[Stribog]

Hey guys, driving down from Mumbai to Chennai but have to stop over in Bangalore for a day, so have some questions. It's the first time driving this stretch and I did go back 4-5 pages in this thread but felt will put my questions here for the experts to answer.

1- How long does it actually take to drive from Bombay to Bangalore, assume I leave by 0530 from Bombay. Google Maps shows me around 16 hours at 0700 in the morning.

2- after about 12 hours on the road I would definitely want to take a halt, on Maps this seems to be around the Hubli town. There are good 4* properties in this city so am comfortable with that. But are there better stopping options?

3- I would wish to do breakfast around 0730-0800 (that would be near Pune) and lunch by 1300-1330 hrs. What's good stopping points with clean toilets? Am a vegetarian but okay with mixed menus also, not a problem.

4- Any good / recommended pumps to fuel up near Hubli / Belgaum? I can see a few Shell pumps in that area and they in general are a safe bet.

Or would leaving Bombay at around 2100 hrs the previous evening, reach Pune and then leave early morning be a better option?

Do note I prefer to stop driving post Twilight, so would prefer minimum driving after 1800 hrs. My optimum driving window is 0530-1730.

Lastly how long do the RT PCR checkposts take? Am picturing hour long pile up's as they need to check every single passenger headed into Karnataka.

Thanks guys.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by xsrahul

Caught up with a fellow KA22 (Belgaum) regd. VW Passat unexpectedly at Expressway foodmall He pulled off greatly after a nice ( safe ) cat and mouse drive on Expressway. May have reached Belgaum way earlier than me.
Attachment 2076582

s.

Hi, where exactly is this located? Google is not of much help as I don't know where this is located.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Stribog

Hi, where exactly is this located? Google is not of much help as I don't know where this is located.

Here you go.

Expressway Food Mall

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Stribog

3- I would wish to do breakfast around 0730-0800 (that would be near Pune) and lunch by 1300-1330 hrs. What's good stopping points with clean toilets? Am a vegetarian but okay with mixed menus also, not a problem

Which part of Mumbai are you starting from? If you're in Thane/Vashi, you'll be in Pune in two hours at that time of the day and the food mall mentioned in the earlier post will be within an hour of your journey. You can estimate when you'll reach this mall depending on how long your starting point - Vashi will take.

Pune to Kolhapur is typically 3-3.5 hours and Sai International is generally the popular place to stop. There's also a McDonalds about 15min ahead, but on the opposite side of the highway.

Belgaum is typically three hours further. We like to stop for food here:

https://www.tripadvisor.in/Restauran...Karnataka.html

Or would leaving Bom at around 2100 hrs the previous evening, reach Pune and then leave early morning be a better option?

This is actually the better option. If you can reach Pune on Day 0 and start driving from Pune by 5.30, you can avoid (rather, reduce) the entire misery that is Pune - Satara. You can stay along the highway; there's Ginger and Sayaji near Wakad, Orchid Hotel (VITS) at Balewadi right on the highway itself so 0 detour.

Lastly how long do the RT PCR checkposts take? Am picturing hour long pile up's as they need to check every single passenger headed into Karnataka.

Typically 15-20min at most; although cars often clear faster since most in the queue are heading to Goa and are waved off immediately.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Here you go]

Thanks Parag.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Which part of Mumbai are you starting from? If you're in Thane/Vashi, you'll be in Pune in two hours at that time of the day and the food mall mentioned in the earlier post will be within an hour of your journey. You can estimate when you'll reach this mall depending on how long your starting point - Vashi will take.

Pune to Kolhapur is typically 3-3.5 hours and Sai International is generally the popular place to stop. There's also a McDonalds about 15min ahead, but on the opposite side of the highway.

Belgaum is typically three hours further. We like to stop for food here:

Thanks. So this is helpful.

But assuming I want to get more km under my belt before halting and break up the journey. Leaving from Andheri E, would staying in Belgavi or Hubli make more sense? Next day departure around 0630-0700 to Blr. No hurry or agenda there.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Stribog

would staying in Belgavi or Hubli make more sense? Next day departure around 0630-0700 to Blr. No hurry or agenda there.

Ideally these combinations always work:

- Instead of Satara, opt for Karad
- Instead of Kolhapur, opt for Belgaum
- Instead of Belgaum, opt for Hubli
- Instead of Bangalore, opt for Hosur

A super early morning start from Mumbai should always be ideal and that should be not later than 0400/0430am. This will ensure you cross Pune in the next 3 hours easily. During this time of the day, you will not have a combination of Bus + Truck traffic to tackle on the gradients of the expressway passing Khandala-Lonavala.

If you start early as above, trust me, you will be hungry and asking for a break by the time you are around Satara itself. There is absolutely no doubt about it and the time will be around 8:30/0900.

You can try any of these options based on the progress that you make and also depending on the time you start from Mumbai:

Satara Bypass - Hotel Sadhguru
At Karad - Hotel Annapurna

After Karad, in the next 40 minutes you have Sai International that Libran has already provided the coordinates for.

With these options along with the expressway food court your breakfast should be set whatever time you leave .

Coming to your earlier question that I missed,

1- How long does it actually take to drive from Bom to Blr, assume I leave by 0530 from Bom. Gmaps shows me around 16 hrs at 0700 in the morning.

With 0530am departure from Bombay, here is how your day would look like if you were to drive to Bangalore till entry point of Bangalore (NICE Road entry).

0830 End of Pune bypass
1200 End of Kolhapur bypass
1400 Belgaum Bypass
1500 Dharwad bypass entry
1530 Hubli bypass end
1800 Chitradurga Bypass
2000 Tumkur
2030 Nelamangala
2045 NICE Road entry

The above timings are conservative with breaks. However, if you leave early, you have the advantage to make up for the most of the journey due to less private traffic between Pune and Kolhapur.

2- after about 12 hrs on the road I would definitely want to take a halt, on maps this seems to be around the Hubli town. There are good 4* properties in this city so am comfortable with that. But are there better stopping options?

With departure from Mumbai at 0530, your 12 hours will come around Davanagere. At Davanagere you have quite some options:

Sankama Botique Hotel (700 meters from highway)
Apoorva Resorts (On the highway on opposite side)
Sai International (inside the town)
Ashok Inn (inside the town)

Please remember that if you are around Davanagere and want to halt, it makes sense due to good options available because Chitradurga which is only 45-60 minutes ahead doesn't have much choices and neither does Tumkur.

3- I would wish to do breakfast around 0730-0800 (that would be near Pune) and lunch by 1300-1330 hrs. What's good stopping points with clean toilets? Am a vegetarian but okay with mixed menus also, not a problem

Answered already but would add few more near Pune, after the bypass:

Khedshivapur - Vittal Kamats
Before Khambhatki, Shivneri Misal (and lot of other options around here)

For lunch, going by my timings mentioned above (which again are conservative and very realistic), you will be around Belgaum. So ideally, I would pick something inside Belgaum as there are no good options between Belgaum and Hubli that I will recommend. Sankam Residency and Ramdev remain a popular choice with the former closer to the highway itself/

4- any good / recommended pumps to fuel up near Hubli / Belgaum? I can see a few shell pumps in that area and they in general are a safe bet.

Dharwad - BPCL COCO
Dharwad - IOCL COCO
Dharwad Shell - opposite side
After Hubli - Shell

Unless otherwise specified, all locations are on the left hand side.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Ideally these combinations always work

Thanks Parag that made the whole process crystal clear!

Thanks Libran, sound suggestions here. Will take it from now on

[SuperSlick]

Hi, I am contemplating a bike trip (to & fro) on my Bullet from Navi Mumbai (Thane) to Chennai. In this regard, I wanted to know:

1. What alternate route I can take as motorcycles are not allowed on Mumbai-Pune expressway.
2. How are the road conditions (for two-wheeler).
3. Is RT-PCR/E-Pass still required for entering the different states the route will cover? - I have got my 2 vaccination doses already.
4. What are best options for breaks (food & night halt).

Thanks in advance! Stay Safe!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by SuperSlick

1. What alternate route I can take as motorcycles are not allowed on Mumbai-Pune expressway.

There is a regular dual carriageway highway that runs along with the Mumbai Pune expressway that you can take If you are riding.

2. How are the road conditions (for two-wheeler).
3. Is RT-PCR/E-Pass still required for entering the different states the route will cover? - I have got my 2 vaccination doses already.

To enter the state of Karnataka from Maharashtra you will need to have RTPCR Negative certificate irrespective of your vaccination status.

4. What are best options for breaks (food & night halt).

Belgaum or Hubli are ideal locations to stop by for the night between Bangalore and Navi Mumbai. However in case you are doing from Chennai, you are please scroll up where all details are provided for a similar query between Chennai and Mumbai. You will get most of the answers right there.

PS: Post No 3156 on this thread

[anoopBH]

Hi all

Have anybody travelled on this route last weekend?
Wanted to know if there are anybody stopping/enquiring, as there is weekend curfew in Karnataka.
Im planning to travel from Bangalore to Belagavi next weekend.

[rajivtelang]

Originally Posted by anoopBH

Hi all

Have anybody travelled on this route last weekend?
Wanted to know if there are anybody stopping/enquiring, as there is weekend curfew in Karnataka.
Im planning to travel from Bangalore to Belagavi next weekend.

You need to carry sufficient evidence for a reason to travel as per the rules of curfew. That is my understanding.

[Stribog]

Originally Posted by SuperSlick

Hi, I am contemplating a bike trip (to & fro) on my Bullet from Navi Mumbai (Thane) to Chennai. In this regard, I wanted to know:
2. How are the road conditions (for two-wheeler).
3. Is RT-PCR/E-Pass still required for entering the different states the route will cover? - I have got my 2 vaccination doses already.
4. What are best options for breaks

I just travelled this route 3 days ago.

2) Road conditions are brilliant all the way from Mumbai to Ranipet after which it becomes atrociously bad. It is a 3 lane carriageway through and through except a brief 30 km stretch on the Hubli Dharwad bypass.

But in general please ensure you stick to the left lane, as cars hit very high speeds given how good the road conditions are.

3) There is only one check post where they ask you for an RT PCR. However I had a weird experience, I drive a TN registered vehicle and the cops asked my final destination, I said Chennai and they didn't even ask me for a certificate after that. I double checked if I was free to move and they confirmed that if am not halting in Karnataka, they don't bother.

4) Depends though really on your break timings. Ideally, as you are on a two wheeler, take a halt every 2-3 hours. That means Pune, Satara, Kolhapur, Hubli, Darawad, Tumkura, Bangalore. The roadside options are not anything resembling what you get in TN or Karnataka but they are clean and should suffice for a coffee / tea break.

[dean5545]

Did Bangalore Mumbai last Sunday. Was on my way back from Kerala and had halted at Keys Hotel, Hosur road. I would not recommend this hotel anymore as it's in a pathetic condition and requires urgent renovation. Need to search for better options for my future trips.

Left the Hotel at 9am and headed to NICE Road. Was pleasantly surprised to see that they are now accepting FasTag. Initial stretch was good however there is concretisation work going out extensively. Post Tumkur the roads conditions are superb.

I filled up at Shell near Chitradurga and then again at Shell just before Mumbai-Pune Expressway. One of the niceties of this route is that you get to use Shell Petrol pumps through out the journey and my car LOVES Shell diesel!

Reached Kolhapur around 4:30pm and halted at Sai International for snacks and tea from kept going till Shell Petrol pump just before Mumbai Pune Expressway. Halted for dinner at the new Food Court near Khopoli toll around 9:15pm. Hit the expressway again and reached home(Malad) at 11:30pm. All in all an uneventful trip.

Special mention about a speed cam which has a 50kmph speed limit on the descending ghat near Lonavala. There is no way I am ever going to be at 50 kmph at that stretch without burning my brakes! I have decided to live with the fact that total cost of travelling on this expressway is 2000(fine)+250(toll)

[punerookie]

Planning a trip from Pune to Bangalore on a 2015 Ford Figo. This would be my longest road trip. Have done Pune-Mumbai to and fro on the same day earlier. That's the longest yet.

1. Planning to stop at Belgaum for one night and then another night somewhere between Belgaum and Bengaluru. What do you suggest? I have seen people stop only for one night, but it's 10+ hours from Belgaum to Bangalore, looks too tiring.

2. Any alternate suggestions? Single driver, with wife and some luggage. (shifting cities)

3. Any good hygienic hotel suggestions (price no bar) for stayovers at night with safe car parking.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by punerookie

Planning a trip from Pune to Bangalore on a 2015 Ford Figo. This would be my longest road trip. Have done Pune-Mumbai to and fro on the same day earlier. That's the longest yet.

If you are travelling with family then would suggest to take a break in case there are infants or senior citizens. In case of solo drive, I wouldnt suggest to halt anywhere. Its easily doable in 12-13 hrs at a steady speed of 90-100. I have done it before once, will be doing it in the coming weekend. Also staying somewhere during these covid times is a big No for me, my car is the safest place for me. Usually I start at 5 am from Pune and reach Bangalore by 6 pm comfortably.