Precise directions to Matheran

rajdoll · 15th January 2007, 09:06

Hi Guys,
Give me precise directions to Matheran from New-Mumbai. Also tell me the kind of ghats I will have to negotiate, can my diesel(Non turbo) indica handle that with five people on board?
Thanks in advance.

viper · 15th January 2007, 09:14

Hi,

Its on the old Poona highway. There will be a big sign that says Karjat where you should take a left turn. Fairly straight forward road. Cannot get lost unless you are a absolute moron

.

Ghats are a bit steep so be careful. Will have to take the last few turns in 1st gear only as they are a bit too steep.

Viper

rajdoll · 15th January 2007, 09:27

Can you tell me from Panvel & Express-way junction, which direction to go. Should I continue on express way and then take an exit or go left from panvel junction?

dins · 15th January 2007, 10:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by rajdoll

Hi Guys,
Give me precise directions to Matheran from New-Mumbai. Also tell me the kind of ghats I will have to negotiate, can my diesel(Non turbo) indica handle that with five people on board?
Thanks in advance.

hey go straight to the expressway and get on the expressway then after 5 kms there will be a left for shedung ...u willl a ND Studio hoarding too...take that left and pay toll for the using the expressway and go straight then take a left to join old mumbai poona highway go straight 20 kms u will find rasayni & patalganga hospital on the way then take left from chowk a junction ....before this junction all the hoardings of matheran & karjat will come......now u have go staright along the way for another 20 kms.....Now u can manage from this place to matheran easily.

netarchie · 15th January 2007, 10:13

You have to take the exit for the Old-Pune road once your are on the expressway. Its before the 1st toll naka on the expressway. Keep left and take the exit for the Old Pune road. You cant miss that exit.

rajdoll · 15th January 2007, 10:23

ya, got it. Thanks guys.

hvkumar · 15th January 2007, 10:42

Alternatively, don't take the expressway, go through Panvel town on NH4 (Old Pune road). Around 20 kms from Panvel town, before Khopoli, you will see the Karjat left turn. Just before Karjat town (around 15 kms), turn left (marking for Neral), and go along for around 10 kms. At Neral (just before entering town), there is a left for Matheran which is 11 kms from this point. From here, it is ghats all the way - narrow road, watch out for fast reckless taxi drivers. The ghat is steep in 2-3 hairpins just before you reach Matheran (last 2 kms), keep your AC switched off and select your gears well, and you should have no problem climbing even with 5 people in the car. Please remember that cars are not allowed beyond the Dasturi naka (check post) where there is a parking lot. From the parking lot, the town bazaar is a little over a kilometer. You can take a horse, hand-pulled rickshaw or best walk on the railway track (shortest and least dusty) to wherever you want, depending on your itinerary/hotel location. There are hotels all over the place, please check with yours the best route to reach it. Allow for 1-1.5 hours to reach Matheran from Navi Mumbai

emkay456 · 15th January 2007, 10:51

Now you also need to pay a small toll on the Mumbai Pune Road immdly after the Express way exit toll for using the stretch from Exprssway exit to the Chowk intersection. From Chowk you proceed upto Karjat and then take the left road until the Neral - Matheran Road (basically u do a "U" traversal from Navi Mumbai). Take left again once u hit the Neral-Matheran road.

spadival · 16th January 2007, 12:29

Is Matheran worth visiting now? I guess all the greenery would have dried up by now?

WDM007 · 5th January 2012, 12:53

Guys !

Need a help. Im planning to visit Matheran this weekend. And for a change, dont want to go by my own car. Is it feasible to go by road? say by ST. Will I get buses from Pune? or Lonavala?

Or is it better to go by Train?

Last option will be to go by own car.

Let me know your opinions.

hvkumar · 5th January 2012, 15:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by WDM007

Guys !

Need a help. Im planning to visit Matheran this weekend. And for a change, dont want to go by my own car. Is it feasible to go by road? say by ST. Will I get buses from Pune? or Lonavala?

Or is it better to go by Train?

Last option will be to go by own car.

Let me know your opinions.

Best option is to go by train to Neral and then take a shared cab or walk up to Matheran.

Jignesh · 5th January 2012, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by WDM007

Guys !

Need a help. Im planning to visit Matheran this weekend. And for a change, dont want to go by my own car. Is it feasible to go by road? say by ST. Will I get buses from Pune? or Lonavala?

Or is it better to go by Train?

Last option will be to go by own car.

Let me know your opinions.

Hello,

If you are going to Matheran from Mumbai or Pune, travelling by Car is not a good option because you have to park your Car at entry point to Mathran which is 2 kms before the Central Matheran area.

Ideally if you don't have infants / senior citizens travelling with you, reaching Neral by Train is the best option.

From Neral you can take either take Taxi's or enjoy Mini-Train ride. Mini Train Timings are as under:

From Neral to Matharen: 7:30, 9:30, 10:45, 11:40, 12:50 & 17:05
From matheran to Neral: 7:00, 9:50, 12:35, 13:50, 15:15 & 16:30

Thanks,

WDM007 · 5th January 2012, 17:21

Thanks Kumar Sir & Jignesh.

Actually I will be going with wife & 2yr kid.

Also connectivity of trains from Pune side doesnt seem to be good as only a couple of trains halt at Neral stn. [ no locals from pune side :( ]

honeybee · 5th January 2012, 18:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by WDM007

Also connectivity of trains from Pune side doesnt seem to be good as only a couple of trains halt at Neral stn. [ no locals from pune side :( ]

Most trains will halt at Karjat. From Karjat you can board a local (suburban) train, Neral is the immediate next station.

From Neral you could also take the toy train, but I don't know the timings. It only runs a few times in the day.

To Rajdoll: You will encounter the ghat section only at the foot of the Matheran hills. At the beginning the road is sufficiently wide and easy to drive. However as you start climbing up, the road becomes narrower, the turns are pretty sharp and the ascent is pretty steep. There are at least two ascents where you should see "1st Gear" written on signboards. This should give you an idea of the challenges involved.

To add to this, the tracks for the toy train which travels from Neral to Matheran will cross this road frequently, and all these crossings are unmarked, most of them at blind turns. So you need to watch out for these too.

I drove to Matheran a few months ago in my Santro (me and wife), and despite all the challenges, it was a beautiful drive (specially because I loved the steep ghats).

Jignesh · 5th January 2012, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by WDM007

Thanks Kumar Sir & Jignesh.

Actually I will be going with wife & 2yr kid.

Also connectivity of trains from Pune side doesnt seem to be good as only a couple of trains halt at Neral stn. [ no locals from pune side :( ]

Hello WDM007,

As mentioned by Honeybee above, there are 72 train between Pune & Karjat & Kalyan & from either of these stations you can take Local Train to Neral.

Also there is Train no. 11024 - Sahyadri Express which starts form Pune Junction at 7:00 am & reaches Neral at 10:10 am. Continuing, you can take 10:30 am Neral Matheran train or if this train is missed, you can easily go up to Matheran taking shared Taxis.

Thanks,

15th January 2007, 09:06	#1
rajdoll BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 188 Thanked: 3 Times	Precise directions to Matheran Hi Guys, Give me precise directions to Matheran from New-Mumbai. Also tell me the kind of ghats I will have to negotiate, can my diesel(Non turbo) indica handle that with five people on board? Thanks in advance.
	() Thanks

15th January 2007, 09:14	#2
viper BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,766 Thanked: 20 Times	Hi, Its on the old Poona highway. There will be a big sign that says Karjat where you should take a left turn. Fairly straight forward road. Cannot get lost unless you are a absolute moron . Ghats are a bit steep so be careful. Will have to take the last few turns in 1st gear only as they are a bit too steep. Viper
	() Thanks

15th January 2007, 09:27	#3
rajdoll BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 188 Thanked: 3 Times	Can you tell me from Panvel & Express-way junction, which direction to go. Should I continue on express way and then take an exit or go left from panvel junction?
	() Thanks

15th January 2007, 10:13	#5
netarchie BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Navi Mumbai Posts: 397 Thanked: 10 Times View My Garage	You have to take the exit for the Old-Pune road once your are on the expressway. Its before the 1st toll naka on the expressway. Keep left and take the exit for the Old Pune road. You cant miss that exit.
	() Thanks

15th January 2007, 10:23	#6
rajdoll BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 188 Thanked: 3 Times	ya, got it. Thanks guys.
	() Thanks

15th January 2007, 10:42	#7
hvkumar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 7,369 Thanked: 3,466 Times	Alternatively, don't take the expressway, go through Panvel town on NH4 (Old Pune road). Around 20 kms from Panvel town, before Khopoli, you will see the Karjat left turn. Just before Karjat town (around 15 kms), turn left (marking for Neral), and go along for around 10 kms. At Neral (just before entering town), there is a left for Matheran which is 11 kms from this point. From here, it is ghats all the way - narrow road, watch out for fast reckless taxi drivers. The ghat is steep in 2-3 hairpins just before you reach Matheran (last 2 kms), keep your AC switched off and select your gears well, and you should have no problem climbing even with 5 people in the car. Please remember that cars are not allowed beyond the Dasturi naka (check post) where there is a parking lot. From the parking lot, the town bazaar is a little over a kilometer. You can take a horse, hand-pulled rickshaw or best walk on the railway track (shortest and least dusty) to wherever you want, depending on your itinerary/hotel location. There are hotels all over the place, please check with yours the best route to reach it. Allow for 1-1.5 hours to reach Matheran from Navi Mumbai
	() Thanks

15th January 2007, 10:51	#8
emkay456 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 387 Thanked: 7 Times	Now you also need to pay a small toll on the Mumbai Pune Road immdly after the Express way exit toll for using the stretch from Exprssway exit to the Chowk intersection. From Chowk you proceed upto Karjat and then take the left road until the Neral - Matheran Road (basically u do a "U" traversal from Navi Mumbai). Take left again once u hit the Neral-Matheran road.
	() Thanks

16th January 2007, 12:29	#9
spadival Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Melbourne, AU Posts: 1,772 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	Is Matheran worth visiting now? I guess all the greenery would have dried up by now?
	() Thanks

5th January 2012, 12:53	#10
WDM007 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Beaverton, USA Posts: 236 Thanked: 16 Times View My Garage	Re: Precise directions to Matheran Guys ! Need a help. Im planning to visit Matheran this weekend. And for a change, dont want to go by my own car. Is it feasible to go by road? say by ST. Will I get buses from Pune? or Lonavala? Or is it better to go by Train? Last option will be to go by own car. Let me know your opinions.
	() Thanks

5th January 2012, 17:21	#13
WDM007 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Beaverton, USA Posts: 236 Thanked: 16 Times View My Garage	Re: Precise directions to Matheran Thanks Kumar Sir & Jignesh. Actually I will be going with wife & 2yr kid. Also connectivity of trains from Pune side doesnt seem to be good as only a couple of trains halt at Neral stn. [ no locals from pune side :( ]
	() Thanks