[ujjuashu]

Originally Posted by litesaber

I have been driving annually to my village near Dapoli in Konkan (Maharashtra) from Bangalore via NH48 to Karad and then Kumbharli ghat to Chiplun. Given the condition of NH48 between Belgaum to Karad, would it be better to take Mumbai - Goa highway via Belgaum -> Amboli ghat to reach Chiplun?

I usually complete this drive in a single day starting early morning 3am and reaching by 5pm. I am thinking of now starting after lunch and stopping overnight in Belgaum or Kolhapur. Would the morning drive from Kolhapur to Karad be tolerable?

I am from Dapoli, and recently started traveling there from Bengaluru via road, starting at around 4/4:30 and reaching at around 10/11pm with ample stops in between. This is what I have followed so far:-
1) Onward:- During past three times, traveled via 3 different ghats- Amba ghat, Amboli ghat, and Phondaghat, then took NH66. Amboli was the best experience - road conditions and restaurants-wise.
2) Return:- always via Kumbharli ghat, and overnight at either Belgaum/Kolhapur. The most recent trip was during Ganapati, and the road after the ghat till about touching the Highway was in a bad shape.

We will be traveling again in the 3rd week of May. As we want to cover all the major ghats, planning to go via Anuskara ghat this time. Hope, this helps. Have a nice trip! Let's catch up in Dapoli if schedule matches!

[bbv]

I drove from Hyderabad to Khargar yesterday. Started at 6:20am and reached at 6:15 pm with 3 major breaks each for breakfast, lunch and a nap. The Solapur->Khargar route overlaps with the Bangalore->Solapur->Mumbai route. I decided to take Pandharpur route (Solapur->Mohol->Pandharpur->Phaltan->Shirwal (joins NH48)->Pune. This route was very good, 4-lane from Solapur till Lonand (with only 2-3 diversions), a small stretch of 2-lane from Lonand to Shirwal and then regular NH48 route. The traffic in Mohol->Shirwal route was very sparse and could easily maintain ~130 kmph.

I can easily recommend to go through this route (Mohol->Shirwal) for anyone going through Solapur route, to avoid east-west crossing of Pune. In fact, I would prefer this route with less traffic anytime over Solapur-Pune, and maybe very nice in rainy season with green surroundings (sidenote: Never saw so many nice Banyan trees roadside).

I had lunch at a nice hotel Srihari (not on gmap) just before the road turns for overbridge to cross railway line of Lonand, had an excellent thali and misal pav.

[swparth18]

Originally Posted by swparth18

Return drive on Sunday.

I completed the drive by using the same route. I left 4.45 AM from panvel and reached at the similar time as my onward jounery to my home in bangalore @ 21.15.

This time, however, I felt quite slower. Despite, crossing Pune east-west in 45mins, I could reach breakfast stop near Mohol by 10 AM. So it took 5 1/2 hrs for ~ 330 kms drive. I took some time cross all the tolls on this highway as I was 6-7th vehicle most times.

After that, drove all the way till Mayura, Hospete which I reached ~ 15:00hrs. Again, this distance covered ~ 330 kms in 4 1/2 hrs, so this felt like the fastest section.

From Hospete to kalyan nagar took about 5 1/2 hrs, I drove continuously. Took diversion from Dabaspete and followed -> Doddballapura -> Yelahanka -> Jakkur -> kalyan Nagar route. Tolls were very crowded after chitradurga. I wanted to take a dinner stop in-between at 18 hrs, but I missed pakashala at Sira and then Ghar ka Khana adjacent to Jio bunk at dabaspete. Just kept on postponing for stops and finally had a sumptuous meal at filter coffee in kalyan Nagar. I should have directly put them in the maps, instead of looking for places.

I used around ~105 ltrs of fuel for ~2200 kms for the overall trip. So average consumption was 20.9 kmpl. I drive a BSVI Ford Aspire diesel.

[spiritofmars]

I'm planning to drive Bangalore to Pune, but am planning a different route given the bad road conditions and diversions on NH48. The route I'm planning is Bangalore - Chitradurga - Hosapete - Vijayapura - Pandharpur - Tembhumi - Indapur - Patas - Hadapsar. Any feedback on any of the sections on this route? Am planning to stop overnight at Vijayapura.

This is the route map -
Day 1 - https://shorturl.at/izVAu

Day 2 - https://shorturl.at/82uwf

Would be glad for any feedback / pointers if anyone has travelled recently on this route or any of the sections on the route

[shubham_2206]

I'll be driving from Bangalore to Chandigarh at the end of this month. It will be a four day drive as I avoid driving at nights (specially on long drives like these). I had done the same last year and this is how I split the journey:

Day 1: Bangalore to Satara
Day 2: Satara to Vadodara
Day 3: Vadodara to Jaipur
Day 4: Jaipur to Chandigarh

It was overall a comfortable drive, starting around sunrise and stopping around sunset every day.

I remember the route between Belgaum and Satara being unpleasant and seeing the recent posts in this thread, it looks like the situation hasn't improved much. To avoid the same this time, I was wondering if I can take a deviation after Belgaum towards NH 160, avoiding NH 48 till Karad. Route then becomes this:

Bangalore to Chikkalgud (just after Belgaum) via NH 48
Chikkalgud to Tasgaon via NH 160
Tasgaon to Karad via NH 266
Karad to Satara via NH 48

This avoids most of the diversions between Belgaum and Satara, just the ones after Karad will be there.

Will this be a better route to reach Satara compared to going all the way on NH 48? It's about 20 km extra but I don't mind the additional distance (and a bit of additional travel time) as long as the route is pleasant. I'll be travelling with my pet dog and would like to avoid the 4-5 hours of honking on this stretch as much as I can.

Also, I intend to start the journey on Saturday (Bangalore to Satara) but can start on Friday as well. Will it make any considerable difference in congestion if I start on Friday?

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by spiritofmars

I'm planning to drive Bangalore to Pune, but am planning a different route given the bad road conditions and diversions on NH48. The route I'm planning is Bangalore - Chitradurga - Hosapete - Vijayapura - Pandharpur - Tembhumi - Indapur - Patas - Hadapsar. Any feedback on any of the sections on this route? Am planning to stop overnight at Vijayapura.

If your destination is Hadapsar, why take the Pandharpur-Patas route and rejoin at NH65, why not stick to NH50/52 till Solapur and NH65 from Solapur to Hadapsar. If you are planning to visit temple at Pandharpur, then take the route which you planned or else NH65 is much faster.

[IamGetz]

Just completed the return leg from Pune to Bangalore on 17 May with an overnight stop at Hubbali

1. The return leg of the journey left much to be desired compared to Bangalore to Pune leg. It showed up as increased journey strain cum bodyache post trip
2. Vithal Kamats Satara remains our preferred spot for breakfast . I tend to hog on the last bit of Maharastrian delicacies (misal pav, poha, sabudana vada etc) before returning to the land of masala dose aka Bengaluru
3. Maharastra NH 48 roads have some of the worst undulations specially near a couple of hilly uproads. I believe these are due to loaded container trucks struggling to move uphill, with poor road quality materials, resulting in deep road undulations
4. Watch out for both unmarked speed bumps on the diversions service roads and road humps joins near newly laid road streches. Any momentary lapse of concentration or speeding on these will surely extract a heavy toll on your vehicles suspension and your spine
5. Karad traffic was a gigantic mess even without rains. Due to the huge pileup on the flyover joining bridge over river, most of the cars turned right back and joined an alternative route over a smaller bridge across river. That U turn manouver itself must have saved us atleast 45 minutes
6. The toll plaza on Maharashtra side add to journey time and delays. I wonder why. Saw some drivers arguing with the toll plaza employees. This added to the frustration of those stuck behind in the queue
7. Entering Karnataka via Nipani-Belgavi feels like entering the gates of heaven (figuratively )

The atrocious local road quality and water logging in Bangalore remain our favourite punchbag topics against Karnataka politicians

But believe me the strech from Belgavi to Bangalore feels nothing less than driving abroad. The sheer pleasure of using cruise control on my Creta was worth every penny, specially on this strech

8. Denissons hotel in Hubbali was our overnight pit stop. A nice hotel with ample parking, was the best way to unwind. By the way our pitstop on the Bangalore Pune leg was at the Marriott in Belgavi
9. The drive from Hubballi to Bangalore was uneventful due to lower traffic volumes on Saturday. Had a late lunch enroute at Paakashala in Sira
10. As always the Tumkuru to Nelamangala strech remains a sticky spot with impatient drivers performing crazy overtaking manouovers as they approach Bangalore. Watch out for these crazies as a lot of BHPians have recommended in post earlier

All in all the 855 kms journey gave us a much needed break and quality time spent with family

Would I repeat the same route from Pune to Bangalore?

Probably I might give the Solapur route a try for a couple of years till things settle down on NH48

[Arka]

I did Bangalore-Shirdi, onward on 11/12 and return on 15/16, with a night stop at Kolhapur in both directions. I completely echo IamGetz's feeling about the dramatic transition in road quality as one crosses the KA-MH border. The road on the MH side will test the suspension in certain stretches, if done after dark. Hence, Kolhapur to Pune is best tackled during daylight hours. Recent showers have perhaps added to the degradation. Even condition of the Nashik-Pune highway leaves a lot to be desired. Let's see if things improve in the next few months. Else, I too might give the Solapur route another go. Despite my mixed feelings about it.

[spiritofmars]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

If your destination is Hadapsar, why take the Pandharpur-Patas route and rejoin at NH65, why not stick to NH50/52 till Solapur and NH65 from Solapur to Hadapsar. If you are planning to visit temple at Pandharpur, then take the route which you planned or else NH65 is much faster.

Thanks. Google maps showed similar times for both routes so was wondering which is quicker. What makes the Pandharpur route slower and by how much, in your experience?

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by spiritofmars

Thanks. Google maps showed similar times for both routes so was wondering which is quicker. What makes the Pandharpur route slower and by how much, in your experience?

The NH50 and NH65 combination is a still a good one, you get 4 laned roads as against the single lane road enroute Pandharpur. Plus availability of eateries and fuel bunks is a plenty on NH65. The only differentiation is good roads.

[Game_of_Roads]

Originally Posted by shubham_2206

I remember the route between Belgaum and Satara being unpleasant and seeing the recent posts in this thread, it looks like the situation hasn't improved much. To avoid the same this time, I was wondering if I can take a deviation after Belgaum towards NH 160, avoiding NH 48 till Karad. Route then becomes this:

Bangalore to Chikkalgud (just after Belgaum) via NH 48
Chikkalgud to Tasgaon via NH 160
Tasgaon to Karad via NH 266
Karad to Satara via NH 48

This avoids most of the diversions between Belgaum and Satara, just the ones after Karad will be there.

Will this be a better route to reach Satara compared to going all the way on NH 48? It's about 20 km extra but I don't mind the additional distance (and a bit of additional travel time) as long as the route is pleasant.

Did you actually take this deviation around Sangli mentioned above ? I am travelling from Dharwad - Navi Mumbai on Sunday and am considering this recommendation from Google Maps.

Also with rains/storms forecast for Sunday around this route, I'm debating the options of the standard NH48 route vs this. Would be helpful to know your recent experience.

[shubham_2206]

Originally Posted by Game_of_Roads

Did you actually take this deviation around Sangli mentioned above ? I am travelling from Dharwad - Navi Mumbai on Sunday and am considering this recommendation from Google Maps.

I will be travelling on this route next week (Thursday). Will share my experience here. Since you're travelling before me, may I request you to share your experience if you end up going via this route?

[shb19]

Just completed a round trip between Bangalore and Pune, and thought I’d share an update for anyone planning the same. I’ve done this route multiple times by bus via the usual NH48, but with the current state of ongoing construction—especially after Belgaum—the journey has become painfully slow, often stretching to 17–19 hours.

So this time, I decided to take the lesser-known NH50 route, and honestly, it was a game-changer.

Route taken:
Bangalore → Chitradurga → Hosapete → Ilkal → Vijayapura → Solapur → Indapur → Pune

Here's my experience:
✅ Road quality: Surprisingly good throughout. Smooth tarmac, minimal potholes, and very few rough patches. A far better driving experience compared to the chaos of NH48 right now.

✅ Time taken: Managed to complete the stretch in 14–15 hours both ways with steady driving—significantly quicker than the current NH48 timings, can cruise at max speed limit throughout.

❌ Drawbacks:

Very few family-friendly eateries along the way. Plan your food stops carefully—carry snacks and water, especially if you're traveling with family.

The route is dominated by truck traffic, and in case of a breakdown, help may not be readily available. You’re mostly on your own, so it’s best to avoid late-night travel on this stretch.

Final verdict:
Until the NH48 construction mess gets sorted, I’d strongly recommend NH50 for anyone doing this drive. It’s faster, smoother, and much less frustrating—just plan your essentials ahead and travel during the day. Not sure none of the travels between bangalore pune follow this route except one.

[Rajala]

Much needed information, thanks

[Rolwynj]

Originally Posted by shubham_2206

I will be travelling on this route next week (Thursday). Will share my experience here. Since you're travelling before me, may I request you to share your experience if you end up going via this route?

I had taken this route 1 year back to divert from the roadworks. Was very happy because of scenic route (chikodi, shiraguppi, kagawad) but this was shortlived after I crossed Maharashtra. Roads were narrow from Miraj to Tasgaon with deep potholes ( i scrapped my Glanza/ Baleno) and from Tasgaon to Karad, u will find roads with market and railway crossing, 2 railway stations etc. Depends on what time you are crossing this village. I must have encountered the traffic ( lots of motorists) as I was crossing at 5 pm. I do BLR - Mumbai frequently, so let me try next month. I will plan to join satara from gotur bridge ( actual name of the diversion place) instead of Karad diversion. But this will cost you 45 mins. ( 5 hours from Gotur bridge to Fern hotel, Satara via NH160) Vs 4 hour 10 mins on NH48).