[root]

I love my Misal (without the Pav). Though I have had Misal at Sai outside Kolhapur and the Misal at the Expressway food stop at Khopoli, neither holds a candle to the Misal I get at Rajyavardhan in Jayanagar 9th Block in Bangalore, or to the authentic Misal in Pune city restaurants. Any suggestions for great Misal on the highway between Bangalore and Mumbai without deviating into any city?

[CorsaLove]

I remember getting some good Misal on the Pune bypass. Forgot the name of the place. It is very famous also.

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by issigonis

Did you find any particular stretch bad (apart from the traffic issues near Poona)?

No stretch is bad. However, given that our expectations increase after some smooth sections on the NH4, the Khambatki ghat section between Pune and Satara is a little rough.

Also, the Dharwad-Hubli bypass is a two-lane road, albeit with good surface quality. Hopefully, this will be four-laned sometime in the future. You can see the other two lanes being constructed in stretches.

[alto99]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>



I think the traffic issues that you mention happens near Poona on the NH4 to Kolhapur. So the idea must be to pass through that section before 8 am. That means reaching Hinjewadi latest by 7.30 am. Am I correct?

Traffic issues are not only near Pune but also on the whole strech from Pune to Kolhapur (actually Kagal - a little ahead of Kolhapur). Your average speed will be lower during the day time (say after 8 am) as pedentrain/2 wheeler /tractor traffic is high during day time.

[paragsachania]

If we are referring to hot-spots where traffic is dense, then I will also make a mention of Chitradurga-Nelemangala stretch that witnesses heavy truck traffic. Though this stretch doesn't witness much of the typical misc traffic that one encounters between Pune and Satara, the truckers on this stretch are the worst, especially when it gets darker. Try an all night stint and you'll realize why. By the end of your journey, you'll hate the Sand trucks the most and find them breaking down on the fast lane all the times too.

They not only and usually stick to the fast lane but also get indulged in overtaking each other at single digit speeds and you end up following them for minutes which also drops your average speed.

Anything later to 8PM till 2AM after Chitradurga means you will end up being a part of this rally. Anything later to 2AM all the way till 7AM has every guarantee that you will have to drive not only in between those trucks but additional KSRTC and Private buses which would be targeting to reach Bangalore by 6am.

The best time to leave Mumbai is undoubtedly 4-00am and if you can do this, there is absolutely no need to do three digit speeds to get a good average. The whole drive simply becomes stress-free and relaxed.

When I am with Family, I start early mornings around 5-00am from Pune and when I am with my father only I stick to 10pm departure from Pune and do an all night drive. I was doing weekly drives between Pune and Bangalore 2 years back for 6 months which has now come down to about once a month. The worst was when I left at 7-45am from Pune on a Sunday morning and each toll made me wait at least 12-15 minutes till Kagal.

[issigonis]

Am veering round to a two day (relaxed) drive, rather than get into a headlong rush. A thousand kms will take about fourteen to fifteen hours, and its not that there are some killing deadlines to meet.

Regards

[issigonis]

>>>

Revised itinerary :

1. 25th - Start from Bombay
2. Overnight halt in Hubli
3. 26th - Start from Hubli for Bangalore
4. 29th - Start from Bangalore for Kolhapur, overnight halt in Kolhapur
5. 30th - Start from Kolhapur for Bombay

(All dates for March)

Relaxed driving. Hopefully will be fun.

Regards

[INNOWAGON_CL]

Originally Posted by alto99

Traffic issues are not only near Pune but also on the whole strech from Pune to Kolhapur (actually Kagal - a little ahead of Kolhapur). Your average speed will be lower during the day time (say after 8 am) as pedentrain/2 wheeler /tractor traffic is high during day time.

I have tried once from Mumbai on week day starting at 6.00am to reach Benguluru at Langford Town at 11.30pm and timed it in such a way that I took leisurely halts and drove at a steady speed at 80/90kmph most of the time. This ensured that I did not get tired due to fatigue. Generally, I prefer to start on weekdays early morning.

However, if I get delayed for any reason then, I modify the travel plan so that I take an overnight halt at Kolhapur. (One may also take a stopover at Belgaum). In such cases, instead of morning start it is delayed to the afternoon and I have started at 2pm to reach Kolhapur by 8.30pm, so that I find less town traffic. Allowance has to be taken for longer drive time in such cases. Thereafter one can leave the next day early morning between 5am and 6am from Kolhapur so that we could reach destination at Bengaluru by 4.30PM.

Nevertheless the thumb rule is start very early from Mumbai / Pune so that we beat the office goer's traffic on weekdays and holiday traffic during weekends.

[goandude]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>

Revised itinerary :

1. 25th - Start from Bombay
2. Overnight halt in Hubli
3. 26th - Start from Hubli for Bangalore
4. 29th - Start from Bangalore for Kolhapur, overnight halt in Kolhapur
5. 30th - Start from Kolhapur for Bombay

(All dates for March)

Relaxed driving. Hopefully will be fun.

Regards

Hope we can meet up, as I plan Mumbai Bangalore 25th and halt at Belgaum, 26th early morning to Bangalore.

Since 25th is Sunday, by what time does the holiday traffic build up on NH4 and Pune bypass?

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by goandude

Hope we can meet up, as I plan Mumbai Bangalore 25th and halt at Belgaum, 26th early morning to Bangalore.

Since 25th is Sunday, by what time does the holiday traffic build up on NH4 and Pune bypass?

>>>

Certainly.

However, I am still exploring eateries re. 1. Bombay - Bangalore in two days ( with a halt in Hubli {approx. 610 kms from Bombay}) vis-avis 2. Bombay-Bangalore in a day by starting early at about 4.30 am.

I imagine that I will encounter little traffic till about 7.00 - 7.30 am; most of the people up and driving at the time will be like us driving long distances. Since it is a Sunday, don't expect very heavy two wheeler traffic. The ideas is to cross the Khed Shivapur TP around/ before 8 am.

Will keep you posted about my final itinerary.

Regards

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>

Certainly.

However, I am still exploring eateries re. 1. Bombay - Bangalore in two days ( with a halt in Hubli {approx. 610 kms from Bombay}) vis-avis 2. Bombay-Bangalore in a day by starting early at about 4.30 am.

I imagine that I will encounter little traffic till about 7.00 - 7.30 am; most of the people up and driving at the time will be like us driving long distances. Since it is a Sunday, don't expect very heavy two wheeler traffic. The ideas is to cross the Khed Shivapur TP around/ before 8 am.

Will keep you posted about my final itinerary.

Regards

Traffic on a Sunday morning around this will be heavy even on a Sunday. All those from Pune/Mumbai wanting to do a one day trip to Mahabaleshwar and Panchgani.

Of all my drives these years the only one I regret was starting on a Sunday morning at 7-45am from Sinhaghad Road and getting stuck at all the 4 toll booths in MH and the maximum being Khedshivpur which took 20 minutes easily.

If you have decided on a break journey, why not start/cross Pune around 1pm so that you will have minimal traffic all the way since most of them would've already started before this time and rest would've stopped for lunch.

One of the best times of the day to do Pune-Kolhapur (and opposite) stretch is undoubtedly between 1pm-3pm. Blame it on the Sun you will see minimal 2 wheeler traffic and as mentioned above, most of the cars would've stopped for lunch.

[Vid6639]

Back after a weekend drive to Lonavala.

I think the timings we adopted were ideal and were least tiring. We left Bangalore at 3pm (after attending office) on Friday from Sarjapur road hence did not get any city traffic till Nelamangala via NICE road.

The toll gate at NICE road at banerghatta side is a pain. No one follows lane discipline and it's always crowded. Took us 20mins to just cross the toll. Then when we joined the NH4 we took the service lane instead of toll road. This slows you down so we went back and joined the toll road.

We reached Davangare at 7pm and had benne dosa in the town. Got back on highway at 8pm. We were in Belgaum and checked into Sankam at 11pm on the dot. Had dinner and crashed.

Next day woke up lazily, had breakfast at Sankam and left after filling diesel next door (IOC bunk) only by 10:30am. Had a small lunch stop at the Mahabaleshwar turn off point at Abhiruchi dhaba at 2pm. We were in Pune by 3:30pm and reached Lonavla toll by 4:30pm. Pune bypass was slow progress.

Summary:
3:00pm - left Sarjapur road
7:00pm - Davangere stop for 1 hour
8:00pm - Left Davangere
11:00pm - Checked into Sankam in Belgaum (Total distance 550kms from start)
10:30am (Next day) - Left Belgaum
2:00pm - Lunch stop at Mahabaleshwar turn off point.
3:30pm - Pune bypass small tea break
4:30pm - Lonavala exit on expressway

Return Journey:

Left Lonavala at 6pm on Sunday evening. Reached Kolhapur by 10:30pm at Raysons hotel (Very average hotel but rates are higher). Had dinner and slept. Next day woke up early, had breakfast and left by 8:30am. Reached Belgaum and filled diesel at Sankam. We were at Davangare by 12:30pm and reached Tumkur Cafe coffee day by 3:30pm. Back home at Sarjapur road at 5pm.

Summary:
6:00pm - Sunday evening leave Lonavala.
10:30pm - Check in at Kolhapur hotel for the night.
8:30am - (next day) leave for Belgaum
10:00am - Belgaum diesel fill up
12:30pm - Davangere
3:30pm - Tumkur cafe coffee day lunch
5:00pm - Sarjapur road.

Total trip odo reading was 1980kms. What I've realised is that by breaking the journey you feel a lot less tired and your next day doesnt go for a toss. Had we left Lonavala on Monday early morning and tried to reach bangalore by evening we would have been pooped on tuesday.

[nileshch]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

One of the best times of the day to do Pune-Kolhapur (and opposite) stretch is undoubtedly between 1pm-3pm. Blame it on the Sun you will see minimal 2 wheeler traffic and as mentioned above, most of the cars would've stopped for lunch.

I agree with that. When coming from Bangalore, I normally reach Kolhapur at around 12:00/12:30 PM. Leaving after lunch at 1:30 PM, I encounter low two-wheeler traffic, especially on weekdays. That allows me to touch Pune easily by 3:30/4:00 PM, making way for a late evening touchdown at the destination in Mumbai. So if you are doing a one-day drive to Mumbai, make sure you reach Kolhapur by afternoon. You will face less slowdowns in the journey ahead.

On the other hand, when coming from Mumbai, I reach Kolhapur by around 9:00/10:00 AM. The two-wheeler traffic around that time is quite high and the drive between Satara, Kolhapur and Nipani is slower during this period. However this is more tolerable as the road/traffic only becomes better and less frustrating after Nipani! (Unlike the other direction, where you will only see heavy traffic till you reach Mumbai)

[INNOWAGON_CL]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Return Journey:

Reached Kolhapur by 10:30pm at Raysons hotel (Very average hotel but rates are higher). Had dinner and slept. Next day woke up early, had breakfast and left by 8:30am. Reached Belgaum and filled diesel at Sankam.

I would suggest Hotel Sankam at Belgaum as this is a better hotel compared to the ones like Raysons, Maratha etc. at Kolhapur. Also fuel is cheaper in COCO available at NH4 in Maharashtra compared to Karnataka NH4

[issigonis]

Originally Posted by issigonis

>>>

Certainly.

However, I am still exploring eateries re. 1. Bombay - Bangalore in two days ( with a halt in Hubli {approx. 610 kms from Bombay}) vis-avis 2. Bombay-Bangalore in a day by starting early at about 4.30 am.

I imagine that I will encounter little traffic till about 7.00 - 7.30 am; most of the people up and driving at the time will be like us driving long distances. Since it is a Sunday, don't expect very heavy two wheeler traffic. The ideas is to cross the Khed Shivapur TP around/ before 8 am.

Will keep you posted about my final itinerary.

Regards

>>>

goandude,

Re. doing the Bangalore run over two days, am checking on which will be a better option - halting in Belgaum or in Hubli? Bombay - Belgaum for me is about 515 kms, Add another 100 kms for Hubli. My total drive will be 1067 kms, end to end.

Regards