[dinu2506]

I'm driving from Ernakulam to Bangalore next week. Planning to take the Thrissur Palakkad route instead of going via Shornur. Is the Thrissur Palakkad stretch really bad that it is not motorable. The car is an X1, so GC is not an issue and can take some amount of abuse. Or is it better to take the Shornur route to Palakkad. I heard the road surface is good but longer and need to go inside Thrissur and Palakkad towns.

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by dinu2506

I'm driving from Ernakulam to Bangalore next week. Planning to take the Thrissur Palakkad route instead of going via Shornur. Is the Thrissur Palakkad stretch really bad that it is not motorable. The car is an X1, so GC is not an issue and can take some amount of abuse. Or is it better to take the Shornur route to Palakkad. I heard the road surface is good but longer and need to go inside Thrissur and Palakkad towns.

With an X1 this stretch should not pose much problems. Also roads are bad only for about 4-5 kms particularly at Kuthiran and near Pattikkad.

[DirtyHarry]

Has anybody driven Bangalore-Cochin route in the monsoon this year? If so, please share updates on the road condition. I'm planning to drive down this week and the planned route is Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Cochin.

[denver85]

Originally Posted by DirtyHarry

Has anybody driven Bangalore-Cochin route in the monsoon this year? If so, please share updates on the road condition. I'm planning to drive down this week and the planned route is Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Cochin.

I drove this stretch 1 month back. It's better to avoid the Palakkad-Thrissur route through Vadakkenchery. Kuthiran section is really bad. Take Palakkad-Ottapalam-Mayanur bridge-Chelakkara-Wadakanchery-Thrissur route to avoid this.

The roads near Walayar is also bad. So you can take this alternate route if you need complete smooth drive. The distance will be 20-30 kms longer.

Salem-Perundurai-Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Chelakkara-Wadakkanchery-Thrissur.

Rest of the route is in good condition.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by DirtyHarry

Has anybody driven Bangalore-Cochin route in the monsoon this year? If so, please share updates on the road condition. I'm planning to drive down this week and the planned route is Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Coimbatore-Palakkad-Cochin.

I would completely avoid Walayar-Mannuthy and instead go via perundurai-kangayam-palladam-pollachi-kollengode-alathur-pazhyannur-chelakara-wadakancheri-thrissur-nh47-kochi just the way Denver85 suggested already.

[DirtyHarry]

Thanks for the tip. The route we took was cochin – shoranur – ottapalam-palakkad-Coimbatore-Salem-Krishnagiri-Bangalore. This road is good till Palakkad. The road from Palakkad to Coimbatore for about 30 kms is anyways bad. They are widening the road from Coimbatore to Salem and this stretch too has speed breakers every 1-2 kms for about 20 kms.

[gadadhar]

Doing Bangalore (from Kanakpura Road) to Perumbavoor next week - Plan is to do BGLR --> Kanakpura --> Malavalli --> Kollegal --> Chamrajnagar --> Sathyamangalam --> Puliampatti --> Annur --> Pollachi --> Kollengode --> Alathur --> Pazhayannur Road --> Join Shornur..Thrissur Road..

1 ) On Shornur..Thrissur Road near Wadakanchery I see an option of joining Mannuthy through Thannikudam insteam of going through Thrissur town, is this an option that can be considered?

2) I use a Sedan with low GC, is the ovearall route fine to take?

3) I plan to start 4.30 from Bangalore and plan to have breakfast and lunch on way, please guide on eat outs (more important are clean wash rooms) that can be consiedered while travelling with a family

[denver85]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Doing Bangalore (from Kanakpura Road) to Perumbavoor next week - Plan is to do BGLR --> Kanakpura --> Malavalli --> Kollegal --> Chamrajnagar --> Sathyamangalam --> Puliampatti --> Annur --> Pollachi --> Kollengode --> Alathur --> Pazhayannur Road --> Join Shornur..Thrissur Road..

1 ) On Shornur..Thrissur Road near Wadakanchery I see an option of joining Mannuthy through Thannikudam insteam of going through Thrissur town, is this an option that can be considered?

2) I use a Sedan with low GC, is the ovearall route fine to take?

3) I plan to start 4.30 from Bangalore and plan to have breakfast and lunch on way, please guide on eat outs (more important are clean wash rooms) that can be consiedered while travelling with a family

My answers are below:
1) The Thanikkudam route is really narrow on some of the stretches and the surface is not so smooth in some areas (As per my travel around 4 months back). Not sure what is the condition after the rains. I always sticks to the normal route and avoids Thrissur town by taking this route: http://goo.gl/maps/85MRP
2) The roads are good all the way. So no problem for any car.
3) Breakfast you can plan at Chamrajnaga, Nagarjuna residency will be the best as it's near to the main road. It may take 4 hours to reach Pollachi from C'Nagar on a sedate pace. There are lot of options there at Pollachi. There are not much options after crossing Pollachi till you reach Shornur/Wadakkanchery. So it will be better to have an early lunch from Pollachi. Hotel Sakthi is good if you need non-veg. If Veg, there are lot of options around the Bus Stand.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

Doing Bangalore (from Kanakpura Road) to Perumbavoor next week - Plan is to do BGLR --> Kanakpura --> Malavalli --> Kollegal --> Chamrajnagar --> Sathyamangalam --> Puliampatti --> Annur --> Pollachi --> Kollengode --> Alathur --> Pazhayannur Road --> Join Shornur..Thrissur Road..

1 ) On Shornur..Thrissur Road near Wadakanchery I see an option of joining Mannuthy through Thannikudam insteam of going through Thrissur town, is this an option that can be considered?

2) I use a Sedan with low GC, is the ovearall route fine to take?

3) I plan to start 4.30 from Bangalore and plan to have breakfast and lunch on way, please guide on eat outs (more important are clean wash rooms) that can be consiedered while travelling with a family

I guess you have posted the same query on another thread as well.I have replied to your query on the other thread.

Originally Posted by denver85

My answers are below:
1) The Thanikkudam route is really narrow on some of the stretches and the surface is not so smooth in some areas (As per my travel around 4 months back)

No more roads at many sections!

Originally Posted by denver85

http://goo.gl/maps/85MRP

Bang on.this is the best way to bypass thrissur town and avoid town traffic and no need to backtrack to Mannuthy either.

Originally Posted by denver85

3) Breakfast you can plan at Chamrajnaga, Nagarjuna residency

I guess you meant Nijaguna Residency www.nijagunaresidency.com

Originally Posted by denver85

There are not much options after crossing Pollachi till you reach Shornur/Wadakkanchery. So it will be better to have an early lunch from Pollachi. Hotel Sakthi is good if you need non-veg. If Veg, there are lot of options around the Bus Stand.

After Pollachi the good places to eat are Pick and Move (or something of that sort not sure of the name,at the junction of the kollengode road and valparai road).Prefer this place as washrooms are clean,and its on the road to kollengode to your right.

Then as you enter Kollengode,you would find Village County to your left.http://parayvillagecounty.com/hotel.html

Then at Pazhayannur,there is Noopura Residency

Then at Wadakancheri with a slight detour of approx 200mts or so onto the vazhani road there is Deliza Residency www.delizaresidency.com

[gadadhar]

@denver85 & ranjitp1 - thanks for providing the details, it helps a lot.. Hope the rain gods are not planning to cast another spell next week. Hope there are no water logging problems reported in any of these roads

[denver85]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

@denver85 & ranjitp1 - thanks for providing the details, it helps a lot.. Hope the rain gods are not planning to cast another spell next week. Hope there are no water logging problems reported in any of these roads

No waterlogging reported on these roads till now. I am currently in Kerala, the rain gods have taken a well reserved break it seems. No heavy rains after Thursday. Hope this will be a proper monsoon break . Update the road conditions after your drive.

[Dushie]

Hi All,
Planning to travel to Cochin (Cherai Beach ) coming Friday early morning. Would be leaving around 3 Am in the morning.Is the route given by Denver the best option as of now.

Salem-Perundurai-Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Chelakkara-Wadakkanchery-Thrissur.
( Can i avoid Thrissur any other alternative route to Cherai Beach) i do see another route from Nadathara via Amballur on NH 47 and then on state highway 51.

How much time would it take to reach Cherai Beach and how is the road condition as of now. Any other good alternative routes or should i stick to the one given by Denver. Denver i see in the last post that you are in Kerela how is the road condition and would you still recommend this route. Any inputs would be appreciated.

[binand]

Originally Posted by gadadhar

@denver85 & ranjitp1 - thanks for providing the details, it helps a lot.. Hope the rain gods are not planning to cast another spell next week. Hope there are no water logging problems reported in any of these roads

Please post a trip report once you are done. I have to drive Bangalore - Perumbavur in early October and I plan to take part of your route (my idea is to enter Kerala via Gudallur-Nilambur and then Perinthalmanna-Pattambi-Shoranur onwards to your route); so would like some information on time taken, distance covered etc. I would like to evaluation all options properly.

[gadadhar]

Originally Posted by binand

Please post a trip report once you are done. I have to drive Bangalore - Perumbavur in early October and I plan to take part of your route (my idea is to enter Kerala via Gudallur-Nilambur and then Perinthalmanna-Pattambi-Shoranur onwards to your route); so would like some information on time taken, distance covered etc. I would like to evaluation all options properly.

Sure.. I will post the details here. BTW Kuthiran may get repaired by then Or is it high hopes..

[Dushie]

Originally Posted by Dushie

Hi All,
Planning to travel to Cochin (Cherai Beach ) coming Friday early morning. Would be leaving around 3 Am in the morning.Is the route given by Denver the best option as of now.

Salem-Perundurai-Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Chelakkara-Wadakkanchery-Thrissur.
( Can i avoid Thrissur any other alternative route to Cherai Beach) i do see another route from Nadathara via Amballur on NH 47 and then on state highway 51.

How much time would it take to reach Cherai Beach and how is the road condition as of now. Any other good alternative routes or should i stick to the one given by Denver. Denver i see in the last post that you are in Kerela how is the road condition and would you still recommend this route. Any inputs would be appreciated.

Any inputs on the alternate route would be appreciated as i am travelling tomorrow night. I would be take the below route
Salem-Perundurai-Tirupur-Palladam-Pollachi-Kollengode-Alathur-Chelakkara-Wadakkanchery-Thrissur .

Do i need to travel via thrissur or i can take this route, where i can deviate from Kodakara to route Kodakara - Kodungallur Hwy/SH 51 for Cherai beach
http://goo.gl/maps/rc2HV

Which route would be better and how is the condition of road on Kodakara - Kodungallur Hwy/SH 51