[thereal]

Hi Guys,

Am planning to travel from Coimbatore to Guntur on 28th April (850+ kms)

Google maps suggests the below route

Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Thirupatur-Ambur-Chittor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur


i have taken the same route till Ongole in 2009 May, started at 4:30 in the morning and reached Ongole at 5:30pm in the evening with 2 pitstops in my bachelor days - single hand driving, Roads were good except for Cbe - salem

This time around am driving with my wife, again single handed drive.
the plan is

Start at 5:00 am 28th
8:00 am - pit stop at A2B for Breakfast (1 hr)
2:30 pm - Nayudupet or Gudur lunch ( 1 hr )
7:00 pm - Guntur

Guys please comment on the road conditions and alternate routes also share your opinion on the plan.

The return will be on Monday 30 from Guntur to Tirupati , Darshan in temple and return back to cbe - Tuesday May 1st buffer day

[ampere]

Originally Posted by thereal

Hi Guys,

Am planning to travel from Coimbatore to Guntur on 28th April (850+ kms)

Google maps suggests the below route

Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Thirupatur-Ambur-Chittor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur

There are two options.

1. A version close what Google suggests. No point taking Thirupatur route. Go till Krishnagiri and take join the Madras highway till Vellore. And then go to Chitoor via Katpadi.

Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Vellore-Katpadi-Chittoor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur

2. Second option :
Go till Krishnagiri and take the route to Palamaner via Venkatagirikota.

Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Venkatagirihota-Palamaner-Chitoor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur

Both options are equally good. Note that on the GQ section between Krishnagiri-Vellore 6-lane work is ongoing. Need to be on the watch for diversions.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by thereal

2:30 pm - Nayudupet or Gudur lunch ( 1 hr )

Please bear in mind that eating facilities are almost nil once you enter the NH5.There is one CCD attached to a HP on the opposite side of the road.Would suggest that you look for lunch options before you get onto the NH5.Tirupati could be a good option.

[hvkumar]

Instead of going via Tirupattur, it is better to go via Krishnagiri & Vellore. From Vellore, connect to Chittoor and then take the route via Tirupati & Nayudupetta.

You can break for lunch at APTDC Haritha in Sri Kalahasti Bypass.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Instead of going via Tirupattur, it is better to go via Krishnagiri & Vellore. From Vellore, connect to Chittoor and then take the route via Tirupati & Nayudupetta.

You can break for lunch at APTDC Haritha in Sri Kalahasti Bypass.

Would it make sense to go to Chittoor via Gudiyatham from Ambur rather than go to Vellore and then comeback to Chittoor. The Chittoor - Gudiyatham road is used to be in decent shape some time back.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

Would it make sense to go to Chittoor via Gudiyatham from Ambur rather than go to Vellore and then comeback to Chittoor. The Chittoor - Gudiyatham road is used to be in decent shape some time back.

I suggested Vellore-Chitoor because I know its condition to be good, no updates on the other roads.

[ramanan.skr]

How about going through Salem - Ulundurpet - Chennai Byepass - NH5 - Guntur?? almost the same distance plus good 4 lane roads.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ramanan.skr

How about going through Salem - Ulundurpet - Chennai Byepass - NH5 - Guntur?? almost the same distance plus good 4 lane roads.

Avoid the Chennai city region, more traffic & slower speeds.

[thereal]

Hi Guys, planning to take any of these 2 options

Option 1:
Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Thirupatur-Ambur-Chittor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur

Option 2:
Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Venkatagirihota-Palamaner-Chitoor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur

Breakfast @ A2B , Krishnagiri
lunch at APTDC Haritha in Sri Kalahasti Bypass.

Please comment on the current road condition and traffic

[ramzsys]

Though the Palamner route has good roads, it is more time consuming than the road via Vellore.

[simplyself]

From Avanashi one could go directly to Bhavani, Mettur Dam, Mettur, Toppur, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Chittoor, Tirupathi, Naidupet.

This route is shorter than the one which goes through Salem by about 150 kilometres ( please check this ).

From Bhavani to Toppur it is SH, and I dont know the condition. If the road in this stretch is good, then take this route.

Krishnagiri - Kuppam - Venkatagiri Kota - Palamaner - Chittoor route is shorter ( twistier too) but I prefer the Krishnagiri - Vellore ( NH 46, I think) route

We took Dharmapuri - Salem - Coimbatore route when we went to Sabari in Dec. 2011 and we regretted that as it took too much time. The road is superb, though.

I hope the stretch between Avanashi and Coimbatore (NH 47) is completed.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by thereal

Hi Guys, planning to take any of these 2 options

Option 1:
Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Thirupatur-Ambur-Chittor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur

Option 2:
Coimbatore -Avinashi-Salem-Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Venkatagirihota-Palamaner-Chitoor-Tirupati-Nayudupetta-Nellore-Ongole-Guntur
Please comment on the current road condition and traffic

As I said earlier (and as also others commented, option 1 is better.
But its no point going via Thirupatur. Drive all the way till Krishnagiri and then take the GQ to Vellore.

Originally Posted by simplyself

From Avanashi one could go directly to Bhavani, Mettur Dam, Mettur, Toppur, Dharmapuri, Vellore, Chittoor, Tirupathi, Naidupet.

This route is shorter than the one which goes through Salem by about 150 kilometres ( please check this ).

I don't think you will save 150km by going through Mettur. It would be about 25-30km max. And for the road conditions and truck traffic
its not worth taking this route esp. if one wants to save time.

[simplyself]

Originally Posted by ampere

I don't think you will save 150km by going through Mettur. It would be about 25-30km max. And for the road conditions and truck traffic
its not worth taking this route esp. if one wants to save time.

You may be right. I am not sure about the distance. Last time we travelled this route in 2008, we reached Guruvayur by 1.30 pm.

Last December it took us more than two and a half hours more via Salem.

Should try, if possible...it may not take up too much time.

[thereal]

Hi guys,
I took Coimbatore-avinashi-salem-dharmapuri-krishnagiri-palamaner-chitoor-srihalakasthi-nayudupetta-nellore-ongole-guntur

I started at 5:15 am from Coimbatore
Breakfast at A2B at 8 am to 8:45 am
Lunch at Haritha Srikalakasthi at 2:00 to 2:30 pm
Reached Guntur at 7:30 pm

A total of 14 hrs drive- single handed drive as we had time constraint, ofcourse I should thank my wife for her understanding, belief and also for keeping us on track with the help if google maps.
as usual road till avinashi is work in progress
Palamner-chitoor road is mostly good except for some stretch, but the problem is lot of twists and turns except for that truck traffic, what more to say it took 5 hrs to 270 kms
To add to them all we had enough " Take diversions " from ongole to guntur

I today morning I started my return journey at 9:00 am from Guntur am about reach nastier now will complete the blog once I reach Coimbatore

[gajadonga]

Nice update.How are the road conditions between Krishnagiri and Palamner.Is is single lane or dual carriage way.