[Rajiv-Bang]

Originally Posted by pkumar

If am starting from bangalore at 4-5 am (for Hassan), is it worth taking Magadi route, or should i stick to neelmangala?
I would assume at this time Neelmangala route would not offer much resistance, thus i should be equally fast.

I took the Magadi Road while driving to Chikmagalur in Feb & while returning took the Neelmangala route only to be frustrated. Return trip was a nightmare & i understand not much has changed even now on the Neelmangala-Peenya stretch.

Magadi road is much better option with roads freshly laid except a few kms of bad roads in Magadi town.

[sushrutha]

Originally Posted by Rajiv-Bang

Magadi road is much better option with roads freshly laid except a few kms of bad roads in Magadi town.

These days one can find heavy traffic on Magadi Road.
Hell lot bikers + busses driven rashly due to the smooth surface of the road.

[deehunk]

After you cross Kengeri Satellite town, you get a place called Kumbalgodu. 4 km from this place there is a right turn to the road connecting Magadi town, follow this road to reach Magadi and then join the SH connecting to Kunigal. I go to know this route from my colleagues who travel to Hassan every weekends.This road map is also available on Google.
The other route which I mentioned on Magadi road is the one which leads to Nelamangala via tavarekere and sondekoppa. You can escape the traffic on Tumkur Road by taking this route. The roads were being relaid on this stretch when I last travelled about 4 months back.

[Rajesh K R]

Originally Posted by sushrutha

These days one can find heavy traffic on Magadi Road.
Hell lot bikers + busses driven rashly due to the smooth surface of the road.

You are right. I have now driven about 6-7 time in the Magadi Road now, but last 2 times have observed the increase in traffic and also impatient drivers.

[ampere]

Choosing the right time of the day, hopefully should make the difference. But one may not have a tight control for the arrival time. While going out of Bangalore should be OK.

[pkumar]

I drove through Kunigal a couple of days before.
Started from Mekhri circle around 5:30 am. Crossed Nelamangala in 35 minutes. Another 45 minutes to Kunigal.
Thus i believe in the early morning hours one can still opt for this route.
But on the way back yesterday, the same route was very very messy. i reached Nelemangala at around 4:45pm and it took slightly more than an hour to reach Mekhri circle.

[prguru]

Reactivating the old thread, thought this route needs an update.
Had been to kunigal via magadi road yesterday i.e 13July must say the road is in pretty good shape. I stay in Nagarabhavi so felt taking this route will be nearby . There are small bumps here and there but hardly noticeable . If you want to take a road with less traffic and greenery around , do take this route. Can't do high speeds of 100+ since its not a double road but you can peacefully cruise around 60-70 and enjoy the drive.

[null]

Originally Posted by prguru

..Had been to kunigal via magadi road yesterday i.e 13July must say the road is in pretty good shape. ...

Coincidentally even i went by this route to kunigal yesterday on a two wheeler. The road is good, but you need to be careful of those crazy pvt buses if you dont know the route well.

[ampere]

If one is staying close to Kengeri, another option would be drive to Big Banyan tree and there on to Manchanbele dam. This road continues to the other side of Savandurga and directly leads to Magadi town.

[addyhemmige]

Originally Posted by ampere

If one is staying close to Kengeri, another option would be drive to Big Banyan tree and there on to Manchanbele dam. This road continues to the other side of Savandurga and directly leads to Magadi town.

There is another option which I used to take to reach Kunigal from Rajarajeshwarinagar. From Kengeri, take the Kengeri-Tavarekere road via Kommaghatta-Hoskere lake-Yelachaguppe. This will more or less avoid the busy Tavarekere-Gollarahatti (NICE junction)-Sunkadakatte stretch and is the faster option to reach Kengeri. At Tavarekere, you will join Magadi road.

After many years, on the day-before-yesterday early morning, I drove to Shravanabelagola via Magadi on SH 85 before joining NH 48 few km ahead of Kunigal bypass. The road condition was good in general and without much traffic.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

After many years, on the day-before-yesterday early morning, I drove to Shravanabelagola via Magadi on SH 85 before joining NH 48 few km ahead of Kunigal bypass. The road condition was good in general and without much traffic.

How is crossing Magadi town? Is it still in the same condition? IT would have really good to have a bypass for this town.

Originally Posted by ampere

How is crossing Magadi town? Is it still in the same condition? IT would have really good to have a bypass for this town.

Since I drove in the early morning, there was not much traffic. The road skirting around Magadi fort was 4-laned with damaged sections here and there. But, I did not face any congestion or problem while driving.

[Fauji]

Take the road as Ravi suggested if you are driving in the morning. It is a pleasure now that the rains have turned Arkavati valley green. After 8 AM the road see lot of two wheeler traffic slowing you down.