[wanderer4x4]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think just go though the city........

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Bellandur-Koramangala-St Johns-Forum-St.Josephs Signal-Right Turn-....

Originally Posted by sswaroop

Since you are going from Bellandur, it is better to take the ORR. Going via Marthahalli and KR Puram as GMaps suggests is best I feel. Going through the city is too much of a hassle when a direct, almost signal free route is available. .......

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Though you are starting on a sunday morning, I would suggest you take NICE road to save time.......

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Stick to the route Ranjitp1 mentions or NICE. Wondering if anyone knows how bad can the Railway crossing get at Goreguntepalya with that ROB work in progress right now and many trains arriving/departing to Yeshwantpur station at this hour or the day......

Originally Posted by HighOctane

Its better to avoid ORR as this junction is slow at morning with trucks starting in the morning. Once I had to spend half an hour at 5 am at this junction.

Thanks guys, for all the above mentioned inputs.
I have completed my trip and am just back from Goa. As suggested by you, I ended up taking the NICE Road through Bennerghatta Road from Bellandur on 28th Dec which I believe was the best route. However still faced heavy traffic right till Tumkur. Stayed for the day at Kali Jungle Resort, Dandeli, did boating and jungle safari and left for Goa the next day at noon via Ramnagar Mollem Ponda NH4 bypass. Old Goa was crowded but manageable.

[indusboy]

An update on the road conditions: I did a BLR-Goa drive this week. I took the Bankapur-Mundgod-Yellapur-Ankola-Karwar-Margao route both ways.

There is a patch of 2 Kms on the Bankapur - Mudgod section that is a work in progress. It is hard mud and work seems to be progressing. No potholes, just not a tar road. Otherwise this road is smooth and I recommend this for anyone going to South Goa.

On my way back I noticed a speed check vehicle in Karwar, as you enter the city limits. Luckily I was driving below 60 KMPH.

[Rabbit80]

Hello to All Team BHPians,
I recently joined this esteemed group and this is my very first post.

Coming to the point, I plan to travel to Goa from Bangalore on the Republic Day weekend.
I will be taking this trip on my Ford Figo Titanium 1.2 along with my wife and two kids. I am quite sure I will be doing it during the day and intend to reach Goa(Anjuna) by 4-5 PM.

I would really like to know from you few tips on the below points. --

--Best route to take & what time should I start?
--How many stoppages should I plan and of how long?
--Anything that I should be aware of, as this will be my first long drive on Highways and the Ghat Sections?

Thanks a lot in advance for your suggestions and Response.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by Rabbit80

--Best route to take & what time should I start?
--How many stoppages should I plan and of how long?
--Anything that I should be aware of, as this will be my first long drive on Highways and the Ghat Sections?

Welcome to TBHP.

--- As early as possible. Especially since it is start of a long weekend. It may be tough to start early while traveling with kids, however try to cross Tumkur road NICE road intersection by 04.00 AM.

Since you mentioned this is your first long drive and through ghat section I would suggest you take Hubli Bye-pass - Ramnagar - Mollem route. There are reports of this road in bad shape around Mollem, however this is wider route and also once you reach Goa you can join NH 17 and proceed north towards Anjuna.

Other option is Belgaum - Jamboti - Chorla road. Road condition is good, however bit narrow roads. You will join NH 17 near Mapusa from where you can proceed to Anjuna.

--- Stoppages and duration depends on your comfort. I guess no one else will be able to suggest on that. There are toll booths and also descent restaurants all along the way. If you feel tired stop near any of the same and take rest. Rannebannur Kamat can be considered as a breakfast option. Also, you can fill up at BP COCO soon after Rannebannur. Do note that petrol bunks are bit hard to find in Goa.

--- Since you mentioned this is first drive on ghats, do remember to use engine breaking. Also, if taking Jamboti - Chorla ghat route do remember to take the corners slow since it is narrow.

[Rabbit80]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

--- Since you mentioned this is first drive on ghats, do remember to use engine breaking. Also, if taking Jamboti - Chorla ghat route do remember to take the corners slow since it is narrow.

I will keep that in my mind

Mod Note: Please quote ONLY the relevant bits of a post. Quoting a full, long post inconveniences our mobile readers.

[sswaroop]

Originally Posted by Rabbit80

intend to reach Goa(Anjuna) by 4-5 PM.

--Best route to take & what time should I start?
--How many stoppages should I plan and of how long?
--Anything that I should be aware of, as this will be my first long drive on Highways and the Ghat Sections?

Thanks a lot in advance for your suggestions and Response.

As mpksuhas suggested, if you want to reach Goa by 4-5pm and only 1 day of driving, you'll need to leave really early. It had taken me about 11 hrs in total including breaks going through Hubli-Belgaum-Chorla-Mapusa-Panjim. I had driven at speeds of 120-130kmph on NH4 and reached Belguam in about 7 hrs including lunch and break for snacks and fuel. Like he said the ghat section on that route from Belgaum is quite narrow at places and I would not recommend night driving at all. So you have to reach Belgaum by 1-130pm. Post lunch you can continue on that route.

[Rabbit80]

Originally Posted by sswaroop

As mpksuhas suggested, if you want to reach Goa by 4-5pm and only 1 day of driving, you'll need to leave really early. It had taken me about 11 hrs in total including breaks going through Hubli-Belgaum-Chorla-Mapusa-Panjim. I had driven at speeds of 120-130kmph on NH4 and reached Belguam in about 7 hrs including lunch and break for snacks and fuel. Like he said the ghat section on that route from Belgaum is quite narrow at places and I would not recommend night driving at all. So you have to reach Belgaum by 1-130pm. Post lunch you can continue on that route.

Thanks a lot swaroop. I will prefer the Hubli Bypass-Ramnagar-Mollem route as suggested by MPKSuhas. and plan to start as early as possible may be around 5-6 AM on friday. And yes I do not intend to do night driving at all, as after a long day's drive it will be quite straining for eyes with the lights from oncoming traffic.

[sumannandy]

Originally Posted by Rabbit80

Hello to All Team BHPians,
I recently joined this esteemed group and this is my very first post.

Coming to the point, I plan to travel to Goa from Bangalore on the Republic Day weekend.
I will be taking this trip on my Ford Figo Titanium 1.2 along with my wife and two kids. I am quite sure I will be doing it during the day and intend to reach Goa(Anjuna) by 4-5 PM.

I would really like to know from you few tips on the below points. --

--Best route to take & what time should I start?
--How many stoppages should I plan and of how long?
--Anything that I should be aware of, as this will be my first long drive on Highways and the Ghat Sections?

Thanks a lot in advance for your suggestions and Response.

Went to Goa recently. If you are going to Anjuna, it would take you about 11-12 hours for conservative driving. So please start early.

The best route to take is Hubli-Ramnagar-Panjim-Anjuna. About 30 kms of this road is in absolutely bad shape, but otherwise it is awesome.

There is a COCO after about 100 kms from Chitradurga, you may have lunch there. There is no decent lunch option after this hotel till Dudhsagar resort. If you want to have lunch earlier, there is also a Kamat near Sira (although in the other side of the road). Other than that not many good restaurants. If you get off the flyover at Chitradurga, there is a nice hotel for lunch.

Once you join NH17 in Goa, get off somewhere near Candolim and take the beach road.

Neelamangala-Hubli should take you about 4-5 hours. Hubli to Panjim should take you another 5 hours.

You may have your evening snacks/coffee at Dudhsagar resort, about 60 kms before Panjim and after you cross the forest.

There are many unmarked speed breakers between Chitradurga to Hubli ruining the drive experience completely.

Usually all toll booths have restroom facilities.

If you are taking this route, Goa side of the ghat is butter smooth, just use engine breaking, there will be few people driving like maniacs using their brakes. Beware of the big buses at the corners, sometimes they take your share of the road.

Enjoy your trip!

[rajag]

Originally Posted by sourav21

Next day took the Dharwad - Ramnagar - Mollem - Ponda route. Destination Varca.
Route is good except for the stretch from the end of the toll road till Goa border which is very bad.

sourav21, I am planning to take this route early next week. How bad was the last stretch? Is it about just driving slowly or grating the undercarriage? Thanks in advance.

[Rabbit80]

Originally Posted by sumannandy

Went to Goa recently. If you are going to Anjuna, it would take you about 11-12 hours for conservative driving. So please start early.

The best route to take is Hubli-Ramnagar-Panjim-Anjuna. About 30 kms of this road is in absolutely bad shape, but otherwise it is awesome.


Enjoy your trip!

Thanks a lot sumannandy!. I was planning to take this route as well. One of my friends also suggested the same. And with kids, I do not plan to drive faster than 80-90 KM/Hr. I think the earliest I can start is 6:00 AM so I should be there by 5:30-6:30 PM which should not be problem. I would really like to avoid driving through Ghat section during dark. Thanks for the tips on lunch and road conditions as well.

[luvurride]

I see a lot of posts about finding no decent restaurant from Chitradurga till Hubli. I have dined at Apoorva Resorts that comes just ahead of Davangere and found it decent with parking and rest rooms. And it is bang on the highway on the side of Bangalore-Hubli.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by luvurride

I see a lot of posts about finding no decent restaurant from Chitradurga till Hubli. I have dined at Apoorva Resorts that comes just ahead of Davangere and found it decent with parking and rest rooms. And it is bang on the highway on the side of Bangalore-Hubli.

Not really. Apurva has been a new entry that exists only since almost a year (or may be lesser) and we were only waiting for someone to confirm.

Prior to Apoorva, Genisis Resort on the other side between Harihar and Davanagere was a very good option who seem to have lost their repute off late that I myself don't recommend. This is very much evident as I could see 20+ cars parked on a Sunday night at Apoorva and hardly a car or two at Genisis. The locals I guess know it better that Apoorva seems like a better bet now!

On the other hand, you anyways had the now defunct Kamat Attached to IOCL just at the beginning of Davanagere bypass, followed by Kamat at Ranebennur which is hardly 30 minutes away and never a let down at least for breakfast.

Add another 30 minutes from here and you get CCD at Shiggaon. Another 20 minutes and you get another Kamat before Hubli.

Ideally, whether one plans Goa or Pune/Munbai is generally advised to start at 5am and most of them just end up doing that. With this, many would almost cross this place at 8:00am and consider it a bad halt for a breakfast (The Term "Resort" & Breakfast don't usually go hand in hand when it comes to Indian Highways you see!).

They hence drive a bit ahead and stop by at Kamat.

[luvurride]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Ideally, whether one plans Goa or Pune/Munbai is generally advised to start at 5am and most of them just end up doing that. With this, many would almost cross this place at 8:00am and consider it a bad halt for a breakfast (The Term "Resort" & Breakfast don't usually go hand in hand when it comes to Indian Highways you see!).

They hence drive a bit ahead and stop by at Kamat.

Very True! Unfortunately, being a late starter in the AM as I am, I end up looking for lunch options when I reach there, hence, Apoorva was a very good choice compared to the spartan Kamats!

[wanderer4x4]

Originally Posted by rajag

How bad was the last stretch? Is it about just driving slowly or grating the undercarriage? Thanks in advance.

I had taken this route during the new year. The bad stretch is between Ramnagar and Mollem. They have filled up the potholes with soil and you should manage with a bit of careful driving. I did not scrape the underbelly even once and I was driving a Honda City. So, I think any car can manage that route.

[bencharles]

If you are driving Bangalore-Goa, I feel the best route is via Belgaum and Chorla Ghat. Just about 30 kms extra to Panaji, but the roads are great (narrow in ghat section). Cater for 4 hrs between Belgaum and Goa if you are driving with family at a leisurely pace with breaks. Just did Panaji-Bangalore in a Polo first week of January. Tolls on NH-4 approx Rs 525/-. Have a safe drive.