[luvjascha]

1. I'm planning a road-trip from Mumbai to Hyderabad, in a couple of days.
Any suggestions on the route, places of interest/hill-stations in and around Hyderabad, etc.

2. Distance and route from Bijapur-Belgaum and Bijapur-Dandeli. Also, if you guys could suggest a few decent hotels at Bijapur and Dandeli.

Any additional and pertinent information along these routes would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys.

[hvkumar]

Mumbai-Hyderabad is an excellent drive, good and fast roads. Facilities are poor especially after you leave Solapur. You should do it in 10-12 hours, depending on your speed and halts.

Srisailam is the best hill station near Hyderabad - ideally for 2 days to go and come back from Hyderabad - cover both Srisailam Temple and Nagarajunasagar Dam.

Bijapur-Belgaum is over 100 kms, and roads are reported to be good - there are 2 routes, one touching Sankeshwar on NH4 and the other direct. You will find a very detailed write-up on this route a month or so ago. Belgaum-Dandeli can be done via Khanapur, Londa, or via Dharwad. I have no idea about the exact distance, but it should be around 100 kms or so.

Roads in and around Londa are terrible.

[BunnyPunia]

The route is very simple. Mumbai-Pune expressway should be history in 2.5 hours. Once in Pune,ask for directions to Solapur road. Pune to Solapur is 245, Solapur to Hyd is 301. Total distance for Mumbai-Hyd is app 680kms.

Bijapur-Belgaum : Bijapur-Jamkhandi-Mudhol-Lokapur-Yargatti-Belgaum : 201kms
Bijapur-Dandeli : Follow above route till Belgaum. From Belgaum head to Supa via Londa (This is Highway NH4A). From Londa ask for directions to Dandeli. Belgaum-Londa-Supa is approx 68kms

[spadival]

I encountered heavy truck traffic on the single carriageway as I started a bit late.. I think starting a bit early will help avoid the traffic.

Also, at Pune, I dont think there is a straightforward bypass road from Mumbai-Pune highway to Pune-Hyd Highway. You may have to wade thru some traffic in these parts. Otherwise, the rest of the route is fairly straight forward. I avoided getting into Solapur for lunch by stopping at a Reliance A1 plaza just before Solapur. The A1 Plaza has only 2 customers, but served good food in a/c comfort.

[midlifecrisis]

Bijapur-Belgaum : Bijapur-Jamkhandi-Mudhol-Lokapur-Yargatti-Belgaum : 201kms
Any info on the road conditions?

[ranjitp1]

Hi People...

Planning on driving to Mumbai for the Diwali weekend.Have done the route twice but need some advice on some things:

1.Is there any way I can avoid entering Pune city and reach as close to the expressway as possible..The last two times I landed up @ Swargate and the place is a mess by the time I reach(arnd 4pm)..Any bypass that I can take which will lead me directly to Katraj....

2.Has anybody done the Pune-Hyd stretch lately..I did this stretch in August after the rains and there were quite a lot of chipped off sections between Solapur & Zaheerabad.....If somebody has done this then pls do let me know th road conditions now...

And just an interesting piece of info..the rogue traffic cops who wait for AP registered vehicles at the Solapur bypass are hillarious to say the least..I got off the 1st time without having to pay anything..which is quite an achievement..the 2nd time they tell me that my vehicle RC card is a fake one and that I have got it made by myself...can you beat that?The problems of living in "cyber"abad I guess...

The last time I did the HYD-ZAHEERABAD-HOMNABAD-SOLAPUR-PUNE-PANVEL-BANDRA-BORIVLI in 14hrs with ample breaks....The A1 at Sangareddy wasnt all that great...while the A1 at Solapur is good...but would recommend to people stopping @ Solapur to try out the local Maharashtrian cuisines in the restaurants to the right after A1(when coming from Pune)..they serve awesome food.....

Guys any advice and input will go a long way as I am still in two minds whether to drive it up a 3rd time or take th train/flight hehe

Mod's Note: Our board maxim, Thou shalt not covet a new thread. Search and thou shalt find a relevant thread.

Threads merged.

[mobike008]

Hmm. Post your experience after the trip is completed.

[Dhanasekaran]

Kumar sir, can you post answers to the question 1 & 2 raised by Mr.ranjitp1 please.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Hi People...

Planning on driving to Mumbai for the Diwali weekend.Have done the route twice but need some advice on some things:

1.Is there any way I can avoid entering Pune city and reach as close to the expressway as possible..The last two times I landed up @ Swargate and the place is a mess by the time I reach(arnd 4pm)..Any bypass that I can take which will lead me directly to Katraj....

2.Has anybody done the Pune-Hyd stretch lately..I did this stretch in August after the rains and there were quite a lot of chipped off sections between Solapur & Zaheerabad.....If somebody has done this then pls do let me know th road conditions now...

.

While coming on NH9 to Pune (Solapur road), you can't avoid coming into Pune City. Ideally, after crossing the toll gate before Pune City, watch out for the right turning to Pune Contonment area (just before the Race Course) and go towards Bund Gardens, but turn towards the Pune railway Station (easy landmark). Go under the railway tracks just after the railway station and turn left into the Pune-Bombay road. Go on this road via Hotel Meridien, cross the Mutha River bridge and turn left to Sivaji Nagar to take the Vidyapeeth Road. This road is in a mess thanks to the flyover construction work, but keep following the sign boards (to Mumbai, University) and get to the Pune Bypass via Aundh to the Hinjewadi flyover. I am afraid the instructions may not sound simple, but unfortunately, there is no bypass between NH9 and NH4. Happily, Pune city has large overhead signboards all over, hence the places to watch out for are Pune Railway Station, Sivaji nagar, University, Mumbai.

In case any Puneite can suggest a better route or simplify my instructions with landmark information, it will be more useful. This route willindeed be congested during day time, and you should be hitting the place towards late afternoon. Whenever in doubt, ask for Pune railway Station, Sivaji Nagar and Mumbai Road, and you will be directly appropriately.

In case you are comfortable with the route via Swargate, please take it, since you can link up either through Karve Road and Kothrud to Pune By Pass (and NH4) or via Jangli Maharaj Road/Sivaji Nagar to Pune Bypass after Aundh at Wakad/Hinjewadi Flyover.

Last heard of, some road stretches near Homnabad were bad on the Hyderabad-Solapur road, no reports of bad roads after that.

[ranjitp1]

Thanx Kumar for all the directions..I think I will stick to Swargate and Katraj...the other one looks slightly complicated...am off tmrw so shal let u knw how the drive went off whn i get back...thanx a ton BHPians....

[ranjitp1]

Had quite an interesting drive on the 1st leg (Hyd to Mumbai). have some important pointers. shall write that once i get back to HYD on Tuesday. But just thought I'll drop in this line cos this might help others who are travelling to Mumbai. this is regards the route to mumbai bypassing Pune city.

Once u reach Pune on NH-9, you get Joshi Vadewale on your right. after that you proceed onwards to Hadapsar. Don't take the Hadapsar flyover. Keep to the left of the flyover and take a left turn. There is a signboard saying Mumbai/Satara/Bangalore. You would immediately reach a junction. Take a left and get onto the Saswad road. Go on and take the new flyover. As soon as you take the flyover and come down you get a toll gate. After the toll take the first right (you have a small pointer board saying Mumbai). I don't know why they cant place bigger boards. Take the right and keep following the road(this is called Pisoli Road) .and you would end up at Katraj on the intersection between the Satara Highway and the road coming from Swargate. From the intersection take a right and then a left and you are on the 4 lane Pune Bypass Road which takes you directly to the Expressway. The new route which lets one bypass pune city is a great find as one saves around 1.5hr to 2hrs. You reach the Expressway from Hadapsar in 45mins.

[stallion]

I plan to go to hyderabad this weekend. I will leave bombay at 2:00 A.M. Is it the correct time to leave keeping in view traffic from Pune and by what time should i reach.

[hvkumar]

Good time to leave Bombay, but keep in mind that the Pune expressway also has had some safety issues of late. Maybe, you can regulate departure to 330 am, which means you will cross Pune by 630 am. Since you have to go through town (Sivaji Nagar, Pune Railway Station) to reach Solapur Road (NH9), the early start will help you navigate the Pune streets without any tension.

Tirthankar has just driven down (and so did Ashok the week before) and both have reported good roads all teh way, barring a small stretch in Karnataka around Homnabad town. Needless to say, teh last 30 kms approaching Hyderabad is cluttered, but you can't help that.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Once u reach Pune on NH-9, you get Joshi Vadewale on your right. after that you proceed onwards to Hadapsar. Don't take the Hadapsar flyover. Keep to the left of the flyover and take a left turn. There is a signboard saying Mumbai/Satara/Bangalore. You would immediately reach a junction. Take a left and get onto the Saswad road.

What other landmark do you have to indicate the left turn? Is this turn after the toll gate on NH9?

[stallion]

Thanks Kumar for the Reply