[anainar]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

While we talk about bigger/smaller, powered/powerless, Smaller/larger wheel-based tyres to do this beautiful (barring Haveri-C'Durga Stretch), I feel, it is good to have done an ample amount of Highway driving before attempting on the timelines.

Agreed totally! Ample highway driving helps in maintaining average speed with least amount of risk, however good the roads are. I dont intend to try consciously to reduce the time as well. If it happens, well and good, if not, hey we have all the time in the world while driving.

Some how this early morning driving did not appeal to me. First time tried to start at 4:30 in the morning from Koramangala, felt sleepy near Coffee day, had to stop and take a nap for couple of hours in the car. I did that and started again by 8:40 AM from that place to reach Pune at 7:30 PM. Last trip was the best time by me so far.

And today, to my whole surprise, while visiting NTTF in Peenya, was able to cover the distance in less than an hour, starting at 8:30 in the morning from Indiranagar. Another hour and I possibly could have reached Tumkur.

Nainar

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by anainar

And today, to my whole surprise, while visiting NTTF in Peenya, was able to cover the distance in less than an hour, starting at 8:30 in the morning from Indiranagar. Another hour and I possibly could have reached Tumkur.

Nainar

The key point is uncertainity. the Yashwantpur-peenya-nelamangala road is under construction, plus city traffic plus the floating traffic makes it prome to frequent traffic jams or snail speed traffic. if you are lucky then you can cover this 25+KM stretch in 30-45 minutes. if you get stuck it would take 2 hours.

personally i prefer Hebbal-Yelahanka-Dodballapur-Dobbaspet - Tumkur strech. As i stay in yelahanka, this distance is only few KM more than the yeshwantpur -nelamangala route. it takes about 75 minutes to reach Tumkur from Yelahanka. plus less Toll (only 12 RS from dobbaspet to Tumkur)

[manish123]

I plan to go from B'lore to Mumbai this weekend. I plan to start at about 2pm, make a halt somewhere in between and then reach mumbai the next day. Could anyone please recommend, where should I halt. Am looking for a nice, clean and decent hotel. Also, since I plan to reach on Saturday the 22nd (one day prior to ganesh chaturthi), afternoon, is there any specific time that i should avoid entering mumbai? Please suggest. Thanks

[hvkumar]

Suggested places for overnight halt - Davangere - Hotel Pooja International, and Belgaum - Hotel Sankam Residency.

No specific problems in Bombay at midday, all the Ganpati traffic problems are in the evenings only.

[manish123]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Suggested places for overnight halt - Davangere - Hotel Pooja International, and Belgaum - Hotel Sankam Residency.

No specific problems in Bombay at midday, all the Ganpati traffic problems are in the evenings only.

Thanks Kumar for your prompt reply.

[viveklk]

Originally Posted by manish123

I plan to go from B'lore to Mumbai this weekend. I plan to start at about 2pm, make a halt somewhere in between and then reach mumbai the next day. Could anyone please recommend, where should I halt. Am looking for a nice, clean and decent hotel. Also, since I plan to reach on Saturday the 22nd (one day prior to ganesh chaturthi), afternoon, is there any specific time that i should avoid entering mumbai? Please suggest. Thanks

Manish,
Consider Bangalore traffic in your plan. Belgaum is a good place to halt as it's exactly midway between Bangalore & Bombay. Roughly take 7/8 hours to hit Belgaum. Road from Haveri till Bombay is excellent.
If you go little inside in Belgaum (1 to 2 kms from Sankam Residency) there very good hotels to stay. Milan, Adarsh Palace, Sanman are few very decent hotels.

Ganapti Baappa Moraya! Happy Driving!

[VJ_MAVRICK]

Manish! Since you are starting @ 2PM, you should reach Belgaum around 10 PM and as Kumar Sir suggested Sankam Residency is a good place to stay over by the night. But since you are leaving @ 2PM, hitting the highway and leaving the traffic behind is realistically around 3:30 to 4PM and again based on that, halting @ Davengere is a good idea.

As others pointed out, the road is decent enough for you to enjoy the drive and have a safe one.

[StarVegabond]

I would second what HVK said

I also highly recommend Sankam Residency.
Food is simply great. Breakfast buffet is fabulous.

i suggest that you take the Yelahanka-Doddaballapur-Dobbaspet road to reach tumkur. it would take approx 75 minutes to reach tumkur from Yelahanka.

Again it would depend on which part of Bangalore you start from.
if you are starting from south bangalore, then it would take you appox 2.5 hours to reach Tumkur itself.

Davangere to Haveri road is not great, but full of still pending consturction sites.
but if you cross Haveri BP then it would take about 2.5 hours to reach Belgaum as road is very good.

i suggect based on your starting time, avg distance covered you can decide where you stay.

[anainar]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

i suggest that you take the Yelahanka-Doddaballapur-Dobbaspet road to reach tumkur. it would take approx 75 minutes to reach tumkur from Yelahanka.

I have done this road as well as regular Yeshwantpur route. Dobbspet road is around 20 kms more with two railway crossings. If you are unlucky, be prepared to lose time.

In my recent trip a month back, both ways I took the usual Yeshwantpur route and it did not take too much time. And this is at 7:00 AM in the morning starting from Koramangala. Sure, there are deviations, but the main bottleneck of Yeshwantpur flyover has opened.So, you can reach Tumkur in @ 2.5 hours from Koramangala which is not that bad.

This week end I intend to drive as well, but I am planning to start at 1:00 PM and drive continuously to reach Pune by 01:00 AM or before.

Nainar

[manish123]

Thanks Vivek, Mavrick and Star Vegabond for all your input. What if I plan to leave by 12 noon. Do you think I will be able to make it to Belgaum by about 8pm considering that I wouldn't be going beyond 100-110kmph. Or else, are there good places to stay in Hubli? If I reach Davanagere at about 8pm, I would stay there, but if I reach there earlier, I would prefer to go further as this way, I will be able to spread my distance on the both days. At about 12noon, which is the best way to leave b'lore? would this "Yelahanka-Doddaballapur-Dobbaspet" be relatively free than the normal neelamangala route? I would be starting from koramangala.
I have also been reading that certain sections after davangere are not good. If anyone has any any specific details about any sections, please do share with me (including the avg speed in those sections..so that I can plan my trip accordingly).
Thanks

[prince_pervez]

I heard Hotel Niyaz is pretty good for its non-veg food. Just in case if you are interested in non-veg food.

[JVH]

Sankam residency is near the NH4 highway. The food there is excellent. No second thoughts about it.

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

I heard Hotel Niyaz is pretty good for its non-veg food. Just in case if you are interested in non-veg food.

You have to go inside the city to taste Niyaz food. Niyaz Biryanis are yummy

[hvkumar]

Road near Ranebennur (Davangere-Haveri stretch) is rough.

Better to go on to Belgaum via Hubli-Dharwad bypass and stay there instead of going into Hubli. In Hubli, I think Hotel Ananth Residency may be a good choice?

Sankam is just off the NH4 (100 metres or so) and is the best place to stay for a motorist.

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

In Hubli, I think Hotel Ananth Residency may be a good choice?

Hotel Ayodhya is also an OK choice. 500 bucks for 24 hours. Not bad for a one night stay. Food is also not bad. Only thing is its a little far off from the Highway. They have a car park too.

[SAHIR.KITTUR]

please free to PM me if you need more info on Belgaum.