[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

To avoid traffic at Tvm-Nagercoil and Hosur area, planning to start the Tvm-Bangalore trip at 2 AM, for both to and fro journeys.

Given this start time, do we have any recommendation for decent place for breakfast and lunch ideal for family? Decent food, restroom and ease of access/parking being the priorities.

During the 6 AM start, Gowri Sankar, Capsi, A2Bs and CCD were the pit stops, but would be in totally different place this time.

While going from Bangalore, you can target Madurai for breakfast, either Saravanas are Hari's.

While coming from Tvm, you can target Karur, the old aristos is now called as Vaibhav Laxmi. This is just before the karur bye pass along with a BP station.

[sdmn]

I typically drive with my kids (8 and 2 years old), my parents (66 and 60 years old), and my wife. The car is my 2012 Innova GX.

With such a diversified set of people with different limitations, I was not in a position to start our Trivandrum - Bangalore drive during early AM. So decided to leave home only by 9 AM, after everyone caught up on their sleep, got ready, and had breakfast. We did this trip on 31st Dec 2013. It was our return trip after the Dec vacation. Took the regular Trivandrum > Kaliyakkavilai > Kavalkinaru route to get on to NH7. The stretch is indeed bad at many places. The heavy traffic in this stretch upto Kavalkinaru ensured inherently low speeds of 30 - 40 kmph, and therefore I could always slow down well in time, and the bad stretches were not a problem. However, I'm sure if I was doing this stretch early in the morning at 80 or 90 kmph, the bad stretches would have surprised my suspension at multiple places. Here's how the trip worked out, for those who like me want to start from Trivandrum around 9 AM.

8:45 AM - Left home (Velleyambalam, Trivandrum)
10:05 AM - Kaliyakkavilai (35.5 kms)
<Took a 15 mins break here to buy 'Ethappazham' bananas>
10:20 AM - Started from Kaliyakkavilai
11:55 AM - Kavalkinaru (Did not note the ODO reading)
1:20 PM - Near Sattur (215 kms)
<Took a 1 hour lunch break - did not note down the restaurant name>
2:20 PM - Started from Sattur
4:20 PM - Did not note location (390 km)
<Took a 15 min tea break here>
4:35 PM - Started after tea break
7:15 PM - Thoppur, Dharmapuri (565 kms)
<Had dinner at A2B - 1 hour break)
8:15 PM - Started after dinner
10:30 PM - Reached home - Thubarahalli (Turned right after the Attibelle toll > Sarjapur road > Varthur road) (709 kms)

Our onward trip was Bangalore - Irinjalakuda, and then Irinjalakuda - Trivandrum after a couple of days. Could not log that trip, will do that next time!

Warm regards,

Sandeep

[sarathlal]

As many had already told, Kavalinar-Kaliyikkavilai continues to be in bad state.
But partly good news is that, the big potholes are mostly filled with temporary tar. Around 40-50% of the bigger potholes are now turned into rough tarred patches.

Even with this, wont be able to take this stretch at any speed as the tarring that is done is extremely rough. Took 3.5 hrs to get this stretch done during noon time :(

Hope they clear this patch of road, as the rest of the Tvm-Bangalore is a bliss to drive.

[arun_josie]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

As many had already told, Kavalinar-Kaliyikkavilai continues to be in bad state.
But partly good news is that, the big potholes are mostly filled with temporary tar. Around 40-50% of the bigger potholes are now turned into rough tarred patches.

Even with this, wont be able to take this stretch at any speed as the tarring that is done is extremely rough. Took 3.5 hrs to get this stretch done during noon time :(

Hope they clear this patch of road, as the rest of the Tvm-Bangalore is a bliss to drive.

Have they done this patching work on Kavalinar - Nagercoil stretch as well? Couple of weeks back it was in a very worst state. Looks like there is an issue between the Contractors and the Highway Engineers and hence no action to repair this stretch.

[sarathlal]

yes, patching up is in progress in that entire stretch, though not uniform or in any finished manner. Many of the huge potholes that were there when I went towards Bangalore, were found to be filled in a weeks time, upon return.

Still would advice caution on speed as the patch up is at random intervals and highly unpredictable.

[aneezan]

Originally Posted by sarathlal

yes, patching up is in progress in that entire stretch, though not uniform or in any finished manner. Many of the huge potholes that were there when I went towards Bangalore, were found to be filled in a weeks time, upon return.

Still would advice caution on speed as the patch up is at random intervals and highly unpredictable.

I was there last week. Yes, the patching has been done in bits and pieces. Some places after Thuckalay, which were earlier UN-motorable are better.
However, there are still a lot of undulations here and there. Better to keep a slow pace throughout.

[TheHkrish]

Hi Guys, Sorry for skipping the pages

I would have to drive till Trivandrum from Bangalore on Thursday , I can only leave after 11 AM. Call it indispensable work.

If I follow NagerCovil route which I haven't attempted before , what are things I would have to watch out for , and what should be the realistic duration of the trip.
What might be the ideal stopovers (places) for breaks.

Thanks in advance

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by TheHkrish

Hi Guys, Sorry for skipping the pages

I would have to drive till Trivandrum from Bangalore on Thursday , I can only leave after 11 AM. Call it indispensable work.

If I follow NagerCovil route which I haven't attempted before , what are things I would have to watch out for , and what should be the realistic duration of the trip.
What might be the ideal stopovers (places) for breaks.

Thanks in advance

Leaving late from Bangalore will make the Nagercoil-Trivandrum drive easy since you will encounter no traffic (you should look to arriving at Nagercoil after 9 pm).

With a 11 am departure, you could consider lunch break at Shoolagiri (Hosur-Krishnagiri)

[TheHkrish]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Leaving late from Bangalore will make the Nagercoil-Trivandrum drive easy since you will encounter no traffic (you should look to arriving at Nagercoil after 9 pm).

With a 11 am departure, you could consider lunch break at Shoolagiri (Hosur-Krishnagiri)

Thanks a Ton HVKsir, I know shoolagiri. It might roughly take 10-11hr right ?, if I am maintaining an average of 70-80KM/HR. I am yet to see what sort of shape Nagercovil --> TVM route is .

Thanks again sir

[ravib]

Sh

Originally Posted by TheHkrish

Thanks a Ton HVKsir, I know shoolagiri. It might roughly take 10-11hr right ?, if I am maintaining an average of 70-80KM/HR. I am yet to see what sort of shape Nagercovil --> TVM route is .

Thanks again sir

If Chinnar/Shoolagiri A2B is little early for you, the next stop is at Thoppur A2B which is about 2.5 hours / ~160 kms drive from bangalore. If you start around 11 am, you can be there at 1:30-2 pm, which will be better off than Chinnar A2B, because after thoppur your next stop can be at Hotel Hari near Thirumangalam Toll and the last stop can be your destination in TVM.

-Ravi

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by TheHkrish

Thanks a Ton HVKsir, I know shoolagiri. It might roughly take 10-11hr right ?, if I am maintaining an average of 70-80KM/HR. I am yet to see what sort of shape Nagercovil --> TVM route is .

Thanks again sir

10-12 hours is doable at moderate speeds. Yes, Nagercoil-KL border is bad, but that us better than getting stuck at the Aryankavu check post on the Tenkasi-Tenmala route (last night, one of our friends was stuck for 1 hour)

[NPV]

Originally Posted by TheHkrish

What might be the ideal stopovers (places) for breaks.

Since you're starting at 11am, getting past city/town traffic may not be predictable (can be slower or faster) so just listing some of the options for your first break (lunch):
Shoolagiri:
- McDonalds/Krishna Inn @HP bunk campus left side
- A2B @BP bunk campus left side, entry to this place may not be clear, easy to miss if construction activity is still on there
- Also remember seeing a Lakshmi Vilas (or something like that, quite new place) on left side

After Chennai turn off at Krishnagiri:
- Saravana Inn, left side (right side you can see a lake)
- About 5-6 Km ahead Aryaas, left side

Just before next toll plaza, (on right side, so make a U-turn):
- A2B @ BP bunk campus
- Raja Bhojanam @ IOC bunk campus (much better than crowded A2B)

Hope this helps.

[TheHkrish]

Originally Posted by ravib

Sh

If Chinnar/Shoolagiri A2B is little early for you, the next stop is at Thoppur A2B which is about 2.5 hours / ~160 kms drive from bangalore. If you start around 11 am, you can be there at 1:30-2 pm, which will be better off than Chinnar A2B, because after thoppur your next stop can be at Hotel Hari near Thirumangalam Toll and the last stop can be your destination in TVM.

-Ravi

Originally Posted by hvkumar

10-12 hours is doable at moderate speeds. Yes, Nagercoil-KL border is bad, but that us better than getting stuck at the Aryankavu check post on the Tenkasi-Tenmala route (last night, one of our friends was stuck for 1 hour)

Originally Posted by NPV

Since you're starting at 11am, getting past city/town traffic may not be predictable (can be slower or faster) so just listing some of the options for your first break (lunch):
Shoolagiri:
- McDonalds/Krishna Inn @HP bunk campus left side
- A2B @BP bunk campus left side, entry to this place may not be clear, easy to miss if construction activity is still on there
- Also remember seeing a Lakshmi Vilas (or something like that, quite new place) on left side

After Chennai turn off at Krishnagiri:
- Saravana Inn, left side (right side you can see a lake)
- About 5-6 Km ahead Aryaas, left side

Just before next toll plaza, (on right side, so make a U-turn):
- A2B @ BP bunk campus
- Raja Bhojanam @ IOC bunk campus (much better than crowded A2B)

Hope this helps.

Thanks Guys for all the valuable information which was quite useful.

Sorry for updating the thread a tad slow.

I got an opportunity to start driving in the morning itself as my office work had been taken care of .

I started from Bangalore to 5 AM in the morning and reached Trivandrum by 4.45 PM.
The complete driving distance was 758 KM, I did make the mistake of opting Poovar route instead of Neyyatinkara which might have added the tally by 20KM.

As for the route till Nagercoil turn it was a breeze, hats off to NHAI in TN for keeping the roads in these pristine conditions. As for the two lane road from Nagercovil to Trivandrum it was pretty manageable even with the potholes.
Though we have to cut down our speeds near Thuckalay, (pardon me if I am getting the spelling wrong). The average speed as per the console till Trivandrum Statue JN was 70 KM/HR. Which was because of the dent in speed in the NGCVL - TVM route. It was 78KM/HR before that.

Did have foods stops at Rasipuram , Before Madhurai and then @ Trivandrum.
And numerous back stretches and coffee breaks in between. I think we did account for a Toll of 670+ RS, Would have to double check . But the route totally worth it.

And for the return I had to have a stop over at my hometown at Irinjalakuda in Kerala. The Trivandrum to Cochin route with road conditions and the speed restrictions almost broke my spirit after driving through AH-43. The roads are far better once you reach Cherthala till Thrissur even manageable till Palakkad which I took on Sunday.

Sorry for the long post

[suresh_gs]

Not sure if this is the correct location to post this message

Toll charges as on 24.02.2014

[suresh_gs]

Updates on toll charges as on 24.02.2014