[Musaafir]

Originally Posted by ampere

But what we see on roads is exact opposite! Trucks drive on the right most lane and they overtake via the center lane. Most cars drive on center or the fast lane (right) and over taking some times happen from the left most lane !

The reason being left is perennially occupied by local trucks/tractor and two wheelers. And thanks to that; the heavy vehicles almost always use the right most lane! Sad but that is the state of our highways.

Yes, it's a sad scene. There is a complete lack of social discipline in many places, including roads. Fortunately, there are quite a few drivers who follow the lane discipline on the Mumbai - Pune expressway. Also the queues at the expressway toll gates are quite orderly compared to other toll gates in Maharashtra.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by Musaafir

In a three lane road, the middle lane is for cars. If some car needs to overtake another vehicle in front, the car should use the first lane to overtake and again go to the middle lane and continue driving. Trucks are supposed to drive in the third lane and use the second lane to overtake. First lane therefore is expected to be empty for overtaking.

This image from Wiki also says so:



Also happened to stumble upon this beautiful image from the interwebs:


Perfect for a long exposure shot in the night for light trails! I think this image was clicked from the old Mumbai-Pune highway.

What scared me the most was this thread - God saved me on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway (in a VW Polo)

I hope all goes well!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Perfect for a long exposure shot in the night for light trails! I think this image was clicked from the old Mumbai-Pune highway.

Yes taken from the old highway, the only 2 long hair pin curves on the expressway are on the stretch shown in the pic.

I hope all goes well!

Trust me, it will. At least 70-80 runs on the expressway in a WagonR by now that often is referred as suicidal (by those who drove it at 60 and planned a doughnut) and I can tell you that with sane speeds, every section of the expressway is safe.

Honestly, these accidents on the expressway should not be your worry at all. Ensure that you are soft on the pedal whenever you know that the road is curving.

Towards Pune, soon after the Lonavala exit, there is right hander on the incline where you must remain cautious followed by the left hander near Sinhaghad institute.

Then comes the last right turn at the end of expressway which was a famous accident spot and now you have rumbler stripes and tires hanging on the barrier on the left with a flashing warning light too.

That said, Have a safe trip !

Additional Tip: See if you can smartly time your drive such a way that you do Pune-Satara-Karad between 6-8am to avoid miscellaneous traffic.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

At least 70-80 runs on the expressway in a WagonR by now

Woah! Looks like you are a veteran along these routes. With a 200k on the WagonR odo, I bet you are!

Originally Posted by paragsachania

That said, Have a safe trip !

Thanks! I am going to need it.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Additional Tip: See if you can smartly time your drive such a way that you do Pune-Satara-Karad between 6-8am to avoid miscellaneous traffic.

We were planning to cover this stretch around 3 PM. However, in case I feel tired we have a plan B - booked our company's transit house in Pune for an overnight stay so we could depart Pune on 10th early morn, reaching Karad by 8 AM.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

We were planning to cover this stretch around 3 PM. However, in case I feel tired we have a plan B - booked our company's transit house in Pune for an overnight stay so we could depart Pune on 10th early morn, reaching Karad by 8 AM.

3PM you are asking for trouble. Slowly the traffic is going to build and. Pune-Kolhapur is about 200km and I am sure you will clocks more than 4 hours in spite of it being a 4-lane. That speaks about the traffic on that stretch.

Add to it Pune bypass itself and the tolls.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Woah! Looks like you are a veteran along these routes. With a 200k on the WagonR odo, I bet you are!

Crossed your current territory (Surat) many times too and I hope next time I do that (sometime soon) we shall meet.

We were planning to cover this stretch around 3 PM.

Should easily work well for you. Pune bypass will take 30 minutes. 2 Tolls at Khedshivpur and Anewadi before you reach Karad but during that time of the day, you should not face issues. Like mentioned earlier by other members, be super careful for the next 30 kms after the first toll booth after Pune. Lots of misc traffic, too many gaps in the medians, wrong side riders, too many restaurants, petty villages, haphazardly parked cars along the first lane.

May be I can relate all this to crossing Surat Bypass during evening !

However, in case I feel tired we have a plan B - booked our company's transit house in Pune for an overnight stay so we could depart Pune on 10th early morn, reaching Karad by 8 AM.

Yes, a 6am Start too would easily take you to Karad in 2 hours with usual cruising speeds.

Originally Posted by ampere

Pune-Kolhapur is about 200km and I am sure you will clocks more than 4 hours in spite of it being a 4-lane.

He's driving only till Karad amp. So an easy one there as the second set of misc traffic starts from Islampur Textile Park (after Karad) all the way till Kolhapur and continues till Kagal town which is an easy 45 kms that would consume an hour.

[CANPUSH]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

Proposed travel plan - leave Surat by 5:30 AM on 9th so we can reach Thane around 10 AM (non-stop averaging 90-100 kmph). Have breakfast at Thane and leave for Pune. Reach Pune by 3 PM. Leave Pune after a tea break around 3:30 PM and reach Karad before 7 PM.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

We were planning to cover this stretch around 3 PM. However, in case I feel tired we have a plan B - booked our company's transit house in Pune for an overnight stay so we could depart Pune on 10th early morn, reaching Karad by 8 AM.

@Gannu_1 , If you leave Thane soon afre breakfast @ 10.30, you should be crossing Pune by 1 pm. Spending an hour for lunch, if you resume by 2 pm you can still reach Karad by 5.30 pm, assuming you drive at 60~80 kmph. If you are faster you can reach even before. But my advice: Do not drive faster than 100 kmph.

Road is good and safe. few small diversions between Pune and Satara as the road widening work is going on.

If you are not adventurous driver, the road, including expressway is very safe. I am driving on both Pune-Karad and Pune- Mumbai stretches several times every year over last 30 years and not faced any problems in terms of safety. Road conditions keep on varying, however, at present they are good. (My last trip to Karad was on 15th March and to Mumbai on 27th March.)

So go ahead without much to worry.

Best wishes,

[Gannu_1]

Guys, first off thank you so much for all the tips. Needless to say, they were very helpful.

We started from Surat around 5:30 AM and reached Karad around 4 PM with 3 stopovers im between - one for the chai-naashtha around 7 AM, the second for breakfast at a hotel just before the branch that connects to the Bombay-Pune expressway around 10:30 AM and the last one for lunch at Kanase Dhaba, Satara with BHP'ian kauzy around 2:30 PM.

The expressway drive was good and went safely. We were cruising at 80-90 kmph and stuck to the middle lane. Being sunny, I was wearing a pair of sunglasses, then we entered the tunnel and it was pitch dark inside! I failed to realise I was wearing these until my friend asked me to take them off! That was a stupid stupid moment.

But the roads were choppy in comparison to the Vadodara-Ahmedabad expressway which had a much better surface - very very smooth with no cuts and patches. Paid Rs. 195 at the toll and felt really sad at the road conditions.

There was minimal traffic from Pune to Karad. The road was okay with some diversions here and there. The best part was, it rained after Satara! Felt really good.

My heartfelt thanks to members Trojan, Musaafir, Parag, ampere and CANPUSH.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

But the roads were choppy in comparison to the Vadodara-Ahmedabad expressway which had a much better surface - very very smooth with no cuts and patches. Paid Rs. 195 at the toll and felt really sad at the road conditions.

Glad to know that the drive went well. Rain must have been the best experience in scorching heat I would say.

The Vadodara-Ahmedabad expressway is usual asphalt while the MPE is concrete all the way. Plus the NE1 is almost arrow straight end to end.When I drove GQ Anti-clockwise in Oct 2013, the surface was bad but when I drove back north again in Jan 2014, the surface was super good as it was relaid.

However, the MPE cuts through the hills on western ghats and has lot of long sections built on viaducts and flyovers & couple of long tunnels and few short tunnels add to the driving fun.

Of course, from what I know (If I am right), the surface has not been relaid ever since it became operational 12 years back! With the age and the traffic density, Its has held on well till now.

[ABS9]

Originally Posted by Avid trekker

Thanks @ampere, paragsachania, canpush for your inputs.
A big thank you shoutout to suzuki_san (post#1144) for the detailed driving directions to access the Chorla road via Belgaum exit. Absolutely spot-on details.

Attaching an update on the Goa route via Belgaum and Chorla (a big thank you to my friends ABS9 & Gajju who have compiled the details)

1. Pune to Satara : Good, fast zone; Few potholes and few diversions; Inter-mediary village/town traffic; Slow traffic near toll-booths
2. Satara to Kolhapur : Good, fast zone; Inter-mediary village/town traffic; Slow traffic near toll-booths
3. Kolhapur to Belgaum : Very good, fast zone; Totally pothole free; Slow traffic near toll-booths
4. Belgaum to Sanquelim (via. Chorla ghat) : Very good, medium zone; Newly laid road; occasional pothole on Chorla ghat in Goa; Single road, less traffic, few sharp curves

Thanks again suzuki_san for the detailed exit route via Belgaum. Without it I am sure we would have inadvertently spent more time doing 'Belgaum Darshan' instead of being in Goa

We have compiled a printable spreadsheet (refer #1332) that first time travellers can use for reference. Hope it helps.

[shreeps]

Hi Everyone. I will be attempting a first time drive along with some friends and their families from Pune to Goa (to be specific - Club Mahindra Resort Varca Beach) in a couple of weeks. I'd greatly appreciate advice on the best route and any helpful tips.
Will be traveling by car (3 cars in all) with Kids ranging from 4-12 years.

I did read nec2152's advice to go via Sanquelim but not sure if that is optimum for me considering I need to go to Varca.

Also, thinking of stopping in Kolhapur on the way. So any pointers on decent place to stay and must visit places too will be helpful

Thanks in advance.

[Trojan]

Originally Posted by shreeps

I did read nec2152's advice to go via Sanquelim but not sure if that is optimum for me considering I need to go to Varca.

Hi Shreeps,

Go via Sanquelim eventually, you will end up on the main Mumbai - Goa highway which you can take to proceed down south. This route is much better!

I have never stayed in Kolhapur as usually if you time your drive well you can reach the same day.
However, if you're staying over, try to leave early morning from Kolhapur as it will help you evade the Belgaum traffic and also beat the heat apart from enjoying the early morning ghat drive through Chorla.

Have a safe trip!

Cheers!
Trojan

[ABS9]

Originally Posted by shreeps

Also, thinking of stopping in Kolhapur on the way. So any pointers on decent place to stay and must visit places too will be helpful

Hi Shreeps,

Well, this is from about a year ago. We stayed at Hotel Panchshil and found it quite good and reasonably priced. You can get more information from their website and I think they accept online bookings as well. Again, we stayed over at Kolhapur as a stop-over during a long drive - and the only place we ended up visiting early next morning was the Mahalaxmi temple, which apparently is very famous.

As for the route to Goa, I would recommend the Chorla ghat route. It is really very good. One or two sections where you will find some potholes - but the rest of the stretch is simply awesome.

Have a good and safe trip.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by shreeps

Also, thinking of stopping in Kolhapur on the way. So any pointers on decent place to stay and must visit places too will be helpful

- Opal
- Raysons Regency

These are two best places.

[Simhi]

Originally Posted by shreeps

Also, thinking of stopping in Kolhapur on the way. So any pointers on decent place to stay and must visit places too will be helpful

Thanks in advance.

You can consider staying at Hotel Atria.

Apart from Mahalaxmi temple, Don't miss covering Siddhagiri Museum at Kaneriwadi (10kms) from temple.