[amyth78]

Dear rajitp1, thanks for your advise.

Done Pune - Rajkot - Pune from 29th January to 31st January. Yes, it was indeed one long drive but smooth and pleasurable because of excellent road condition, except few bottlenecks and speed breakers.

Route Taken (Via NH8): MPEW - Navi Mumbai - Thane - Ghodbundar - Vapi - Bharuch - Vadodara - Ahmadabad Ring Road - Bagodara - Rajkot and return via same route

Car: Mahindra XUV 500 W4

Started from Pune: On 29.01.2015 at 5 am

Reached Destination (Rajkot): 29.01.2015 at 6 pm

Total driving time: 13 hours.

Road Condition: Excellent. Wonderful driving experience through NE-1 between Vadodara and Ahmadabad.

Returning: Started from Rajkot on 31.01.2015 at 4 a.m. Reached Pune at 5:30 pm

Total distance drove (both sides): 1756 Km

Total Fuel consumed: Approx. 135 Ltr. (Diesel)

Mileage achieved: 13 Km/litre with AC and constant high speed.

Average speed: Between 70 Km/hr and 80 Km/hr

Total Toll Booths & amount: 14 toll booths (one-side). Total toll paid for Rs. 1681/- (both side).

Bottlenecks / Speed breakers: Navi Mumbai & Thane, Narmada Bridge – Bharuch, some round-abouts at Ahmadabad Ring Road, toll booths, trucks and some local traffic. Major traffic jam at Narmada Bridge.

Food & Fuel Options: Plenty of highway restaurants and petrol pumps throughout the journey. Shell petrol pump available at Pune as well as in Rajkot.

Some pictures:

Three lane road (one-side) through out the journey







Narmada Bridge. Bit scary as the bridge shakes if any heavy vehicle passes through. We got stuck in the middle of the bridge while trucks crossing from other side, hence felt the tremors. New bridge construction work in progress.





National Expressway - 1, straight & smooth:





Two way road from Ahmadabad Ring Road till Rajkot:





Regards,

Amyth78

[Ajitsingh208]

Originally Posted by amyth78

Route Taken (Via NH8): MPEW - Navi Mumbai - Thane - Ghodbundar - Vapi - Bharuch - Vadodara - Ahmadabad Ring Road - Bagodara - Rajkot and return via same route

Car: Mahindra XUV 500 W4

Started from Pune: On 29.01.2015 at 5 am

Reached Destination (Rajkot): 29.01.2015 at 6 pm

Returning: Started from Rajkot on 31.01.2015 at 4 a.m. Reached Pune at 5:30 pm

Bottlenecks / Speed breakers: Navi Mumbai & Thane, Narmada Bridge – Bharuch, some round-abouts at Ahmadabad Ring Road, toll booths, trucks and some local traffic. Major traffic jam at Narmada Bridge.

Regards,

Amyth78

Hello,
I am also planning a trip towards North so have few queries
How was the traffic at Thane in the morning, by what time were you able to take the right at Fountain Hotel?
Around what time were you at Narmada Bridge? Heard its a toss between this and Golden Bridge these days, Have been taking the Golden bridge since the last couple of times, i was thinking of taking the Narmada Bridge to save some time since its renovation is complete I think. Did you face traffic in both legs of your journey?

180km/hr can only be managed at AMD-Vadodra expressway, I too was tempted once and touched 160. But then slowed down and sanity dawned that I was in a Safari.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by Ajitsingh208

Around what time were you at Narmada Bridge? Heard its a toss between this and Golden Bridge these days, Have been taking the Golden bridge since the last couple of times, i was thinking of taking the Narmada Bridge to save some time since its renovation is complete I think. Did you face traffic in both legs of your journey?

Simply take the Golden Bridge for all the issues on the main bridge off late. I did that too during my last weekend's drive to Ahmedabad and it was a smooth experience.

You can read about the complete log here.

[amyth78]

Originally Posted by Ajitsingh208

Hello,
How was the traffic at Thane in the morning, by what time were you able to take the right at Fountain Hotel?
Around what time were you at Narmada Bridge? Heard its a toss between this and Golden Bridge these days, Have been taking the Golden bridge since the last couple of times, i was thinking of taking the Narmada Bridge to save some time since its renovation is complete I think. Did you face traffic in both legs of your journey?

Hi,

I have crossed Thane around 7 / 7:30 am and traffic was okay at that point of time. No major issue, but quite a bit traffic to slow you down. Better if you may cross Thane by 6:30 am.

We were at the Narmada Bridge around 12 noon and had a pit stop at AMD around 2:30 for lunch.

Yes, encountered a traffic jam on both sides of Narmada Bridge. While going towards Rajkot, before getting into the bridge, extreme left side is open for cars and small vehicles. No idea about Golden Bridge as this was my first trip towards AMD / Rajkot. You should follow paragsachania advise on this.

Straight and smooth NE - 1 is indeed an invitation to test your limit. I touched 180 and then returned to my actual speed of 100 - 130. Took a chance because tyres are new and nitrox filled.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by amyth78

Hi,

I have crossed Thane around 7 / 7:30 am and traffic was okay at that point of time. No major issue, but quite a bit traffic to slow you down. Better if you may cross Thane by 6:30 am.

We were at the Narmada Bridge around 12 noon and had a pit stop at AMD around 2:30 for lunch.

Yes, encountered a traffic jam on both sides of Narmada Bridge. While going towards Rajkot, before getting into the bridge, extreme left side is open for cars and small vehicles. No idea about Golden Bridge as this was my first trip towards AMD / Rajkot. You should follow paragsachania advise on this.

In 2011, I didn't know about the Golden Bridge option and took the usual road.

In 2012, I took the Golden Bridge.

In 2013 again I took the Golden Bridge.

In 2014, I took the usual Main Bridge as things has started to get normal.

As of today, things are not normal as the bridge is closed for repairs and humongous truck traffic on 6 lanes has to cross with limited 2 lanes due to this.

Cars bearing GJ 01, GJ 05 & GJ 06 who regularly do Mumbai-Ahmedabad all take the Golden Bridge for this reason now. Follow them and you will normally see them exiting for Ankleshwar (Ahmedabad Bound) & Bharuch (Mumbai Bound) and this gives all hints.

I also got to know from a friend of mine who works for the Secretariat that 600 Cr has been sanctioned for a new Bridge and that will take 2.5 years, Finally!

The other option to totally avoid this mess is the Vadodara-Rajpipla option but then its a single carriageway through the jungles.

I wanted to try that during my earlier return plan on Saturday but since it got moved to Monday, I took the normal route expecting less private traffic.

[SajiNSalin]

The Vadodara-Rajpipla road is a poor option as it was not in good condition when I last traveled on this stretch. You can make good time till the Bharuch Bridge and after passing it, and the time saved will more than make up for the delay getting into the bridge.

[varunsangal]

Am planning to drive Mumbai - Diu next week. Any pointers on the road conditions? Especially beyond Vadodara. Google maps has shown the route below. Any proposed enhancements to the route? Also, how is the coverage of filling stations beyond Vadodara?

[bassman]

Quick update to this thread.
I did a Pune - Thane | Thane - Vadodara trip yesterday. Smooth sailing all the way till Bharuch. I hit bharuch around 7:45 PM. Slow moving traffic, got on the other side of Narmada bridge by 8:!5 PM. 30 mins is not too long by that bridge standards.
Stick to the left most lane - cars are allowed to pass through pretty easily.

[suniladhiya]

Can anyone who travelled to Gujarat recently update on the status of flyover construction work along Thane-Belapur Road. I had read in the papers that 3-4 flyover were to be constructed during this year so does this result in traffic snarls at the crossings ?

Thanks in advance

[bassman]

I drove down from Thane to Vadodara last weekend.
There are a couple of flyovers being constructed 30 minutes before vasai so there is a possibility of a jam there. Luckily i was traveling on a sunday, so didn't experience too much traffic.

Leave from thane early morning , so you cross those segments before there is too much traffic.

[suniladhiya]

Good news for people travelling from Mumbai side to Gujarat - NHAI has awarded the contract for construction of a brand new bridge over the Varsova Creek at hodbunder

- refer Item No.34 in the chart at the link http://www.nhai.org/phaseVui.asp

Although this of course would take another year or two to complete, finally the pains of the recurring repairs and closure of the old bridge over the creek should be a thing of the past. Also, the NHAI item reads "with interchanges" so hopefully we should see the end of the traffic signal at this junction.

Happy Driving !!!!

[guyonblackybx]

Visited Vadodara last weekend from Pune by my Royal Enfield Classic 500.

I stay at Nehre, so overall distance for me was just aroun 550 kms. Since I was travelling by 2 wheeler I had to take old Pune Mumbai highway. Nehre - Thane - Vapi - Valsad - Baruch - Vadodara.

My last visit to Vadodara from Pune was by bus back in 2015 back then the traffic at the Baruch bridge costed aroun 1 hour. But its completely changed now no traffic at all. I reached Vadodarain 11 hours with one breakfast, one tea and one lunch break.

I returned on Sunday only difference being the route was via Panvel. This part of the route is not in good condition. Since it was Sunday traffic between Khandala and Pune was on higher side. Return journey took me 12 hours.

[guyonblackybx]

Visited Vadodara last weekend from Pune by my Royal Enfield Classic 500.

I stay at Nehre, so overall distance for me was just aroun 550 kms. Since I was travelling by 2 wheeler I had to take old Pune Mumbai highway. Nehre - Thane - Vapi - Valsad - Baruch - Vadodara.

My last visit to Vadodara from Pune was by bus back in 2015 back then the traffic at the Baruch bridge costed aroun 1 hour. But its completely changed now no traffic at all. I reached Vadodarain 11 hours with one breakfast, one tea and one lunch break.

I returned on Sunday only difference being the route was via Panvel. This part of the route is not in good condition. Since it was Sunday traffic between Khandala and Pune was on higher side. Return journey took me 12 hours.

[Rahul Bhalgat]

Originally Posted by guyonblackybx

Visited Vadodara last weekend from Pune by my Royal Enfield Classic 500.

I stay at Nehre, so overall distance for me was just aroun 550 kms. Since I was travelling by 2 wheeler I had to take old Pune Mumbai highway. Nehre - Thane - Vapi - Valsad - Baruch - Vadodara.

I reached Vadodarain 11 hours with one breakfast, one tea and one lunch break.

Wow, Pune - Vadodara on Bullet, in 11 hours is impressive. At what speeds did you cruise? I take almost same time by car, with equal number of breaks when I drive at 80-90 kmph you on highway.

[guyonblackybx]

Originally Posted by Rahul Bhalgat

Wow, Pune - Vadodara on Bullet, in 11 hours is impressive. At what speeds did you cruise? I take almost same time by car, with equal number of breaks when I drive at 80-90 kmph you on highway.

In 95-110 range. Pune - Mumbai, Mumbai-Pune was the slowest part. On bike I dont get to stop at tolls and stalling at traffic jams is almost nill.