Taking Citroen C3 for a 2600 kms ride

We had booked return train tickets from Pune to Raipur for a marriage in the family, but with the return leg unconfirmed, we decided to take our Citroën C3 for a 2600 km road trip from Pune to Korba. Here’s a quick snapshot of our journey.

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Quick summary for the impatient:

• Total Distance: 2600 km
• Fuel Costs: ₹14,000 (Average Fuel Economy ~19 km/l, with AC on 80% of the time)
• Toll Expenses: ₹3,085 (Roughly ₹1.2 per km)
• Stay Expenses: ₹6,000

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The Itinerary

• 22nd Nov: Left Pune, stayed overnight at in-laws’ place in Ahilya Nagar aka Ahmednagar.
• 23rd Nov: Drove from Ahilya Nagar to Nagpur via the Samruddhi Expressway.
• 24th Nov: Continued to Raipur and stayed with cousin.
• 25th Nov: Explored Raipur.
• 26th Nov: Traveled to Korba, where we stayed overnight.
• 27th Nov: Attended a wedding and reception in Korba.
• 28th Nov: Began the return journey, driving back to Nagpur.
• 29th Nov: Reached Ahilya Nagar.
• 30th Nov - 1st Dec: Spent time with the in-laws and returned to Pune.

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Road and Traffic Conditions

• Road Quality: Pretty good overall! We encountered only about 10 km of rough patches due to ongoing construction.
• Traffic: Minimal, except near city areas. It felt like we had the road to ourselves most of the time.

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Experience on the Samruddhi Expressway

• Speed & Comfort: Maintained a steady 100 km/h. The max allowed speed is 120 km/h.
• Duration: The stretch from Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) to Nagpur took 5-5.5 hours, including breaks.
• Toll Charges: ₹730 for the entire stretch.
• Facilities: Limited food options—mostly small stalls at petrol pumps. If you are planning a trip, carry food or eat before hitting the expressway.
• Fuel: Petrol is ₹1 more expensive on the expressway, with pumps spaced 60-70 km apart.
• Caution: It can feel really quiet with stretches where you see no other vehicles. It feels boring and sleepy, so take breaks to stay alert.

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Citroën C3 Performance: A Reliable Road Trip Buddy

We couldn’t be happier with the Citroën C3’s performance:

• Fuel Efficiency: The odometer showed an impressive 20.7 km/l. Factoring in expenses, we estimate a real-world mileage of around 19 km/l.
• Comfort: Even after long hours on the road, we didn’t feel overly tired.
• Storage: The car handled a significant amount of luggage, with room for extra luggage on the return journey without removing the parcel tray.
• AC Performance: The air conditioning was top-notch. Even with AC usage for 80% of the trip, we never needed to turn the fan above level 1!