[NPV]

With a 4am start from Bangalore, one quick temple visit (30 minutes stop) en route near Alathur and couple of short breaks in between, at what time can I expect to reach Cochin (destination near Amrita institute).

From Alathur should I get back to the NH or go via Pazhayannur (I guess this won't make sense for Cochin but may have been an option if my destination was Trichur ?)

Also, with a post lunch start from Cochin, when can I expect to reach Palakkad (on a Sunday) ?

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by NPV

With a 4am start from Bangalore, one quick temple visit (30 minutes stop) en route near Alathur and couple of short breaks in between, at what time can I expect to reach Cochin (destination near Amrita institute).

From Alathur should I get back to the NH or go via Pazhayannur (I guess this won't make sense for Cochin but may have been an option if my destination was Trichur ?)

Also, with a post lunch start from Cochin, when can I expect to reach Palakkad (on a Sunday) ?

Cochin Bangalore won't take more than 10 hours, you can plan for late lunch near Amritha.

You are right on getting back on to the NH while going to Cochin. Now that NH is in good shape except for some work happening around Kuthiran, it make sense to get back on the NH even for Thrissur

Palakkad is doable in less than 3 hours on a Sunday, and post lunch will have very lean traffic.

Hope that helps

[binand]

Originally Posted by NPV

With a 4am start from Bangalore, one quick temple visit (30 minutes stop) en route near Alathur and couple of short breaks in between, at what time can I expect to reach Cochin (destination near Amrita institute).

Bangalore-Kochi is about 8-9 hours driving time depending on your comfortable speed, time-of-day/day-of-week etc. Assuming 1 extra hour for your visit (15 mins each way + 30 mins stop) you should be in Kochi latest by 2 PM. I have not accounted for your other stoppages (fuel/bio/food) in this.

Perhaps exiting NH at Kalamassery and approaching Amrita via Container road - NH 66 will help.

Originally Posted by NPV

From Alathur should I get back to the NH or go via Pazhayannur?

This is a no-brainer. Double back to NH 544.

Originally Posted by NPV

Also, with a post lunch start from Cochin, when can I expect to reach Palakkad (on a Sunday) ?

Kochi (Edappally junction)-Palakkad is about 3 hours driving. It will take you an hour to clear Kochi metro area madness (ie, cross Aluva), another hour to clear Paliyekkara and Thrissur city spread and a third hour to reach Palakkad. You might be able to shave off about 10 minutes of each of those sections to make it in 2.5 hours.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by binand

Bangalore-Kochi is about 8-9 hours driving time depending on your comfortable speed, time-of-day/day-of-week etc. Assuming 1 extra hour for your visit (15 mins each way + 30 mins stop) you should be in Kochi latest by 2 PM. I have not accounted for your other stoppages (fuel/bio/food) in this.

Thanks for the pointers.
In case I get delayed reaching Cochin, any recommendations for a good vegetarian place for a lunch stop en route?

I'm quite unfamiliar with break options beyond Palakkad.

[binand]

Originally Posted by NPV

any recommendations for a good vegetarian place for a lunch stop en route?

Not really well-versed in veg food places, but some that come to mind are (duplicate versions of) Ananda Bhavan and Saravana Bhavan, and several ICH restaurants all of which are between Thrissur and Chalakudy.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by binand

Bangalore-Kochi is about 8-9 hours driving time depending on your comfortable speed, time-of-day/day-of-week etc. Assuming 1 extra hour for your visit (15 mins each way + 30 mins stop) you should be in Kochi latest by 2 PM. I have not accounted for your other stoppages (fuel/bio/food) in this.

Our trip will now extend to Alappuzha as well, so wanted to check about the options I had in mind:
Option 1:
Drive Bangalore-Alathur temple-Alappuzha (Courtesy visit to an acquaintance's home). Drive to Cochin and stay overnight (Day 2 have to attend an event in Cochin from 8:30am onwards).

Option 2:
Drive Bangalore-Alathur temple-Alappuzha (Courtesy visit to an acquaintance's home). Stay overnight at Alappuzha. Drive to Cochin on Day 2 early morning, attend event in Cochin and drive to Thrissur post lunch.

Option 3:
Drive Bangalore-Alathur-Cochin, stay overnight.
Attend Cochin event on Day 2, drive to Alappuzha post lunch, then drive to Thrissur and stay overnight.

*On Day 3, have to attend an event in Thrissur. Post lunch, drive to Bangalore with a 2pm start.

Also, please suggest hotels at Alappuzha if you recommend option 1, and the routing for the recommended option.

[naveen.raju]

Speaking of restaurants, we tried few on our way back to Cochin. The usual Saravanna Bhavan after Salem was bad this time.

After Chalakudy, there's this "Chennai Ananda Bhavan" on the left. Missed this as this was on a slight curve but decided to come back at the signal. It was late evening and was relatively empty. I was a bit skeptical on how it would taste since the chef was a North Indian but to my surprise, it was pretty good. We tried dosa and vada.

https://goo.gl/maps/wbWWkzgMFjYoPbMi6

[binand]

Originally Posted by NPV

Our trip will now extend to Alappuzha as well, so wanted to check about the options I had in mind:

I'd probably go for Option 2. Option 1 is too much driving in Kerala for a single day (Thrissur-Alappuzha-Kochi - about 200 km, 5+ hours). Option 3 pushes that "too much driving in Kerala" to day 2. It will also depend on whether day 1 or day 2 is a Sunday/holiday.

Option 2 splits this drive into two equal-ish chunks and also makes part of it done in the early morning hours.

Remember that there's NH 66 redevelopment works happening between Kochi (Aroor) and Alappuzha.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by binand

Option 2 splits this drive into two equal-ish chunks and also makes part of it done in the early morning hours.

We dropped the plan to include Alappuzha this time and overall it was a good trip though rain played spoilsport during the onward and return drives.

I remember asking this question 2-3 years ago and I think you had shared a RTO/Manorama link saying it is 100kmph, but asking again since I was confused yet again by speed limit signages. What is the max. legal speed limit between Walayar-Palakkad-Alathur and beyond where it is 4 laned and then in the 6 laned sections and onwards upto Kochi on NH 544 ?

Onward, I only remember seeing the regular 50 limit signs posted (usually before approaching traffic lights).

During the return, I saw a 100 limit posted somewhere near Chalakudy and then closer to Alathur I saw an 80 sign. Totally confused to say the least!

[binand]

Originally Posted by NPV

What is the max. legal speed limit between Walayar-Palakkad-Alathur and beyond where it is 4 laned and then in the 6 laned sections and onwards upto Kochi on NH 544 ?

This is actually quite a conundrum you ask there.

The prevalent speed limits (ie, the ones used by the cameras) were the ones set about a decade ago, and available here.

But these were revised a few months back, and the new limits have been published in the gazette. There have been some murmurs in the state about the new limits, but I think given that it is in the gazette it is now the law of the land - except that I'm not sure if the enforcers all know the new limits.

Now, as per the new limits, you should be legally able to do 100 kmph after crossing Walayar and 110 kmph in the section between Alathur-Mannuthy (give or take, I'm not exactly sure where the 6-lane section starts/ends).

The older doc wasn't very clear about the limit to be enforced on the sections of national highways that fall within municipal limits; so municipalities/corporations, local traffic/L&O police etc. all happily installed boards as per their convenience on NH 544 (which is actually part of the N-S corridor and ought to be treated with some reverence). This resulted in very confusing limits - I myself have seen different limits posted at the same location, one on the shoulder and one on the median.

The new doc to me at least makes it clear that the limit set for "city roads" do not apply on dual carriageway national highways. But is it also clear to the average beat cop? Have they recalibrated the speed cameras? These are all questions I hope travellers like you will figure out via trial and error and report the answers here :-)

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by NPV

I remember asking this question 2-3 years ago and I think you had shared a RTO/Manorama link saying it is 100kmph, but asking again since I was confused yet again by speed limit signages. What is the max. legal speed limit between Walayar-Palakkad-Alathur and beyond where it is 4 laned and then in the 6 laned sections and onwards upto Kochi on NH 544 ?

Before Walayar whatever speed you wish to do that's fine , once you are inside KL stick to 90-100 as indicated on the speedo, both front seats seat belts should be fastened as well because there are some new cameras especially fitted for those coming from outside the state near tourist destinations that will detect seat belt offences as well and sent home a photograph

Unlike old cameras there is no flash anymore, it's all done quietly.

[jaganm]

Originally Posted by binand

But these were revised a few months back, and the new limits have been published in the gazette. There have been some murmurs in the state about the new limits, but I think given that it is in the gazette it is now the law of the land - except that I'm not sure if the enforcers all know the new limits.

Now, as per the new limits, you should be legally able to do 100 kmph after crossing Walayar and 110 kmph in the section between Alathur-Mannuthy (give or take, I'm not exactly sure where the 6-lane section starts/ends).

Is the speed limit for 2 wheelers really 60? It’s going to be torture on our 650 and litre class bikes

[NPV]

Did a quick run to Alathur, Guruvayoor and back on Saturday and Sunday to escape from the long weekend traffic.
With a 4am start, managed to reach Alathur just in time for the last darshan before the temple closed. Traffic wasn't heavy but long trucks carrying windmill blades slowed us down and then the rain started pounding after Coimbatore.

From Alathur, headed back to NH544 and drove to Guruvayoor via the gmaps suggested route of Chavakkad and Pavaratty (left turn after Amala hospital); while traffic wasn't heavy, one half of the road was dug up and slushy due to the rains and caused a few traffic jams en route, the last 4km was pathetic and narrow.

Had a not so great darshan at Guruvayoor that evening, followed by an amazing and totally unexpected darshan again at 3am (Read the story here (Unusual / funny / heartwarming experiences on the road))

Sunday morning we started at 8:30, drive to Palakkad for some work and started from there at 11:30, intermittent rain slowed us down yet again all the way till Dharmapuri and we reached home by 8:15pm.

It's high time the Salem-Chengapalli section is 6 laned, urbanisation and traffic volume has far exceeded the 4 lane capacity.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by NPV

It's high time the Salem-Chengapalli section is 6 laned, urbanisation and traffic volume has far exceeded the 4 lane capacity.

Absolutely. The entire stretch needs to be 6-laned before it becomes another (pre-expressway) Mysore highway. And the road surface of the 6-laned section after that (towards Coimbatore) desperately needs a fresh layer of asphalt. It's completely bumpy, with an occasional shallow pothole to keep everyone onboard completely awake throughout. The Coimbatore L&T bypass as usual is at the top spot for the worst section between Bangalore and Palakkad.

Originally Posted by NPV

Sunday morning we started at 8:30, drive to Palakkad for some work and started from there at 11:30, intermittent rain slowed us down yet again all the way till Dharmapuri and we reached home by 8:15pm.

We passed the Walayar toll at 14:25hrs on sunday, and reached E-City signal at 20:30 hrs. There was higher than normal truck traffic from Salem onwards, which I heard is due to the Bandh on 29th (and 30th?). What should've taken a shade under 6 hours door to door (non-stop) hence took 30 minutes extra.

[binand]

Originally Posted by NPV

From Alathur, headed back to NH544 and drove to Guruvayoor via the gmaps suggested route of Chavakkad and Pavaratty...

Hmm. How did this work out for you? How much time did it take? That the road from Thrissur via both routes (Eranallur & Pavaratti) are under construction has been reported several times in the Kerala roads thread. Any signs of it ending soon?

I am considering Alathur-Wadakkanchery-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur for our trip later in October.

Originally Posted by NPV

It's high time the Salem-Chengapalli section is 6 laned, urbanisation and traffic volume has far exceeded the 4 lane capacity.

All the way from Krishnagiri, actually. In this section the roads coming from Bangalore and Chennai merge, creating a traffic bottleneck that can be quite horrible.