[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

In general from Coonoor would recommend the Salem route. Will definitely be faster. Being a week day, the tolls also will not be crowded. Definitely a much more fuss free drive once you hit the main NH.

Note: Not sure why you would need to touch either Tiruppur or Erode.

Thank you. No. I did not mean Tiruppur or Erode as in through these towns. The Google route goes close to those cities and hence mentioned.

Appreciate your prompt reply and advice.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

No. I did not mean Tiruppur or Erode as in through these towns. The Google route goes close to those cities and hence mentioned.

These towns are bypassed quite well on the NH 544/old NH 47, so there is no need for any worry. In fact Tirupur bypass is part of the 6 lane Chengapalli-Coimbatore section which is one of the widest and best sections on the route.

*I guess you will take Coonoor-Mettupalayam-Avinashi and join the NH 544 ? This will be fine too.

[nareshtrao]

Originally Posted by NPV

These towns are bypassed quite well on the NH 544/old NH 47, so there is no need for any worry. In fact Tirupur bypass is part of the 6 lane Chengapalli-Coimbatore section which is one of the widest and best sections on the route.

*I guess you will take Coonoor-Mettupalayam-Avinashi and join the NH 544 ? This will be fine too.

Thanks a bunch That is right. Will follow the route you mentioned above. Join Salem and then the regular highway to Bangalore.

Any recommendations on good eating joints given we have kids?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by nareshtrao

Any recommendations on good eating joints given we have kids?

Many, but just mentioning few here in the Salem-Bangalore direction, choose depending on the time you pass by these places (all veggie places beside the highway and on left so that you can avoid U-turns and detours):
1. Anandha Bhavan after Avinashi bypass at Chengapalli on the left, has a BP bunk adjacent to it so can double up as food+fuel stop

2. A2B at Perundurai NHAI amenity complex

3. Saravana Bhavan classic at Reddypalayam/Sankari west

4. Saravana Bhavan Salem, just after you merge onto NH 44/7 from the NH 544/47

5. Sai Sangeet (by far the best) just after Thoppur toll, part of Indian oil petrol bunk campus (Avoid the A2B that is nearby inside the BP petrol bunk campus)

[jkrishnakj]

Naresh - pls take the normal highway. What you can do is Coonoor- Mettupalyam - Annur - Avinashi to merge into the highway towards Bangalore. This avoids Coimbatore and you'll be fine. Till Avinashi , you'll find two laned state highways and those are with a lot of twists and turns and enjoyable to ride through the villages.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Easily doable. Early morning departure will allow you to cross BLR city quickly. 5 to 5 1/2 hrs road time is good enough for BLR to CBE. Roads are excellent. Crossing Salem too is fast now since flyover bridge construction is over.

Thanks, Santosh. You were spot-on as usual! Left at 0510 from my north BLR place and entered Coimbatore city limits at 0945, so a brisk 4 1/2 hours non-stop.

Some details:

Silk Board: Medium mess at Silk Board where a lot of service lane traffic was aggressively muscling into the main carriageway. Duly muscled back.

Tolls: Attibele toll took exactly 1 hour and all booths were a 2-3 minute affair with my FASTag.

Roads:

1. Excellent-to-good roads marred by the usual slow-moving trucks painstakingly trying to overtake each other and some morning traffic at Salem & Erode areas.
2. Salem flyover is a blessing!
3. Thoppur ghats were very well marked and signposted. No one can blame NHAI any more for doing idiotic speeds because they "didn't know" of the curves or slopes ahead.
4. Complete lack of any inter-state Volvos, Scanias or Mercs which was a relief as I don't like their razor-edge driving style nor their overbearing attitude.
5. Krishnagiri to Salem portion rapidly getting swamped by traffic volumes. Was glad to see work being initiated on many places
6. Flyover diversions pretty well marked and service roads in good condition.

[srvm]

Folks, I might have to drive down to Coimbatore from Bangalore sometime in the next 2-3 weeks. This will be my maiden trip from Bangalore to Coimbatore.
Hence a noob query.

Destination in Coimbatore is Kovaipudur. To avoid much of city traffic, I intend to take NH544 all the way up to Madukkarai/Chettipalayam turn-off. On GMaps, I see there are about 5 to 7 toll plazas between Kaniyur toll plaza (after Avinashi bypass) and Chettipalayam turn-off over a distance of mere 35 km. Are there really that many toll booths? If so, why?

[gunsho]

Originally Posted by srvm

On GMaps, I see there are about 5 to 7 toll plazas between Kaniyur toll plaza (after Avinashi bypass) and Chettipalayam turn-off over a distance of mere 35 km. Are there really that many toll booths? If so, why?

That is the L&T bypass road. between that avinashi bypass and chettipalayam turn-off, you will encounter 2 tolls only (Tell the first toll itself up-to where you want, it will be <20 upto chettipalayam road).. Entire L&T bypass road has 4 Tolls and for the entire stretch it costs around 40 bucks.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by srvm

Destination in Coimbatore is Kovaipudur. To avoid much of city traffic, I intend to take NH544 all the way up to Madukkarai/Chettipalayam turn-off. On GMaps, I see there are about 5 to 7 toll plazas between Kaniyur toll plaza (after Avinashi bypass) and Chettipalayam turn-off over a distance of mere 35 km. Are there really that many toll booths? If so, why?

If you pass the Kaniyur toll plaza late into the night, like after 10 o'clock, you are better off entering Coimbatore city, than taking the L&T bypass road from Neelambur. The latter is an undivided 2-lane road, while the city roads for the most part have a median and are well lit.

Originally Posted by gunsho

That is the L&T bypass road. between that avinashi bypass and chettipalayam turn-off, you will encounter 2 tolls only (Tell the first toll itself up-to where you want, it will be <20 upto chettipalayam road).. Entire L&T bypass road has 4 Tolls and for the entire stretch it costs around 40 bucks.

The L&T bypass now charges a flat 45 INR regardless of which toll gate you enter or exit the tolled road. Chettipalayam road is not the easiest turn-off point from the bypass to head to Kovaipudur. It makes more sense to go all the way to Madukkarai and take the Palakkad road.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by srvm

Folks, I might have to drive down to Coimbatore from Bangalore sometime in the next 2-3 weeks. This will be my maiden trip from Bangalore to Coimbatore.

For kovaipudur, just stick to the L&T bypass route if it's a day time drive. If your reach Coimbatore late night, you can go via the city but will need good help from navigation and maps since it will go right through the city to the other end. If taking L&T bypass, just go all the way to the last toll plaza and then you will see an exit that takes you below to the right (old Coimbatore-Palakkad road) and after a railway underbridge you will see a road to left near Krishna Engineering/Janakiammal college, quite a busy junction this, so it has barricades placed on the main road near the junction to slow down traffic. The left turn leads in to Kovaipudur.

[VinothAJ]

Hi All, enroute to Avinashi, I'm planning to visit Dzogchen Monastery and Bhavani Dam this month end (Aug 30) with wife & 4yr old. Just wanted to know if the Germalam route is fine after the rains.

Seeing one Mavallam farms at Hasanur for possible overnight stay. Would really appreciate any feedback/views on the route.

[jkrishnakj]

I plan to take the Coimbatore - Sathy - Germalam- Kollegal route back to Bangalore this 29th. I’ll update the status on Thursday night. It’s been years since I took this route and I hope it’s ok.

Last Saturday , I took the normal
Highway. Quick and fast as usual. We took One halt for tea for 15 mins. We left home near Kanakpura Nice road junction around 7.45 am and was at my Coimbatore home by 1.25 pm. Fastag worked just fine across all tolls.

[jkrishnakj]

Originally Posted by VinothAJ

Hi All, enroute to Avinashi, I'm planning to visit Dzogchen Monastery and Bhavani Dam this month end (Aug 30) with wife & 4yr old. Just wanted to know if the Germalam route is fine after the rains.



Seeing one Mavallam farms at Hasanur for possible overnight stay. Would really appreciate any feedback/views on the route.

Vinoth-I drove back to Bangalore yesterday. Coimbatore - Sathy ( lunch at Ram vilas) - Bannari - Dhimbam - Kermalam ( google has it as Germalam) - Kollegal - Kanakpura- home at Bangalore. Took me 6 hours with one lunch break. Excellent roads. Go for it. Beautiful and scenic and pretty roads. Have fun.

[mpksuhas]

10- Sep: Bangalore - Coimbatore.

Started at 04:45 from home at Haralur road, traffic was sparse till Krishnagiri. Past which there was more than usual car traffic though. A chain accident soon after Thoppur had caused a traffic pileup which took around 15 mins to clear.

Stopped at Sravana , travelers Inn, Vaikundam for around 40 mins for breakfast. Reached Gokulam residency at Avinashi road by 09.40 AM.
Had booked the stay for the night there, a well managed hotel. Conveniently located just few mins drive from NH, would suggest for anyone looking for a stay around Coimbatore.


11 Sep: Coimbatore - Bangalore

Started from Coimbatore at 10:00 AM. Avinashi - Salem was bit hectic with lots of slow moving cars moving around between lanes.

Stopped at Thoppur BP COCO for tanking up. Past Atibelle traffic was heavy, reached home just when it was 03.00 PM.


Salem - Vaikundam has around 3 deviations where flyover construction is ongoing. Hope it becomes reality soon.

[mpksuhas]

Did Bangalore - Coimbatore - Bangalore yesterday. Due to festive seasons there was considerable rush at toll booths and also higher traffic in general.

Came across lots of cars, by looks of which was driven by people who are not fully comfortable driving on highways. It was mostly Bangalore registered cars during onward and KL registered vehicles on return journey. Must be of people who are out to enjoy long festival weekend.

Started from home near HSR layout at 04.40 AM, reached Krishnagiri toll at 06.15 AM and Salem at 07.44 AM. Crossed Vaikundam Saravana Bhavan at 08.16 AM, however did not stop there.

Stopped at Sri Sai Krishna near to Avinashi at 09.20 AM for around half hour and reached Coimbatore bye-pass turn off just after 10.00 AM.


For return, started at 02.00 PM from Coimbatore bye-pass turn off. Reached Salem at 04.15 PM and Sai Sangeeth near Thoppur IOC COCO at 05.30 PM. Stopped for around half hour. Crossed Krishnagiri at 06.30 PM and Bangalore at 07.50 PM.


Was raining in between around Salem - Thoppur section. No changes in road conditions compared to what was mentioned last month.