Team-BHP - Mumbai - Aurangabad : Route Queries

The direct route to Aurangabad is via Nashik, Yeola, Vaijapur.

You can check out my log book for this route:

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Bombay to Shivneri, Aurangabad, Ellora, Ajanta, Lonar, Aug 2003

Your Route 1 is a more difficult route, and am unsure whether the road from Malshej Ghat to Ale Phata (where you join the Pune-Nashik road) is in good condition - it was before the rains.

I have driven to Aurangabad on this route and here is the log book for that:

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Bombay to Shivneri, Aurangabad, Ellora, Ajanta, Lonar, Aug 2003
(same as above - onward journey via Malshej Ghat, return via Vaijapur)

Route 2 means you take the Pune expressway, get off at the Somathane Phata (the second last exit before Pune) and go via Talegaon, Chakan to Shikarpur. You do not have to go via Manchar and Naraynagon.

I recently drove through Aurangabad via Ahmednagar and Chakan, and her eis the log book for that route:

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR's DRIVING LOG BOOKS, Bombay to Chattisgarh via Bangalore & Hyderabad, Sep 2008

I would recommend the drive through either Nashik-Vaijapur (despite the high traffic and bad sections in the Igatpuri ghats), or the route via Talegaon. The second route is mostly on 4-lane roads (starting with the 6-lane Pune expressway) and is very good and fast.

Ideally, I would go on one route and return via the other. Needless to say, if I go via Malshej Ghat, I could cover both Malshej Ghat and Shivneri Fort, which are on the way.

Your choice is fantastic!!

While returning to Mumbai - the route through Malshej is slopping down, further the road condition is very nice (yesterday only I came through that road: FromKalyan to Ahmenagar to Aurangabad). The scenary (& greenary too!!) is very good. So you can enjoy the entire day in the ghat. Did you know that it is NATIONAL HIGHWAY?!! I never know. But it is NH 222 [Kalyan-!Ahmednagar-Beed-Nanded-Nirmal]!

Only caution, it is very lonely. Most of the vehicles I saw were ST buses plying (almost 80% vehicles, & merely 20% were other vehicles). So pls ensure that you cross the ghat before the dusk. No good eateries seen in the stretch. No help could be saught after the Pimpslgaon Joga village (here a pictureque dam is also seen) till Murbad. Petrol pump was not seen after this (Pimpalgaon Joga) location.

All the best.

Buddy,

I regret that after sending the mail, I read your travelogue (wrote in Nov'06)!! Only submission, there is a petrol pump opened at Pimpalgaon, & the earlier state0 highway 222 is now renamed as NH 222.

regarding the dacoits mentioned in your travelogue, it is very much a concern.

all the best. this time do write the travelogue alongwith the photographs!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by genesis (Post 1136115)

magiceye: did you do the trip to Lonar? Which route did you take..the expressway?

Am planning to hit the road this weekend first to Lonar and then Ajanta/Ellora from Mumbai.

Would love to get some tips from people who have done this recently

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR'S DRIVING LOG BOOKS Bombay to Shivneri, Aurangabad, Ellora, Ajanta, Lonar, Aug 2003
You can see the above link for the routing for Aurangabad-Ajanta-Lonar-Aurangabad and Aurangabad-Bombay via Nasik

H V Kumar - Driving Log Books - KUMAR's DRIVING LOG BOOKS, Bombay to Chattisgarh via Bangalore & Hyderabad, Sep 2008
You can see the above link for the routing for Aurangabad-Bombay via Pune (Chakan bypass).

I am planning for a pune-mumbai-aurangabad trip on the first week of july. Does someone have the latest route info, which route to take and which to avoid?

The onward journey would be Pune-Aurangabad and the return would be Aurangabad-Mumbai-Pune (as I have to drop my sister at Mumbai). On the return journey i have to reach mumbai airport by 12pm, so when should I start from Aurangabad? I am pretty new to highway driving and would like to avoid stretches with high traffic density.

A detailed route info (both onward and return) and the approx time taken for each leg would be great, thanks guys !!!

Roads are all great. Pune-Ahmednagar-Aurangabad is 4-laned, good condition, high speed, despite there being no bypass for Ahmednagar.

Aurangabad-Nashik via Vaijapur is also fast, a;lthough it is 2-laned till Nashik, after which the road is very good.

In normal circumstances, there are no places where you can get delayed. For an aggressive driver, 6 hours from Aurangabad to Mumbai is possible, hence, I would suggest you leave Aurangabad by 1-2 pm (latest by 3 pm, but that would be on the danger side) to be in Bombay airport on time.

Route Profile:
Pune-Aurangabad:
Pune Gold Club - Wagholi 10 kms-Karegaon 11-Shikrapur 10-Ranjangaon 21-Ahmednagar 64-Pandipur 26-Ghodegaon 10-Navasa Phata 22-Waluj 50-Aurangabad 10

Aurangabad-Bombay:
Aurangabad-Vaijapur 75-Yeola 30-Niphad 45-Nashik 20-Igatpuri 50-Kasara 15-Shahpur 37-Thane 55-Bombay Sahar Airport 25

Quote:

Originally Posted by happy.tripathy (Post 1942343)

thanks hvk sir for the route info ... I think u got me wrong on the return trip. I need to reach mumbai airport by 12 noon, so starting at around 4am would be the right choice?

Sorry, I thought it was 12 midnight. Yes, if you start by 4 am, you should reach, but you have to be punctual in getting off and you will have a buffer of just 1-2 hours in the case of any eventuality like a traffic jam or puncture. Alternatively, you can even consider driving over to Nashik the previous evening, and leaving next day morning for Bombay airport.

I just did pune - ujjain - omkareshwar - pune last weekend.
Onward journey of pune - Shani shingnapur - Ellora was a belter of a circuit and I could keep 90 - 100 all the way.
Return journey, I traversed Aurangabad - Ahmednagar (through shani shingnapur) - pune. Left Aurangabad at 10:30 in the night and reached Pune at 3 in the morning. This is besides the fact that it rained buckets on Monday leading to many fallen trees, lightning, fog, near zero visibility etc. On a clear day, guess you can do even quicker run as the roads are excellent!

I did the Pune-Aurangabad-Ellora-Ajanta-Aurangabad-Pune trip last weekend. Pune-Ahmednagar is quite good with good sign-age. Started from Pune (pimple saudagar) at around 5.30 am and was at ahmednagar at 7.35 am, no stops and despite few heavy showers of rain. Ahmednagar-aurangabad is also good except for a few patchy sections. Reached aurangabad at 11 am. 30 mins stop for breakfast and a few more stops for photography. City roads in aurangabad are pathetic.

Aurangabad-Ajanta is a two lane road with no dividers and lot of bad patches. Started from Aurangabad at 8am the next day and reached Ajanta at around 10.30, 30 mins breakfast break, be careful on these roads as there lot of bikers doing high speeds, spotted a CT100 doing 100 on it :Shockked:

Return journey : Started from Ajanta at 5 PM, reached Aurangabad at 7 PM, ahmednagar at 9pm and pune at 11.30pm. With a total break of 30 mins.