[kannan666]

Originally Posted by vint

Hi friends, planning for a Rod trip to Goa from Bangalore with family, sometime towards end of the month. Tentative dates: 26/dec-30/dec.

You can also take the Shivamogga route and plan your night stay at Jog Falls. The week you are going is peak time in Goa, make sure you confirm your bookings well in advance, normally prices during this time is also double, sometimes even triple !

[anandtheleo]

Originally Posted by anvancy

Hello folks.

Well I am not planning my drive from Bangalore but from Hampi towards Goa as part of my roadtrip.

Thanks for the help!

Did the trip from Hampi to North Goa yesterday, roads till Hubbali is great, just that it's concrete road and felt bumpy (in my empty Hexa). Took the Mollem route and it's great overall with some minor diversions.

After Mollem avoided the Panaji route and took the back route to Vagator. Left at 6am and was in Vagator by 12.30, drove very relaxed and never crossed 100, ghats were even slower. Perks of a solo drive!


The police checking on the Mollem road is there and set my cruise control to 58 and breezed past them, i could literally see the disappointed eyes of the cops when i passed.

Hope this helps!

[rajivtelang]

One of my relatives is traveling from Goa to Bangalore and has MH registered vehicle. Considering the tensions at MH- KA border I feel the Ankola-Yellapura-Mundgod-Bankapur- Bangalore route could be safe compared to others. Perhaps Yellapura to Hubli also could also be OK IMO.
Another option could be Anmod ghat but not sure about the condition. In August when I travelled it was horrible.
There are two senior citizens traveling and hence need some safe and comfortable route. Please recommend in current scenario.

[Freebird82]

Quick update :

Did Blr - Goa drive on 17th Dec. The route taken was standard Blr - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Hubli - Ramnagar - Anmod - Mollem - North Goa.

The drive was fairly okay, no new/unexpected surprises. The conditions mentioned by other travellers persist :

1. Nelamangala - Tumkur stretch has some potholes, probably for abt couple of kms, need to slow down to 50-60 kph to navigate.

2. Post Tumkur roads are good till Ramanagar left turn on Hubli - Dharwad bypass.

3. Roads leading to railway crossings are still unpaved, though some have potholes and some have been leveled to an extent.

4. Under construction stretches between Ramnagar and Anmod remain, but are navigable by sedans as well. Total drive time over such patches is 10-15 mins cumulative. Just need to be little patient.

5. Roads in Goa are smooth and wonderfully marked, as they have been for sometime.

[jishispogo]

Guys traveling to Goa (South Goa, Velim, to be precise) from Bangalore with wife and a 2 yr old kid on 24th Dec.
My start point is Yelahanka. Map shows the following route -
Nelamangala - Tumkur - Sira - Chitrdurga - Hubbali - Dharwad - Mollem - Velim
How safe is this stretch, and how is the road condition? We are planning to start at around 430 AM.
Also, if anyone is planning to travel to Goa on 24th can tag along

[enygma]

Originally Posted by jishispogo

How safe is this stretch, and how is the road condition?

Came back via this route yesterday. As mentioned in the post just above yours by FreeBird82, this route is fine for sedans as well. Download Google map for this area to your phone since you wouldn't have mobile connectivity around the ghats. A few patches between Anmod and Ramnagar will slow you down and also around some flyover construction areas. Be careful navigating the sudden potholes in the Tumkur bypass section and the undivided 2 lane road between Hubli and Dharwad.

[Freebird82]

Hi Jishi

Road conditions are overall satisfactory (please refer to my earlier post for some details). Safety wise the route is similar to other options as all stretches will have some jungle sections/ghat sections interspersed with villages. Just ensure that the rear seat passengers are also safely buckled in as there could be occasions where you would have to brake hard (esp in ghats).

Having said that this route sees fairly regular traffic so you wont get the feel of a lonely wanderer

Starting at 4.30 would work well as you would be ahead of the Blr-Dabaspete-Tumkur traffic that in my experience starts coming onto the road (Yeshwantpur) by 6.

For context, I did this route with wife / 4 year old kid.

Originally Posted by jishispogo

Guys traveling to Goa (South Goa, Velim, to be precise) from Bangalore with wife and a 2 yr old kid on 24th Dec.
My start point is Yelahanka. Map shows the following route -
Nelamangala - Tumkur - Sira - Chitrdurga - Hubbali - Dharwad - Mollem - Velim
How safe is this stretch, and how is the road condition? We are planning to start at around 430 AM.
Also, if anyone is planning to travel to Goa on 24th can tag along

[1lokesh]

Hi All,

Quick question, if anyone is aware about a good place to stay overnight for the stretch between Bangalore-Goa. I plan to leave along with family around 3PM and intend to drive for about 5 hours. Rest of the drive next day morning. For reference, When I was in Mumbai, we used to stay at Fairfield by Marriott in Belgaum. Anything similar along the route?
Thanks much in advance.
Cheers

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by 1lokesh

Hi All,

Quick question, if anyone is aware about a good place to stay overnight for the stretch between Bangalore-Goa. I plan to leave along with family around 3PM and intend to drive for about 5 hours. Rest of the drive next day morning. For reference, When I was in Mumbai, we used to stay at Fairfield by Marriott in Belgaum. Anything similar along the route?
Thanks much in advance.
Cheers

Hubli has lots of good options and makes it an ideal location to stay if you want to drive 5-6 hours and break your journey.

President Hotel, Fern Residency, Fortune Park are few of them.

[motorpsycho]

Originally Posted by 1lokesh

Hi All,

Quick question, Bangalore-Goa. I plan to leave along with family around 3PM and intend to drive for about 5 hours. R Anything similar along the route?

Cheers

Since you plan to leave by 3PM, in 5 hours you will be near Hubli, Fortune Park is near the Airport and very near to the Hubli Dharwad ByPass, you can quickly continue your journey onward from there.

[Crhysis]

Travelled from Bangalore to Goa yesterday.
Left from central Bangalore at 11am and reached Dona Paula by 8pm.
Took the Bangalore - Hubli - Ramnagar - Anmod - Panjim route.
Took a slight detour as suggested by Google Maps via Verna instead of coming through Kadamba plateau to avoid some traffic on the usual route.

Drove down after a year, but this one of the better and faster drives along this route, after a long time.

Freebird82's post perfectly sums up the areas to watch out for.

Originally Posted by Freebird82

Quick update :

Did Blr - Goa drive on 17th Dec. The route taken was standard Blr - Tumkur - Chitradurga - Hubli - Ramnagar - Anmod - Mollem - North Goa.

The drive was fairly okay, no new/unexpected surprises. The conditions mentioned by other travellers persist :

1. Nelamangala - Tumkur stretch has some potholes, probably for abt couple of kms, need to slow down to 50-60 kph to navigate.

2. Post Tumkur roads are good till Ramanagar left turn on Hubli - Dharwad bypass.

3. Roads leading to railway crossings are still unpaved, though some have potholes and some have been leveled to an extent.

4. Under construction stretches between Ramnagar and Anmod remain, but are navigable by sedans as well. Total drive time over such patches is 10-15 mins cumulative. Just need to be little patient.

5. Roads in Goa are smooth and wonderfully marked, as they have been for sometime.

[Bailey]

Thanks Crhysis, Freebird82 & enygma. I assume then its safe to take this route now to Goa from Bangalore rather than via Karwar as was suggested few months back by Senior BHPians and regular drivers on this route for low GC sedan's.

We drive from Cochin to Bangalore on the 25th, Bangalore - Goa on the 26th, Back to Bangalore on the 30th & 31st to Cochin.

Was originally planning to take the route as suggested by Dr. AD #5719 via Karwar. I am still inclined to return via that route as the Goa police checking is a bit milder on that route as per previous experiences. A quick handshake and you can be on your way.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by Bailey

I am still inclined to return via that route as the Goa police checking is a bit milder on that route as per previous experiences. A quick handshake and you can be on your way.

The police checking is crazy on the anmod route. We were 4 adults and 2 children in an xl6 with an overstuffed boot and they made us all get down ( thankfully the kids were allowed to remain in their car seats) and checked every inch of the car including opening the arm rests while all the luggage was taken out and shaken to see if there were any bottles. In all spent close to 15 mins.

And that too this check was after the Goa police themselves had stopped us twice, once for emission/insurance and then a courtesy check for liquor. Thankfully let us go without offloading the luggage.

I don't remember it being this bad last year. Only the glovebox and then a casual look at the boot and they asked us to go.

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

The police checking is crazy on the anmod route. We were 4 adults and 2 children in an xl6 with an overstuffed boot and they made us all get down ( thankfully the kids were allowed to remain in their car seats) and checked every inch of the car including opening the arm rests while all the luggage was taken out and shaken to see if there were any bottles. In all spent close to 15 mins.

And that too this check was after the Goa police themselves had stopped us twice, once for emission/insurance and then a courtesy check for liquor. Thankfully let us go without offloading the luggage.

I don't remember it being this bad last year. Only the glovebox and then a casual look at the boot and they asked us to go.

Many years back when we were travelling with our pet Lab, they insisted that he too got down from the car, removed his hammock and checked inside hoping to find something.

The Karwar point was that way quite simpler during our trip last year. Do you have anything. Yes. Give me something and go. Thanks. Bye.

[Freebird82]

This is interesting. When we were returning during our April'22 trip through Anmod route, the cop first peeped inside, saw 3 adults and a child and then politely asked "Sir kuch hai to nahi na". I replied equally politely "Sir ek bottle hai but opened and half full, I can show".

He smiled and waved us to move on.

Reminds me of the famous line from the incomparable Altaf Raja - "woh daur doosra tha ye daur doosra hai"...

Originally Posted by anandhsub

The police checking is crazy on the anmod route. We were 4 adults and 2 children in an xl6 with an overstuffed boot and they made us all get down ( thankfully the kids were allowed to remain in their car seats) and checked every inch of the car including opening the arm rests while all the luggage was taken out and shaken to see if there were any bottles. In all spent close to 15 mins.

And that too this check was after the Goa police themselves had stopped us twice, once for emission/insurance and then a courtesy check for liquor. Thankfully let us go without offloading the luggage.

I don't remember it being this bad last year. Only the glovebox and then a casual look at the boot and they asked us to go.