[Landkruzer]

Originally Posted by TPaulV

On our return trip, we intend to visit St Lourdes Church in Tiruchirapalli also. From there, google shows this route as faster: NH 67 - Sukkaliyur - NH7 - Aravankurichi - Dharapuram - Pollachi - Palakkad. How is this route?

Or is it better to stick on to the Tiruchirapalli - Dindigul Bypass - Oddanchatram - Dharapuram - Pollachi - Palakkad route itself?

Thanks

Since the church is very close the Karur highway, it is better to take the Karur road. To take the Dindukkal road, you have to go through the town to reach the NH 45.

There is a kannapa (same group) at thillai nagar also, about a km from the church.

[TPaulV]

Trip Details: Palakkad - Velankanni

As suggested in this forum, took the following route:
Palakkad - Pollachi - Dharapuram - Oddanchatram - Dindigul Bypass - Tiruchirapalli - Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Velankanni

Excluding breaks, the total running time with an early morning departure from Palakkad is 6.30 minutes. The Thanjanvur Velankanni stretch via Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi can be covered in 1.45 mnts. Apart from a few bad stretches, it is driveable.

The breakfast halt at Ponram Food Square, Dindigul is good, fast and clean. Moreover its bang on the Highway.

Likewise, in the return stretch, for lunch, Hotel Kannappa at Grand Gardenia, Tiruchirapalli is good and is also on the Highway.

Thanks to Ampere and every one else for the suggestions!

[ampere]

Originally Posted by TPaulV

Likewise, in the return stretch, for lunch, Hotel Kannappa at Grand Gardenia, Tiruchirapalli is good and is also on the Highway.

Did you take the Trichy-Karur-Arvakurichi-Dharapuram option on the way back? If yes, how is the Arvakurichi-Dharapuram stretch? I expect it to be very good. But will be good to hear your update on that.

[TPaulV]

Originally Posted by ampere

Did you take the Trichy-Karur-Arvakurichi-Dharapuram option on the way back? If yes, how is the Arvakurichi-Dharapuram stretch? I expect it to be very good. But will be good to hear your update on that.

We took the Trichy - Dindigul route for return trip also. Since it was already late in the evening, we felt that it would be easier driving on the Four lane Highway.

[JohnnyBoss]

I am planning a drive to Velankanni from Kochi and exploring the options of trying out a different route, and Gmaps suggested Kochi – Theni – Madurai – Melur – Thiruppattur – Kundrakudi – Soorakudi – Kanadukathan – Aranthangi – Kattumavadi – Thiruthuraipoondi – Velankanni.

1. How is the road after Theni?

2. Is there any option to bypass Madurai? Would it be a good idea to go via Thirumangalam to bypass Madurai?

Thanks in advance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

I am planning a drive to Velankanni from Kochi and exploring the options of trying out a different route, and Gmaps suggested Kochi – Theni – Madurai – Melur – Thiruppattur – Kundrakudi – Soorakudi – Kanadukathan – Aranthangi – Kattumavadi – Thiruthuraipoondi – Velankanni.
1. How is the road after Theni?

Another option you can try: Theni-Dindigul-Trichy-Mannargudi-Thirithuraipoondi-Velankanni. You get best of both worlds. Good 4-lanes and 2-lanes.

Not sure about Thiruthuraipoindi-Velankanni road section. By and large should be good. But I see roads around Thiruvarur have improved a lot over the last couple of years.

2. Is there any option to bypass Madurai? Would it be a good idea to go via Thirumangalam to bypass Madurai?

Thirumangalam is long detour bypass. But cant help I guess, because there is nothing else. If heading to Rameshwaram it makes sense when coming in from Theni. For Trichy its a huge detour.

[PrasannaDhana]

Trichy to Vailankanni route is flawless now. They have completed laying of new roads and it is beautifully done. Mannargudi Thiruthuraipoondi is also a great road but a bit longer than Tanjore Thiruvarur route

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

I am planning a drive to Velankanni from Kochi and exploring the options of trying out a different route, and Gmaps suggested Kochi – Theni – Madurai – Melur – Thiruppattur – Kundrakudi – Soorakudi – Kanadukathan – Aranthangi – Kattumavadi – Thiruthuraipoondi – Velankanni.

Velankanni -> Thirthuraipoondi -> Muthupettai -> Kattuchavadi route is 2 lane road weaving through villages with little possibility of good refreshments on the way. I have done it some time in the past. The road has mostly local traffic and plenty of cattle to give you company. Don't expect to do a high speed run in this stretch.
As Ampere said, Thirumangalam detour just to bypass Madurai is wasteful of time and fuel. Someone said there is a bypass for Madurai somewhere in this forum.
The suggested route is almost the same as the 'standard' 4 lane route (~ 525km ). But as you will be going through narrow 2 lane road, you will take about 2 hours extra.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Trichy to Vailankanni route is flawless now. They have completed laying of new roads and it is beautifully done. Mannargudi Thiruthuraipoondi is also a great road but a bit longer than Tanjore Thiruvarur route

So Tanjore-Nidamanagalam-Thiruvarur-Nagapatnam has improved? Also I read earlier about Nidamangalam bypass.

I had been across some time back (Thirurvarur-Thiruthuraipoondi). Was quite impressed by the transformation.

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by ampere

Another option you can try: Theni-Dindigul-Trichy-Mannargudi-Thirithuraipoondi-Velankanni. You get best of both worlds. Good 4-lanes and 2-lanes.

Thanks, I had been to this route earlier, so wish to explore another one.

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Trichy to Vailankanni route is flawless now. They have completed laying of new roads and it is beautifully done. Mannargudi Thiruthuraipoondi is also a great road but a bit longer than Tanjore Thiruvarur route

That is certainly a great news!

Originally Posted by Prowler

Velankanni -> Thirthuraipoondi -> Muthupettai -> Kattuchavadi route is 2 lane road weaving through villages with little possibility of good refreshments on the way. I have done it some time in the past. The road has mostly local traffic and plenty of cattle to give you company. Don't expect to do a high speed run in this stretch.

I am not for high speed runs, just enjoying the drive as well as country side. Lack of facilities is certainly a concern, especially when ladies are there. Thanks for the valuable inputs.

[pgginish]

Can someone share the latest road condition for Kottayam to Velankanni?

[Joscyriac]

In case of anyone is still looking for route suggestions to Velankanni from Kerala, i drove to and fro with my family last week in our Marazzo. Departed at 4.20am from Cherthala, Alleppey. The route we took was Kottayam- Kumily- Cumbum- Dindigul- Trichy- Tanjore- Mannargudi and Velankanni. Cherthala to Kumily in the morning was light traffic and good roads except for a few isolated spots after Mundakkayam. After Kumily , crossing into Tamil Nadu it was open roads save for the mopeds, cows and dogs. But yeah it was okay. Cumbum, Theni and Dindigul towns we encountered traffic but we could speed in highways in between. Dindigul to Trichy was open highway with hardly any traffic. We managed to maintain good speeds in stretches. Trichy to Tanjore also good highway but moderate traffic. Tanjore to Mannargudi is a good quality road with enough width for two trucks but passing it's entirety through villages. The road curves a lot. But you can maintain a consistent speed as there are no junctions anywhere. After Mannargudi, we proceeded via Thruthuraipoondi. Same roads as before except lighter traffic and villages were not frequent as before. Reached Velankanni at 5.30pm. We'd made breakfast and lunch stop at Kumily and Trichy respectively.

Our return was a day later and we departed at 6am from Velankanni. The route was Nagapattinam- Tanjore- Trichy- Dindigul- Palani- Pollachi- Nenmara- Vadakkancheri (Palakkad). The 12km stretch to Nagapattinam was good but moderate traffic even at 6am. To Tanjore, the roads were not frustrating. At times you'd be passing through somewhat narrow roads through a village with dogs and cows blocking the road for most of the part. Some parts you'd get a not yet marked four lane road where as soon as you'd pick up speed you'd run into a series of potholes and damaged surface. After a while of this we reached Nidamamgalam where a railway station was right on the level crossing and a train was stopped in the platform. Waited about 20 minutes here. Unusually high traffic for a Sunday morning. Then it was the same national highway till Dindigul from Tanjore. We had breakfast in Tanjore town after which we attended Sunday mass at Tanjore Sacred Heart cathedral which took another 1.5 hours. Dindigul to Palani and Pollachi is a two lane road. The stretch till Palani is a bit congested with denser population. To pollachi, roads were open and wide. Mind you this is a Sunday afternoon. The roads were scenic as well this stretch. Pollachi to Nenmara and Vadakkancheri I wished I didn't have to come. Once you cross into Kerala, the road condition is not that great. More importantly the roads are narrower and pass through a multitude of towns. Like bang in the middle of the town. Once we hit Vadakkancheri we joined the familiar NH544 to Kochi and thence the NH66 to Cherthala. Reached home at 9pm. This including the 1.5hr church stop at Tanjore, half hour stop to buy veggies and click pics outside Pollachi, 35 minutes at two railway gates. Hope to go via Karur-Kangayam some day.

[JohnnyBoss]

Planning a drive to Velankanni this weekend from Kochi. The route planned is Kochi-Vadakkencherry-Nemmara-Pollachi-Trichy-Tanjavur-Mannargudi-Velankanni.

1. Gmaps shows 2 routes from Dharapuram, via Karur and via Dindicul to Trichy. Which one I should take?

2. How is the Tanjavur to Nagapattinam road conditions? Heard WIP sections are there.

Thanks in advance.

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

Planning a drive to Velankanni this weekend from Kochi. The route planned is Kochi-Vadakkencherry-Nemmara-Pollachi-Trichy-Tanjavur-Mannargudi-Velankanni.

2. How is the Tanjavur to Nagapattinam road conditions? Heard WIP sections are there.

Thanks in advance.

Take Trichy - Tanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Vailankanni. You will enjoy good roads and nice scenery. A rough patch of 5 km is there though.

Tanjavur - Tiruvarur - Nagapattinam route is pathetic. Entire stretch is a rough patch.

[JohnnyBoss]

Originally Posted by JohnnyBoss

Planning a drive to Velankanni this weekend from Kochi. The route planned is Kochi-Vadakkencherry-Nemmara-Pollachi-Trichy-Tanjavur-Mannargudi-Velankanni.

1. Gmaps shows 2 routes from Dharapuram, via Karur and via Dindicul to Trichy. Which one I should take?

Did this trip last weekend and took Dharapuram, Aravakurichi, Karur (Bypass) route. The roads are all good with sparse traffic till Trichy. After Trichy to Tanjavur 4 laned super roads. Tanjavur to Velankanny via Mannargudi road is a mix of good to very good and ok roads with some WIP sections around Mannargudi, but no issues. Took 10.5 hrs from Kochi to Velankanni with usual food and loo breaks.