[Rudra Sen]

Mid of this month (May-2018), Jaggu (moderator) and me will drive down to Dehradun from Bangalore.
We don't need to rush and decided to cover this distance in 3-4 days time.

We don't want to take Delhi - Dehradun road for sure. That short distance takes more than six hours and overall stretch is bad.
We rather prefer Chandigarh to Dehradun route.

We also don't like to drive more than 10hrs a day. A fresh start next morning is always preferable.

I suppose, first night halt is going to be Hyderabad unless someone has some better ideas in mind.

Also, suggestions on night halts (hotels) with proper car parking will be appreciated.

Members, please help.

[VKumar]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

We don't want to take Delhi - Dehradun road for sure. That short distance takes more than six hours and overall stretch is bad.
We rather prefer Chandigarh to Dehradun route.

Hey Rudra

Even taking the Delhi - Chandigarh - Dehradun route also doesn't make any sense, you will be spending your 10 hours on the road itself including breaks etc and still will face traffic while leaving New Delhi and all the way to Dehradun after Paonta Sahib (And mind you, traffic sense is mostly poor in Uttarakhand, heck, even their cops also look out of traffic sense to me at times).

My suggestion will be to take Delhi - Meerut - Muzaffarnagar - Roorkee - Dehradun route itself. Since exiting Delhi has now become easier with a part of Delhi-Meerut expressway now operational and the opening of a new flyover over the Hindon - thing's have got easier now.

Additionally, Meerut - Roorkee stretch is mostly ready now with 4 lanes and the only section where you will actually have to face mad traffic is between Roorkee and Chhutmalpur, after which again you have lesser traffic till Dehradun.

The route will consume your six hours but still will be lesser tiring and stressful on the whole if compared to the one you are planning to take. And if you guys can manage to wake up at say 4 am in the morning, then its a flat 5 hour journey from Delhi.

Next thing you can do is drive till Meerut and stay in some hotel there, Bravura and Country inn I would suggest or Hotel Godwin, wake up at 4 am and leave at 5 am - you will be at Dehradun at hardly 8:30 and will have a stress free drive because the moment you hit the single carriageway (oncoming traffic with those high beams and a potholed road) ahead of Roorkee, the sun will be already risen.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

I suppose, first night halt is going to be Hyderabad unless someone has some better ideas in mind.

Since you mention 10 Hours a day, Hyderabad makes sense although it would be less than 8 hours with an early morning start.

I am taking the liberty to respond between Bangalore and Delhi mainly because of the thread title although I noticed the focus is Delhi - Dehradun?

Anything beyond Hyderabad will be a gamble really - Whether its Nizambad, Adilabad or even Nagpur.

Secondly, since you mention you would be taking the Hyderabad route to reach Delhi, be aware of the fact that when it comes to facilities, the central India route falls at the bottom of the list to reach Delhi.

I drove to Nagpur last week with family and found no difference from what I did 2 years ago in terms of facilities - They remain same; Bad to nothing after Hyderabad till Nagpur.

Further beyond Nagpur too, things should be planned in terms of stoppages.

Going merely by the fact that its you and Jaggu, things should be manageable and flexible I suppose with Hyderabad & Narsingpur as locations for halts to reach Delhi because Hyderabad to Narsingpur too would be around 11-12 hours of drive but in between you don't have good places to stop by the night except Nagpur which is only 6-7 hours from Hyderabad.

Here is the post on the route update till Nagpur from last week:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Drive update : Bangalore - Hyderabad - Nagpur - Bhandara - Gondia

Additionally, things haven't really changed between Jhansi and Gwalior and 130 Kms of that road is still work in progress and pain due to diversions, multiple petty towns and villages to pass etc.

[Rudra Sen]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Anything beyond Hyderabad will be a gamble really - Whether its Nizambad, Adilabad or even Nagpur.

Secondly, since you mention you would be taking the Hyderabad route to reach Delhi, be aware of the fact that when it comes to facilities, the central India route falls at the bottom of the list to reach Delhi.

It's really not a must that we've to take Hyderabad route. That route is by default from Google. If you suggest better option, we're surely open.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

It's really not a must that we've to take Hyderabad route. That route is by default from Google. If you suggest better option, we're surely open.

I wanted to 'exactly' know this and glad you did.

I will make it really simple first:

Advantage Hyderabad - Nagpur route:

• More lung space for your car's air filter; more empty, super long and really fast stretches to drive
  
  
• Not heavily urban when compared to western India route, hence time taken to cross towns and cities is fast to very fast

Disadvantage Hyderabad - Nagpur route

• Lack of basic facilities; You are at mercy of Dhabas most of the times between Hyderabad Nagpur & Nagpur to Jhansi
  
  
• Lack of urban areas means lack of support in case you need any - Mainly because you are really far from the nearest town that can service or tow your car(s)
  
  
• Road construction work between Jhansi and Gwalior - This is a 130 Kms of painful stretch that can easily take 3.5 Hours, especially when you would have flown like an Aircraft for first 1500 kms!

I had a colleague with his family drive in Crysta to Jallandhar last week and knowing how the Central India route is, I advised against it because he was with family. Last year in his Honda City too, he took western India route via Mumbai but due to wrong timings and default route, he ended up spending hours crossing Mumbai as well as Udaipur. Basically, with Hyderabad route, you need to plan things else you need to be extremely flexible.

So I suggested him the following:

Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai - Vadodara - Ahmedabad - Mehasana - Palanpur - Abu Road - Pali - Beawar - Ajmer - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi and he reached this time all happy!



The above route helps you beat the mess around Ahmedabad and Udaipur Exit. Interestingly, Google doesnt even throw this as a route (even when it ist faster) until I myself dragged the route through the via Points I would normally prefer to drive here.

So with this, here should be your plan:

• Bangalore - Pune : 11 Hours (you know this will be easy for you)
  
• Pune - Ahmedabad : 11-12 Hours
  
• Ahmedabad - Jaipur - 10-11 Hours

Essentially, you will have to halt thrice on both routes whether Central or Western.

In the end, you have many more choices as below:

1. Bangalore - Hyderabad - Nagpur - Narsingpur - Chindwara - Jhansi - Gwalior - Agra - NOIDA - Delhi (Central India)
   
   
2. Bangalore - Mumbai - Ahmedabad - Himmatnagar - Udaipur - Chittorgarh -Kishangarh (Ajmer) - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi (Western India)
   
   
3. Bangalore - Mumbai - Ahmedabad - Mehasana - Palanpur - Abu Road - Pali Beawar -Kishangarh (Ajmer) - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi (Western India but bypassing Ahmedabad - Udaipur section and through less traffic prone route till Ajmer)
   
   
4. Bangalore - Pune- Nashik - Dhule - Ratlam - Nemuch -Chittorgarh -Kishangarh (Ajmer) - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi (Western India but totally bypassing the busy Mumbai - Ahmedabad - Udaipur Section)
   
   
5. Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai - Vadodara - Halol - Godhra - Ratlam - Nemuch -Chittorgarh -Kishangarh (Ajmer) - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi (Western India that bypasses Ahmedabad - Himmatnagar - Udaipur)

With so many choices and overall timings hardly making significant difference, and for a fact that it is not going to be a non-stop drive, I would personally pick the 3rd one from the list for onward and first one for return.

This is because the 3rd one wins hands down when it comes to facilities and options to break compared to any other route. Furthermore, by just driving 1-1.5 hours extra each day in comparison to central India route, you will still get to reach your destination via a better 'Equipped' route.

Also, the reason why I will suggest you return via different route (If that is a plan) is because you will get perspectives of both quite easily to weigh the pros and cons that I have mentioned.

[starter]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

So I suggested him the following:

Bangalore - Pune - Mumbai - Vadodara - Ahmedabad - Mehasana - Palanpur - Abu Road - Pali - Beawar - Ajmer - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi and he reached this time all happy!

Exactly the route i took about 3 years back. Although, some of the RJ state highways after Abu Road were quite deserted in the night.

Cheers,
Deepak

[VKumar]

Thanks a lot for this piece of information Parag, you are indeed a 'Google Maps Baba' when it comes to such drives I suppose.

I will talk about two routes in particular and I have driven partially only on both of them:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Bangalore - Hyderabad - Nagpur - Narsingpur - Chindwara - Jhansi - Gwalior - Agra - NOIDA - Delhi (Central India)

I frequently used to take this route in 2017 and although devoid of facilities, but for anyone going to Dehradun, this can prove to be the best route as one is saved from the chaos that starts from Manesar (Ahead of Gurgaon) and ends at Mohan Nagar (Delhi-UP border) along with Delhi itself - easily consumes 3-4 hours and is equally irritating an experience.

Those four hours are here converted into half an hour as one simply takes the road to Ghaziabad directly from Greater Noida via Surajpur and can move ahead towards Meerut.

with the Agra Lucknow stretch now open and Yamuna expressway at your helm, if the car is capable enough - this route is nothing less than a flight.

Bangalore - Mumbai - Ahmedabad - Mehasana - Palanpur - Abu Road- Pali Beawar -Kishangarh (Ajmer) - Jaipur - Gurgaon - Delhi (Western India but bypassing Ahmedabad - Udaipur section and through less traffic prone route till Ajmer

I have done Delhi-Vadodra-Delhi drive taking this route, I must say that ahead until it's 150 kilometers from Delhi (Say Bawal or Neemrana), this route is just wonderful, after that it's the never ending lines of trucks which make things a bit uncomfortable - else it's the route that seems to be filled with most of the facilities and the roads are indeed wonderful too.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by VKumar

you are indeed a 'Google Maps Baba' when it comes to such drives I suppose.

. Not really Googlemaps but mostly because some or the other time I have taken almost all the routes mentioned, Whether it was the GQ twice or Ladakh or return from Delhi. Google unless you drag the route via places you know doesn't even show them and it is exactly here the recent experiences matter most.

Additionally, I have my folks at Mehasana who is into teaching profession and he drives a lot to Rajasthan as an external invigilator during exams and when it comes to Rajasthan roads especially from Gujarat, I take his advise. The good thing about Rajasthan is that the concentration of NHs between 2 Points is always higher and you have options.

I will talk about two routes in particular and I have driven partially only on both of them:

with the Agra Lucknow stretch now open and Yamuna expressway at your helm, if the car is capable enough - this route is nothing less than a flight.

Indeed. So we cruised in a Cruze when we returned from Delhi to Bangalore taking the central India route but heck, we 3 men still had to scout for locations to stop and eat after Jhansi!!

after that it's the never ending lines of trucks which make things a bit uncomfortable - else it's the route that seems to be filled with most of the facilities and the roads are indeed wonderful too.

Trucks and the density of them is the sole reason why I said Central India route feels so empty and fast. With Urbanization and dotting industries all over Mumbai - Ahmedabad region, you will see maximum truck traffic on Western India route and if summer, more at nights.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by VKumar

I have done Delhi-Vadodra-Delhi drive taking this route, I must say that ahead until it's 150 kilometers from Delhi (Say Bawal or Neemrana), this route is just wonderful, after that it's the never ending lines of trucks which make things a bit uncomfortable

During our return from Uttarakhand drive, to avoid this truck traffic, we took Noida-Mathura- Bharatpur-Jaipur route, this was 110 Kms more, but a very peaceful drive and didn't make much difference in timing as well.

[shan2129]

Bumping an old thread, instead of opening a new one. Mods, if this is something wrong, please suggest.

I am planning to leave from Dehradun for Bangalore on 2nd Feb. Ride of Choice -> My RE TB 500 (2012).

I was going to choose the 'shortest route', but thought to read the views of my fellow Bhpians.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Regards

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by shan2129

I was going to choose the 'shortest route', but thought to read the views of my fellow Bhpians.

In the last 2 months alone, 2 of my colleagues drove to their destinations - Rudrapur and Dehradun and both of them took the Central India route through NS corridor and were absolutely happy for their decisions.

The road conditions more or less remain good, rather better than what it was only 2 years back!! This would be via Hyderabad - Nagpur - Sagar - Jhansi - Agra.

Additionally, it is better to drive all the way to Ghaziabad and then take the route to Dehradun from there to Dehradun so you stick to better roads and major highways and not venture into internal routes via Aligarh. This may add few extra kilometers but eventually be the most sensible approach.

[shan2129]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

In the last 2 months alone, 2 of my colleagues drove to their destinations - Rudrapur and Dehradun and both of them took the Central India route through NS corridor and were absolutely happy for their decisions.

The road conditions more or less remain good, rather better than what it was only 2 years back!! This would be via Hyderabad - Nagpur - Sagar - Jhansi - Agra.

Additionally, it is better to drive all the way to Ghaziabad and then take the route to Dehradun from there to Dehradun so you stick to better roads and major highways and not venture into internal routes via Aligarh. This may add few extra kilometers but eventually be the most sensible approach.

Thanks a ton for your reply sire
I am driving from Dehradun to Bangalore.

Quick Info: Have to make a stop in Delhi for some work, a day.

My plan is to drive to Delhi and spend Tuesday night there. Leave from there on Wednesday morning and do Nagpur by nightfall. Considering Maharashtra and increase lockdown situations, Will stick to highways only.

A question here is - I have previous experience of riding 1200-1400 kms in one day, going to Leh-Ladakh. Can I do Nagpur from Delhi in one shot.

Thereafter can I do Nagpur to Bangalore in one shot? Considering the fact that body will get tired on day 2 and day 3 I might not be able to reach 1k km mark.

[nav2111]

Originally Posted by shan2129

Thanks a ton for your reply sire
I am driving from Dehradun to Bangalore.

Quick Info: Have to make a stop in Delhi for some work, a day.

My plan is to drive to Delhi and spend Tuesday night there. Leave from there on Wednesday morning and do Nagpur by nightfall. Considering Maharashtra and increase lockdown situations, Will stick to highways only.

A question here is - I have previous experience of riding 1200-1400 kms in one day, going to Leh-Ladakh. Can I do Nagpur from Delhi in one shot.

Thereafter can I do Nagpur to Bangalore in one shot? Considering the fact that body will get tired on day 2 and day 3 I might not be able to reach 1k km mark.

We just did Dehradun-Bangalore last week.

Day 1: Dehradun - Gwalior. Took the Eastern peripheral to the Yamuna expressway. Gmaps gave us a scare while getting onto NH44 from the Yamuna expressway but once we were on NH 44 it was smooth sailing. We started at 7:00 am from Doon and we're in Gwalior by 5:00pm. Stayed at Empire resorts.

Day 2: Gwalior-Nagpur. Started at 9:00 am and were in Nagpur by 6:00 pm. Again roads were great throughout. Stayed at the Legend Inn for the night.

Day 3: Nagpur-Bangalore. Started at 8:30 am we were in Bangalore by 11:00 pm. Roads were good except after Hyderabad there are breakers at almost every intersection on the highway. No breakers once you enter Karnataka.

Remember this: From Gwalior all the way up to Devanahalli we didn't spot a single chain fast food outlet. So pick your stops carefully.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by shan2129

Can I do Nagpur from Delhi in one shot.

With the updated conditions, Yes. If you are used to such long distant sprints, yes again.

Thereafter can I do Nagpur to Bangalore in one shot?

This pretty much what most of them are doing these days. And, this is less stress-free compared to Delhi-Nagpur section.

Considering the fact that body will get tired on day 2 and day 3 I might not be able to reach 1k km mark.

This will depend on how your Day 1 was, how stressful and how peacefully could you sleep for that night for Day 2.

Originally Posted by nav2111

Remember this: From Gwalior all the way up to Devanahalli we didn't spot a single chain fast food outlet. So pick your stops carefully.

From Bangalore to Dehradun via Ghazibad, the following was recommended to both of my friends and they used quite a few of the POIs referred below. Almost all of these are in Bangalore-Delhi corridor. Perhaps it can help next time. And yes, I agree that this route has less options to stop but with proper planning one very well can manage.

Bluemoon

Café Coffee Day, Gooty

Food Pyramid

Sony Family Restaurant

Goel Fuel Station

Malgudi Restaurant

Reliance Fuel Station

Gayatri Family Dhaba/Restaurant

Hotel Mayur

MPTDC, Highway Treat, Rookad

Royal Herigate Garden, Seoni

IOCL Fuel Station

Jalsa Garden Restaurant

Jaltarang Family Restaurant

Satyam Restaurant, Rajakhedi

BPCL Fuel Station

Six Seasons Restaurant, Jhansi

Meadows Grand, Gajraula

Masala Darbar, Bazpur

[Aniket Verma]

Originally Posted by shan2129

Thanks a ton for your reply sire
I am driving from Dehradun to Bangalore.

Quick Info: Have to make a stop in Delhi for some work, a day.

My plan is to drive to Delhi and spend Tuesday night there. Leave from there on Wednesday morning and do Nagpur by nightfall. Considering Maharashtra and increase lockdown situations, Will stick to highways only.

A question here is - I have previous experience of riding 1200-1400 kms in one day, going to Leh-Ladakh. Can I do Nagpur from Delhi in one shot.

Thereafter can I do Nagpur to Bangalore in one shot? Considering the fact that body will get tired on day 2 and day 3 I might not be able to reach 1k km mark.

Dehradun - Delhi : Is no brainer, take the new Saharanpur Bypass & take Kolki exit for Saharanpur - Deoband - Muzaffarnagar Road and then onward to Delhi.

Delhi - Nagpur : Depending upon your stay in NCR, you can take either Yamuna Expressway (South / Central / East Delhi) or GGN - WEP - Palwal - Agra route (West / North)

Delhi Nagpur can be done in 13-14 hrs. with 4 breaks of total of 2 hours

Delhi - Agra - Gwalior - Jahnsi - Sagar - Narsingpur - Seoni - Nagpur

Nagpur - Bangalore : Much faster & better with better amenities than Delhi - Nagpur leg.

Nagpur - Adilabad - Hyderabad - Kurnool - Anantpur - Bangalore.

Depending upon your stamina, you can either drive straight to Bangalore or may take a break at either Hyderabad or Kurnool.