[Trojan]

Originally Posted by pokerface23

Hi, has anyone done this route at night? (Like leaving bombay after dusk?) Could you please share your experience?

Hello Pokerface!

Not sure which route you're referring to but I always drive at night using the Chorla route. Usually leaving either at 10am or 12am from Pune, we cover ground faster.
But I guess night driving is not everyones cup of tea, do it only if you're used to and comfortable.
Hope this helps.

Cheers!
Trojan

[@Chaand]

Did Goa to Mumbai earlier last week. Took the Chorla route.
Left at 10 AM from Goa and reached Andheri 11:20 PM.

Driving Time: 11.00 hours
Stops: 2.0 hours

Had taken the Amboli route for the Mumbai - Goa journey and I was not very happy with it. Hence decided to go via Chorla.

Road quality is decent with very few patchy stretches throughout from Goa to Belgaum.
Please watch out for unmarked speed breakers on the Goa border to Belgaum section.

Further breakup of my drive as below.

Departure: 10 AM from Baga
13:30 - NH4 Belgaum
13:54 - Hattargi Toll Plaza
14:12 - Hotel Kaveri, Tawande Ghat
15:17 - Sai International
20:12 - Pune Mumbai EWay
23:20 - Andheri West

Distance traveled: 613 KM
My AT Honda City returned a FE of 14.3 KMPL.

[alfaromeo1984]

Just returned from Goa yesterday. Had left on the 10th went via the amboli route. The road on the route is very patchy and many unmarked speed breakers. Had left at 5.30 am reached candolim at 4.15p.m after 3 stops on the way.

On the way back took the same route as couldn't take the chorla route as wife can't take too much of winding roads. left at about 10a.m from goa and reached mahim, mumbai at 10p.m. with 4 stops.

Thanks Trojan and Goan for all your help.

[Sawyer]

Originally Posted by @Chaand

Departure: 10 AM from Baga
13:30 - NH4 Belgaum
13:54 - Hattargi Toll Plaza
14:12 - Hotel Kaveri, Tawande Ghat
15:17 - Sai International
20:12 - Pune Mumbai EWay
23:20 - Andheri West

This 13:20 hours elapsed time taken is more credible to me than an earlier report of 9:20 hours elapsed time for the same stretch reported here earlier. Even considering a 6 am start. Certainly this looks like much safer driving.

[phoenixash]

Hi Guys,

Will be driving down to Goa for New Year's Eve, and am planning to leave either late evening on the 30th, make a stopover somewhere after Pune and then reach Goa by early afternoon, or do it all on 31st morning by leaving early around 4AM. Any suggestions for where I can spend the night without going too far off the highway?

Also, how much is the total cost in tolls? The last figure I saw was ~Rs 750, is this accurate? Will having an ETC tag make things faster?

Based on recommendations here am planning to take the Chorla route, where would be the best place to top-up Diesel around Belgaum? Thanks!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by phoenixash

Also, how much is the total cost in tolls? The last figure I saw was ~Rs 750, is this accurate?

Mumbai - Pune Expressway - 195
Khedshivpur - 80
Anewadi - 55
Taswade - 68
Kini - 68
Kagal/Konoli - 50
Hattaragi - 20
Goa Entry - 250
==================
Total - 786
==================

Based on recommendations here am planning to take the Chorla route, where would be the best place to top-up Diesel around Belgaum? Thanks!

In under 5 kms after the Kagal/Kognoli toll ( 50 INR), you have a BPCL COCO before Nippani and is located right here.

This would be around 90 kms before Belgaum.

However, you can as well tank up inside Belgaum city that has few good BPCL and IOCL outlets on Khanapur Road as well. You can make out as there will be a lot of rush here.

[dmplog]

I will be travelling to Sawantwadi next week and need guidance on choosing between Amboli or Gaganbawda route.

I plan to leave at around 5am from Pune and aim to reach S'wadi by 4pm max.
On return, I can't leave before 3pm and I can take overnight stop in Kolhapur.

I am inclined towards Amboli as it's a familiar terrain and you get a decent stretch of NH4 either from Nipani (if via Ajara / Uttur) or Sankeshwar (via Gadhinglaj) onwards.

Any recent experience on Road condition - please share.

[@Chaand]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

Certainly this looks like much safer driving.

Yep. Safe is what I wanted it to be and with family in tow I am not the one to take risks to save on time.
I ensured that I did not cross 100 at any point throughout the journey. On the expressway this was particularly difficult to manage but not at other places.
This not only helped cut down the stress but also led to a smooth journey and more FE as well.
Drive Safe

[suzuki san]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

This 13:20 hours elapsed time taken is more credible to me than an earlier report of 9:20 hours elapsed time for the same stretch reported here earlier. Even considering a 6 am start. Certainly this looks like much safer driving.

Hi Sawyer,
The time of 9 hours and 15 mins was mine and it is not just credible but a fact and if you read other posts of mine in this thread you will see that this time is nothing abnormal. It's usually takes me the same time whenever I do this run - give or take 15 minutes.
In fact I have done Bombay to Goa in a Swift in 8 hours and 10 minutes (with only one stop) but that was a few years ago before the toll booths opened.

Regards,
SS

[1lokesh]

Originally Posted by Sawyer

This 13:20 hours elapsed time taken is more credible to me than an earlier report of 9:20 hours elapsed time for the same stretch reported here earlier. Even considering a 6 am start. Certainly this looks like much safer driving.

Originally Posted by suzuki san

Hi Sawyer,
The time of 9 hours and 15 mins was mine and it is not just credible but a fact and if you read other posts of mine in this thread you will see that this time is nothing abnormal. It's usually takes me the same time whenever I do this run - give or take 15 minutes.
In fact I have done Bombay to Goa in a Swift in 8 hours and 10 minutes (with only one stop) but that was a few years ago before the toll booths opened.

Regards,
SS

First time when I drove down from Mumbai to Goa, it took me a little more than 12 Hrs, return was 11.5 Hrs. Second time, it took me 11.5 Hrs and return was a little less than 11 Hrs. Third time, it only improved.

The point I am trying to make here is that more you get familiar with the route, lesser is the time you take. Because you tend to plan better and improvise.

Considering that suzuki san is a regular on this particular stretch, it is very much possible for him to cover that distance in 9H15m. I would refrain from calling it even 'relatively unsafe driving', unless I have seen him do that.

Everybody has their own style and approach to driving. Depends a lot on co-passengers as well.

Peace,
Lokesh

[dmplog]

Originally Posted by dmplog

I will be travelling to Sawantwadi next week and need guidance on choosing between Amboli or Gaganbawda route.

Any recent experience on Road condition - please share.

Bumping up my own post as I didn't get any response on Amboli or Gaganbawda route!

[Sawyer]

Amboli - Gaganbawda has never been a route with a well surfaced road.

[suzuki san]

Hi Guys,

Drove back down to Goa on the 27th. December via the Chorla Ghat.
Left Bombay at 0515 and reached Mapuca at 1445 hrs.
Nothing new to mention. 9 hours and 30 minutes total with two stops of 40 minutes included. Actual driving time was 8 hours and 50 minutes.
Very heavy LMV and HGV traffic between Poona and Kolhapur made it difficult to make headway. Think it was a mistake to drive on a Sunday.
Had started climbing the Khambhatki Ghat (the one between Poona and Satara) and saw traffic coming down towards me on what should have been a one way system. Was informed by a biker that the road was closed. No reason given. Had to do a U turn (with difficulty) and head back to the start of the ghat where there was now a moderate traffic jam due to all cars u-turning and police doing little or nothing to sort out the mess. Took the alternate one way system through the tunnel.
At Karad got stuck again due to a really long trailer which had jack-knifed across the road. Had to use the small service road alongside the highway. Traffic jammed again!!
Roadworks going on in Belgaum City but did not really affect us.
Police with speed guns also present at the entrance of Belgaum City. They caught the Sumo just in front of me.
Counted 35 speed breakers this time between the Goa entry point and Mapuca.

For those who are interested, three friends drove down in 3 different cars on the 28, 29 and 30th. All of them used the Nipani, Ajara, Amboli, Sawantwadi route and all report it as being in good condition. Just one or two rough patches but nothing to talk about.

Regards,
SS

[dmplog]

Did Pune - Banda (near Sawantwadi) and back this weekend.
Took Pune - Kolhapur - Sankeshwar bypass - Gadhinglaj - Amboli route. The road condition in Amboli ghat is very good except for about 3 kms. I preferred taking Gadhinglaj as it gives me extra few kms on NH4 and after that it's state highway 134.
Total distance was about 400 kms and average I got was 19kmpl (5 people and boot full of luggage)
Started at 4:45am from Pune. 8am Took breakfast break at Sai international. Fueled tankful at BP COCO at Kognoli before Nipani.

[sschivate]

Originally Posted by suzuki san

Hi Guys,

Had started climbing the Khambhatki Ghat (the one between Poona and Satara) and saw traffic coming down towards me on what should have been a one way system. Was informed by a biker that the road was closed. No reason given.

@suzuki san, the highway authorities have started the road widening work (2 lane to 3 lane) in Khambataki ghat. So one probable reason for the road closure is some work involving detonators etc, and they would have planned it on Sunday, presuming less traffic...