[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Bigzero

That brings me to my question - do things improve if I start say at 4 am from Pune?

Indeed it does. This is because I have normally seen traffic pick up right from Karad all the way till MIDC Exit near Kagal post Kolhapur if you are crossing this say after 0800/0900.

By departing from Pune at 0400, you will be in Karnataka by 0700/0730 easily.

[Happysmiles]

Originally Posted by Bigzero

Specifically on the issue of avoiding traffic on the Pune-Kolhapur.......I believe it becomes worse if you delay your departure further.

That brings me to my question - do things improve if I start say at 4 am from Pune?

Leaving at 4am, you would definitely avoid local traffic upto Kholapur.
Do you drive nonstop to Kerala, or take a halt?
I generally leave at 4am and check in at a hotel in Hosur by 5 pm (with lots of adequate breaks.)
On the return journey, I opt to enter Pune only on weekdays. Sundays and public holidays is best avoided.

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by Happysmiles

Leaving at 4am, you would definitely avoid local traffic upto Kholapur.
Do you drive nonstop to Kerala, or take a halt?
I generally leave at 4am and check in at a hotel in Hosur by 5 pm (with lots of adequate breaks.)
On the return journey, I opt to enter Pune only on weekdays. Sundays and public holidays is best avoided.

I drive all the way to Mysore and halt there - have been doing this for a few years and I had created a Pune-Mysore thread when I had queries on this, which is still active with new route options evolving..

Another interesting thing to note is that, though it might be tiring during the day because of the heat, driving in the summer allows you more daylight for long trips like this..

[binand]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Wow! Just curious how long did it take you to do Marathahalli-Kolhapur?

Here's my entire trip timings. The timestamps are from Fastag logs (downloaded from the website) and the distances are what I had measured during an earlier trip. The rest is Excel magic.

The timestamp from the very first toll plaza - Plaza 1, which is the one at the end of the NBTPL elevated road - is obviously wrong since I started from home only at 4:30 AM.

Marathahalli-Kolhapur took probably about 20-30 minutes short of 10 hours.

[rakesh_r]

Me and wifey would be driving to my hometown Palakkad from Pune. Default route- Pune-Hosur-Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad. Will be starting on the 22nd (4am) from Pune and take a halt at Hosur for the night. Any new updates apart from the excellent info provided by Parag? Am planning to exit Mh by 7 am max 8 am. This time I have purchased fastag, which I hope will work throughout the journey effortlessly. I am a bit concerned on some of the stretches where the interceptors are present that enforce ridiculously low speed limits. Any info on that would really be appreciated. I normally prefer to fill from Reliance Fuel stations, are they available in the entire stretch?
Many thanks in advance.

[distiller]

I regularly drive from Bangalore to Pune twice a year. I start from Bangalore around 5:30am to 06:00 am. This gives a good headway and generally I reach Kolhapur around 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Thus till Karad I end up driving with the local traffic. Post Karad the traffic thins out.
An early start from Pune gives the advantage of very less local traffic in between Pune-Kolhapur. And once you cross over to Karnataka the highway is to yourself!

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

I am a bit concerned on some of the stretches where the interceptors are present that enforce ridiculously low speed limits.

One section that I always know is between these 2 tolls. So beware.

Chalageri to Hebbalu

I mostly notice the interceptor very active on both sides between these 2 points, especially opposite to the Medical College on Davanagere bypass but generally better to drive 80 KMPH between these 2 booths.

I normally prefer to fill from Reliance Fuel stations, are they available in the entire stretch?
Many thanks in advance.

Here you go, in no particular order but I have mentioned on which side they will be:

• 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

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

[*]After Ranebennur bypass, towards Bangalore: Location

This specific Reliance-Kamat Upachar is on Pune bound direction no? I had noted it as one of my breakfast stops, thats why asking.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by narayans80

This specific Reliance-Kamat Upachar is on Pune bound direction no? I had noted it as one of my breakfast stops, thats why asking.

Yes, I got confused as I had all the links in a notepad and composing it.

Nevertheless, when you have the LINK specified, its easier to just open that, zoom in and out, figure out which side of the corridor it is and decide to refill .

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by paragsachania

One section that I always know is between these 2 tolls. So beware.

Chalageri to Hebbalu

The last time I drove in this sector, I remember going through Harihar town and getting back to the highway immediately after that - the river bridge on the highway was allowing only traffic in the blr-pune direction.

Has that changed now?

Added: I was also caught for speeding on the Davangere BP during the same trip - apparently I was doing 94 while the speed limit was 80 :(

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Bigzero

The last time I drove in this sector, I remember going through Harihar town and getting back to the highway immediately after that - the river bridge on the highway was allowing only traffic in the blr-pune direction.

Has that changed now?

It is still the same. No changes and that is a permanent arrangement.

[RCD]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Me and wifey would be driving to my hometown Palakkad from Pune. Default route- Pune-Hosur-Salem-Coimbatore-Palakkad. Will be starting on the 22nd (4am) from Pune

I have done this route recently ( though as part of two separate trips ). End of last month I had driven to Pune, and as we had to get back to Bangalore on a particular day wound up starting from Pune at Midnight on our return trip. We reached Bangalore city ( we stay on the eastern side of the city , which means 90 mins + during reentry ) by 10 am. Except for the Hubli-Dharwad bypass we used Fastag at all toll booths. In early November, we had gone to Kodaikanal and used Fastag all the way to Dindigal. Have in the past driven to Cochin several times, so can say that in TN and Kerala also your Fastag will work.

One suggestion based on my recent trip back from Pune is that you start as early as you can. There is a lot of traffic on the Maharashtra part of the highway all the way to Kolhapur. The earlier you start the less of it you will encounter.

Did not encounter any interceptors on the drive from Pune to Bangalore or the Bangalore to Kodai.

Fuel stations are available every 5-10 kms like most of India. I prefer to use the larger and more frequented company operated BP pumps on the route, and have never had a problem with fuel. They are also open 24 hrs, and take credit and debit cards.

There are a few Reliance fuel stations too, but pretty scattered.

[rish27]

Hi Parag/Vivek95/NPV/Binand and other frequent travelers and experts:

I would be driving down to Bangalore from Pune on the 23rd of December. Request your piece of advice on the following:

- Though it’s not a non-stop drive, with Hubli being the stop over in the first leg, which is the most appropriate time to leave Pune. Considering the long weekend ahead; definitely can’t leave early in the day, hence contemplating to leave post 9 am to avoid the Mahabaleshwar/Goa traffic. I would leave from Nagar road.

- Food joints and washrooms considering family travelling, preferably post the Mahabaleshwar turn.

While returning to Pune on the 26th of December, we are still stopping over at Hubli. Start time planned at around 11:00 am from Bangalore

- Food joints and washrooms considering family travelling. On my return I definitely plan to stop at Sankam Residency at Belagavi for Breakfast (27th Morning, post departing from Belagavi). Any other recommendation post that?

Any other thing bearing in mind like interceptors, FasTag, et al. etc. Though I have gone thru all the trails. Any other input will be of great help.

Thanks
Rish

[explorer09]

Originally Posted by rish27

Hi Parag/Vivek95/NPV/Binand and other frequent travelers and experts:

I would be driving down to Bangalore from Pune on the 23rd of December. Request your piece of advice on the following:

- Though it’s not a non-stop drive, with Hubli being the stop over in the first leg, which is the most appropriate time to leave Pune. Considering the long weekend ahead; definitely can’t leave early in the day, hence contemplating to leave post 9 am to avoid the Mahabaleshwar/Goa traffic. I would leave from Nagar road.

- Food joints and washrooms considering family travelling, preferably post the Mahabaleshwar turn.

While returning to Pune on the 26th of December, we are still stopping over at Hubli. Start time planned at around 11:00 am from Bangalore

- Food joints and washrooms considering family travelling. On my return I definitely plan to stop at Sankam Residency at Belagavi for Breakfast (27th Morning, post departing from Belagavi). Any other recommendation post that?

Any other thing bearing in mind like interceptors, FasTag, et al. etc. Though I have gone thru all the trails. Any other input will be of great help.

Thanks
Rish

Sai International at Yelur will be a good pit-stop for you if start post 9AM from Nagar road. On the return leg, since you have shortlisted Sankam for breakfast, why not just stay there instead of Hubli. Your stay at Sankam will be inclusive of breakfast.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by rish27

- Though it’s not a non-stop drive, with Hubli being the stop over in the first leg, which is the most appropriate time to leave Pune. Considering the long weekend ahead; definitely can’t leave early in the day, hence contemplating to leave post 9 am to avoid the Mahabaleshwar/Goa traffic. I would leave from Nagar road.

0900 is still a bad time because those from Mumbai who would have left at 0600 will meet you on the bypass at 0900 and you drive together . If you ask me, nothing is a good time before 1400 on this day.

- Food joints and washrooms considering family travelling, preferably post the Mahabaleshwar turn.

Just before Wai Phata, you have Parth food Mall.

Beyond this, you have:

Vittal Kamat before Satara

Hotel Manas next to this.

- Food joints and washrooms considering family travelling.

Refer to the first post. You have the complete list with family friendly places mentioned.