[rahul_sinha]

Hi,
I am travelling to Kerala and TN in Nov from Pune.
Leg 1: Pune - Bangalore
Leg 2: Bangalore - Ernakulam (via Coimbatore)
Leg 3: Ernakulam - Yercaud (via Salem)
Leg 4: Yercaud - Kozhikode
Leg 5: Kozhikode - Bangalore
Leg 6: Bangalore - Pune

While Pune - Bangalore - Pune is fairly straightforward, I am planning on exact routes for Bangalore - Ernakulam, Ernakulam - Yercaud, Yercaud - Calicut and Calicut - Bangalore.

All driving will be in the day time, max stretchable to 8pm. I have low GC sedan Cruze automatic and will be travelling with family.

While I will be going through this whole thread on actual stretches to avoid et al, would be grateful for a good heads up so that I can plan better.

Thanks,
Rahul

[ampere]

Originally Posted by rahul_sinha

Hi,
I am travelling to Kerala and TN in Nov from Pune.
Leg 1: Pune - Bangalore
Leg 2: Bangalore - Ernakulam (via Coimbatore)
Leg 3: Ernakulam - Yercaud (via Salem)
Leg 4: Yercaud - Kozhikode
Leg 5: Kozhikode - Bangalore
Leg 6: Bangalore - Pune

Yercaud on the way back seems out of place. You should do Yercaud on the way to Ernakulam. If you cant do it, I would say chose a place around Kozhikode. I dont think Yercaud is a place worth such a deviation.

[rahul_sinha]

Originally Posted by ampere

Yercaud on the way back seems out of place. You should do Yercaud on the way to Ernakulam. If you cant do it, I would say chose a place around Kozhikode. I dont think Yercaud is a place worth such a deviation.

I have a booking at Club Mahindra Yercaud and need to pick up folks from Ernakulam

[McTurbo]

Hello,
Planning for a Bangalore - Kochi drive on the 12th of Oct. What would you all suggest if I am constrained to leave Bangalore only around 1.00 PM?What should I be prepared for, considering half the journey could be night driving? Saw good reviews on this route "Bangalore-Salem-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Wadakancheri-Thrissur-Chalakudi-Edappally-Kochi". How safe is it to do this route in the night with family?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by McTurbo

Hello,
Planning for a Bangalore - Kochi drive on the 12th of Oct. What would you all suggest if I am constrained to leave Bangalore only around 1.00 PM?What should I be prepared for, considering half the journey could be night driving? Saw good reviews on this route "Bangalore-Salem-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Wadakancheri-Thrissur-Chalakudi-Edappally-Kochi". How safe is it to do this route in the night with family?

Its safe. But the bigger problem is minimal service available on the road. Also there is possibility that you may lose your way and there may not be folks to guide you to the right one.

[Mnjdnght]

Originally Posted by McTurbo

Hello,
Planning for a Bangalore - Kochi drive on the 12th of Oct. What would you all suggest if I am constrained to leave Bangalore only around 1.00 PM?What should I be prepared for, considering half the journey could be night driving? Saw good reviews on this route "Bangalore-Salem-Avinashi-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Wadakancheri-Thrissur-Chalakudi-Edappally-Kochi". How safe is it to do this route in the night with family?

If you start at 1, you can get to Chengappalli by 5:30-6. I saw some caution against Avinashi-Palladam stretch from ranjitp1 and hence would recommend turning off at Chengappalli towards Uthukkuli, Tirupur ring road bypass. You'll do this stretch through Palladam, Pollachi, Kollengode, Nenmara until Vadakkenchery in dark (around 2.5-3 hrs). Road surface is not a concern but you'll not have options to stop for breaks. If you are comfortable with Malayalam then you could ask in case of route confusion else you could end up taking a wrong turn consequently making it a longer detour.

You could consider the regular route though Coimbatore, Walayar. Avinashi-Coimbatore is very much doable upto Madukkarai. Around 30-40 Kms from Madukkarai till Palghat is iffy and I don't have direct feedback on that but others can probably update you. I do read in the papers that NH47 from Palghat to Trichur is being repaired but not sure of the work progress between Palghat and Vadakkenchery. You could do Palghat-Ottappalam-Shornur-Wadakkancherry-Trichur as a decent alternative.

[McTurbo]

Originally Posted by Mnjdnght

You could consider the regular route though Coimbatore, Walayar. Avinashi-Coimbatore is very much doable upto Madukkarai. Around 30-40 Kms from Madukkarai till Palghat is iffy and I don't have direct feedback on that but others can probably update you.

Thank you. I think I will stick to this regular route unless someone updates on some serious time killers. Will try to get some local inputs at the Palghat bypass on the current condition of Palghat - Thrissur stretch and take a decision.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by McTurbo

Thank you. I think I will stick to this regular route unless someone updates on some serious time killers. Will try to get some local inputs at the Palghat bypass on the current condition of Palghat - Thrissur stretch and take a decision.

Palghat - Thrissur is not a very smooth stretch, but very much doable. Patchy at most places from Madukkarai(L&T bypass) till vadakkenchery.

Check this thread for more details for stretches beyond that (post by Mnjdnght himself)

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3257011

[pramodh]

Does anybody have an update on the repair of the Pallkad Thrissur leg? I heard they were starting repairs after the protests in August but not seen any updates since. I plane to drive to Kochi on this route 01 November...Thanks

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by pramodh

Does anybody have an update on the repair of the Pallkad Thrissur leg? I heard they were starting repairs after the protests in August but not seen any updates since. I plane to drive to Kochi on this route 01 November...Thanks

Sir - the previous post itself gives the answers that you are looking for!!

[pramodh]

Thanks but the more important question is the update from somebody who has driven that stretch post post August or post repairs to be precise.

[denver85]

Originally Posted by pramodh

Does anybody have an update on the repair of the Pallkad Thrissur leg? I heard they were starting repairs after the protests in August but not seen any updates since. I plane to drive to Kochi on this route 01 November...Thanks

The Palakkad-Thrissur stretch (NH47) is in good condition and doable as per the report from 2-3 members in the thread 'All roads to Kerala'. As per the latest news only a small section (4-5 kms between Pattikad and Mannuthy) was pending and work was progressing there. Hope that also is completed by now. Kuthiran section is completely repaired.

[pramodpk]

Drove from Vaikom to Bangalore yesterday. See my updates here.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3264975

[Ice]

Hi,

I plan on leaving Bangalore around 4 AM for a trip to Cochin. The route that I know and am comfortable with is:
1. Bangalore - Salem - Coimbatore - Walayar - Palakkad - Thrissur - Cochin,

I heard that the following routes are pretty good too :

2. Bangalore - Avinashi - Palladam - Pollachi - Alathur - Wadakancheri - Thrissur -Edappally - Cochin
and
3. Bangalore - Mysore - Gundlupet - Gudalur - Nilambur - Perinthalmanna - Shoranur - Wadakancheri - Thrissur - Edappally - Cochin

Which would you recommend?

Car : Innova/Fortuner
Passenger count : 3 adults + 1 surprisingly well-behaved 3-yr old

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by Ice

Hi,

I plan on leaving Bangalore around 4 AM for a trip to Cochin. The route that I know and am comfortable with is:
1. Bangalore - Salem - Coimbatore - Walayar - Palakkad - Thrissur - Cochin,

I heard that the following routes are pretty good too :

2. Bangalore - Avinashi - Palladam - Pollachi - Alathur - Wadakancheri - Thrissur -Edappally - Cochin
and
3. Bangalore - Mysore - Gundlupet - Gudalur - Nilambur - Perinthalmanna - Shoranur - Wadakancheri - Thrissur - Edappally - Cochin

Which would you recommend?

Take the regular NH 7 - NH 47 route via Salem - Coimbatore - Palakkad - Thrissur. It would be the fastest in the current conditions. See details of my drive on Oct 13th in the below post.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3264975