[meetarin]

Originally Posted by Pritamthebull

Quick update. Since I did not get any opinions on my 'ambitious' plan (being a single driver), I have decided to extend the trip by another day. So here's the plan now - Day 0: Bangalore to Vijaywada; Day 1: Vijaywada to Vishakhapatnam (couldn't find anything decent after that for miles); Day 2: Vishakhapatnam to Bhubaneshwar/Puri (just in case); Day 3 - BBSR/Puri to Haldia.

Let me know if this looks comfortably feasible. TIA!

This is completely feasible. Day 0 should be a breeze. Day 1 is again less number of kilometers so no worries. Start early on day 1 and day 2 to avoid morning jams of Vijayawada and Vizag. The roads in Odisha are in quite bad shape (Oct update) due to ongoing constructions. To add to the woes are wrong side driving and cattle on the road. Just be careful. Bon voyage!

[Blacktop]

Originally Posted by Pritamthebull

Quick update. Since I did not get any opinions on my 'ambitious' plan (being a single driver), I have decided to extend the trip by another day. So here's the plan now - Day 0: Bangalore to Vijaywada; Day 1: Vijaywada to Vishakhapatnam (couldn't find anything decent after that for miles); Day 2: Vishakhapatnam to Bhubaneshwar/Puri (just in case); Day 3 - BBSR/Puri to Haldia.

Let me know if this looks comfortably feasible. TIA!

Pritam, your original plan is perfectly feasible. You can go a bit aggressive as well and cover it with just one stop.

You can drive from Bangalore to Vishakapatnam on Day1. On Day 2 you can easily drive from Vishakapatnam to Haldia. I did that route in 2014(Bangalore to Kolkata). From what I understand, since then, the section between Bangalore and Chittor is fully widened so you would not have to drive through the narrow patches some time after crossing Kolar.
Also you are going till Haldia only which is relatively southern compared to Kolkata.

All this is assuming that your 2.5 year old is nothing like my 3 year old and lets you drive peacefully without getting too cranky in the car!

Wish you a Happy and safe journey.

[Blacktop]

Originally Posted by cos.sec

Planning to drive to Kolkata from Bengaluru in the first week of February. Is it possible to do it in 2 days with early starts.

Yes. Do note that it won't be a relaxed drive though. You will have to maintain decent speeds but it is certainly do-able and many tbhpians including myself have done it.

[Thumping Soul]

We are planning another trip to Kolkata early summers (mostly in April). However, wanted to know if there's a way to bypass Vizag?

Google shows a route, leaving NH16 just after crossing Anakapalle. Below is the screenshot:



Please let me know if someone has taken this route or is aware of the road conditions on this alternate stretch.

[ssjr0498]

Hello,

I am planning to do Blr-Kol on the 2nd of April! I have heard that the road conditions from Naidupeta to Vizag are pretty bad.

So I was checking my options! Did you happen to take this route? If yes, how was it?

If not, did you take the normal route via Vizag? How long did it take

Requesting the other Bhpians to chime in, if they have done the Blr-Ccu route recently

Thanks

Originally Posted by Thumping Soul

We are planning another trip to Kolkata early summers (mostly in April). However, wanted to know if there's a way to bypass Vizag?

Google shows a route, leaving NH16 just after crossing Anakapalle. Below is the screenshot:

Attachment 2125825

Please let me know if someone has taken this route or is aware of the road conditions on this alternate stretch.

[Avikbrio]

Originally Posted by ssjr0498

Hello,

I am planning to do Blr-Kol on the 2nd of April! I have heard that the road conditions from Naidupeta to Vizag are pretty bad.

So I was checking my options! Did you happen to take this route? If yes, how was it?

If not, did you take the normal route via Vizag? How long did it take

Requesting the other Bhpians to chime in, if they have done the Blr-Ccu route recently

Thanks

I am driving solo to Kolkata from Bangalore on 2nd April as well. I will be halting at Vijaywada on Friday night and Brahmapur on Saturday night. The recommended route (which another BHPian did a couple of months back) is via Hyderabad-Vijawada-Bhubaneswar-Kolkata. Let me know if you would be interested in driving together.

[Thumping Soul]

Originally Posted by Avikbrio

I am driving solo to Kolkata from Bangalore on 2nd April as well. I will be halting at Vijaywada on Friday night and Brahmapur on Saturday night. The recommended route (which another BHPian did a couple of months back) is via Hyderabad-Vijawada-Bhubaneswar-Kolkata. Let me know if you would be interested in driving together.

Sent you a DM! Please check.

Even I'm planning to start on 2nd April. We all can team up.

[meto]

Originally Posted by Thumping Soul

We are planning another trip to Kolkata early summers (mostly in April). However, wanted to know if there's a way to bypass Vizag?

Google shows a route, leaving NH16 just after crossing Anakapalle. Below is the screenshot:

Attachment 2125825

Please let me know if someone has taken this route or is aware of the road conditions on this alternate stretch.

I travelled from Bangalore to Kolkata on 26th March. Suggest you not to take this detour to bypass Vizag. This is a new road under construction and while 50% of the road is excellent, the remaining 50% looks like war zone with multiple foot deep craters. With most of the trucks taking this detours, it takes a toll on the car as well as the driver to navigate through this stretch. Its better to stick to NH-16.

[Pritamthebull]

Since I was a single driver and had a two and a half year old as one of the passengers, my route was this:

Day 0 - Bangalore to Vijaywada (14 hrs drive incl breaks and in-city traffic)
Day 1 - Vijaywada to Vizag (10 hrs drive all incl)
Day 2 - Vizag to Bhubaneshwar (12 hrs drive all incl)
Day 3 - Bhubaneshwar to Haldia (10 hrs drive all incl)

Did not get much bad roads, roads were pretty decent for most of the journey. Once you get out of Vizag and head towards Orissa, the new 6 lane highway is a treat (I like to call it the butterway).

All the best! Drive safe!

[Thumping Soul]

We are planning or return trip to Bangalore from Kolkata on 18th June.

Any new update on the current road conditions and especially the Vishakapatnam bypass.

[Avikbrio]

I am driving CCU-BLR on July 16th-18th. Currently I am doing it solo. If anyone is looking to travel at the same time, please do let me know.

[abhi_trekker]

I am planning to drive down solo from Kolkata to Bangalore next week. I have couple of questions on the route.
1) I will have a RT_PCR Test report with me , apart from that do I need to have e-pass for all the states through which the vehicle will pass?

2) How are the roads now in August ,since most of India has experienced the first half of the monsoon. Are there any stretches which I need to be mindful of? I have heard certain parts of Orissa were under repair but do not have clarity over that.

3) I am planning to follow this route.
Day 1 : Kolkata to Brahmapur
Day 2 : Brahmapur to Vijaywada
Day 3 : Vijaywada to Bangalore

Any current inputs on the route will be very helpful. Is the Hyderabad route better than this? Please advise.

[Firestarter0508]

Originally Posted by abhi_trekker

I am planning to drive down solo from Kolkata to Bangalore next week. I have couple of questions on the route.
1) I will have a RT_PCR Test report with me , apart from that do I need to have e-pass for all the states through which the vehicle will pass?

2) How are the roads now in August ,since most of India has experienced the first half of the monsoon. Are there any stretches which I need to be mindful of? I have heard certain parts of Orissa were under repair but do not have clarity over that.

3) I am planning to follow this route.
Day 1 : Kolkata to Brahmapur
Day 2 : Brahmapur to Vijaywada
Day 3 : Vijaywada to Bangalore

Any current inputs on the route will be very helpful. Is the Hyderabad route better than this? Please advise.

1. e-pass won’t be required to cross the state borders. Our only interaction with Police was in Gopalpur; we were asked to show hotel booking while entering the town.
2. You are likely to encounter not-so-good roads in Orissa, especially lot of diversions till Khordha. Heard from others that they have been fined for over-speeding (>80 km/h) while crossing Bhadrak or Baleswar. So please keep it in your mind while crossing these stretches.
We decided to spend some time in Vizag (Rishikonda beach, Marine drive etc.) on our way from Gopalpur to Vijaywada. If you don’t have such plans then try to avoid NH16 route through Vizag, otherwise you may end up spending lot of time in traffic.
3. Plan is fine as long as you can find a decent hotel in Brahmapur. Alternatively, you can consider hotels in Gopalpur or Swosti Chilka.
Drive from Vijaywada to Bangalore was a breeze barring a section of single road after Naidupet. Route via Hyderabad is likely to take more time.

[abhi_trekker]

Originally Posted by Firestarter0508

1. e-pass won’t be required to cross the state borders. Our only interaction with Police was in Gopalpur; we were asked to show hotel booking while entering the town.
2. You are likely to encounter not-so-good roads in Orissa, especially lot of diversions till Khordha. Heard from others that they have been fined for over-speeding (>80 km/h) while crossing Bhadrak or Baleswar. So please keep it in your mind while crossing these stretches.
We decided to spend some time in Vizag (Rishikonda beach, Marine drive etc.) on our way from Gopalpur to Vijaywada. If you don’t have such plans then try to avoid NH16 route through Vizag, otherwise you may end up spending lot of time in traffic.
3. Plan is fine as long as you can find a decent hotel in Brahmapur. Alternatively, you can consider hotels in Gopalpur or Swosti Chilka.
Drive from Vijaywada to Bangalore was a breeze barring a section of single road after Naidupet. Route via Hyderabad is likely to take more time.

Thank you very much for the replies.It was very helpful indeed

[ravisghosh]

Great to see folks having travelled from Bangalore to Jamshedpur.

I will be doing this trip on Oct 30. Haven't decided the stopovers and interesting places to check out.

Here is the rough route: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?m...1136967973&z=8

Right now, it is just me going solo in Chevrolet Sail Hatch.

Any suggestions to great places to check out, stay, or eat?