[TaureanBull]

Ok folks! Finally completed the journey today. The route taken with details as under:-

01 Apr : Jamnagar to Vadodara - 387 Kms (9 hrs)
02 Apr : Vadodara to Pune - 562 Kms (14 hrs)
03-04 Apr : At Pune
05 Apr : Pune to Hyderabad - 604 Kms (12 Hrs)
06 Apr : At Hyderabad
07 Apr : Hyderabad to Vizag - 700 Km (11 Hrs)
08 Apr : Vizag to Gopalpur - 277 Kms (4.5 Hrs)

The initial time taken is more as the car was in running in period. The time taken is not indicative of the actual time required to travel the route.

Jamnagar-Vadodara

The route has very good roads as in the entire Gujrat. Very minimal traffic. Honest food malls at Chotila and Limbdi are highly recommended. Good parking space and clean toilets. There are no other worthwhile places for halt enroute.

I undertook the Limbdi-Vadodara route instead of via Ahmedabad. The route had work going on and did reduce our speeds. However, the route is definitely doable.

Also, visited the Swami Narayan Temple enroute. Route around Vadodara was busy as expected.

Jamnagar-Limbdi Stretch



Limbdi-Vadodara Stretch







Swami Narayan Temple



Vadodara-Pune

The NH is good and one of the best routes to travel. The Surat bypass can be time consuming. There was repair work on Surat Bypass which had traffic flow only on one side for few kms which created a jam and delay of 30 mins.

There is McD near Surat however on other side.

The Mumbai bypass via Panvel did consume time as we were caught in the evening traffic. As we hit the expressway it was great driving. Expressway Food Mall at Khapoli is a good place for a halt.

At one of the Toll Plaza



Near Bharuch



In Maharashtra





Mumbai-Pune Bypass





Expressway





Near Food Mall



Pune-Hyderabad
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3407042

Hyderabad-Vizag
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3407859

Vizag-Gopalpur

The route is good. However, there is traffic from Vizag till Srikakulum thereby preventing higher speeds. Also on the route are several villages on the NH which reduces the speed. Various stretches have potholes which can be negotiated without braking. However, patching and relaying the surface soon is highly recommended.

The AP-Odisha border crossing at Icchapuram can be time consuming. There is line of trucks for several kms on both sides. Normally the traffic flows from the right hand lane where the traffic becomes two sided. Although its the local understanding and arrangement. Following the truck lane may set anyone back by 30mins.

[cool_dube]

Guys, my BIL is driving (with family) from Nagpur to Ahmedabad shortly. Please recommend an optimal route.

Thanks in advance...