Varanasi to Pune road trip in Honda Brio by Rishab Kaushik in January 2021

Varanasi to Pune via Bhopal 

(Varanasi_Pune) road trip update. 

Total distance: 1601 kms. 

Toll amount: ₹1887

[₹1762 (FasTag) + ₹125 (Cash on Katni - Bhopal route)]

Duration: 2 days (8th and 9th January 2021)

Overnight stay: Bhopal

Vehicle: 2013 Honda Brio S MT

Day: 1

Route: Varanasi - Handiya - Prayagraj - Rewa (bypass) - Katni (bypass) - Damoh - Sagar - Vidisha (bypass) - Raisen (bypass) - Bhopal. 

Distance: 770 kms. 

Duration: 16 hrs. 

Weather: Dense fog, till Handiya. 

Halts: 03 (15 min each). 

Start Time: 0600 hrs.

End Time: 2200 hrs.

Pros:

Smooth roads throughout

Abundant way-side amenities. 

Moderate traffic. 

Cons:

Katni - Bhopal stretch of almost 350 km is single carriageway (2 lanes), therefore night driving is tiresome because of high-beams and rash drivers.

Abundant stray cattle on the entire Varanasi - Bhopal route.

FasTag not operational on Katni - Bhopal stretch.

Road conditions: 

No bypass for Sagar. 

Damoh bypass is unnecessarily long, go via city, not much traffic anyway.

From Vidisha, take Raisen - Bhopal instead of Sanchi - Bhopal, smooth roads with minimal traffic.

Maintain proper speed and headway in dense fog conditions because local commuters won’t.

Handiya - Varanasi — excellent 06 lane expressway. 

Handiya - Prayagraj — excellent 04 lane highway. 

Prayagraj - Katni — excellent 04 lane highway. 

Katni - Bhopal — smooth single carriageway (2 lanes). 

Day: 2

Route: Bhopal - Ashta - Indore - Sendhwa - Dhule - Malegaon - Nashik (Bytco Chowk) - Sangamner - Rajgurunagar - Pune. 

Distance: 831 kms. 

Duration: 16 hrs.

Weather: Medium shower (Bhopal - Indore); Heavy shower (Nashik-Sangamner). 

Halts: 06 (15 min each). 

Start Time: 0600 hrs.

End Time: 2200 hrs.

Pros:

Smooth roads throughout. 

Seamless FASTag operation. 

Abundant way-side amenities. 

Cons:

Abundant stray cattle on Bhopal-Indore route.

Heavy traffic (and jams) on last 100 km stretch of Nashik-Pune. 

Indore - Dhule stretch is full of large speed breakers disguised as rumble strips.

Handiya - Varanasi 'high-speed' 06 lane expressway is neither elevated nor access controlled, hence high level of attention is mandatory. 

Road conditions: 

Bhopal - Indore — smooth 04 lane highway

Indore - Dhule — smooth 04 lane highway

Dhule - Nashik — excellent 04 lane highway

Nashik - Pune — smooth 04 lane highway in first half, mix of single carriageway (2 lanes) and 04 lane highway in second half.

Thanks to Rahul Singh and other Indian Roadie Facebook group members for proactive support! 

Source: Travelogue by Rishabh Kaushik in Indian Roadie group on Facebook. 

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* Indian Roadie Preferred Route 

* Motoring Routes Of India 

* Motoring Route 

* Best Route