After a span of nearly 4 years I travelled via bus from Mumbai to Bangalore. I had to come back to Bangalore just after one day visit to Mumbai due to personal work. The best possible option to travel was via Air. But when I checked the cost of Air travel and it was way too expensive as I wanted it immediately. I checked the cost of Bus travel in RedBus . The cost difference was almost more than Rs.3500. Then the miser within me told to prefer Bus travel. Then I went ahead and booked a bus ticket to Bangalore from Mumbai in VRL. I was quite excited about the bus journey as it would be my first long distance bus travel after 4 years.
VRL Bus
I chose VRL as a preferred mode of transport. I have good experience in past. I must have travelled umpteen number of times in VRL. This time I did a sleeper booking instead of seater.
The journey was about to begin by 2pm but unfortunately it started by 2:45pm. The journey was about to start from Sion but due to some issues I had to take other VRL bus till Chunnabhatti. These two issues didn’t matter much as I got the bus. As it is known these small issues will happen as it being a road transport.
I was hungry and luckily a guy was selling franky and veg roll during one of intermediate stop in Vashi. Bus conductor told me they wont stop for lunch and that made sense who will eat lunch post 3. I had to suppress my hunger with veg roll and franky. For a hungry person any food will be delicious.
Journey started steadily and I got settled in my L22 seat. In Panvel one guy joined as a co passenger near me.
The first pit stop the bus made was somewhere near to Lonavala. I purchased tea and a samosa to suppress my big tummy from hunger.
The bus was quite clean and I should appreciate VRL for that. Bus had small TV panels to watch movie displayed. I was not much interested to watch TV. But I glanced at it in between. The movie which they showed was Khiladi 786 and Kis Kis ko pyaar karoon . I carried the book The Girl on the train during this travel so I utilized the travel time to read at least some part of the book till evening.
After 7 pm I was feeling sleepy. I slept for couple of hours. Bus stopped for dinner at 10 pm in a restaurant. It was a decent restaurant. I ordered heavy food as I didnt eat well in the afternoon. For dinner I ordered Dal tadka, 2 roti and jeera rice. Later after ordering I realized the food was quite heavy. But this huge tummy can devour anything in the plate.
Restaurant
After food I started to sleep during the rest of the travel. Sleep was quite disturbing due to the continuous shaky movement of the bus. During night some thirsty soul took away my water bottle. I had to suppress my thirst till I get home in the morning.
Seat L22
Morning time is the toughest of the whole journey. We have to control the ready to burst bladder and bowel.
Bus reached Yeshwanthpur by 7:30 am. I got down and took a rickshaw till Mahalakshmi Layout to my home.
The journey was quite nice without any hectic and hassle.
Hope to travel more in bus if I need to cut cost.
Journey Details :
Mumbai to Bengaluru
Journey Start : Sion (Mumbai)
Journey via : VRL Bus
Journey Start Time : 2:00pm (Official) 2:45 (Real) (21-12-2016)
Journey End Time : 7:30am (22-12-2016)
Journey End : Yeshwanthpur (Bengaluru)
Moral : Good ride in Bus.