Kota To Pune via Indore or via Udaipur - Surat - Mumbai?

[xkcd0137]

I have to travel fom Kota to Pune. I plan to do the whole trip in a single day. I can drive for 12 hours or 800kms myself, and have a driver for assistance. I prefer driving myself.

Which route should I opt for?
Kota-Baran-Jhalawar-Ujjain-Indore-Malegaon-Manmad-Dhule-Ahmednagar-Pune: Shortest route 1000kms, Kota to Jhalawar is a very bad patch that is why extra distance via Baran, Bombay-Agra Highway is no doubt really good, but is more of Trucker's highway and also no idea about rest of the roads

Kota-Chittorgarh-Udaipur-Godhra-Vadodara-Surat-Vapi-Valsad-Thane-Lonavla-Pune: Longest route 1178kms, Road is really good as read on many forums, but 200kms is a lot of distance and will cost atleast 2 hours more, but is expected not to be as isolated as Bom-Agra Highway.

If the travel time of 1st option is equal to the 2nd option owing to road quality etc, then I can take the 2nd route. I plan to leave Kota at 6 am, so will rrach Mumbai by 9 or 10pm, may avoid the office rush.

Time taken and Comfort of driving is of priority here.

 

[kukku_k]

Chittorgarh - Thane is doable in 12-14hrs, excellent road.
Thane to Pune another 1.5-2hrs again a very good road.
This route has lots of gas stations and eateries.

Never tried other route .

 

[xkcd0137]

@kukku_k: Thank you for the reply. I will take this route only.

 

[xkcd0137]

Travel update -

I ended up taking the Kota-Rawatbhata- Neemuch-Mandsaur-Ratlam-Lebda-Sendhwa-Dhule-Malegaon-Shirdi-Ahmednagar-Pune. Started at 0700 and reached the destination at 2230. Distance around 1000 kms.

Kota to Neemuch though scenic, is totally avoidable. Road is in very bad condition and at some patches there is no road at all. It should be done via Chittorgarh instead. Neemuch to Malegaon is butter smooth. Malegaon to Pune via Shirdi is bad but since this is the best available option, can't be avoided.

Plan to take Pune-Mumbai-Vadodara-Udaipur-Kota route in near future for my return. Will update.

 

[kukku_k]

Thanks for the update , have a safe journey ahead