[Journey Review] SRS Mercedes-Benz Super High Deck Multiaxle Seater : Bengaluru - Belagavi

9:14:00 AM Biswajit SVM Chaser 0 Comments

I was on a four day official trip to Bengaluru. It was time to book a return journey back to Belagavi. With a hectic schedule on my planner, and considering a departure time suitable to me, i decided to book my ticket on regular tourmate - SRS Travels Mercedes Benz Multiaxle schedule at 22:30 hrs from Bengaluru. I choosed my usual front row (Seat Number A2 encircled in red in the seating layout shown below) behind the driver, booking my ticket from the SRS Online ticketing portal. The coach has a departure time of 22:30 hrs from SRS terminal, Anand Rao Circle, Bengaluru, and the estimated arrival time at Belagavi is 06:45 hrs in the morning next day. An 8 hours 15 minutes scheduled journey covering around 500 kms without any dinner break. 

It was the journey day on 6th May 2018. It was a Sunday and I had a few work to wind up my Bengaluru visit, before returning back to Belagavi. Finishing up my work, I arrived at 22:00 hrs at SRS bus terminus located at Anand Rao Circle - half an hour ahead of scheduled departure of my bus to Belagavi. The coach always makes a delayed departure on this schedule as it is a 15 mtr long vehicle, and it is very difficult to enter and park the Mercedes Benz, at a hectic bus departure schedule at the terminus. I expected an 15 minutes delay of the coach to arrive at around 22:45 hrs and an half hour departure delay at 23:00 hrs. It was 5 minutes past 22:45 hrs, I was still waiting at the terminus for my bus to arrive. At around 23:00 hrs, the Mercedes Benz Super High Deck arrived at the SRS terminus, delayed by 45 minutes from its reporting time of 22:15 hrs. 

As the coach reversed for parking at the terminus, passengers approached it for boarding. After handing over my cargo baggage to the bus crew against the baggage tag, i boarded the coach with my hand baggage and took my assigned seat no : A2 (window) on the first row of the coach. On the driving seat, was my known crew, Mr Ramachandra, from Belagavi. With a smile on his face, Ramachandra greeted me, as i boarded the coach. My ticket was checked by the ticket checker, as an usual routine. At 23:15 hrs, the Mercedes coach finally departed from Anand Rao Circle. There were passenger pick ups at Yesvanthpur and Neelamangala. At 00:00 hrs, midnight we left Bengaluru outskirts on our way to Belagavi. 

The SRS Mercedes Benz Multiaxle is my regular tourmate between Belagavi and Bengaluru, and i had done numerous trips on the same coach, previously. Its a multiaxle seater coach, with individual blankets provided on each seat, although i prefer a semi-sleeper seating coach, for better comfort and luxury. The mobile charging points were kept 'ON' as predicted. Mercedes Benz has a good suspension to travel with, complimented by good maneuverability on the highway, keeping in mind its a 15 mtr long coach. The driving was sedate and safe. I was quite acquainted with Ramachandra's driving, as i had undertaken numerous to-and-fro trips along with him, between Bengaluru and Belagavi. 

At 02:30 hrs, we stopped at a near by roadside hotel for a quick tea and bio-break. There was no toilet / bathrooms for the passengers at the stop, which generally causes problems for the passengers and especially on-board lady passengers, as obviously. After a 15 minutes break, we were on the highway again, on our way to Belagavi. I dozed-off to sleep, and got up after a three hours nap at around 05:30 hrs, as we entered Hubballi city for a passenger drop. After dropping passengers at Hubballi, we headed towards the highway to enter Dharwad City at around 05:55 hrs for a passenger drop. Finally at 06:15 hrs, we left Dharwad City towards Belagavi. At around 07:00 hrs in the morning, we entered Belagavi City. I de-boarded the bus at Chennamma Circle, bidding a goodbye to Ramachandra, my own Bus Crew, as the further city drop of most buses are cancelled temporarily because of the over-bridge construction near Belagavi Railway Station.