[Ranger747]

Friends, Planning to drive with family from Bangalore to Ahmedabad ( one night stay at Pune or Nashik) in the coming week. Which route is better? Preferably good roads compared to short distance. What I have shortlisted is
Option 1: Bangalore > Davenegere > Hubli > Kolhapur > Satara > Pune ( night stay ) > Vapi > Surat > Vadodara > Ahmedabad
Option 2: Bangalore > Chitradurga > Hosapete > Vijayapura > Solapur > Beed > Aurangabad > Nashik ( night stay around Shirdi or Nashik ) > Vapi > Surat > Vadodara > Ahmedabad

Never driven in these region (north of Goa ) before. Really appreciate any inputs on the road conditions. I am in the process of reading through the forum posts. sorry if I missed anything obvious.

cheers

[Santosh.Kat]

Thanks to all the great inputs related to route, hotels and lodging in this thread! I had a wonderful Blr - Pune - Blr drive. I started around 6:30am on a Saturday. Took the Sarjapura - NICE road - Tumkur - Hubli - Belgaum - Satara - Pune route. My first leg of the journey was from Sarjapura to Satara where I stayed overnight at a Hotel Manasi Royal. Not a great hotel, but from a price, accessibility(on the highway) and just for crashing on the bed, it's fine! I was also able to negotiate a cheaper price for my return journey!
Coming back to the journey, original plan was to have breakfast at Apoorva resorts, but stopped at a place called Naivedyam. Had puri and tea which was decent. 250 kms done in 3:20! This included blr traffic and 2-lane roads. Journey was pleasant though, without any major issues.
The next part, Naivedyam to IOC Petrol bunk near Hatturgi, was the best! 3 lane roads passing thru Davanagere, Chitradurga. Enjoyed the drive fully and was able to cover 326kms in 3:45. Of course, Hubli - Dharwad highway which was under construction was a dampener.
20 kms from the IOC Petrol bunk, stopped at a Hotel called Kaveri, again on the highway, for lunch. This place is just before the tavandi ghats.
Journey from here to Satara was very disappointing. There was heavy traffic and a lot of diversions. Reached Satara at 6:20 PM! 12 hrs on the road with driving time of 10 hrs 55 minutes, covering 783kms.
Next day started late around 10:30am and reached Pune at 12pm. 104 kms in 1:45.
Return journey I started from Pune at around 5:30pm driving 126kms taking 3 hrs.
Next day started from Hotel Manasi Royal, Satara at 4:30am and reached Blore at 3:30pm. This time covering 790 kms in 10:15.

[Knox88]

Hi Ranger747,

Hi Have travelled to Gujarat last week and returned; Option 1 is fine.

Option 2 has better road (For Maharashtra Stretch) as mentioned in other posts however, I believe you will have to slowdown in Nashik-Vapi stretch considering you may take Saputara route. One of the friend took the Nashik route last month, there is not much difference in terms of comfort you get from route 2.

[Ketan]

Originally Posted by Ranger747

Friends, Planning to drive with family from Bangalore to Ahmedabad ( one night stay at Pune or Nashik) in the coming week. Which route is better? Preferably good roads compared to short distance. What I have shortlisted is
Option 1: Bangalore > Davenegere > Hubli > Kolhapur > Satara > Pune ( night stay ) > Vapi > Surat > Vadodara > Ahmedabad
Option 2: Bangalore > Chitradurga > Hosapete > Vijayapura > Solapur > Beed > Aurangabad > Nashik ( night stay around Shirdi or Nashik ) > Vapi > Surat > Vadodara > Ahmedabad

Never driven in these region (north of Goa ) before. Really appreciate any inputs on the road conditions. I am in the process of reading through the forum posts. sorry if I missed anything obvious.

cheers

Since you're not planning to halt at Pune or Mumbai; if you select your routes post Solapur wisely, the route #2 can become a better option compared to #1 which is a traditionally taken by most, it can slow you down due to road works, traffic, crossing Pune (under an hour or so) and Mumbai (over an hour!). However, as others have mentioned, there are limited pitstops on #2 in case if that makes a big difference to you.

[krishnakumar]

I took the Bangalore - Bijapur - Solapur - Pune route as an alternative because my plan was to halt at my friends place in Kharadi (east Pune).

The drive all the way upto Solapur and till Mohol was great. Roads are quite good except for the section between Hospete and Bijapur where the roads are bumpy (no potholes, but lot’s of undulations).

From Mohol, there were about 4-5 diversions onto service roads due to road work. This section was slow with lot of heavy vehicles.

Entry to Pune was also laden with traffic before reaching Hadapsar, but I’d rate it at par with the entry traffic near Chandni Chowk as well.

We started at 5am from Bangalore (near Whitefield) and reached Kharadi at 7.40pm with scheduled stops for Breakfast and Lunch (total about 1.5hr) and 3-4 short breaks every 2hrs of drive.

As advised by paragsachania earlier, this route can be taken only if you have a place to halt at the east side of Pune.

[chaitanyakrish]

Please suggest good restaurants near Sira or Tumkur or Dobbaspet on the left side of the road, while going from Bangalore to Chitradurga.

[rg12]

I am planning to drive from BLR to Mumbai this weekend. Planning to start early at 4 am from Whitefield and follow this route:
Whitefield - Tumakuru - Davangere - Hubbali - Kolhapur - Satara - Pune - Mumbai

1) How is the road condition on this route?
2) Shall I take this route or any other suggestion?
3) Last time I drove the same route in July 2022 and it took me around 13 hours with few short breaks? How long shall I expect this time?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and guidance.

-RG12

[rg12]

Originally Posted by rg12

I am planning to drive from BLR to Mumbai this weekend. Planning to start early at 4 am from Whitefield and follow this route:
Whitefield - Tumakuru - Davangere - Hubbali - Kolhapur - Satara - Pune - Mumbai

1) How is the road condition on this route?
2) Shall I take this route or any other suggestion?
3) Last time I drove the same route in July 2022 and it took me around 13 hours with few short breaks? How long shall I expect this time?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions and guidance.

-RG12

@paragsachania - Appreciate if you can help with your inputs here.

Thanks,
RG12

[Knox88]

Originally Posted by rg12

1) How is the road condition on this route?
2) Shall I take this route or any other suggestion?
3) Last time I drove the same route in July 2022 and it took me around 13 hours with few short breaks? How long shall I expect this time?

-RG12

Hi RG12,

1. From Belgavi to Satara there are a lot of diversions due to expansion however if you start early from Banglore, you will be able to reach Pune in 13 hours.

2. This route is fine, unless you are planning to stay in east side of Pune.

Please go through the posts from last two weeks in the same thread.

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by chaitanyakrish

Please suggest good restaurants near Sira or Tumkur or Dobbaspet on the left side of the road, while going from Bangalore to Chitradurga.

Not sure if it’s too late to respond but Hotel Nanjundeshwara before Tumkur is our regular spot on this highway for breakfast.

The food is good and the washrooms are clean. There is also some shops to pass time if you have to.

If you’re planning a very early exit from Bangalore then this place might not be fully open by 7.30AM. Last time we reached between 6.30-7 and only Idli was available. So plan accordingly.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by chaitanyakrish

Please suggest good restaurants near Sira or Tumkur or Dobbaspet on the left side of the road, while going from Bangalore to Chitradurga.

At Sira there is Paakshala and a Kamat Upachar. Both on the opposite side and require a detour.

Most places start service only around 730-800 am. Once with a 4 am start, we made it to Davangere Apoorva by 745 am and still had to wait for food

[ghodlur]

Completed a Bangalore Pune run yesterday, started at 4.30 am from Yelahanka and reached Pune at 4 pm with 3 breaks - 7.30 am at Apoorva Resorts, Davangere, 10.45 am at A1 Kunda, Belgavi (for some Kunda, Kardant and Pedhas), 12.15 pm at BPCL Coco, Kognoli.
Averaged a speed of 79kmph with a mileage of 17.6 kmpl.

I have done the 6th trip in the past 1 year and with every trip I am starting to feel, I should stop driving. The frustration levels have been gradually increasing with every trip seeing an increased diversions and pathetic road manners by people and heavy vehicles.

Till Apoorva Resorts, it was a good drive, the daylight happened at 6.30 am when I had almost reached Chitradurga. Encountered fog on the way but a mild one, nothing which would slow down. There was no benne dose at Apoorva as the chef was yet to arrive. The diversions between Davangere and Hubli still exists, have been seeing them for 4 years now. The alternate 2 laned road between Hubli and Dharwad seems to be moving at a much fast pace although its far far from being a reality in 2024 too. Belgavi has a major diversion in the city now added. In addition there was an increased traffic before and after Belgavi. From Hattargi the pain of road works continues. Tavandi ghat is now single lane and marked with Speed breakers at every 500 mtrs distance. KA seems to be in an eternal road construction phase now.

Stretch between Kolhapur & Karad is marked with the usual diversion albeit increased ones within every 2kms. Post Karad, its a smooth sailing for now atleast till Pune. The speed rumblers after the Katraj tunnel tests the car suspensions thoroughly.

[amitnair]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Completed a Bangalore Pune run yesterday, started at 4.30 am from Yelahanka and reached Pune at 4 pm with 3 breaks - 7.30 am at Apoorva Resorts, Davangere, 10.45 am at A1 Kunda, Belgavi (for some Kunda, Kardant and Pedhas), 12.15 pm at BPCL Coco, Kognoli.
Averaged a speed of 79kmph with a mileage of 17.6 kmpl.

I have done the 6th trip in the past 1 year and with every trip I am starting to feel, I should stop driving. The frustration levels have been gradually increasing with every trip seeing an increased diversions and pathetic road manners by people and heavy vehicles.

Till Apoorva Resorts, it was a good drive, the daylight happened at 6.30 am when I had almost reached Chitradurga. Encountered fog on the way but a mild one, nothing which would slow down. There was no benne dose at Apoorva as the chef was yet to arrive. The diversions between Davangere and Hubli still exists, have been seeing them for 4 years now. The alternate 2 laned road between Hubli and Dharwad seems to be moving at a much fast pace although its far far from being a reality in 2024 too. Belgavi has a major diversion in the city now added. In addition there was an increased traffic before and after Belgavi. From Hattargi the pain of road works continues. Tavandi ghat is now single lane and marked with Speed breakers at every 500 mtrs distance. KA seems to be in an eternal road construction phase now.

Stretch between Kolhapur & Karad is marked with the usual diversion albeit increased ones within every 2kms. Post Karad, its a smooth sailing for now atleast till Pune. The speed rumblers after the Katraj tunnel tests the car suspensions thoroughly.

Thanks for providing the very latest update. I will be taking this route tomorrow.

[GeeTee TSI]

My return drive from Mumbai to Bangalore (along the same route as my onward)

Day 1
05:00 start (Chembur)
07:30 break at Food Carnival, Expressway
10:45 break at Vitthal Kamat, Khambatki Ghat
12:45 halt at DYP City Mall, Kolhapur
13:15 – 15:15 Darshan at Mahalaxmi Mandir Kolhapur (Yes! Took that long)
19:30 dinner at Big Mishra Café, Yellapur
22:00 halt for the night at Hotel Southern Star, Davangere

Day 2
06:00 start from Davangere
06:45 break at Kamat, Sira
11:15 home

Traffic snarls at Lonavala ghats are not news anymore but it was rather depressing to see early morning progress vanish into thin air


Drive till Kolhapur was uneventful (incidentally it was the next day after a planned 'chakka jam' near Kolhapur). A detour into Kolhapur was planned
with a mall chosen for a halt. Lunch was at the mall food court and I could not have asked for a better parking spot. Took an auto to the temple and 2.5 hours later I was back in the car. The darshan was blissfully special notwithstanding the queue but the planned drive schedule for the day thrown out of the window. The night halt was Davangere and there was no way I could end my day’s drive in daylight.

As pointed out by many the stretch from Kognoli till Belagavi was hardly a highway due to construction work (frustrating too with the countless detours). The only picturesque image being the ghataprabha bridge. Construction work disappeared beyond Belagavi but the positive experience was exaggerated by the poor preceding stretch.




Soon it was time for the horrendous, two-lane-only Dharwad Hubli bypass which had to be traversed at the worst possible time (twilight). I crown this unfinished flawed road as the most dangerous one to drive on (KL two laned roads included). In the dark and dusty bypass, Big Mishra café stood out like an oasis of light and civilization.

After an early dinner and a harrowing drive till Gabbur toll plaza, the beautiful KA stretch of the highway beckoned.


Checked into Hotel Southern Star, an excellent property with ample parking (two main priorities!) sneaking into Davangere in the quiet of the night (10 pm).

Day 2 was contemplated with a leisurely start after breakfast but I was wide awake early in the morning just waiting for the drive to begin. Did just that by packing up quickly to start at 6 am. Progress was swift at that time along the highway with just a few well spaced-out trucks for company, for breakfast at Kamat Sira, which was the last halt before home.

Trip summary and average
Day 1: 714 km, 13 hours, 54 kmph & 17 kmpl
Day 2: 265 km, 4 hours, 67 kmph & 18 kmpl

Lastly, a couple of images to celebrate the KA01 vehicle basking in a Mumbai frame!

[harikr]

Travelled yesterday (23/12/23) from Pune to Bangalore (Thergaon to whitefield). It was a hell. Took us 16.5 hours to reach with approx 1 hours break. Started at 5:30 from Pune. It was pretty normal drive till Satara. And then the misery started. Google maps showed a path left from Satara. But didn’t trust it and followed the normal route. Diversions were jam packed with cars and trucks. I always avoid travelling on first day of vacation. But couldn’t avoid it this time due to some urgency. Road condition is pathetic in MH stretch. Once you cross Belgaum it is better. Could maintain 100+ through out until Tumkur. Was dead tired by the time we reached Bangalore.