[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by vijayendra16

Hi All,

Anyone done the Bangalore-Goa trip recently? I am leaving in the next 4 hours and wanted to check which is the best route to take.
Thanks in advance.

Hey, I just drove from Goa to Bangalore last week. I took the most common and widely used road for this transit. In your travelling order it will be Bangalore-Hubli-Kalghatgi-Yellapur-Ankola-Karwar-Goa.
The roads are fantastic throughout.

[vijayendra16]

Thanks AskKamath. I am going to Candolim, would this route be better or through Belgaum-Chorla as suggested by others? Thanks.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by vijayendra16

Thanks AskKamath. I am going to Candolim, would this route be better or through Belgaum-Chorla as suggested by others? Thanks.

I drove 3 weeks before via Chorla. It remains in best condition. Also I had driven to Candolim via Chorla in March.
You have 2 options to approach Candolim via Chorla route.
The fork point if Sanquelem. From this place you could drive to Old Goa, NH4A and then NH17, Cross Panaji's Mandovi Bridge and Turn left and follow the route leading to Candolim.
Other option is to take the Mapusa Route and approach Candolim cutting NH17 here. This will be little longer but reasonably faster as you don't have to cross Panaji area.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by vijayendra16

Thanks AskKamath. I am going to Candolim, would this route be better or through Belgaum-Chorla as suggested by others? Thanks.

As already mentioned by Parag, the Chorla ghat road is better and faster than Karwar route as you will be spending longer period on NH4 (upto Belgaum instead of Hubli) and Chorla has lesser traffic than Karwar route.
If you choose this route, while exiting Belgaum there is a Y fork road with Panaji sign board towards left fork road. That road takes you to Goa via Ponda. Avoid that road and take the right fork which is Chorla ghat road.Once you enter Goa you will end in T junction at Sanquelim. For old Goa - Panaji route you take a right at T junction and again a right after 200 meters. The road passes through Amona steel bridge, Marcela, Banastarim. At Banastarim T junction take a right turn, pass a bridge and all the way to Candolim via Old Goa and Panaji.
The other route is to take left at Sanquelim T junction and follow the road via Mapusa.
Contrary to the common belief,Old Goa Panaji route is advisable as it is shorter, you will NOT pass thru Panaji city.(you will just pass on the outside of Panaji passing over Mandovi river). Take immediate left turn after Mandovi bridge, and drive down 100 mtrs to another T junction. Now take right and follow the road via Malim - Betim - Verem - Nerul -Candolim. (From Panaji bridge candolim is about 10 kms or less.
Mapusa road will have more traffic to reach Candolim. For Anjuna or Vagator may be Mapusa route is advisable but not Candolim as Candolim is very close to Panjim albeit on the opposite side of river Mandovi.
Karwar route will see you drive about 100 Kms in narrow Goan roads to reach Candolim via Canacona, Madgao, Panjim and the traffic may frustrate you if you enter Goa in day time.
Hope that helps.
Rgds, Ashok

[rednikhil]

Originally Posted by vijayendra16

Hi All,

Anyone done the Bangalore-Goa trip recently? I am leaving in the next 4 hours and wanted to check which is the best route to take.


Thanks in advance.

If you're heading to North Goa or Panaji, hit Belgaum and turn left on the Jamboti/ Chorla route. It's bliss throughout the 620 km.

[niranjanrvce]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

The other route is to take left at Sanquelim T junction and follow the road via Mapusa.
Contrary to the common belief,Old Goa Panaji route is advisable as it is shorter, you will NOT pass thru Panaji city.

Hi Ashok, thanks for such superbly detailed directions. Google maps seems to show the Mapusa route as shorter by 1km to the Old Goa route: https://www.google.co.in/maps/dir/Be...15.5145247!3e0

Does this show the two routes being discussed correctly? Or is google taking me through a non-existent road somewhere (has happened to me in the past). I am travelling from B'lore on Friday and will reach this T-junction around 4-5pm so looking for the least-traffic route from there on.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by niranjanrvce

Hi Ashok. Google maps seems to show the Mapusa .

Hi Niranjan, it is possible that Mapusa road is shorter by 1 Km. It all depends on where your final destination will be. If it is Anjuna, Vagator, Mandrem, Arpora then
Mapusa route is advisable. Else Old Goa route is preferable. I am biased towards old Goa route as I stay at Vasco (Central Goa) and that is the closer route and I know it better than Mapusa route.
I am in Bangalore since last 2 week and will be returning to Goa shortly.
Rgds, Ashok

[asethi]

Bhai log, am driving to Varca beach Goa this friday from Bangalore, so what would be the best/fast route? Google/here maps show NH4/4A route via Dharwad, how good shape is this route in?

Another query, one side I'll travel via Jog Falls - so any recommendation for overnight stay very near to Jog which is not so expensive? I don't want to stay at Shimoga.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by asethi

Bhai log, am driving to Varca beach Goa this friday from Bangalore, so what would be the best/fast route? Google/here maps show NH4/4A route via Dharwad, how good shape is this route in?

Another query, one side I'll travel via Jog Falls - so any recommendation for overnight stay very near to Jog which is not so expensive? I don't want to stay at Shimoga.

Avoid the NH4A route and instead go via Hubli-Yellapur-Karwar-Varca (NH63)

For Jog,nothing to beat the KSTDC Mayura Gerusoppa.Dont stay at Tunga block which is a disappointment.Stay at the Sharavathi blocks which is by far the best .http://www.karnatakaholidays.net/kar...s_jogfalls.htm

[vijayendra16]

Thank You All. Bangalore - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Hubli - Dharwad - Belgaum - Chorla -Mapusa route is indeed awesome with toll road. The route to Chorla was wonderful particularly on return as it was raining and we were in clouds

While going towards Goa, made the mistake of switching on my friend's GPS which routed us through M K Hobli and the roads were bad for about 40 kms i believe. Everything was back to normal once we joined the main and the better route.

Thanks to all. Goa was wonderful and it was raining.

P.S - I wasnt aware that they have started charging Rs 250 as entry fees to Goa.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by asethi

Bhai log, am driving to Varca beach Goa this friday from Bangalore, so what would be the best/fast route? Google/here maps show NH4/4A route via Dharwad, how good shape is this route in?.

While coming you come to Jog and then to Goa.
While returning, as Ranjit suggested take the Karwar-Ankoka-Yellapur-Kalghatgi-Hubli NH4 to Bangalore.
The idea is while returning, it would be one long beautiful road. The above route is fabulous. I did it 10 days back. The abovd route is better than other as Varca is in South Goa, about 10 - 12 kms south west to Madgao.
Any place in North Goa then Belgaum Chorla route is good.
Rgds, Ashok

[champ27]

I did Bangalore -Goa last week. While going I took the following route:

Bangalore - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Hubli - Dharwad -MK Hubli- Khanapur - Mapusa route

I took the exit from NH4 at MK Hubli primarily to avoid Belguam city traffic, not a wise decision though. The roads were patchy, pot holed with loose stones littered intermittently. Would not advise anyone to take this route.

While coming back, I took the usual Belgaum route and it was fantastic. I got stuck in the city traffic for a brief while but other than that no complaints. This is the best route from Bangalore to North Goa. The time taken through both routes were almost same.

[srikanths1]

I did Bangalore - Goa - Bangalore 3 weeks ago.

I took the Bangalore - Hubli - Belgaum - Jamboti - Calangute (Goa) route for the onwards journey. I left Yelhanka at 5:30 PM and maintained a steady pace all the way till Belgaum with a break at Kamat (between Harihara & Rannibenur). It was almost midnight by the time I reached Belgaum. I kind of got lost within the city trying to figure out the exit to Jambotti. While mapmyindia misled me towards sawanthwadi road, google maps came to my rescue. Thankfully I retraced only a couple of kilometers from the Sawanthwadi exit. The exit from Belgaum to Jambotti is slightly narrow as it winds through village after village. Guess it would be traffic prone during the day time. But once I got past Y exit towards Chorla, the roads were nothing but splendid. The clouds had descended onto the road and the visibility was reduced to a few meters, all I could see was white wall right in front me all the way till the entry checkpost for Goa. Imagine a pitch dark winding road completely covered by fog. The roads are well bordered with reflectors in the KA side but the reflectors disappeared once I entered GA. However the condition of the road is excellent throughout. Reached my hotel at 3:30 Am

On the return I did the usual Calangute - Karwar - Yellapur - Hubli - Bangalore leaving Panjim at 5PM and arriving at Yelahanka around 3Am with a break at Kamat (near Hubli). The Yellapur forest road which was recently relaid has already started seeing potholes. Am sure it will get worse with the monsoon. However timing was it seems it was almost the same (though my onward journey was marred by some Bangalore traffic). Overall I think the Jambotti route is currently the best bet, thanks to the notes from fellow BHPians.

Just a small note, be careful about speed breakers and rumblers between harihara and hubli. There are 2 speed breakers on the onward side. However its the rumblers that suddenly pop up making life difficult.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by srikanths1

I took the Bangalore - Hubli - Belgaum - Jamboti - Calangute (Goa) route for the onwards journey.

When you say Jamboti, I am sure you took the Chorla-Sanquelim route to reach Calangute?

I kind of got lost within the city trying to figure out the exit to Jambotti.

The smartest thing to do after you reach Belgaum is ask (or feed) for Khanapur.
Khanapur road is the one that leads west from Belgaum and forks out soon after Belgaum. While the left of the fork goes towards Khanapur, its the right that leads to Chorla (The preferred route to be taken for Goa these days).

The exit from Belgaum to Jambotti is slightly narrow as it winds through village after village. Guess it would be traffic prone during the day time.

The traffic is indeed thick till the Khanapur-Chorla fork out and is generally a pain if the railway gates are closed. Otherwise, right after this fork all the way till you reach Sanquelim, the traffic is very lean all through the day.

The roads are well bordered with reflectors in the KA side but the reflectors disappeared once I entered GA. However the condition of the road is excellent throughout.

The KA Part was was completely done only recently and now its full fledged with all the markings and reflectors even at the border. Earlier, we did have couple of really bad sections around the border.

Just a small note, be careful about speed breakers and rumblers between harihara and hubli. There are 2 speed breakers on the onward side. However its the rumblers that suddenly pop up making life difficult.

This has been a major pain when driving on NH4 and you are greeted with those killer speedbreakers.

The one you are referring to is exactly where the Harihar bypass forks out (North-South corridor). It comes soon after crossing the Tunga-Bhadra river bridge if driving North and soon after paying that 95/- toll before Harihar.

It is definitely well marked but it is also obvious that many would get carried away while driving on the beautiful tarmac often not reading the warning signs!

The rumblers you have mentioned exist between Haveri-Shiggaon-Hubli Circle and in fact these are the locations where they have more than one warning sign(s) (Go Slow, Speed Breaker Sign, Accident Zone) along with Flashing Orange lamp post that only a non-attentive driver would miss that.

[asethi]

Just back yesterday from Goa. The overall route was Bangalore - Jog Falls - Murudeshwara - Goa - Ankola - Hubli - Bangalore, I must say the drive was just awesome!
It's been continuously raining all along in the ghats. The roads are all freshly tarred in the ghat section including the NH-17 and what a breeze to drive on!
Did the return journey Goa (Varca) - Bangalore (Whitefield) (~650kms) in almost 11.5hrs including 2 breaks for 1hr45mins total.

Here's a glimpse of the drive: