[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by piyushkdwivedi

1. How is the overall road condition? Do we have six lanes road throughout?

2. I will surely fill up the tank before entering MH. Any tips on the petrol pump to avoid fraud or fuel quality?

3. I have been keeping tire pressure of 32 PSI (normal air) for all trips, but recently a service agent told me to keep 36 PSI if the boot is loaded. I am confused now. The Car has stock MRF tires. Any suggestions if the mileage would improve on 36 PSI? We may invite two people for carpooling (maybe BlaBla or a QuickRide).

4. I heard in the news about the Karnataka - Maharashtra border dispute getting intensified. Any concern for me in terms of road rides on NH48?

This list should come in handy for you. Almost all of these locations remain the same and so does the logic of refueling in Karnataka before entering MH due to the price difference.

Just that I haven't really bothered to update this list with newer entries (very few) after I last posted this and hence information regarding more hotels or Reliance only stations or CCDs is scattered in various posts in this thread.

Originally Posted by paragsachania

==============================Direction: BANGALORE- PUNE -MUMBAI==============================

Where to eat or take a Break?

1. Kamat Upachar - After Dabaspet
   
   
2. Cafe Coffee Day - After Kamat, Dabaspet
   
   
3. Apoorva Resorts - Before Davanagere Bypass
   
   
4. Ghar Dhaba (attaced to BPCL) after Ranebennur Bypass
   
   
5. Cafe Coffee Day - Shiggaon
   
   
6. Ganesh Hotel
   
   
7. Roti Ghar, after Hubli-Dharwad Bypass
   
   
8. Nandgokula, after Hubli-Dharwad bypass
   
   
9. Sankam Residency - Off NH, Belgaum Bypass
   
   
10. White House - Tawandi Ghats, After Sankeshwar
    
    
11. Hotel Amar - Only Veg - Tawandi Ghats, After Sankeshwar
    
    
12. Burger King, Kolhapur Bypass
    
    
13. McD, Kolhapur Bypass
    
    
14. Hotel Sai International - Within 5 kms after Kini Toll Plaza after Kolhapur - RIGHT SIDE but easy access via break in the Median
    
    
15. Annapurna Hotel, Karad bypass
    
    
16. Vittal Kamat - After Karad (Before Umbraj Flyover/Bypass)
    
    
17. Vittal Kamat - Before Shirwal
    
    
18. Cafe Coffee Day - Khedshivpur

Where to refuel

1.BPCL COCO - After JAS Toll

2.HPCL COCO Attached to Kamat

3.BPCL at Sira

4.IOCL Station before Davanagere Bypass

5.BPCL COCO, Ranebennur Bypass

6.HPCL Before Shiggaon

7.MRPL Station at Hubli Circle

8.BPCL COCO after Dharwad Bypass

9.Barde Fuel Station (BPCL) on Belgaum Bypass

10.BPCL Station - Hattarigi

11.BPCL COCO in Karnataka before the MH Border (RIGHT SIDE - Fuel Cheaper in KA than MH)

12.BPCL COCO after Kolhapur Bypass

13.HPCL COCO Near Shirwal (Before Pune)

14.Expressway - HPCL COCO- Before Lonavala Exit

15.Expressway - IOCL COCO - Before Expressway Exit toll

==============================Direction: MUMBAI - PUNE - BANGALORE==============================

Where to eat or take a Break?

1.Expressway Food Court (After Entry Toll)

2.Expressway Food Court - CCD, Fuel etc (After Exit Toll)

3.CCD 1 - Pune Bypass

4.CCD 2 - After Pune bypass, Before Khedshivpur Toll Plaza

5.Parth Food Mall - Dominos and more- After descencing from Khambhatki Ghats

5.Hotel Annapura - Before Karad Bypass Flyover

6.Sai International - 30 kms after Karad

7.Hotel Amar - Only Veg (After Nippani, at the Start of Tawandi Ghats) - RIGHT SIDE but easy access with a break in Median opposite to it

8.Sankam Residency - Off NH4, Belgaum Bypass - worth a break even if you have to get down the highway

9.Kamat Upachar - Belur Industrial Estate, Before Dharwad Bypass

10.Kamat Upachar - around 18 kms after Hubli Bypass ends

11.Atithya Highway Plaza (Before Hiriyur) - Maximum Private buses stop here, expect crowd and slow service.

12.Kamat Upachar (After Sira)

13.Pavithra Idly Hotel (Khyatandra, Tumkur Bypass)

14.Kamat 1 - Dabaspet

15.Kamat 2 - Dabaspet


Where to refuel

1.HPCL COCO - After Expressway Entry Toll Plaza

2.BPCL (Not sure if its a COCO but reliable) - After Expressway Exit Toll Plaza

3.Shell - Warje, on Pune Bypass

4.BPCL COCO - After Khedshivpur Toll Plaza

5.Konduskar - BPCL (After Kolhapur Bypass)

6.BPCL COCO - 4-5 Kms after Kognoli/Kagal Toll Plaza

7.HPCL - Hirebagewadi, 1 Km before Hirebagewadi Toll

8.BPCL COCO - Belur Industrial Estate, Before Dharwad

9.IOCL COCO - Belur Industrial Estate, Before Dharwad

10.BPCL - Just at the start of Dharwad Bypass

11.MRPL Filling Station - Hubli Circle

12.BPCL Filling Station - Haveri Bypass

13.BPCL Filling Station - After Chitradurga Bypass

14.BPCL COCO - After Sira (attached to Kamat Upachar)

15.IOCL COCO - After Tumkur, Dabaspet

My last travel to Pune and back was in Nov 2021 when I drove back from Gujarat and to Belgaum in July 2022, Hubli in Oct 2022. The overall route remains good and in fact the Satara Pune section witnessed a lot that got better. Hence the condition of the roads itself should not be your worry. Recently members have reported patchy conditions between Tumkur and Chitradurga but typically these are the sections that get fixed in span of 2-3 weeks.

To make the maximum out of your drive without really needing to speed, a good early morning start is key (say 4am) which will ensure that your average speeds remain similar to your cruising speeds till around Hubli.

Traffic increases once you enter MH after Kagal/Kognoli toll and hence your pace will drop and so will the progress but this is how it has been.

There are members who swear by fuel from Reliance stations and in case you need that, here is the list. They are also known to maintain their restrooms clean:

Originally Posted by paragsachania

• After Hubli, Towards Bangalore : Location
  
  
• Before Dharwad, Towards Pune : Location
  
  
• After Sankeshwar, Towards Pune : Location
  
  
• After Khedshivpur - Towards Bangalore : Location
  
  
• Karad Bypass - Towards Bangalore : Location
  
  
• After Karad, Just near/Before Sai International, Towards Bangalore : Location
  
  
• After Kolhapur, Towards Pune : Location
  
  
• After Belgaum, Near Sankeshwar, Towards Pune: Location
  
  
• Before Hattarigi Toll Plaza, towards Bangalore: Location
  
  
• After Ranebennur bypass, towards Bangalore: Location
  
  
• After Chitradurga, towards Bangalore, Opp to VRL Depot: Location
  
  
• Between Tumkur and Dabaspet, Towards Bangalore: Location

[piyushkdwivedi]

Thank you very much @normaltusker and @paragsachania for your suggestions. I will update my experiences post the trip.

Thanks, Piyush.

[krishnakumar]

Update on 22 Dec 2022.

There is a strike blocking the NH48 near Halaga before Belgaum. This is the North bound direction on our way to Mumbai. Police have been deployed and we were diverted away. No clear alternative route specified.

I looked at the maps and took South bound direction on NH48 to MK Hubli and turned towards Khanapur then turn North to Belgaum city - back to NH48 route.

Right now at Nipani after a delay of 1.5 hrs (to our plan) and seems there is no further blockage North bound.

On the Mum-Blr direction (South bound) there seems to be blockage at Hattargi as we saw a massive queue of vehicles and diversions at that place.

[piyushkdwivedi]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

Update on 22 Dec 2022.

There is a strike blocking the NH48 near Halaga before Belgaum. This is the North bound direction on our way to Mumbai. Police have been deployed and we were diverted away. No clear alternative route specified.

I looked at the maps and took South bound direction on NH48 to MK Hubli and turned towards Khanapur then turn North to Belgaum city - back to NH48 route.

Hello krishnakumar,

Have you crossed the hurdle safely? How is the condition now?

I'm going to start from Bangalore to Pune in six hour from now (4 am - 23 Dec). Any specific tips is detour is needed?

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by piyushkdwivedi

Have you crossed the hurdle safely? How is the condition now?

Hey Piyush,

There is no risk absolutely except for the time delay and added distance. The police diverted us well ahead of the protest location.

The situation might be completely different tomorrow but do factor in additional 2-3hrs delay due to this to your plan. We reached Mumbai at 11pm because the delay at Belgaum cascaded into getting stuck in evening Kolhapur and Pune rush hours.

Just relax, pack enough food and water and take time to study the maps are all that’s needed. I’m sure there could have been a faster way compared to what I took but at that moment, I just went with that.

All the best to your journey!

[hrman]

Any blockage/ strike updates on the Bangalore to Hubli route? I plan to drive down from Bangalore to Hubli on 28th Dec, and was checking.

[W@SIM]

Originally Posted by hrman

Any blockage/ strike updates on the Bangalore to Hubli route? I plan to drive down from Bangalore to Hubli on 28th Dec, and was checking.

Hubli should not be a problem, driving cut across belgaum will cause added delay. i went by KSRTC bus (22nd Dec) to Pune from BLR and 2am belgaum crossing did not incur any delay. infact bus reached well before time

[RaghuVis]

Hi friends. Going to do a Pune - Mumbai tomorrow morning. Any pointers on route/breakfast joints/ generic advice, please? Going to be my first road trip since shifting to Maharashtra a few months ago.

[rsrivastava]

Just did pune-bangalore

Start : 1:30pm
End : 12:30am

Roads are amazing till tumkur

The situation in belgaum is decent, had to stop for ~ 5 mins due to a mini strike. They did not bother me. My car is registered in GJ if that matters.

Had to stop 3 times in MH for random police checks.

[EazyDriver]

Drove from Navi Mumbai to Davanagere, en route to Kerala, on the 24th in a MH registered Alcazar. Started at 4:30 am, faced traffic jams at Lonavala and Satara ghat sections, and slow progress on the Hubli Dharwad bypass. Made it Davanagere by 7pm inspite of numerous stops along the way. Once you exit Maharashtra, the traffic thins out and the roads open up.

Did not face any issues at the border.

[normaltusker]

Driving back to Bangalore tomorrow with a planned start at 4:30 AM. Any predictions on what the Mumbai - Pune expressway traffic could be like? I want to avoid the Mumbai traffic rushing to Lonavala and Khandala so that my time is not spent waiting in traffic.

[rsrivastava]

Update :
Did Bangalore- Navi Mumbai

Left from whitefield at 1:30 pm
Reached nelamangala at 2:45 pm

Reached Kharghar at 2:30am

2 fuel breaks ( 5 mins each )

Easy drive, 1:30 departure made me skip all the 2 wheeler traffic in maharashtra

[hrman]

Did Bangalore-Hubli on 28th Dec and returned on 31st Dec. Smooth roads mostly. The road from Bangalore to Tumkur is not in very good condition both ways. Potholes at many places and slow moving trucks blocking all 3 lanes. Its like playing chess if you need to overtake. Did the distance from Bannerghatta Rd. to Unkal Lake in 6.5 hrs, including breaks of about 40 mins. The road from Tumkur to Hubli is superb. No issues whatsover. I did see many Kamat's were closed or being renovated, hence not functional.
On my return, did the time in close to 7.5 hours incl 40 min breaks. Closer home, there was road work going on at NICE road and half the road was blocked to allow onward traffic, and half of that half was blocked due to a Scorpio(?) break down. Allowing only 1 vehicle to pass at a time and causing a 45 minute delay to pass 2 kms.

The positive part was great mileage. I clocked 21-22 kmpl in my Skoda Rapid TDI and have fallen in love with her again.
Was super impressed by the time saved at toll booths by Fastag as there was literally no queue at most tolls. At one place, there was some moron in a Bolero whose Fastag was not functioning and caused a 10 minute delay and another place where an entitled moron was flashing some ID card and arguing with the toll booth staff. Eventually he had to shell out the toll amount and move ahead.
From Hubli, went to Hampi for a day and that highway was concrete hence not so smooth, but I could do the 175 km distance in less than 3 hours.
Overall, this was my first long drive in my Rapid after 6 years and was a great experience.

[normaltusker]

Originally Posted by normaltusker

Driving back to Bangalore tomorrow with a planned start at 4:30 AM. Any predictions on what the Mumbai - Pune expressway traffic could be like? I want to avoid the Mumbai traffic rushing to Lonavala and Khandala so that my time is not spent waiting in traffic.

Did this trip without any issues. Strangely, the traffic was very thin throughout and I could sustain my speeds for longer. The only bummer was the Tumkur - Bangalore stretch which is full of potholes! Could have covered this stretch earlier had it been better.

[chaturgaurav]

Originally Posted by chaturgaurav

Hi,

I am planning a trip from Mumbai to Bangalore and back with family (Mother, Spouse, Son and Daughter). Trip is planned for next weekend and return after a 7-day stay in Bangalore.

Finally completed the Mumbai-Bengaluru round trip safely. This was my longest drive to date, so tiring but amazing.

Tips from @normaltusker helped at great deal, not to mention the valuable info by @paragsachania.

Left Mumbai on 23rd December at 0445 Hrs and reached Huballi at 1700 Hrs. Stayed at County Club Resort overnight. Had to stay at Huballi as there were no vacancies at Belgaum. In hindsight, it was good to cover longer distance on day 1.

Roads were decent and traffic was smooth on this stretch, except for 2 lane road before Huballi.

Left Huballi at 0545 Hrs on 24th December and finally reached Bengaluru at 1530 Hrs.

Except for the 2 lane stretch after Huballi, roads were amazing and traffic was smooth until we entered Bengaluru, where roads were good but traffic was manic.

Left Bengaluru on 31st December at 0500 Hrs and reached Kolhapur at 1600 Hrs. Stayed at Chandralok Homestay overnight.

Roads were decent and traffic was smooth on this stretch. In the morning, however, had to tackle the slow moving trucks until Chitradurga.

Next morning, on 1st January, went for Ambabai Mahalakshmi Temple darshan in Kolhapur, which took about 3 hours. Then left Kolhapur at 1100 Hrs and reached Mumbai at 2100 hrs. Since we were already late in leaving Kolhapur, took lavish breaks in between. Traffic jam between Barve and Pune did not help either. Faced heavy traffic jam again upon entering Mumbai.

Chose and picked Fueling Stations and Food Joints as suggested in the forum. I will personally rate the Kamats immediately after Huballi as the best in Mumbai-Bengaluru direction and Pune Mumbai Food Plaza just after Lonavala as the most happening place in the Bengaluru-Mumbai direction. Cho Cho Bath at Kamats and Misal Pav in Kolhapur turned out to be the best food I had on the road.

Overall a very good experience for the entire family.


Thanks