[rk_sans]

Originally Posted by ampere

Arcot IS on NH46.

Route Link

Drive beyond Vellore till you hit the bridge on river Palar (which is Arcot). Cross the bridge, take a U and come back. Take the first exit to left for the road to Cheyyar.

Thanks Ampere for the route. Did a power pack run to Pondy and back in 24 hours. Route suggested was excellent. In fact very neatly marked for the night drive also.

Originally Posted by vnambiar

how is the weather there? rains? anyone visited pondi recently

Pondy was humid as usual, not very hot. In 24 hours trip, it did not rain at all.

[Pho3nix]

Hey folks!!!

I am taking the Bangalore Pondy route about an hour from now.

Planning to take the Vellore-Arcot route since my experience was terrible when I took the TV Malai route in Dec 2012.

Will update once I return!!!

Two cars : Alto K10 + Swift

[Rajesh1968]

Hi

I need help on Bangalore to Pondy via Salem

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajesh1968

Hi

I need help on Bangalore to Pondy via Salem

Salem-Ulundurpet-Villupuram-Pondi

Thats the route. And the last section I think is not all that great.

[Pho3nix]

Hello everyone,

I returned from Pondy at 4 this morning.

Here's the update.

Route while going up : Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Arcot-Cheyyar-Tindivanam-Pondicherry.

The route is just spectacular!!! Roads are in fine condition. Ideal for an early morning start. Budget some time for lovely photography at sunrise.

Arcot-Tindivanam is 2 lane all the way. Don't speed because there are a lot of villages lined along this stretch. Otherwise very scenic stretch.


Return : Pondicherry-Chengalpattu-Kanchipuram-Krishnagiri-Bangalore

The roads all the way are just fabulous!!! The only rough stretch is the two lane from Chengalpattu-Kanchi which is about 30-35 kms. I did all this route post 5 pm, and even then, after dark, the road is easy to drive down without issues.

PM me for any other queries. If you need more details on these routes, please let me know and I will put it up with maps.

[Raps]

I did the pondicherry trip with my family during the June 21st weekend from Bangalore.

The route as suggested by folks was perfect .

BLR -> Krishnagiri -> Vellore -> Arcot (cross river bed) -> Cheyyar (bypass) -> Vandavasi (bypass) -> Thindivanam (college bypass) -> Pondicherry

Started 3pm from BLR, Basaveshwarnagar (took the nice road from PES college to housr road) and reached Zest Beach Resort around 9.40pm (just 2 stops about 5mins). I crossed the Arcot bridge and hit the cheyyar road around 7pm, the night drive was a bliss and traffic was very less compared to day time during my return trip, really enjoyed with wonderful music during the night drive.

The weather was just perfect cloudy and bit humid too.

On the return journey as some folks suggested to try out lunch @ Aryas just before the College bypass was sumptuous. Reached there as early as 11.15am.

The return journey was same till Arcot, went through the Ranipet town and took the chittor -> Palamner -> Mulbagal -> Hoskote stretch. Again wonderful road. Only toll paid was near the Pondicherry exit.

Thanks for all the route suggestions, had done the home work about the route beforehand going through some of the posts.

Cheers,
Raps

Originally Posted by Raps

Vandavasi (bypass)

While going to Pondy, where did you turn to take this bypass? Any landmarks? Kindly inform about the road condition too.

[Raps]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

While going to Pondy, where did you turn to take this bypass? Any landmarks? Kindly inform about the road condition too.

Originally Posted by raveesh_k

13. Now you will be heading to Cheyyar. Just before hitting a town you will see another bi-fork. Take the right lane (will be marked as a bypass). Go straight, there will be a crossing, keep going straight. At the end of the road, you will hit a bridge over a river bed. Just after the bridge take a left at the T-junction to head to Vandavasi.
14. Keep following the road, till you hit a small bridge which almost ends into a T-junction. Take the road on the right as this is the Vandavasi bypass road. This road again hits a T-junction at the end from where you have to take a left.
15. Go straight and you will start seeing some outskirt markets in Vandavasi. That is because you have bypassed the town and reached the other side. Straight ahead you will also see a bridge. Don’t take that, turn right instead. Now you are heading towards the last town before Pondicherry, i.e. Tindivanam.

This was the direction which I followed to take the Vandavasi bypass road. Road conditions are pretty good. My wifey completely navigated, since I had given her a copy of it, not even once we missed the route.

[Pho3nix]

@J.Ravi

If you use Google Maps on your GPS, it will automatically guide you via the bypasses. It did so in my case.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

While going to Pondy, where did you turn to take this bypass? Any landmarks? Kindly inform about the road condition too.

As per the previous post, I think only the Vandavasi bypass is one where you need to figure it out from maps. The others I think are well marked. And more importantly all the three bypasses do help (Cheyyar/Vandavasi/Tindivanam)

Originally Posted by Pho3nix

If you use Google Maps on your GPS, it will automatically guide you via the bypasses.

Since I drive on this route frequently, I don't use my MapMyIndia Lx130 navigator with the latest version 8.0 maps, which is useless on this route anyway. Cheyyar is the popular name of the river and the town; but MMI refers it as Tiruvethipuram, which is the unknown official name of the town! My MMI navigator always takes me through the crowded Vandavasi market and also through Cheyyar [Tiruvathipuram] town.

Originally Posted by ampere

I think only the Vandavasi bypass is one where you need to figure it out from maps.

Yes, Arcot/Cheyyar/Tindivanam bypasses are well signaged except Vandavasi bypass. My MMI navigator [with the latest maps] does not show the bypass to Vandavasi. During my next drive on this route, I will definitely try Vandavasi bypass at any cost, come what may!

[rohanjf]

I am planning to drive to Pondicherry next month. Google Maps suggests the route via Krishnagiri, Chengam, Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam. I see from last month's posts of CliffHanger and Ampere that the stretch between Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam is bad.

I would like to know, how bad is it and what is the length of bad stretch? I drive Palio, and I have taken it on some real bad stretches. If the bad stretches are few and far between, I don't mind driving through that.

I see that the road via Arcot and Vandavasi adds 60 km to the total distance. That's like 20% increase in distance.

[CliffHanger]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

I am planning to drive to Pondicherry next month. Google Maps suggests the route via Krishnagiri, Chengam, Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam. I see from last month's posts of CliffHanger and Ampere that the stretch between Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam is bad.

I would like to know, how bad is it and what is the length of bad stretch? I drive Palio, and I have taken it on some real bad stretches. If the bad stretches are few and far between, I don't mind driving through that.

I see that the road via Arcot and Vandavasi adds 60 km to the total distance. That's like 20% increase in distance.

The same google maps route is what I took last month on my Punto. The entire stretch between Krishnagiri - Tindivanam is Strictly avoidable for at least next couple years. There will be diversions for every couple kilometers and you have to cope up with no roads while changing lanes, even the little long stretches are pretty bad. Just avoid it and dont even think of it, if it is a night drive!

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

I am planning to drive to Pondicherry next month. Google Maps suggests the route via Krishnagiri, Chengam, Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam

This route is highly avoidable unless you have some death wish for your car For many months now, Arcot, Vandavasi-Tindivanam has been the standard route. It would be the least confusing route if you are doing as a first timer.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by rohanjf

I am planning to drive to Pondicherry next month. Google Maps suggests the route via Krishnagirvi, Chengam, Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam. I see from last month's posts of CliffHanger and Ampere that the stretch between Tiruvannamalai and Tindivanam is bad.
...
I see that the road via Arcot and Vandavasi adds 60 km to the total distance. That's like 20% increase in distance.

If you care about your vehicle and want a peaceful drive you should avoid this route!
The last several pages of this thread are dedicated to mostly discussing the Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi route which is much better and well worth the 60 extra kilometres
Alternately you can also consider Bangalore-Morappur-Harur-Tiruvannamalai route (looks for ampere's earlier posts). But heard recently that Tiruvannamalai-Tindivanam is bad so you may need to go via Villupuram so overall may add to more Km but probably a more scenic, peaceful route and off the beaten track