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-   -   Madikeri > Mangalore Or Hassan > Mangalore ?? (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-travel-queries/28103-madikeri-mangalore-hassan-mangalore-10.html)

As of now till the road is complete the Mlore-Blore Train is a good bet.

Last month when I traveled by train it was late by an hour, and we were exiting the Shiradi ghat at dawn. So took a few pics. However due to bad light and low battery on my camera they came a bit dull.

I must say the railway route is way more scenic than the road, There are spectacular bridges and it goes through dense forest.

The train service between Bangalore-Mangalore is just amazing. No doubt.
But it will never match the unlimited joys driving thru Shiradi ghats. When can the road become as it was some years ago!!!!!

Thanks zakko, samurai and fillmore.

One road is bad and the other is worse! My Kodagu konnection says not to even venture past Madikere as its about 60kms of 1st/2nd gear.

On the other hand Shiradi boasts of about 15kms of mar's surface craters. If its improved from August 2007 then I can brave it.

The charm and beauty of that ghat is just irresistable :uncontrol

My destination is a little past Bellare.

Anyone who is planning to drive via shiradi should not be in hurry.. or else he/she will sure will scrape the bottom in couple of places...few weeks back when i had visited mlore... i managed get away without a scrape:)

I would say shiradi is the best bet....but have heard lately there has been traffic jams ,...

The only worrying part for me was reversing on ghat.... since all the loops are getting done in parts...both way traffic have to share... so twice i had to reverse since the loaded lorries(construction) dint budge to go back....this was on my way to mlore. so it was lil scary;) reversing on ghat not very easy until you are used to it...

Guys, last week I drove down to M'lore via Shiradi. The roads are bad only for a stretch of about 10kms. Rest of the road is pure delight:). The journey took me 6hrs 30mins to complete. (4:00am B'lore - 10:30am M'lore)

The return journey was done in 5hrs 30mins :). (4:00am M'lore - 9:30am B'lore)

Hi Sushanthr,

Thank you for the post. I am planning to drive down to Mangalore during the first week of May 08. But i see posts from other members regarding the traffic jam on the Shiradi Ghat stretch because of trucks carrying construction material. What was your experience?

prabhu... dont worry dude, you wont have any issues. while going i faced some trucks but on my way back dint find any:) its all about timing i guess heheh

Lohit,
I guess you are right..the time of travel makes the difference. Anyway, i am planning to leave Bangalore early in the morning...between 4 & 5 am. Will post my experience after i travel.

Prabhu, I didn't encounter any traffic jams. If you manage to hit Shiradi in the morning (8:00-9:00) maybe you could escape the construction trucks. Happy journey.

Start in such a way that you reach Neelamangala / NH48 turn by 5:30 - 5:45AM. All the bangalore bound buses will be on NH4 and then entire NH48 will be yours. Enjoy your early morning drive. by 7:30Am you will be in Kamat for Breakfast.

Abhi

True, will be in mangalore by 12ish...it would be really warm so reaching earlier the better!

Friend, I am planning Coorg-Mangalore in the first week of May. Since my last stop in Coorg will be Kushal Nagar, is there any alternative to the Madikeri-Sulya-Puttur-M'lore route which I understand is horrible? Any way I can quickly touch the B'lore-M'lore highway and suffer only 10 kms of bad roads?

Just got back from Mangalore yesterday morning. Went through Madikere, roads are bad but not Horrible, came back through Shiradi ghats, HORRIBLE for 10-15 kms but the rest of it is very good, better to travel during day time.
Went in Skoda, The front bumper scraped many times.

No traffic at all, forget jams. No heavy vehicles ( truck and bus ) on this road.

Shiradi is improving by the day but I would suggest timing it between 7AM-10AM so you can avoid the construction vehicles and road workers.

The pace of work is good. A lot of ground has been covered up since I passed through last last saturday (12th) and when I returned today (17th).

Its all in patches, not for the faint hearted but I enjoyed myself, large portions of the zig zags and curves are in perfect condition.

Once you exit Sakleshpur towards the ghat the driving conditions are excellent for about 10-12kms. The Swifts handling + S.Drive combo really paid of here :)

Regarding the bad stretches, will write later and also got a few pics ;)

Anirudh, thanks for the update mate. I think I will take my baleno in that case.