[jaganm]

I did a Bangalore-Chennai-Bangalore last weekend, onward on Sunday and return on Monday.

Onward start at 730am from Sarjapur Road. We wanted to have breakfast at Murugan Idly. There was a 20-30 minute wait but after 5 minutes, we realized that it was going to be a lot longer and we proceeded to another hotel in Krishnagiri town. From then on, it was smooth sailing until after Vellore when the construction started. It wasnt too bad though and we managed to reach our destination in the TNagar area by 2:30. It took a driving time of around 5:30 minutes.

The return was a nightmare. We left at 2:30 pm and it was slow going all the way to Kancheepuram. It took me almost 2:30 to cover the 80km. After that, it was smooth sailing and we finally reached Bangalore at 10:00 pm. With breaks, the driving time was around 6:30 hours thanks to the Chennai traffic.

I had 6 people in my XL6 on the return. I drove very sedately maintaining a cruising speed of 90-100 kmph. Overall, I got a mileage of almost 18 kmpl on the trip, which is much more than I expected from the XL6.

[normaltusker]

Did a Bangalore - Chennai run today. The roads are great until Arcot. But as we approach Kanchi, they deteriorate as fast as a nuclear fusion reaction! The "icing on the cake" really was the last 77 KM that took me more than 2 hours to cover, thanks to the bad roads and equally bad traffic on entering Chennai. Overall, it took me close to 6.5 hours despite the fact that I started around 4:30 AM!

[ravib]

Completed another mid-june Bangalore-Madras-Bangalore trip via chittoor.
Refer to the Chittoor route update post for updates till Ranipet.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5343289 (Bangalore, Chennai via Chittoor : Route Queries)

Roads between Sriperumbudur to Chennasamudram and also some parts in reverse direction is getting worse, despite construction.

It will be a big blunder, if they don't construct a flyover in Sriperumbudur junctions as part of road widening work. Will totally defeat and derail the time.

BTW, Hotel Saravana Bhavan is opening up a new restaurant just before Hotel Upashana towards Madras after Kanchipuram - obviously due to fierce competition as Upashana is very good nowadays. HSB already have old restaurant in opposite site towards Chennasamudram, but now not maintained well especially rest rooms. Hope this new one is better.

-Ravi

[Everlearner]

I want to travel from Bangalore Hebbal to Chennai
Iyyappanthangal/porur tomorrow, timing is flexible. Please suggest me the best route.

I don't mind a bit longer route if the roads are smooth and congestion free. Kindly share the gmaps link if possible as I'm not well versed with place names in Tamilnadu.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by Everlearner

I want to travel from Bangalore Hebbal to Chennai
Iyyappanthangal/porur tomorrow, timing is flexible. Please suggest me the best route.

I don't mind a bit longer route if the roads are smooth and congestion free. Kindly share the gmaps link if possible as I'm not well versed with place names in Tamilnadu.

For leaving from Hebbal, it is shorter, faster, cheaper and congestion free to take Chittoor Route. But please note that the roads are 99% good, and couple of kms around chittoor are not good as construction is in progress. However, those can be crossed in 2 to 3 minutes.

Here is google map link:

https://goo.gl/maps/LQpHTfwcSJzAxMfe6

That said, you should remember few things if you are taking Chittoor route

1) Entire AP stretch is in cement road, so there are few uneven joints in bridges. So in all the bridges, reduce the speed heavily
2) There is bridge construction work is going on in Ranipet, so there is a diversion. You have to watch out for exit to join the regular NH

On the contrary, Hosur route is longer with good roads, but too much traffic. From Hebbal to Silkboard to EC to Attibelle to Hosur itself can take easily 1.5 hours to 2 hours.

Once you cross ranipet, where both the routes merge, beyond that road widening work is happening between Chennasamudram to Sriperumbudur, so there is no escape from that. Try to reach madras before it gets dark, as you are not familiar in this route.

-Ravi

[Everlearner]

Originally Posted by ravib

For leaving from Hebbal, it is shorter, faster, cheaper and congestion free to take Chittoor Route. But please note that the roads are 99% good, and couple of kms around chittoor are not good as construction is in progress. However, those can be crossed in 2 to 3 minutes.

Here is google map link:

https://goo.gl/maps/LQpHTfwcSJzAxMfe6

That said, you should remember few things if you are taking Chittoor route

1) Entire AP stretch is in cement road, so there are few uneven joints in bridges. So in all the bridges, reduce the speed heavily
2) There is bridge construction work is going on in Ranipet, so there is a diversion. You have to watch out for exit to join the regular NH

On the contrary, Hosur route is longer with good roads, but too much traffic. From Hebbal to Silkboard to EC to Attibelle to Hosur itself can take easily 1.5 hours to 2 hours.

Once you cross ranipet, where both the routes merge, beyond that road widening work is happening between Chennasamudram to Sriperumbudur, so there is no escape from that. Try to reach madras before it gets dark, as you are not familiar in this route.

-Ravi

Thanks for the suggestion. I completed the journey last Saturday and posted on the other thread https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post5345627 (Bangalore, Chennai via Chittoor : Route Queries)

[Jebs]

I'll be doing a round trip from Chennai to bangalore mid of next week. Starting from OMR to Cessna Business park, Marathalli. Which is the best route to take? So far I have not driven via Chittoor route. Is it recommended for this destination.

I'd be starting at 6AM in Chennai and planning to reach by 11-12 max. Similarly starting the return trip at 6PM to Chennai. Please provide your suggestions.

[shankar.balan]

Stick with the Chennai - Vellore- Krishnagiri- Hosur- Bangalore route. At this moment it is better than the Chittoor Palamaner route. And there are better food and coffee halts on this route.

Originally Posted by Jebs

I'll be doing a round trip from Chennai to bangalore mid of next week.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by Jebs

I'll be doing a round trip from Chennai to bangalore mid of next week. Starting from OMR to Cessna Business park, Marathalli. Which is the best route to take? So far I have not driven via Chittoor route. Is it recommended for this destination.

I'd be starting at 6AM in Chennai and planning to reach by 11-12 max. Similarly starting the return trip at 6PM to Chennai. Please provide your suggestions.

Given where you are just off the outer ring road the Hosur route makes more sense. You are still stuck in outer ring road traffic whichever way you go so my sympathies. Start about 4:30 or max 5 AM from Chennai or you'll be stuck behind staff buses etc all the way.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by Jebs

I'll be doing a round trip from Chennai to bangalore mid of next week. Starting from OMR to Cessna Business park, Marathalli. Which is the best route to take? So far I have not driven via Chittoor route. Is it recommended for this destination.

I'd be starting at 6AM in Chennai and planning to reach by 11-12 max. Similarly starting the return trip at 6PM to Chennai. Please provide your suggestions.

Take the Hosur route but turn off at Bagalur to hit Sarjapur. Post that you have 2 options. Either turn right at Gunjur and use Panathur main road to reach Cessna or go further on Sarjapur road and use and use the Doddakannelli- Kadubeesanalli road. Choose either of the 2 based on the traffic at that time. The second one has better roads.

Both these routes will first hit the back gate of Cessna but I am not sure they allow vehicles to enter via that. It takes about 5-10 minutes more to go to the front gate. Just stick to the ORR service road.

[binand]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

Either turn right at Gunjur and use Panathur main road to reach Cessna or go further on Sarjapur road and use and use the Doddakannelli- Kadubeesanalli road.

I think you mean left turn at Gunjur. Even in that you should take the first left and my preference would be to avoid the railway underpass at Panathur, instead take Carmelaram-Doddakanelli. But...

Originally Posted by Jebs

I'd be starting at 6AM in Chennai and planning to reach by 11-12 max. Similarly starting the return trip at 6PM to Chennai.

Are you coming to Bangalore for something time-sensitive, like a meeting or appointment? If yes, in your place I would seriously consider turning up the previous evening and staying overnight in Bangalore. As it is your proposed timing (5-6 hours) is very aggressive; and with metro construction on ORR these days there simply is no guarantee you can go from point A to point B in a reasonable amount of time.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by binand

Are you coming to Bangalore for something time-sensitive, like a meeting or appointment? If yes, in your place I would seriously consider turning up the previous evening and staying overnight in Bangalore. As it is your proposed timing (5-6 hours) is very aggressive; and with metro construction on ORR these days there simply is no guarantee you can go from point A to point B in a reasonable amount of time.

+1

Madras-Chennasamudram itself will take 2.5 hours easy. No way you can reach Marathahalli in 3.5 hours driving time during day. Early start meaning, you'll take breakfast somewhere and that'll add another 30 min (optimistic).

[adisan]

Choose either of the 2 based on the traffic at that time.

I learnt the hard way that Google Maps cannot always be trusted with regard to the live traffic conditions.

A couple of weeks back, driving from Sarjapur towards Tin Factory, Google Maps suggested the route through Varthur as having lesser traffic. Anticipating that ORR would probably have heavy traffic because of the Metro work plus offices opening up, I chose to heed the suggestion.

Turned out to be totally wrong, and it took almost 1.5 hours to cover a stretch of under 5 km. Apparently there are many schools on this route, and I got trapped at the time when schools close for the day.

Given that this would be a clear pattern on all working days, wonder why Google Maps cannot capture daily trends like this and factor it in when suggesting routes.

[binand]

Originally Posted by adisan

Apparently there are many schools on this route, and I got trapped at the time when schools close for the day.

There are several more schools on the Sarjapur road from that Varthur turnout till ORR. Each of them with bus fleets going into dozens/hundreds. For Google it must have been choosing the lesser of many evils. :-)

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by binand

I think you mean left turn at Gunjur.

Sorry to be precise I mean the right turn at Dommasandra circle towards Gunjur. After that yes it is a left to take Panathur main road.

Option is either that or go further down on Sarjapur road and take the Doddakanneli Kadubeesanalli road. I too would prefer the second option.

You will avoid all Electronic City/ ORR traffic. And post 9 AM and before 2 PM there is no school bus traffic too.