Team-BHP - Pune - Indore - Gwalior - Kanpur - Allahabad - Varanasi - Hazaribagh

Planning for a trip from Pune to Guna (M.P) in the first week of January. I understand the best route is - Pune -> Ahmednagar -> Shirdhi -> Dhule -> Indore -> Guna.

Would like to know the route conditions and facilities enroute since I will be travelling with family and a 2 year old. Particularly route conditions between Indore and Guna(will be covering it in the night for the onward journey).

I know the Pune Nashik highway is now in very good condition and on a recent trip to Shirdi found Ahmednagar (bypass) till Shirdi road not to be in such good condition. Should I take the Nashik route ? TIA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy.tripathy (Post 4101559)

Pune - Nashik - Dhule - Indore - Guna is the best route. If you start early from Pune you can reach Guna by evening. Normally the Dewas - Guna road is not in the best conditions so avoid driving in dark on this patch as road will be without divider and full of pot holes and trucks. At least this was the case couple of years ago.

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy.tripathy (Post 4101559)

I just returned from Agra yesterday and brunt my hands on the following two routes. Completely avoid them at all costs.

1. Dewas - Pachore - Biaora
2. Pachore - Astha. (Road after Astha is still manageable though)

Biaora - Guna is a fantastic four lane road.

There are a few diversions after Indore till Dewas / Maksi. It can slow you down considerably.

From Pune, I took Nasik highway till Sangamner. Then went onto Loni - Shirdi - Manmad - Malegaon.

It is essentially a single carriage way road with a few rough patches.
From Malegaon right uptil Indore the roads are excellent dual carriageway.

As for the facilities enroute, you should be fine. There are plenty of good places to stop by and have food.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ObsessedByFIAT (Post 4512397)

From Pune, I took Nasik highway till Sangamner. Then went onto Loni - Shirdi - Manmad - Malegaon.
It is essentially a single carriage way road with a few rough patches.
From Malegaon right uptil Indore the roads are excellent dual carriageway.
As for the facilities enroute, you should be fine. There are plenty of good places to stop by and have food.

Thanks for the update.
I am planning to do the Pune- Bhopal route on Saturday. Have done 2 return trips with the preferred route always being Pune - Ahmednagar - Shirdi - Malegaon - Indore - Bhopal, travelled last in April 2016.

Do you suggest that the Pune- Nasik leg is a better option these days? Can you please share any more specific points to note if I were to take this route instead of going to Ahmednagar?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMachine (Post 4515508)

Do you suggest that the Pune- Nasik leg is a better option these days? Can you please share any more specific points to note if I were to take this route instead of going to Ahmednagar?

I would say it depends on where you will be starting from. If you stay closer to Nagar road, then Nagar highway should be fine.
Else if you are going to start from pcmc area, then Nasik highway is good. Though the four Laning work is yet to be completed in the village areas like Ale phata, Narayan Goan etc. Apart from these small stretches the road is in great condition. If you start early from home (4 or 5 am) you should be able make good time. From there on the sangamner - Dhule route is easily manageable.

Let me know if you need any additional information. Would be happy to help!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ObsessedByFIAT (Post 4515526)

Thanks!
I stay in Warje near Chandni Chowk, so for me taking either the Nagar road or the Nasik option is pretty much the same in terms of reaching the main highway sections. Since I have always used the Pune - Nagar section in the past, hence not sure how the Nasik highway fares.

In your view, how long does it take approx from Pune to Nasik (am planning to start at 5 am)? Do I need to enter Nasik city or is there a bypass option available to go to Malegaon? If yes, what to watch out for in terms of road signages when taking this Nasik bypass?

If possible, will you be able to list down the small towns between Pune and Malegaon - where you faced not-so-good road conditions?

Again, thanks a lot for your views.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMachine (Post 4515567)

Thanks!

If possible, will you be able to list down the small towns between Pune and Malegaon - where you faced not-so-good road conditions?

Again, thanks a lot for your views.

I have never gone through Nasik, so not really sure how long it might take. I have always travelled on the following route though:

Chinchwad - chakan - Manchar - Alephata - Sangamner ( we need to make a slight right turn on the Nasik highway and then a proper right trun to Loni where the road bifurcates into two) - Loni - Shirdi - Manmad - Malegaon.

I started off around 2:30 AM and had already hit the NH3 by around 8 AM including 30 mins break at Loni.

Sangamner - Shirdi is a single carriageway and has good surface. A new layer of tarmac was being laid when I crossed this strech.

Shirdi is four lane. Be careful of jaywalkers near the Shirdi temple though. This place never sleeps. You will always find some amount of tourists on the road.

Shirdi - Kopargaon - Yeola - Manmad - Malegaon is all single carriageway and there are a few uneven patches here. Though there are some excellent patches as well with proper road markings.

Beyond Malegaon it's all good.

Forgot to add one point about the Pune - Nasik highway.
Just before the turn off for the Sangamner, there is a small ghat section .
There are some hopeless painted rumble strips here. They also have those metal things which light up at night. ( Sorry, don't know what they are called? Reflectors maybe?)
These rumble strips need to be tackled carefully and slowly as they can unsettle the car. I drive an EcoSport and do not feel comfortable on this small patch.

Hope this helps!

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoshMachine (Post 4515567)

I did Bhopal - Pune - Bhopal in July'18. And I took the Nashik route as I wanted to personally check the 4-lane-ing of this route. I wasn't disappointed overall. Except for the Rajgurunagar - Narayangaon section, the entire route was 4-laned. Hopefully it would have progressed more in the last 5 months.

If you start at 5am, it would not take you more than 3 hrs (or even less, depending on your driving :D) to reach Nashik. After you cross Narayangaon, you would not believe how quickly Nashik arrives. The road is smooth with hardly any traffic & you can maintain consistent speed.

As you approach Nashik, after crossing the Darna river bridge, the last 2km patch of the road turns back to the old 2-lane dualC. After the said 2km, as you enter city limits, stay to the left & do not get on the flyover that goes to Nashik city. Then under the flyover, make a right for Jail road, then on to Jatra/Ozar-Nandur Naka road, which opens at AB road.
This route is kind of Nashik Bypass in off-peak hours & should not take more than 15-20 minutes. Consult Gmaps for a clearer idea.

Also, to get in & out of Kothrud, Pune, I took the BOM-BLR highway, then Hinjewadi road to Wakad-Bhosari BRTS road which then becomes/merges into Nashik highway. You probably know this, but just in case.
Hope it helps. Safe travels.