[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by mooza

Will be doing this section 3 pm onwards on Friday in my Xylo, on my Bangalore Mumbai annual Navratri drive. Hope I clear this in 2 to 3 hours. Else I might have to take a night's halt at Pune

3PM Start from Bangalore would take you to Kolhapur around 11 and 12 midnight. Around this time you would easily reach Pune by 2 or 3AM even with the current road conditions.
In July I drove in similar road conditions with what I call continuous rains for 1000 kms ever since I started from Bangalore around 2PM and still made it to Pune by 2AM and Ghorbunder road around 6AM with rains still showering loud.
At night you will have lesser miscellaneous traffic in MH but beeline of trucks crawling on those diversions due to bad sections.
In fact right after Expressway ending the roads till Vashi bridge was absolutely disastrous then. (Assume this has got better now?).
So, with so much rains and bad roads I could do Pune within or almost 12 hours.
Considering better conditions today with no rains I am sure may straightaway hit Mumbai than halting at Pune if you have been regulary doing so.
Drive safe!!!

[sameerg]

Hi,

Leaving for Bangalore from Mumbai tomorrow. Planning to leave tomorrow around 5 PM. Travelling with family so would like to avoid travelling late into the night and would like to break the journey. Also read that Pune-Satara section is not that great.

What are the options for night break. Should we push till Satara/Karad or take a break in Pune itself? What are the options?

Thanks in advance

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by sameerg

Hi,

Leaving for Bangalore from Mumbai tomorrow. Planning to leave tomorrow around 5 PM. Travelling with family so would like to avoid travelling late into the night and would like to break the journey. Also read that Pune-Satara section is not that great.

What are the options for night break. Should we push till Satara/Karad or take a break in Pune itself? What are the options?

Thanks in advance

Mahendra executive on Satara bypass is your best option to halt.

Also, it makes no sense to halt in Pune and instead makes better sense to drive to Mumbai.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by sameerg

Also read that Pune-Satara section is not that great.

Pune - Satara is OK. But what is not good is the road around Satara bypass. As Parag said Mahendra Inn is good place for a break for night.

[CowlFlap]

Travelling Mumbai - Bangalore with family and in a slight dilemma. I plan to do it over 2 days – sightseeing plus other constraints. A Belgaum stopover would mean a late-night arrival at our destination south of Bangalore. However, stopping about 80-90 kms. post-Belgaum on the first day would likely give me a slight advantage. Any options for an overnight stay after Belgaum, say Hubli?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by CowlFlap

Travelling Mumbai - Bangalore with family and in a slight dilemma. I plan to do it over 2 days – sightseeing plus other constraints. A Belgaum stopover would mean a late-night arrival at our destination south of Bangalore. However, stopping about 80-90 kms. post-Belgaum on the first day would likely give me a slight advantage. Any options for an overnight stay after Belgaum, say Hubli?

At Hubli the best place is Clarks inn. You can do Belgaum-Hubli in about 1.5 hours.

http://www.clarksinn.in/clarks-inn-hubli-overview.html

How to reach this place:

Once you hit Dharwad, dont take the road into the town. Take the bypass. This is a bypass which goes around the twin cities of Dharwad/Hubli.

Take the exit which marks Ankola. But of-couse dont drive to Ankoka (!) but to the city via this exit. Its about max of 3-4km from here.

Route Link

Originally Posted by paragsachania

EDIT: Posted this response and realised Ampere had already suggested Clarks Inn :-)

Parag, I stayed at Clarks Inn once. Very nice place. And just as you said, easy access to NH4.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by CowlFlap

Travelling Mumbai - Bangalore with family and in a slight dilemma. I plan to do it over 2 days – sightseeing plus other constraints. A Belgaum stopover would mean a late-night arrival at our destination south of Bangalore. However, stopping about 80-90 kms. post-Belgaum on the first day would likely give me a slight advantage. Any options for an overnight stay after Belgaum, say Hubli?

1. CLARKS INN - http://www.clarksinn.in/clarks-inn-hubli-overview.html

2. ANANT RESIDENCY - http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Revi...Karnataka.html

A member however was not really happy about Anant who drove around a month before.

Clarks Inn is a good choice and close to the bypass also.

Hubli City (Clarks) will be around 96 kms from Belgaum bypass : http://goo.gl/maps/EgzAN

If you still want to opt for Belgaum, Go ahead and stay at SANKAM RESIDENCY.

Overall, to reach NICE Intersection from Belgaum, Budget around 6.5-7 hours* including break(s).

From Hubli, you will need around 5.5-6 hours* for NICE Intersection.

*With Indian Standard Cruising speeds between 100-110kmph

EDIT: Posted this response and realised Ampere had already suggested Clarks Inn :-)

[CowlFlap]

Thanks Ampere, Parag.
Both of you suggest a different exit for Clarks. Parag, is the exit via Gokul Road (per Google maps) easily accessible and/or visible? But good to know that in case I miss this, I can take the next one (Ankola exit).

Thanks again.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by CowlFlap

Thanks Ampere, Parag.
Both of you suggest a different exit for Clarks. Parag, is the exit via Gokul Road (per Google maps) easily accessible and/or visible? But good to know that in case I miss this, I can take the next one (Ankola exit).

Thats true. The Gokul road exit is not clearly marked. But Ankola road is very well marked. That was the reason, I suggested the same. If you can spot Gokul take it. As the hotel is on the same road.

[MorePower]

Folks, need some quick advice. Something urgent has come up in Mumbai/Thane and I need to be in Thane by 11 am Friday. But I can leave Bangalore only by 11-11.30 am on Thursday. I'll be driving my Figo 1.4.

I have an option of staying overnight in Pune, in case I need to break the journey. And then leave Pune by Friday early morning for Thane.

Question is;

- How long will it take me to get to Pune (Pashan) if I leave Electronic City by 11 - 11.30 am on Thursday?
- Don't want to take more than 1 break. Ideally I'd like to combine the fuel break with bio/food break. What's a recommended pit-stop?
- Since most of the Satara-Pune stretch would happen after sundown, any nasty surprises that I need to look out for?
- Also to get to Baner Pashan link road (final destination), which exit should I take?

Any others pointers that I should keep in mind, watchout for?

Thanks in advance

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MorePower

- How long will it take me to get to Pune (Pashan) if I leave Electronic City by 11 - 11.30 am on Thursday?

12-14 hours. with breaks.

- Don't want to take more than 1 break. Ideally I'd like to combine the fuel break with bio/food break. What's a recommended pit-stop?

10 minutes ar Ranebennur (330km/4 hours/4PM)
30 minutes Dinner/Fuel at Kolhapur (MacD) 8 PM
Pune : 1 AM approx depending on traffic and slow down at Satara bypass

- Since most of the Satara-Pune stretch would happen after sundown, any nasty surprises that I need to look out for?

There some deviation which you need to look out for.

- Also to get to Baner Pashan link road (final destination), which exit should I take?

No idea on that. Check with Pune folks!

[MorePower]

Originally Posted by ampere

10 minutes ar Ranebennur (330km/4 hours/4PM)
30 minutes Dinner/Fuel at Kolhapur (MacD) 8 PM
Pune : 1 AM approx depending on traffic and slow down at Satara bypass

Thanks ampere for your quick response. Just a question, any specific fuel bunk in Ranebennur that you'd recommend. Also is there a bunk right next to kolhapur macd?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by MorePower

Thanks ampere for your quick response. Just a question, any specific fuel bunk in Ranebennur that you'd recommend. Also is there a bunk right next to kolhapur macd?

I dont think you will a refuel at Ranebennur. Tank-up at Bangalore. I think you should be good for about 600km till Kolhapur. Ranebennur is more for "your" fuel! (Tea break. You will need one after 300+ km)

In case you think you are running out, there is an MRPL bunk right at the entrance of Hubli bypass (450km). But he charges like Shell (63 for Diesel!) But he is good. Or after the bypass gets over there are some Coco bunks next to Kamat.

Originally Posted by MorePower

Got it. Thank you so much.

Please also note, that the Hubli-Dharwad bypass is about 30km. They are twin cities which are bypassed in a single go by 2-lane road. So if you dont fill at the entrace, you will need to go another 30km.

[MorePower]

Originally Posted by ampere

I dont think you will a refuel at Ranebennur. Tank-up at Bangalore. I think you should be good for about 600km till Kolhapur. Ranebennur is more for "your" fuel! (Tea break. You will need one after 300+ km)

Got it. Thank you so much.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by MorePower

- Also to get to Baner Pashan link road (final destination), which exit should I take?

Both exits- Pashan and Baner are very clearly marked with blue overhead signage on the bypass.

First comes the exit for Pashan for which you need to take a left handed U Turn onto an entry ramp that intersects the bypass through and overbridge. Nissan and Chevrolet Show rooms are exactly on left where you take this left handed U turn. This exit is also marked as Pashan/Sus road exit. This is the same road (sus road) that you drive on for around a km till you reach an opening in a median with a circle. Turn left here and you are on Baner Pashan link road.

The most easiest way to remember Sus road exit is that once you are on Pune bypass you will cross overhead bridges cutting across the bypass at 2 places:First is Chandni Chowk and the second one being Pashan/Sus road exit.

You need to get onto the second bridge that intetsects you and those car show rooms just where you exit NH4 onto service lane are pointers to remember.

Even if you feed "sus road" in your navigation device it will lead you in this manner.

Rest of everything clearly and aptly advised by amp.