[MorePower]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

Both exits- Pashan and Baner are very clearly marked with blue overhead signage on the bypass.

First comes the exit for Pashan for which you need to take a left handed U Turn onto an entry ramp that intersects the bypass through and overbridge. Nissan and Chevrolet Show rooms are exactly on left where you take this left handed U turn. This exit is also marked as Pashan/Sus road exit. This is the same road (sus road) that you drive on for around a km till you reach an opening in a median with a circle. Turn left here and you are on Baner Pashan link road.

Thank you parag. Infact google maps was recommending the exit at chandni chowk. But I now remember the sus road road route. I used to take the exit on the other side while coming from mumbai. Thanks for the tip.

Also is the bunk next to kolhapur MacD (Aegis) a good place to tank up? Never heard of Aegis before?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MorePower

Also is the bunk next to kolhapur MacD (Aegis) a good place to tank up? Never heard of Aegis before?

Just before the Kolhapur bypass begins there BP on your right. Thats the Konduskar bunk. You can fill up there. (Location)

[MorePower]

Originally Posted by ampere

Just before the Kolhapur bypass begins there BP on your right. Thats the Konduskar bunk. You can fill up there. (Location)

Thanks amp. But this would mean I'd have to take a U somewhere to get to the bunk right? Anything on the Mumbai side?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MorePower

Thanks amp. But this would mean I'd have to take a U somewhere to get to the bunk right? Anything on the Mumbai side?

I filled at a place after crossing Kolhapur. It is an HP bunk and a good one.
(Location)

Dont remember about anything close to Macs.

[MorePower]

Originally Posted by ampere

I filled at a place after crossing Kolhapur. It is an HP bunk and a good one.
(Location)

Dont remember about anything close to Macs.

Great. HP works for me. Thanks for all the tips. Will post my route experience when I'm back. Cheers

[mooza]

Had a good drive to Mumbai and back last week.

The roads were good all through, the Pune Satara stretch had only a couple of small diversions, no major worries.

One sour note, though.

I was stopped by traffic cops on the Mumbai - Pune expressway on my return trip, near the slow moving ghat section. My fully loaded, colourful luggage carrier on my roof might have shortlisted my Xylo in their view ! They wanted a copy of some "permission to use my KA vehicle in Maharashtra", which I have never been asked before ! I answered saying that I had visited Mumbai just for a few days and was driving back to my hometown Bangalore and showed him all my toll receipts, but he was not convinced. He took some small money from me as I was carrying only the cover note of my Insurance policy. I was anyway in a hurry to beat the clock, so I wanted to get rid of these guys at the earliest.

Is there any such rule or were they pulling a fast one ?

[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by mooza

Had a good drive to Mumbai and back last week.

The roads were good all through, the Pune Satara stretch had only a couple of small diversions, no major worries.

I was stopped by traffic cops on the Mumbai Pune expressway. They wanted a copy of some "permission to use my KA vehicle in Maharashtra", which i have never been asked before ! I answered saying that I visited Mumbai just for a few days and was driving back to my hometown Bangalore and showed him all my toll receipts, but he was not convinced. He took some small money as I was carrying only the cover note of my Insurance policy.

Is there any such rule or was he pulling a fast one ?

He was definitely pulling a fast one as the toll receipt date should suffice if asked or checked. It is a pure case of extracting money.

We had traveled on this stretch on 24th Aug as well as 9th Sept and both the times no issues. The roads are pretty good 90% of the times. Expressway is a little bumpy if you compare it with Vadodra - Ahmedabad NE 1. Pune to Satara stretch is ok ok with diversions. Between Satara to Kohlapur the roads are 4 lane but there are quite a few bike traffic and due to very less shoulder with the road actually feels narrow.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by mooza

Is there any such rule or were they pulling a fast one ?

There is none but then we have too many cars plying In Pune (and Mumbai) bearing registration numbers from many southern and other states.

They often travel between Mumbai-Pune and back regularly and the cops have easily mistook you as one of those "migrant plying without paying the local road tax" and "Staying In Pune and doing all those Lovanala and Mumbai runs on weekends" and hence, tried to make a quick buck.

Another typical hotspot would be the Wakad Chowk on the Pune bypass that is the entry point for Pune's IT park at Hinjewadi.

When I was working in Pune, I was stopped thrice in span of 8 months since I was driving a KA Registered car on a Temporary assignment. If someone is driving towards Mumbai and too close on the left lane, there is every chance that these cops will mistake you for an IT worker and stop you.

In April 2013, I was also stopped thrice in Mumbai in just one day on a Sunday (Turbhe, Eastern Expressway near Airoli Bridge and near DAKC, Thane Belapur road) seeing my KA car. I was on my way to drop my wife and daughter to the Airport and showed them toll receipts and they let me go.

[MorePower]

Originally Posted by MorePower

Folks, need some quick advice. Something urgent has come up in Mumbai/Thane and I need to be in Thane by 11 am Friday. But I can leave Bangalore only by 11-11.30 am on Thursday. I'll be driving my Figo 1.4.

Folks, a quick drive and route update. Left e-city by 10.40 am. Took a short 10 min break near Ranebennaur. A couple of nasty speed humps before and after rannebennaur to watch out for. Unmarked and one just after a curve. Drove non-stop after that till about 60 km from pune. Took a 30 min dinner halt here and then reached Chembur by 12.40 am.

As expected, the kolhapur-satara stretch was bad. Figo was rattled by a couple of nasty potholes betwen satara and pune which I couldnt spot in the night. Also while getting down the vashi bridge, there is a gaping hole in the section joint. This is right at the base of the bridge towards mankhurd in the right most lane. Please watch out for this.

[MorePower]

Now time for the return journey to bangalore. This time, will have wife and 3 year old kid on board as well. Plan to leave chembur tomorrow by 4.30 am.

- What would be a good place to break for breakfast, lunch and evening tea?
- What's a good refuelling option near hubli/davengere?
- Any unmarked speed humps or potholes to watch out for enroute especially near Tumkur and outkirts since I will be here post sundown?

[abhijitvp]

Originally Posted by MorePower

Now time for the return journey to bangalore. This time, will have wife and 3 year old kid on board as well. Plan to leave chembur tomorrow by 4.30 am.

- What would be a good place to break for breakfast, lunch and evening tea?
- What's a good refuelling option near hubli/davengere?
- Any unmarked speed humps or potholes to watch out for enroute especially near Tumkur and outkirts since I will be here post sundown?

1. For breakfast you can target Sai International. Its 51kms after Tasawade toll plaza and 30kms before the Kolhapur entry. Its big multi-storey hotel on your left, you cannot miss. If you start at 4:30am you should be there by 9:30am. Sai International


2. On haveri BP there is one BPCL coco pump on your left. BPCL

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MorePower

- What would be a good place to break for breakfast, lunch and evening tea?
- What's a good refuelling option near hubli/davengere?
- Any unmarked speed humps or potholes to watch out for enroute especially near Tumkur and outkirts since I will be here post sundown?

Originally Posted by abhijitvp

1. For breakfast you can target Sai International. Its 51kms after Tasawade toll plaza and 30kms before the Kolhapur entry. Its big multi-storey hotel on your left, you cannot miss. If you start at 4:30am you should be there by 9:30am.

+1 to Sai International. Its a pretty nice place. You cant miss it. A big hotel then followed a highway restaurant both in the same complex.

[MorePower]

Originally Posted by abhijitvp

1. For breakfast you can target Sai International. Its 51kms after Tasawade toll plaza and 30kms before the Kolhapur entry.

2. On haveri BP there is one BPCL coco pump on your left.

Originally Posted by ampere

+1 to Sai International. Its a pretty nice place.

Thanks guys. Also any major unmarked speed humps that I should keep an eye out for? Especially towards sira / tumkur.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MorePower

Thanks guys. Also any major unmarked speed humps that I should keep an eye out for? Especially towards sira / tumkur.

Since the 6-lane is almost up, you should not see any humps as per what I remember. Last I drove Pune-BLR was Aug.

[Rajain]

I had done the Bangalore-Pune and back in end Sept. Short paragraph on the road conditions was written here
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ounting-9.html

In Nov another trip is scheduled and I will do good to remember that between Kohlapur and Pune there were a few areas where potholes were present. Additionally there is local traffic on the highway. But other than that a Bangalore - Pune is well doable in 12-13 hours. If one bypasses Pune and continues to Mumbai then the Bangalore-Mumbai journey is 14-15 hours.

Will post more when I do it in November again.

Cheers

Rajain