sure of it, you may go ahead. I am specifically talking of the Raniganj-Jamtara-Deoghar stretch here. If you do not know anyone who has taken this stretch in recent times and has reported that the roads are good, please forget it. Take the Raniganj-Asansol (Jubilee petrol pump)-Nala-Masalia-Dumka-Deoghar route instead. Though much longer, this road is in good shape. You may even consider taking Raniganj-Dubrajpur-Messanjore-Dumka-Deoghar route. But this is only my personal opinion.

I also request you to take the Kharagpur-Vikramshila bridge stretch at daylight hours.

Thanks for the details. This gives me the confidence to plan better. I love it when a plan falls together The Raniganj-Dubrajpur-Messanjore-Dumka-Deoghar route you mentioned looks good for us. So what after Deoghar? till Siliguri.

Also, all travel is between 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. We will be pretty tired by the time we reach Kharagpur (Day 1 Bangalore to Viz, Day 2 Viz - Kharagpur). Any recommendations to take a day's break? How's the scene in Kharagpur?

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by sawan_dubey

The Raniganj-Dubrajpur-Messanjore-Dumka-Deoghar route you mentioned looks good for us. So what after Deoghar? till Siliguri.

I suggest you take this exact route. Please enlarge the Bhagalpur town portion and see what route you should take to avoid the busy station area, which is almost always choked with traffic. Take the railway level crossing instead of the railway overbridge near the railway station and turn left from Tatarpur chowk to reach Kotwali Chowk.

Originally Posted by sawan_dubey

Also, all travel is between 6.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. We will be pretty tired by the time we reach Kharagpur (Day 1 Bangalore to Viz, Day 2 Viz - Kharagpur). Any recommendations to take a day's break? How's the scene in Kharagpur?

I remember that there is a hotel named Hotel Greenland Tower. Nothing fancy but it is situated right at the junction of NH-6 and NH-60, so that you should not have any difficulty to locate it. It is also visible at Google maps.

[themagicclicks]

IF anybody is interested, I have uploaded a large portion of the above mentioned route to Siliguri via Deoghar Banka Amarpur Bhagalpur Purnia and then upto Kaluk via Zoom Soreng and back here ...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC54...jkVmWCg/videos

In end November - early December, the roads were still pretty decent, other than some bad stretches between Katoria and Banka, and while returning, had a major road block on the only narrow road that takes you to Bhagalpur Road, a broken truck blocked the entire road and there was a huge traffic jam near Aligunj Kali Temple.

Asked around local drivers and then drove towards Phulwaria along the Bhagalpur - Hanhsdiha Road ( about 4 kms ) and from Phulwaria had to take the very narrow road through Simariya village to be on the Bhagalpur Road to drive towards Katoria and Deoghar.

[rahul_kej]

Originally Posted by themagicclicks

IF anybody is interested, I have uploaded a large portion of the above mentioned route to Siliguri via Deoghar Banka Amarpur Bhagalpur Purnia and then upto Kaluk via Zoom Soreng and back here ...

https://www.Youtube.com/channel/UC54...jkVmWCg/videos

Good set of videos to sum up your entire trip.

Just that you took a wrong route for Jorethang from Melli. That entire route is under widening process since couple of years and completely dusty and broken.

Little bit of research and you should had followed Melli Turuk Namchi Poklok Jorethang. This route is little long but in very good condition, very less traffic and quite scenic. Completely pitched road.

[themagicclicks]

Note: Tha above route is via Ranigunj, Jamtara Karmatar Sarath to Deoghar, Ranigunj to Katoria is in pretty good shape, but as mentioned above after Katoria as you enter Bihar roads deteriorate a bit and pot holes keep appearing till Banka.

But between Durgapur and Raniganj road work was on going in December and made progress pretty slow, the usual time from Kolkata to Ranigunj is about 4 hours, where as in Nov 26th and Dec 5th it took me about 6 hours and more due to the many diversions and barricades.

Originally Posted by rahul_kej

Good set of videos to sum up your entire trip.

Just that you took a wrong route for Jorethang from Melli. That entire route is under widening process since couple of years and completely dusty and broken.

Little bit of research and you should had followed Melli Turuk Namchi Poklok Jorethang. This route is little long but in very good condition, very less traffic and quite scenic. Completely pitched road.

Thank you Rahul, if you remember this route to Siliguri was the one suggested by you and Sheel when I drove to Dooars in June last year, followed the same route in November, was wary about what the conditions would have been after the monsoon, but thankfully the roads held along nicely through the monsoon it seemed.
Regarding the better routes, Yes, knew about that, I think gearhearmait took that route and mentioned that in his travelogue too, but this Melli to Jorthang route is what the drivers from Kaluk would take you through, so decided to experience the same route that I had traveled along in 2014 in a Kaluk local hired Bolero, including the Zoom Soreng stretch

Next time either I'll buy a RWD high GC car if I go along this route, or if I still continue in my Swift dZire I'll take the alternative routes for sure.

[rahul_kej]

Originally Posted by themagicclicks

Thank you Rahul, if you remember this route to Siliguri was the one suggested by you and Sheel when I drove to Dooars in June last year.

Next time either I'll buy a RWD high GC car if I go along this route, or if I still continue in my Swift dZire I'll take the alternative routes for sure.

I am so sorry if it was suggested by me as during that time I was not aware about the condition of that route, I came across it when I went to Namchi last month.

Even if one has an AWD or RWD there is no need to take that dusty and broken route. In few years once widening is complete it will be a fantastic route.

[themagicclicks]

Originally Posted by rahul_kej

I am so sorry if it was suggested by me as during that time I was not aware about the condition of that route, I came across it when I went to Namchi last month.

Even if one has an AWD or RWD there is no need to take that dusty and broken route. In few years once widening is complete it will be a fantastic route.

No the Melli - Jorthang was not your suggestion, that was my own idea of following the taxi route

Your suggestion was the Bhagalpur via Deoghar via Jamtara route, instead of the Dumka route, and it turned out to be a very nice and very less trafficked route on both occasions, June'15 and Dec'15.

[manmohanmaan]

Hey All!! been reading this log from the past two years and trying to keep track of the changing road surfaces between calcutta and siliguri, its been a continuously changing scene and i feel that some of the 'bye-passes' suggested for various bottlenecks be it, Bhagalpur, Behrampur, Malda, Farraka, Kaliachak, etc as also the ever-changing optimum route would simply contain too many variables for someone like me travelling from Bangalore.

I know this is a bit Off-Topic, but would not Bangalore - Hyderabad - Nagpur - Jabalpur - Allahabad - Muzzafarpur - Siliguri make more sense ?

I am know that Bangalore to Jabalpur road is good, need to track the road conditions from thereon specially after Allahabad and towards the East.

Will really appreciate any advice in this matter.

Regards,

Manmohan.

[rahul_kej]

Originally Posted by manmohanmaan

I know this is a bit Off-Topic, but would not Bangalore - Hyderabad - Nagpur - Jabalpur - Allahabad - Muzzafarpur - Siliguri make more sense ?

I am know that Bangalore to Jabalpur road is good, need to track the road conditions from thereon specially after Allahabad and towards the East.

Will really appreciate any advice in this matter.

Regards,

Manmohan.

From Muzzafarpur to Siliguri roads are excellent and mostly 4lane. This stretch is a part of east West Expressway.

From Allahabad till Muzzafarpur there are few routes, so that has to be worked out and only they can guide who has done this stretch a few times recently.

Even you can do via Allahabad Varanasi Mohania Arrah Patna Begusarai Purnea Dalkola Siliguri.

NH31 from Patna to Siliguri is in excellent condition. Its a broad road with less traffic and proper markings. The catch is to stay at NH 2 from Allahabad for as long as possible to reach Patna.

[Sheel]

If someone has access to EW corridor i.e NH 57, I would suggest to go via that.

But I believe Allahabad is easily accessible by NH-2. You may come to Varanasi and then go to Bodhgaya - Rajgir - Bakhtiarpur - Mokamah - Barauni - Begusarai - Purnia - Siliguri. [Did this on 26/2/'16]

But you can't compare a 4 lane route to this. Even if it is a 100km detour, would suggest to stick to NH-57. Some bad roads, congestion at towns [no bypass] and heavy traffic on NH 31.

[manmohanmaan]

Sirs, Sheel and Rahul, Thank You.

I can see NH 57 only between Muzzafarpur and Purnea.

Prior to Varanasi, I see coming from Jabalpur I can take NH 7 through Katni, Rewa and Mirzapur to reach varanasi direct. I believe this section too is in a bad shape.

The Google option is to take the Varanasi, Gazipur, Ballia, Muzzafarpur then on NH 57 to Purnea, guess the Varanasi to Muzzafarpur route is a question to be settled.

Or as suggested by Rahul and Sheel do the Varanasi, Patna, Begusarai, Purnea route.

Sheel Sir, you have done this just last week, would you suggest this as the optimum route ? how long did you take to complete this trip in terms of driving time and do the towns on the way have bye-passes or does one have to drive through them. That could be cumbersome and time consuming.

Man planning routes should not be such a matter of chance !!

Thank You Once again, look forward to any more suggestions.

Manmohan.

[Sheel]

Manmohan,
My friend has done the Chhapra route [Ghazipur, Mau] etc and he wasn't very apprehensive of them. If you can find out the route info till Muzaffarpur, then post that it is ok. Chhapra has bad traffic & perhaps no bypass.

Varanasi to Gaya [bodhgaya] shall take less than 4 hours. You may do it in 3 hours as well. Bodhgaya to Rajgir doesn't have much traffic but passes through small kasbas having all sort of market on road. That should take your 2 hours. Remember to take the bypass at Biharsharif. Biharsharif to Barauni another 2 hours. Mokamah bridge may hold you for 15 to 30 mins. Begusarai town will sap you by 30 mins again. Begusarai to Purnia may take 3 to 4 hours. 40 kms after Begusarai, comes Khagaria, post which, good, broad roads will come up (no 4 lane)
Purnia to Siliguri will take another 3 hours.

Plenty of hotels at Bodhgaya, Rajgir. Only a couple decent ones at Begusarai.

[vivekkr_99]

Hi All,

Just wanted to check whether it is possible to do Cuttack - Siliguri in 2 days (no night driving, but 13-14 hours of day driving is planned). Any update on the best route (preference is for smooth roads and not shortest distance)? I read in one of the posts to follow this route from Raniganj till Siliguri - Raniganj - Siliguri. Any recent updates on this route? Or do you think it is fine to take the NH34 or SH7 route as suggested by Google? Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks
Vivek

[rahul_kej]

Originally Posted by vivekkr_99

Hi All,

Just wanted to check whether it is possible to do Cuttack - Siliguri in 2 days (no night driving, but 13-14 hours of day driving is planned). Any update on the best route (preference is for smooth roads and not shortest distance)? I read in one of the posts to follow this route from Raniganj till Siliguri - Raniganj - Siliguri. Any recent updates on this route? Or do you think it is fine to take the NH34 or SH7 route as suggested by Google? Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks
Vivek

Yes Cuttack to Siliguri can be done easily in 2 days. Till Cuttack to Durgapur great 4lane all the way. But while going to Siliguri via Bhagalpur, go via Deoghar and Sultangunj. That means you gotta take left from dumka and not head straight.

Trust me its worth the extra kms.