[StarVegabond]

Thanks HVK and Parag.

I would be travelling this weekend (friday) to Mumbai for some personal work, was thinking of driving as i am required to stay in navi mumbai for few days. I will finalize by tomorrow.

regards,

[MX6]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Forgot the place before Shivpur but its 25/-.

The place is Ane/ Vir. It is 25.
Remember to take sufficient change with you. The toll booths marked 46 bucks are famous for giving you toffees in return for change. Good if you have a kid along.

[StarVegabond]

I have a hypothetical question. I know it is a difficult question to answer

i see that HVK does Belgaum to Dobbaspet in 5 hours 40 minutes and Dobbaspet to yelahanka in about an hour = 6 hours 40 minutes from Belagum (Hotel Sankam) to Yelahanka.

I am not HVK for sure, and I do not drive a Scorpio, but a humble ANHC which most likely scrape evey medium or large or mountainous speedbreaker / pothole / moon vally on the way.

I can leave Yelahanka in the afternoon 2 PM. As per my current calculations, i need about 460 minutes = 7 hours 40 minutes in my ANHC to cover the same distance. I want to reach Sankam before 10 PM so that we have our dinner in Sankam which closes its resturant by 11 PM

It is about 522 KMs for Yelahanka to Belgaum. Is it do-able in 8 hours in the afternoon - evening time ? it would be 65 KMPH average.

Any guesses ? opinions ?, advice ?

[MX6]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

I have a hypothetical question. I know it is a difficult question to answer

i see that HVK does Belgaum to Dobbaspet in 5 hours 40 minutes and Dobbaspet to yelahanka in about an hour = 6 hours 40 minutes from Belagum (Hotel Sankam) to Yelahanka.

I am not HVK for sure, and I do not drive a Scorpio, but a humble ANHC which most likely scrape evey medium or large or mountainous speedbreaker / pothole / moon vally on the way.

I can leave Yelahanka in the afternoon 2 PM. As per my current calculations, i need about 460 minutes = 7 hours 40 minutes in my ANHC to cover the same distance. I want to reach Sankam before 10 PM so that we have our dinner in Sankam which closes its resturant by 11 PM

It is about 522 KMs for Yelahanka to Belgaum. Is it do-able in 8 hours in the afternoon - evening time ? it would be 65 KMPH average.

Any guesses ? opinions ?, advice ?

I left Hosur at 11 AM on a Saturday and made it to Belgaum by 8 PM. I used the Nice road to circumnavigate the whole of Bangalore. I stopped every 2.5 hours as I was travelling with my 1 year old. I stopped for a long lunch at chitradurga that took almost an hour and a half.
I drove all the way in to Belgaum and stayed at durga residency opp the bus stand. The security guy gave my car a free car wash and it was a great surprise for me. Tipped him 20 bucks (worth more actually).

9 Hours from the wrong end of Bangalore with stops of over 2.5 hours to Belgaum in my Ford Ikon with a 1 year old. You do your maths.

[StarVegabond]

Originally Posted by MX6

I left Hosur at 11 AM on a Saturday and made it to Belgaum by 8 PM.
..
...

9 Hours from the wrong end of Bangalore with stops of over 2.5 hours to Belgaum in my Ford Ikon with a 1 year old. You do your maths.

My calculations also show me about 7 hours 40 minutes. I am a bit relaxed driver. I plan to take Yelahanka-Dodballapur-Dobaspet-Tumkur stretch.
When i did the previous time trip to Hubli, it took be about 7 hours including 2 breaks (30 minutes for Tea and one hour for dinner).
i am hopeful of reaching Belgaum in about 7 hours, subject to traffic situation in Tumkur BP, Chitradurga BP, Davangere to Haveri stretch.

thanks for your input.

[canonguy]

Originally Posted by litesaber

Did you stop for breakfast etc? You have just mentioned one break near Pune. When did you reach Belgaum? I was planning to have lunch there.

No, I didn't stop for breakfast. Had packed some spinnach paranthas and had them on the go.

I reached Belgaum at 10:25 am.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by StarVegabond

I plan to take Yelahanka-Dodballapur-Dobaspet-Tumkur stretch.

This should solve a lot of your problems. The biggest problem is getting out of problem. If you are starting from Yelahanka and take the above route, nothing like and you should be able to cover the rest pretty OK. I have used this stretch couple of times and it works very well. Decent traffic till Dodbellapur and almost none on NH207 till Dobbaspet.

[litesaber]

Thanks Parag for the great post.

Leaving early one atleast can get some hours of sleep (3-5hrs) but if I drive through the night I might doze off!
I've driven overnight in the US, but am really not comfortable doing this in India and would like to start with some sleep.

I am travelling with a 1.5yrs baby this time so I dont want to push it too much. He is comfortable with a 7-8 hour drive during the day. I am hoping for a 3am start so that atleast the first four hours he will be asleep.

All depends on how my son reacts to this long drive. I hope to make it to Satara (Hotel Mahendra Exec) or Pune or best Mumbai.

Any good hotels around Pune to spend the night? HVK?

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Bangalore - Pune/Mumbai can be done in a single day with decent stops for Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks and refuelling. I usually do Pune - Bangalore in my WagonR with at least 3 stops and a refuelling stop which in all add to at 1 hr 15 minutes. My usual timings (If starting at 4am from Bangalore) are between 12-13 Hours and cruising speeds between 90-100kmph. So if you add another 3 Hours, you can be in Mumbai by night on the same day!

But Having travelled these many times over the past, there have been advangates and disadvantages of starting early or driving through the night.

Starting early would mean getting rid of the chaotic city traffic in no time and before the town and village wakes up, one would've covered good number of kilometers. Even passing Ranibennur town at 8am is a breeze. But after hitting Kolhapur around 1-30/2-00pm, the traffic doubles/trebles up and its constant honking and braking to get past the 2 wheelers and the tempos. This kind of irritates you when you have done 600 Kms and the last leg of 200Kms is like this all the way. Moreover the toll booths are usually busy during the day in Maharastra. Kolhapur - Pune takes a good 3 Hours or more with normal speeds (in any car) during the day but the same would take 2.5 hours if done past 12am.

I've usually started at 4pm from Bangalore to reach Kolhapur by 1am and reached Pune by 3-30/4-00am. Way back I have stuck to staring Pune at 10Pm and be in Bangalore by 9-00/9-30am (North Bangalore suburbs) and this has worked immensly well since the whole 840 Kms stretch has thinner traffic and crusing speeds can be maintained at 90-100kmph since truckers also follow lane discipline and heed to flashing of beams when signalled for overtaking.

The best timing so far for me from Pune to Bangalore has been 10 Hrs - 45 minutes with 3 stops including refuelling through the night. It was the new year's eve and private traffic was also very less everywhere. Driving during Public holidays is also a good caclutation.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by litesaber

he will be asleep.

All depends on how my son reacts to this long drive. I hope to make it to Satara (Hotel Mahendra Exec) or Pune or best Mumbai.

Any good hotels around Pune to spend the night? HVK?

Hotel Mahendra, just 1-1.30 hrs before Pune, is also a decent place to stay in.

On Pune bypass, there are some hotels: Viva Inn, Hotel Sadanand Regency, VITS and Sayaji. AFAIK, they are all very expensive, especially the last 2. If you miss Pune bypass, then your next possibility is the hotels in Lonavla (off the expressway, inside town), where there are many hotels. I am assuming that you are not keen on going into Pune city.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Hotel Mahendra, just 1-1.30 hrs before Pune, is also a decent place to stay in.

On Pune bypass, there are some hotels: Viva Inn, Hotel Sadanand Regency, VITS and Sayaji. AFAIK, they are all very expensive, especially the last 2.

HVK, there is Ginger close to Sayaji and I think it comes under budget hotel by their definition. As I can recall, it is either before or after Sayaji on the right hand side when heading towards Mumbai on the byepass after the Wakad Chowk signal (near Indira college).

Originally Posted by litesaber

I am travelling with a 1.5yrs baby this time so I dont want to push it too much. He is comfortable with a 7-8 hour drive during the day. I am hoping for a 3am start so that atleast the first four hours he will be asleep.

This is going to be the case with me too now its been a month since we couple welcomed a new member in our family. Initially, Me along with Wifey and Parents would drive through the day. All those night drives I've mentioned was always with Dad since It is not advised to travel with family in the night.
Good luck and drive safe!

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

HVK, there is Ginger close to Sayaji and I think it comes under budget hotel by their definition. As I can recall, it is either before or after Sayaji on the right hand side when heading towards Mumbai on the byepass after the Wakad Chowk signal (near Indira college).

You are right, I forgot Ginger.

I have the rough coordinates of all the hotels on Pune Bypass:

Starting from the end of the Bombay Expressway:
7 kms, Ginger, LHS (Left Hand Side)
1 km, Hotel Sayaji, LHS
2 kms, Hotel Sadanand Regency, LHS, after crossing the Hinjewadi Flyover
1 km, Hotel Sadanand, LHS, Hotel VITS, RHS
9 kms, Hotel Viva Inn, LHS, at Chandini Chowk

Pune friends, please correct if they note any mistakes, or wish to add any more.

[udayjani]

HI guys,

I have been reading your thread and other threads for the past 2 months, cause I am planning for a vacation in may in my brand new SX4. I have 7 days in hand for the tour, the main places to be covered are as follows:

1. shirdi,
2. Nashik - Tryambakeshwar temple
3. Sidhi vinayak temple - mumbai
4. mumbai sight seeing.

can you please suggest the best travel route from Bangalore to Mumbai, keeping in mind, I have never traveled in car outside chennai. this is my first long trip. being the first time is it easy to navigate in the highways, what about the road signs, are they adequate without getting lost in the highway and reaching no where. i have looked the NH4 which connects the Chennai and Pune. its pretty consuming. we are going to take a driver with us, good in driving, but poor in navigation.

so please send me the routes and the toll rates between Bangalore and mumbai. is it good to finish shirdi and Nashik first and then proceed to mumbai or its either way around.

Let me also know the good eat outs, staying is out of question, we are going to stay only in shirdi, so suggest some good hotels.

In short I need the complete travelogues.

Note: the most important thing is I need to finish this vacation and come back to chennai on the 8th day. please suggest, will be able to make it to vadodara or rajkot within the same schedule.

thanks in advance
Uday

[hvkumar]

Uday, you can check out the following link, it has lots of info on the Bombay-Bangalore route, including hotels, etc.

http://hvkumar.googlegroups.com/web/...DMGhhhZdjQlNAw

You can check out the following log book, which has the Bangalore-Bpmbay route on the last sector:
GOLDEN QUADRILATERAL 2008 - hvkumar | Google Groups

Toll rates are also indicated.

NH4 is the simplest highway, one direct road. All towns are bypassed, except Ranebennur, where road widening work is still on. Please check out the various accounts on the current condition of the road.

You can do the following route:

Bombay-Ghoti-TRiambakeshwar-Nasik-Shirdi-Ahmednagar-Tembhurni-Pandharpur-Sangli-Kolhapur-Bangalore

To take a count of teh days:
D1: Bangalore-Bombay
D2: Bombay
D3: Bombay
D4: Bombay-Triambakeshwar-Nasik-Shirdi
D5: Shirdi-Ahmednagar-Pandharpur-Kolhapur
D6: Kolhapur-Bangalore

[Roy.S]

Drove from Blr to Chitradurga and back yesterday. The abandoned flyover projects are finally being completed. I was pleasantly surprised to be able to use the Tumkur bypass flyovers. Of course, both lanes have not yet been opened and the road surface is not up to usual NH standards, but it is much better than the usual bumpy diversions indicated by a 'Take diversion' scrawled on a pipe placed in the middle of the road. This sector would normally slows you down terribly and takes 15-30 min extra depending upon when you are driving. The Chitradurga bypass flyovers also are being completed.
The highway between Tumkur and Chitradurga is not as smooth as it was a couple of years back. Time for NHAI to use the toll money they have been collecting. Maintenance work on the JAS toll road was done sometime last year and the drive between Nelamangla and Tumkur is smooth. Also, a new Kamat has opened up just before coffee day in Dobbspet so now you do not need to take 2 u turns to have breakfast.
Edit: I usually fill up at Shell before driving this stretch, but this is not viable anymore because of their irrational pricing. This time I went to the COCO HP pump on the left after entering the JAS toll road. Pretty good, but the attendants do not know how to set the quantity in Rupees. Obviously, HP has not bothered to train its staff. Also, the staff on the 2 toll booths between Tumkur and Chitradurga are much more efficient now and don't hold you up for long. When the booths first opened, they used to write the receipts by hand.

[litesaber]

Thanks HV Kumar for the hotel info and others for the updates. The Blr-Mumbai road is seen lots of traffic from team-bhpians. Good to see the updates coming in.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

You are right, I forgot Ginger.

I have the rough coordinates of all the hotels on Pune Bypass:

Starting from the end of the Bombay Expressway:
7 kms, Ginger, LHS (Left Hand Side)
1 km, Hotel Sayaji, LHS
2 kms, Hotel Sadanand Regency, LHS, after crossing the Hinjewadi Flyover
1 km, Hotel Sadanand, LHS, Hotel VITS, RHS
9 kms, Hotel Viva Inn, LHS, at Chandini Chowk

Pune friends, please correct if they note any mistakes, or wish to add any more.