[Chevy_lover]

Dear Team,

I am planning to drive down to Trivandrum next week. I have done this route once. But that time, it was via Goa. I am planning to take the below mentioned route this time. Pune - Belgaum - Hubli - Yellapur - (Karwar) - Udipi - Mangalore - Kannur - Trichur - Edapally - Alleppey - Trivandrum.

Any other suggestions, friends? I am planning to start by 3am from Pune and try to reach Mangalore before 8 pm and halt for the night. The next day, I want to start early and reach TVM by night.

Will it be possible to reach Mangalore in 14-17 hours? Any updates on the road conditions? The last time I did this stretch, two years back, Yellapur area was a total mess.

I have driven 21 hours at a stretch. So I can try and reach Mangalore, if it is possible. I am a fast driver and maintain speeds of 110 -120. By the way, I will be driving my Tavera.

Please suggest some good hotels near Mangalore/ Udipi.

All suggestions/ feedback are welcome.

Thanks to all in anticipation.

[RX135]

I have no idea about Hubli->Mangalore route, but you should be able to reach Hubli by 12:00 pm (or earlier) if you start from Pune around 3:00 am.

[Jedi.Knight]

Recently did a Bangalore-Pune-Bangalore run. Details of the Bangalore-Pune run are mentioned here: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...tml#post902969

As RX135 mentioned, I too have no knowledge about the Hubli-Mangalore route. But road till Hubli is in excellent condition. I also started from Pune at 3am. Crossed Hubli at 8am.

Have a safe ride !!

[hvkumar]

Hubli-Yellapura-Ankola route was in good condition at the beginning of the month.

NH17 has started deteriorating after Kundapura.

Road widening mess between Udupi and Mangalore.

In Udupi, budget hotel would be Hotel Kediyoor near bus stand.
My speed between Bombay and Udupi is 12 hours, you can do the same till Mangalore, adding to that time for halts.

Day 2 drive will be tough in view of daytime traffic in Kerala. See if you can do a night drive from Mangalore - a least, leave by 3 am from Mangalore so that you can clear Calicu by 7-8 am, and escape the congested Kannur-Calicut traffic corridor.

[Chevy_lover]

Thank you so much, HV Kumar Ji, Jedi Knight and RX 135.

Kumar Ji, I have one more query about the exact route. I will take the NH from Pune upto Hubli. From Hubli, I believe, I have to exit NH and take the road to Yellapur. Which is the next town? Should I take the road to Udipi from Yellapur? Or is there any other deviation/ town in between?

Please advice.

[hvkumar]

Please follow this link, log book of a trip from Bombay to Udupi on NH4/NH63/NH17

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Bombay to Udupi & Goa, Mar 2007

One word of caution - please turn off NH4 29 kms after entering the Dharwad-Hubli bypass, where you see tthe Hubli/Karwar exit. Please DO NOT turn off at the Kalhatagi exit which comes before that (bad roads).

After turning off NH4 into NH63, you go through Kalhatagi and Yellapur till NH63 ends in a T JUnction at NH17 ( 137 kms from NH4 exit). On NH63, you will see markings for Karwar. At the TT Junction where you join Nh17, turn LEFT towards Kumta and Mangalore - right goes back north to Karwar.

[Chevy_lover]

Kumar Ji, I am planing to follow this route after going through your suggestions;

From Pune, I will take the NH4 to Karnataka state and reach Belgaum which is about 320 Km from Pune. My approximate travel time should be around 5 hours. I plan to have a short halt there.

Then drive onwards to Hubli which is around 130 Km away from Belgaum. I will take the Hubli exit (to the left?)and drive towards Karwar, via Yellapur.

From Yellapur, I will drive down the ghat and reach the small T junction after about 60 kms. From there I will take a LEFT turn towards Mangalore. This will be NH 17. I will take my next break in Udipi. I will try to reach Udipi by lunch time.

I will then carry on till Mangalore and stay for the night. If I am able to reach Mangalore before 6PM, I will continue driving to Kasargod and stay there. Is it a good idea?

Then I will continue my journey, early the next morning by 5AM. Take NH 17 and drive down to Ernakulam passing Kannur, Kozhikode, Ponnani, Guruvayoor and Kodungallur on the way.

NH 17 ends at Edappally junction in Ernakulam. I will then take NH47 from Ernakulam to Trivandrum. Do you think I will be able to make it to Trivandrum on Day two, if I leave Mangalore/ Kasargod by 5 AM?

[hvkumar]

The Karwar road exit is to the left, but the road will U-turn and go under he Dharwad-Hubli bypass (underbridge) to the right.

You will not be able to reach Udupi for lunch - ideally, have your lunch at Upachar Kamat 1 km from the T junction.

Try to make the best of Day 1 as you can - try to go beyond Mangalore, so that you can stay at either Kasargod, Kanhangad, Payyanur or even Kannur (ambitious!). Will help you cross the congested North Kerala sections early in the morning. In any case, with an early start on Day 2, you can make it to TVM by night. For reference sake, my speed from Bombay to Trivandrum, non-stop, is 24 hours on the Bombay-Goa-Mangalore route, could be 3 hours shorter (21 hours) on the route you are planning (NH4-NH63-NH17-NH47).

[Chevy_lover]

Thank you very much, Kumar Ji! I will surely post a travelouge when I am back!

[pradkumar]

Hi,

I went from Pune to Kundapura in Feb this year. I took your route while coming back. Yellapur was OK. Not as bad as 3 years back.

I left Pune at 6AM and reached Kundapur at 7PM with plenty of halts. I took the state roads while going, but wouldn't advise that route since the roads were really bad for 30 odd kms and there is hardly any support if you have problems.

While coming back, I came via Yellapur. I left Kundapura at 7:00 AM and reached Pune by 10:30 PM with plenty of halts and some sedate driving. We lost around 2 hours before Yellapur due to an accident -- an overturned truck and some traffic management.

I've done Pune-Kochi twice before. My last trip was via Bangalore fearing bad roads near Mangalore.

Good luck!

Pradeep

Originally Posted by Chevy_lover

Dear Team,

Will it be possible to reach Mangalore in 14-17 hours? Any updates on the road conditions? The last time I did this stretch, two years back, Yellapur area was a total mess.


Thanks to all in anticipation.

[ramkya1]

Hai Chevy Lover,

Great to see you're off on another trip.

Attaching my trip logs of my trip thro Mumbai, Pune, Yellapur, Mangalore, Calicut which I did in June 1st week. You'd find the timings and distances useful; as for the latest road conditions, I have no idea, people here have posted latest updates.

Happy Driving,

--Ramky

Originally Posted by Chevy_lover

Dear Team,

I am planning to drive down to Trivandrum next week. I have done this route once. But that time, it was via Goa. I am planning to take the below mentioned route this time. Pune - Belgaum - Hubli - Yellapur - (Karwar) - Udipi - Mangalore - Kannur - Trichur - Edapally - Alleppey - Trivandrum.

Any other suggestions, friends? I am planning to start by 3am from Pune and try to reach Mangalore before 8 pm and halt for the night. The next day, I want to start early and reach TVM by night.

Will it be possible to reach Mangalore in 14-17 hours? Any updates on the road conditions? The last time I did this stretch, two years back, Yellapur area was a total mess.

I have driven 21 hours at a stretch. So I can try and reach Mangalore, if it is possible. I am a fast driver and maintain speeds of 110 -120. By the way, I will be driving my Tavera.

Please suggest some good hotels near Mangalore/ Udipi.

All suggestions/ feedback are welcome.

Thanks to all in anticipation.

[Chevy_lover]

Thanks a lot Ramky and Pradeep. I really appreciate your help.

[spadival]

Just a few days back, I did Pune-Udupi in around 11 hours ( with 2 one hour breaks). So Pune-Mangalore should be very much doable in 14 hours, provided you hit 140kmph on NH4 like I did .. just kidding, I maitained around 110-120kmph constant speed on NH4.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

You will not be able to reach Udupi for lunch - ideally, have your lunch at Upachar Kamat 1 km from the T junction.

We missed Kamat Upachar as there was no signboard for people travelling in the direction of M'lore. Its right next to a petrol pump on the right hand side (while travelling to M'lore).

In case you miss Kamat Upachar, you can try out Hotel Pandurang in Kumta (again on right hand side while travelling to M'lore). The food is equally good there (Just veg though).

Will post a pic of the NH63 to show how the beast of a National highway has transformed into a real beauty !!

[Chevy_lover]

Thanks Spadival. I am used to driving @ 130-140, so I hope I will be able to match your time!

One more query, is there any diesel shortage en-route, in Karnataka? I am a bit worried after seeing the situation in Pune!

[RX135]

Originally Posted by Chevy_lover

Thanks Spadival. I am used to driving @ 130-140, so I hope I will be able to match your time!

Beware!

I find it absolutely scary and dangerous to drive on *any* highway (excluding expressway) at more than 110-120. Even though road quality has improved. People take a stroll on road as if walking in park, cattle merrily grazes on and any moving thing from cycle to 3- trolley tractor crosses the road at its leisure.

So, be more cautious at least at nights!