[krishchatterjee]

Originally Posted by soumobakshi

I am starting on this route on the 3rd of Dec'16 early morning and intend to stopover for Day 1 @ Vizag. Plan to start by 3 AM on Saturday Morning and reach before 9 PM at Vizag.
Day 2, would like to start early again by max 5 AM and target to halt over at the famed Chilika Dhaba for lunch (?) and then reach Calcutta by the night of Day 2.

Do you remember of Good and unadulterated fuel stops with Credit Card facility en-route and good place to eat and take a little break ?

Soumo... look forward to your updates on your proposed trip. I am planning a similar route on 16th of this month. Happy motoring!!!

[soumobakshi]

Leg 1 of my journey (Bangalore to Kolkata) commenced yesterday with my favourite Mughlai Parotta and Fish Cutlet @ our Kolkata home.

Ride Details : Renault Duster 110 PS (2014 Model). I had Fastag RFID Based Sticker and paid toll for the entire circuit, barring one of 25 bucks, by complete cashless mode.

Total distance 1930 Kms covered over a span of 1730Hrs of driving on Day1 (3rd Dec)and 1400Hrs of driving on Day 2(4th Dec)

Impressed by the road condition overall but then at patches work is in progress.

And a few tips that might come in handy.. When you are approaching Orissa border from AP side, you will come across huge pile up of truck and the same while you are leaving Orissa and entering Bengal. Don't fret! Drive on the opposite lane putting your hazard warning lights and reach the toll booths and zoom ahead..

And do remember that in Orissa the right of way belongs to the 2 wheeler and they are allowed to "fly " in the fast lane, slow land, middle lane and Opposite lane at varying speeds.

And now time for some Pics including my Starting and Closing Odo readings

[soumobakshi]

Originally Posted by krishchatterjee

Soumo... look forward to your updates on your proposed trip. I am planning a similar route on 16th of this month. Happy motoring!!!

Updated above, let me know if you want any specifics

[verma_rahul]

I have a trip coming up from Bangalore to Jamshedpur. Plan to leave on the 24th Dec. Wouldn't mind having another car as company. Do PM me if someone wants to tag along!

Cheers!

[raaj.bhalla]

Hi Guys , due to train tickets not getting confirmed and flight tickets being too expensive, I am planning to drive down from Bangalore to Bhubaneswar. It will be me, my wife and twin boys aged 6 years. Though I am still to break the news to my wife that I am planning this, so I need inputs to convince her that it will be a breeze.

I am planning to leave early morning from Bangalore and spend night at Vijayawada which is about half way to Bhubaneswar. Then leave Vijayawada early morning and reach Bhubaneswar. It will be for in Skoda Rapid 1.5 TDI Manual.

1) What route I should take?
2) What are best breakfast and lunch options?
3) Anything I need to be wary of?

Pls help as my plan is to leave on 21st.

[nibedk]

Originally Posted by raaj.bhalla

Hi Guys , due to train tickets not getting confirmed and flight tickets being too expensive, I am planning to drive down from Bangalore to Bhubaneswar. It will be me, my wife and twin boys aged 6 years. Though I am still to break the news to my wife that I am planning this, so I need inputs to convince her that it will be a breeze.

I am planning to leave early morning from Bangalore and spend night at Vijayawada which is about half way to Bhubaneswar. Then leave Vijayawada early morning and reach Bhubaneswar. It will be for in Skoda Rapid 1.5 TDI Manual.

1) What route I should take?
2) What are best breakfast and lunch options?
3) Anything I need to be wary of?

Pls help as my plan is to leave on 21st.

1) I would suggest you to take Bangalore - HYD - Vijayawada on Day 1.
You have shorter route via Tirupati-Nellore but it will take almost the same time via Hyd.

You can take the ORR before entering the city and get out to NH5 at exit 11. You won’t even need to enter the city. I have done Bangalore-HYD multiple times around 610 kms within 8.5 hours with breaks in between. Without breaks I did once in around 7 hrs.

Start early from Vijayawada preferably around 4:00 AM and you should be in Bhubaneswar before sunset. Do not enter Vizag but take the State High near Anakapalle. This road is good and will allow you to bypass Vizag completely.

HYD-Vijayawada is doable in 3 hrs. So if you can start around 4 AM in the morning you should reach Vijayawada before evening.

2) Multiple options on NH7 between Bangalore and HYD and NH5 has multiple options as well.

3) Nothing to be wary off as such unless you plan to drive beyond 8 PM in the night. Berhampur will have a deluge of trucks when you enter. With a Skoda Rapid TDI not much to worry about as such. Hoping you have a top end model which has all the security features. Make sure all are belted up especially 6 year old kids. Keep all hydrated and stock yourself with eatables.

P.S: Recently did HYD-BBS in a single day in little more than 16 hours. We do at least 2 trips per year from Hyderabad to BBSR. If you drive long distance regularly it should be breeze else it all depends on your wife's and kid’s temperament. We have done multiple 1 K and above drive in a single day but all depends on your luck. A small traffic jam/road blocks and the time of the day when you go through the major cities will decide how early or late you reach your destination.

Start early , drive at optimum speeds (driving at 120 or 140 may just have a 20 km difference but you will be tired a lot more mentally if you drive at 140 and the average speed gains will be not more than 5 km/h) and stop by sunset. Follow these basic simple rules should make your journey a breeze.

[sdp1975]

Originally Posted by nibedk

1) Do not enter Vizag but take the State High near Anakapalle. This road is good and will allow you to bypass Vizag completely.

I took the Anakapalle bypass in October and it was terrible. Potholes and trucks with blinding lights - I could hardly see anything and crashed into potholes several times.

While returning , I came through the city and found it better. Although there's traffic and signals , I would prefer to take this and not the bypass.

raaj.bhalla - I took my twin boys 6 years to Kolkata in October. The best route will be the Bangalore-Hyderabad-Bhubaneshwar route. Don't take the 4th Godavari bridge at Rajahmundry , take the usual AH45.

You can stay at APTDC Berm Park at Vijayawada - it's a great location to stay at.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by raaj.bhalla

1) What route I should take?
2) What are best breakfast and lunch options?
3) Anything I need to be wary of?

Pls help as my plan is to leave on 21st.

1. Better to take tirupati route. you can easily reach vizag by evening( 5 am to 9pm)
Next day you can reach BBSR by afternoon
Entire stretch is good. Traveled last month. Started at Rajamundry 2.30PM. reached bangalore by 5 AM.
Bangalore-Mulbagal - 4 lane
Mulbagal-Naidupet - old two lane but smooth tarmac.
Naidupet-BBSR- 4 lane.
Plenty of food options in the entire stretch.
5 AM start means, one can reach Chittor by 7.30-8 AM. not much traffic. One can go inside town and have breakfast at Vishnu Bhavan. Otherwise there are plenty of options on the highway. Just before Kolar there is a MTR on the left side of the road and Vasudeva Adigas on the right side. But it will be too ealry for a 5 AM start.

There is very good restaurant just above the toll booth at Ongloe. Neat and clean rest rooms, food is good. Card payment accepted. There is lift provision on both sides of the road for accessing the restaurant.

[nibedk]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

I took the Anakapalle bypass in October and it was terrible. Potholes and trucks with blinding lights - I could hardly see anything and crashed into potholes several times.

I took the route in June 2016 and have been using the same for last few years. Just follow the Google map and you should be fine. I have photos of the road as well. Well not NH5 quality but I have not found it as bad as you have mentioned. Its SH31 if I am not wrong but need to cross check.

I am not sure if it has gone bad after I last travelled on road.

Anyway I follow a simple rule. Stick to the NH after sunset unless and until there are no other options.

Originally Posted by rkg

1. Better to take tirupati route. you can easily reach vizag by evening( 5 am to 9pm)

If one takes the HYD route then the whole trip till Vijayawada should not take more than 12-13 hrs.

Taking the Tirupati route is at least 3 hours more. The route may be good but not as good as NH7 where one can drive with an average of more than 80 km/h continuously. A good driver can even average 90 km/h without actually taking any undue risks.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by nibedk

If one takes the HYD route then the whole trip till Vijayawada should not take more than 12-13 hrs.

Taking the Tirupati route is at least 3 hours more. The route may be good but not as good as NH7 where one can drive with an average of more than 80 km/h continuously. A good driver can even average 90 km/h without actually taking any undue risks.

I have been traveling in the route for the past 7-8 years.
As already mentioned above we took 15 hours from Rajamundry to Bangalore last month including bio breaks, dinner and tea breaks 5-6 times. We never crossed 100 kmph at any time during the entire travel.
5 am start will enable a person to reach vizag by 9 PM on the same in this route.

[nibedk]

Originally Posted by rkg

I have been traveling in the route for the past 7-8 years.
As already mentioned above we took 15 hours from Rajamundry to Bangalore last month including bio breaks, dinner and tea breaks 5-6 times. We never crossed 100 kmph at any time during the entire travel.
5 am start will enable a person to reach vizag by 9 PM on the same in this route.

Well then taking the HYD route will take not more than 12-13 hours is what I am saying. The distance may be more but time taken is less. And one doesn't even need to touch any major cities. HYD will be bypassed using ORR completely.

[raaj.bhalla]

Thanks friends. Looking at all the suggestions and after deliberation I think I will take the BLR - HYD-VJWDA route. And then move on to Bhubaneswar. Though would have loved to stop at Vizag for the night but with kids, not opting for that. Trip is not finalized though and I wish my train tickets to not get confirmed!

Any idea how much toll I will have to pay!

[KD007]

Blr - kol via tirupati about 1900 and via kurnool about 2200

[rkg]

Originally Posted by nibedk

Well then taking the HYD route will take not more than 12-13 hours is what I am saying. The distance may be more but time taken is less. And one doesn't even need to touch any major cities. HYD will be bypassed using ORR completely.

Iam talking of 15 hours for Bangalore-Rajamundry which is around 820 km via tirupati and 1000 km via hyderabad ORR.
Bangalore-hyderabad-viziawada route much higher speeds are possible, but time taken is almost same or little more than tirupati route.
Bangalore-Viziawada via Tirupati is 660km where as it is 835 via Hyderabad route. why one has to take a longer route when there is no savings in time?

[nibedk]

Originally Posted by rkg

Iam talking of 15 hours for Bangalore-Rajamundry which is around 820 km via tirupati and 1000 km via hyderabad ORR.
Bangalore-hyderabad-viziawada route much higher speeds are possible, but time taken is almost same or little more than tirupati route.
Bangalore-Viziawada via Tirupati is 660km where as it is 835 via Hyderabad route. why one has to take a longer route when there is no savings in time?

Well isn't 12-13 hours lesser than 15 hours.

I am trying to convey that taking the HYD ORR route should not take more than 12-13 hours to reach Vijayawada . Isn't that two hours of savings.

Try once the HYD ORR route. Its better to drive 1000 kms in 12-13 hours than to drive 820 kms in 15 hrs. Longer the drive more the frustration and fatigue.