[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by rahul4640

I wish to drive to Agra next month. I like to start from ...North Calcutta at around six at the evening, so that I may reach Agra comfortably by ten at the evening of the next day.

You are accounting for 28 hours of driving time between Kolkata and Agra, which IMO is too much. Even with very comfortable pace, not exceeding 90 kmph at any point, with sufficient breaks, you would still not need more than 20-22 hours of total travel time. So, extrapolating an arrival time of 10 pm at Agra, you can leave around midnight of that day. You'd enter JH at daybreak, and have the rest of the day to comfortably reach Agra by late evening.

Originally Posted by rahul4640

But now this news report has made me a little apprehensive, as my schedule makes me cover the stretch between Dobhi town to Barachatti before sunrise. As a veteran of this route, I shall like to ask you whether there is really any cause of concern.

Even without referring to that article, I would certainly say, yes, it is a cause for concern. I have done overnight drives through BR and JH multiple times in the past, but have never been comfortable about it. Running through without stopping is perhaps safe if one stuck to truck convoys (safety in numbers), but taking breaks within the ~400-km-stretch from Barakar border to the BR-UP border at night is a strict no-no in my books. Add to that the small but significant risk of breakdowns and punctures on that stretch, and I wouldn't advise anyone to drive overnight through that stretch.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Even with very comfortable pace, not exceeding 90 kmph at any point, with sufficient breaks, you would still not need more than 20-22 hours of total travel time. So, extrapolating an arrival time of 10 pm at Agra, you can leave around midnight of that day. You'd enter JH at daybreak, and have the rest of the day to comfortably reach Agra by late evening.

Thanks for your suggestion. Actually I kept three or four hours as buffer time, because my car (Tata Indigo, Petrol/MPFI) is over ten year old now. Though I keep good care of it and it is in excellent shape otherwise, it does not have ABS and hence I am not very comfortable at speeds exceeding 100 KMPH.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Running through without stopping is perhaps safe if one stuck to truck convoys (safety in numbers), but taking breaks within the ~400-km-stretch from Barakar border to the BR-UP border at night is a strict no-no in my books. Add to that the small but significant risk of breakdowns and punctures on that stretch, and I wouldn't advise anyone to drive overnight through that stretch.

Thanks again. I have now decided to start at around ten at the evening. With a twenty minute tea/coffee break at Azad Hind Dhaba (Palsit) and a forty minutes dinner break at Panagarh, I shall reach Govindpur almost at dawn.
Warm regards,
Rahul

[krazydriver84]

Hi SS,

Am doing a Del - Kol run on 21st night. Just wanted to enquire the best possible route and the condition of the road.

Will this be a good route to travel by:

https://goo.gl/maps/1U48m35vbTB2

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by krazydriver84

Will this be a good route to travel by:
https://goo.gl/maps/1U48m35vbTB2

That IS the NH2, which this thread is all about. The most recommended route too.

[rahul4640]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

You are accounting for 28 hours of driving time between Kolkata and Agra, which IMO is too much. Even with very comfortable pace, not exceeding 90 kmph at any point, with sufficient breaks, you would still not need more than 20-22 hours of total travel time.

Thanks Doctor Sahab. I started from my home in Calcutta on 15th of this month at eleven at the evening, though managed to reach Agra in less than twenty four hours. I hate to admit that I was delayed by more than adequate stops, a tyre puncture repair and long line of trucks at the toll gates.

[sumannandy]

We are traveling to Kolkata via Bokaro on this Thursday. We would be leaving Delhi around 11 am from gk1, is it possible to reach Varanasi by 8 or 9pm? Also kindly suggest a safe route plan, we do not intend to drive after dark as such.

[Piyadassi]

Originally Posted by sumannandy

We are traveling to Kolkata via Bokaro on this Thursday. We would be leaving Delhi around 11 am from gk1, is it possible to reach Varanasi by 8 or 9pm? Also kindly suggest a safe route plan, we do not intend to drive after dark as such.

Four times that I have covered this stretch it has taken me 12 hours, but then I drive at snail's pace. But would recommend that you leave early so that you are not held up in traffic at Shikohabad stretch. And do not give much thought on driving at night, NH2 is quite safe.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by sumannandy

We are traveling to Kolkata via Bokaro... We would be leaving Delhi around 11 am from gk1, is it possible to reach Varanasi by 8 or 9pm?

Delhi to Varanasi is a minimum 12 hours' drive at the best of times, i.e. overnight. Expect 13-14 hours of driving time during a day drive. Based on the fact that you want to arrive at 8-9 pm, calculate your departure time from Delhi accordingly.

[BlackPearl]

I did Kolkata-Delhi and back recently, while going it took us 26 Hours end to end due to heavy fog, jam at the Bihar-UP border and a few holds ups related to frequent accidents as a result of the fog. While returning it took us 21.5 hours end to end with 19.4 hours of drive time. There was no fog and we were able to bypass the traffic block-ups at the borders.

[aditya79india]

On 01-Aug-13, enroute to Kolkata, I did Delhi to Varanasi in exactly 9hrs and 45 mins in our VW Vento TDI, taking 3 stops in between. Though I had always liked the car, it was during this drive that I came to truly appreciate the impeccable road manners and stability the Vento has. It wasn't maniac but consistent fast driving, solely due to the confidence that the car inspired!

Pic during evening halt at Varanasi

Pic transiting Dhanbad, encounter to Kolkata.

[Vivek VS]

We are on a self driven tour of Uttarakhand in my car. We plan to start our return day after tomorrow.

On the way here we took NH 2 from Barhi to Handia, then took Allahabad bypass, taking Lucknow exit, going through Rae bareilly to Lucknow. What I noticed was that once in UP, especially between Varanasi and Allahabad, the daily traffic of bikes, autorickshaws, bicycles, tractors even local buses, really bring down speeds. The left lane is almost always blocked by these and if you have a truck in front on you in the "fast" lane, that's very frustrating. And their driving sense is atrocious. I've lost count of number of people coming in the fast lane in the opposite directions at full speeds! Or bikers in the left lane just casually veering into the right lane if they have something in front, without looking or indicating. I had to take so many evasive maneuvers.

On my return I plan to either cover the entire Lucknow Barhi stretch at night or take Lucknow-Faizabad-Azamgarh-Aurangabad road. Would that be wise?

[rish27]

Hi All

Posting this query to this thread as well:

Around April I would be in UP traveling to Kanpur (My Hometown), Agra, Lucknow, Allahabad etc.

I would be visiting Agra for a day and a close friend has offered me his car to drive down to Kanpur.

Just a few questions:

~ I plan to leave Agra at around 12:00-1:00 pm, post check out, and that will be on a Saturday. Is the time OK to leave Agra.
~ Approximate time to reach Kanpur.
~ Any safety concerns; I will be with my better half and kid. Have not done a road trip within UP in years, and have traveled extensively thru trains/flights to Kanpur/LKO etc.
~ What I reckon and have heard, that the NH2 is good and safe enough at least during the day time.

Any inputs will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Rish

[Sheel]

Drove approx 200 kms on the Sher Shah Suri road After Sasaram, sometimes, the road deteriorates and there are too many diversions.

The road widening is going on as well. Places where there is concrete, it felt as if I was in a Boeing. The surface is amazingly & unbelievably smooth. Tolls do take up too much time.

Hats off to SS-T for doing these drives in UP. Have driven to lots of places, but the 2 wheelers just don't budge and would risk getting themselves rear ended. I saw the same trait while I was driving to Lucknow.

I spotted a nice looking motel after Mugalsarai and not many COCO outlets.

[sumannandy]

Drove recently from Delhi to Kolkata via Mathura, Agra and Varanasi.

Started from Agra around 11 and reached Varanasi by 7.30 pm. Frustrating traffic at NH2.

Left Varanasi at 12.30 pm and reached Kolkata by 1 am, again frustrating traffic at NH2.

NH2 in Bihar and Jharkhand are good. Dhanbad to Panagarh is work in progress and will slow you down significantly. No issues with borders, drove on the wrong side.

[PapaBravo]

Route Update for NH2. Kolkata to Delhi.


Kolkata-Panagarh : Excellent


Panagarh-Asansol : Worse. This would be the slowest section on NH2. With numerous diversions. Roads become narrow on the diversions. I would call it diversion-way rather than highway.



Asansol-Topchanchi : Bad. Diversions still there but lesser than the earlier stretch.


Topchanchi-Dehri-on-Sone : Good. But some how NH2 on JH has lost its charm. A lot of undulations. Be careful on every culvert in JH. They can throw your car in the air. Try to be slow near Cobra hill.



Dehri-Mohania : Excellent


Varanasi-Handia : Average


Handia-Kanpur-Etawah : Excellent



Etawah-Agra : Average to Good roads but unruly tractor traffic.


Agra-Delhi : Outstanding YEW.


Regards,

Pawan