[ampere]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

Driving to Chennai on 22nd August. Planning to leave by 4am and my destination would be Anna Nagar. I have driven to Bangalore numerous times and I reckon it's from Salem that you deviate to chennai? If so, can someone tell the exact road to take? Am quite familiar with the roads in Chennai as I studied there. So the only confusion for me will be from Salem to Chengalpet after which I know the route. Also, let me know the approximate time needed for the drive (assuming I will be stopping at Aryas, near salem for breakfast) and a lunch stop. Also, please suggest a good lunch stop. My return leg will be through ECR and will join the NH through Chengalpet (any other better route to join NH other than Vandalur?). Sorry for too many questions

At Salem once you hit the point where you turn left for Bangalore, turn to right, where the hoarding says Chennai/Madurai. And then you would pass the Madurai exit. Keep going straight, and it would take you to NH68 which is the Attur road. Will lead you straight to Ulundurpet. Here you join the GST.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by ampere

At Salem once you hit the point where you turn left for Bangalore, turn to right, where the hoarding says Chennai/Madurai. And then you would pass the Madurai exit. Keep going straight, and it would take you to NH68 which is the Attur road. Will lead you straight to Ulundurpet. Here you join the GST.

So it's the flyover that I need to watch out right? Left is bangalore and I need to take right. If you dont mind can you list out the major towns I need to pass after salem (so that I can use this on my navigation).

[ampere]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

So it's the flyover that I need to watch out right? Left is bangalore and I need to take right. If you dont mind can you list out the major towns I need to pass after salem (so that I can use this on my navigation).

Yes its the flyover. (If I remember correctly). You will have to take the flyover which circles around and takes you to the right side).

Even at the NH7 exit, there is a flyover. You have to take the flyover. One arm exits out to Madurai while you keep going straight on the flyover.

Dont worry. Its very well marked. You just cant miss it.

The main towns: Vazhapadi, Attur, Kallakurichi.

Hotels: Saravana Bhavana on Vazhapadi/Attur. A2B Ulundurper GST bypass (not on NH68 bypass).
Aryas, Vasantha Bhavan at Tindivanam.

[Gokrish]

Yes. It is a flyover. Please refer the first picture below. Line marked in Red will lead to Dharmapuri -Krishnagiri (this is in fact marked as Krishnagiri -Bangalore Road though this may also lead one to Chennai via Krishnagiri) and the Line marked in Blue will take you to Chennai via Ulundurpet. Get on to your right as you climb the flyover so that you don't miss your right turn.

Alternatively, you may also take Sangagiri Main Road just after Sree Vinayaka Mission University, as pointed out in the second picture. This may lead you to Nandhi circle and at the round about take the right turn to Ulundurpet Road. In fact, you may thus, avoid two roundabouts on the stretch ahead which are generally traffic bottlenecks. The Madurai exit (via Namakkal) is also at a flyover with right turn leading to Namakkal and straight road to Chennai. However, one may skip the flyover, if he is going to Chennai and take the Road beneath instead!

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

So it's the flyover that I need to watch out right? Left is bangalore and I need to take right. If you dont mind can you list out the major towns I need to pass after salem (so that I can use this on my navigation).

Or else jump over Munnar ,land up at Theni,onto Dindigul-Trichy-Ulundurpet-Chennai all via the GST.Distance is going to be more or less the same

For your return,you can also come via Poonamalle HR (EVR Periyar rd)-Maduravoyal-Chennai Bypass-NH45-Vandalur.Ofcourse you do know this.

The only other option is via ECR till Thiruporur and onto Chengalpet,but beware Thiruporur and Kelambakkam might make you lose time thanks to the jams,especially Thiruporur thanks to the temple crowds.

[naveen.raju]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Or else jump over Munnar ,land up at Theni,onto Dindigul-Trichy-Ulundurpet-Chennai all via the GST.Distance is going to be more or less the same

For your return,you can also come via Poonamalle HR (EVR Periyar rd)-Maduravoyal-Chennai Bypass-NH45-Vandalur.Ofcourse you do know this.

The only other option is via ECR till Thiruporur and onto Chengalpet,but beware Thiruporur and Kelambakkam might make you lose time thanks to the jams,especially Thiruporur thanks to the temple crowds.

Although Munnar route is tempting, think I will have to skip this. It's an early start so no point in going through Munnar. Wont be able to enjoy the drive, especially my wife (she will sleeping most of the time ). Yes, ECR route is the one I need to watch out. Else, I shall take a spin on ECR during my short stay in chennai and take the GST route while going back. Lot of places to go but a very short stay. Wanted to relive my college memories . So it will be the usual route as suggested and while returning it might be ECR or GST.

[narayans80]

Doing ECR from Annanagar might lose you time, you'll pass through some of the torturous traffic points If you are leaving early morning it shouldn't matter. You can take Kovalam-Kelambakkam link road and then either Kelambakkam-Mambakkam-Vandalur or Kelambakkam-Thiruporur-Chengalpattu and continue on NH45.

[Gokrish]

If you have time at your disposal, you may consider taking ECR route upto Marakanam and take Tindivanam route from thereon to join at GST. You may really enjoy scenic ECR route completely.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

So it's the flyover that I need to watch out right? Left is bangalore and I need to take right. If you dont mind can you list out the major towns I need to pass after salem (so that I can use this on my navigation).

At Salem, instead of taking left to Bangalore, continue straight on main road. It will turn right and join Bangalore - Kanyakumari highway. Continue straight on this road all the way to Attur/Ulundrupet/Chennai.

(NH7 to Kanyakumari turns right, some 4kms from first Bangalore turn off. Continue straight on this flyover all the way).

[suresh_gs]

Folks

I will be driving from Chennai to Kochi in the last week of December. The route is pretty straightforward. Still need your suggestions as to which is the faster route keeping in mind the toll charges as well.

[couswheels]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

Folks

I will be driving from Chennai to Kochi in the last week of December. The route is pretty straightforward. Still need your suggestions as to which is the faster route keeping in mind the toll charges as well.

Ulundurpet - Palakkad - Thrissur should be the fastest. Beyond Palakkad the progress will slow down due to two lane roads and speed cameras from Thrissur onwards.

[suresh_gs]

Year End Trip To Kochi - Temples / Enjoyment

Folks

At the outset, let me take this opportunity to greet every one of you HAPPY NEW YEAR 2017. I made a trip to Kochi in the last week of December 2016. For the onward journey, I drove from Chennai to Kochi.
Basically I accompanied my parents alone to Tirupati from 23rd Dec to 25th Dec after sending my wife and kids to Chennai. Reason being my father wanted to have the early morning darshan of Lord Balaji.
After coming back from Tirupati, I drove from Bangalore to Chennai by car. Started from Chennai (Nanganallur) on 28th Dec at 7 AM. Took the Villupuram, Ulundurpet, Veppur, Attur, Salem, Coimbatore by pass, Palakkad, Thrissur by pass route to Kochi. I avoided paying toll at Kallakurichi by going till Veppur.
Now, we have a new toll plaza coming on the NH532 after Veppur. Here is the snap shot of the same.


I stayed in Hotel Presidency in Kochi. Till Coimbatore by pass, it was my honeymoon period of driving after which the works in Kuthiran slowed me down drastically. This coupled with the signals on the NH in Kerala and the traffic ensured that I reached my destination at 8 PM.
I covered 673 kms in 13 hrs with 2 breaks (one each for breakfast and lunch). My onward journey map is shown below

ONWARD JOURNEY





My trip schedule went like this

Day 1 (28th Dec): Drive from Chennai to Kochi
Day 2 (29th Dec): Thirukkakkara Vamana temple, Chittoor Krishna temple, Fort Kochi Beach and Marine Drive.
Day 3 (30th Dec): Kalady and Athirapally falls
Day 4 (31st Dec): Poornathrayesi temple, Chotanikkara Bagavathy Amman temple, Mattencherry Palace, Lulu Mall
Day 5 (1st Jan): Thirumoozhikoolam Lakshmana Perumal Temple and Drive to Bangalore

[suresh_gs]

Day 2:

We started the proceedings by visiting Thirukkakkara Vamana temple that is a part of the famous 108 divya desams. We also have an adjoining Shiva temple.





Next we visited the Chittoor krishna temple




Came back to the hotel and had lunch at Hotel Saravana Bhavan on the High Court Road. In the evening we left for Fort Kochi Beach and Marine Drive.

[suresh_gs]

Marine Drive:

We thoroughly enjoyed the Ferry ride (Rs 100 /person) and the duration was almost an hour. The ferry took us close to the Cochin shipyard. The ride was worth the amount we paid.

[suresh_gs]

Day 3:

We started the proceedings by visiting Kalady, the birth place of Adi Shankaracharya. There is also a Krishna temple near the Mutt but it was closed by the time we went there.





From Kalady we proceeded to Athirapally falls. Sizable crowd had come there but the water level was slightly less I guess.