[VIKING]

I usually take the Thoppur-Bhavani-Coimbatore route to Palakkad, so I can use the Coimbatore bypass. As of a couple of weeks back, the Bhavani - Avinashi stretch has improved drastically with all towns in between including Perundurai being bypassed. I was able to cover Bhavani to Palakkad in 2 hours flat. Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani was also not bad.

[csentil]

What about Avinashi? Do you still have to go through Avinashi? Is the bypass ready? What about the road from Avinashi onwards? Is that still in the same state? I'm so used to the Ammapettai route and I need to go to Coimbatore sometime in July. So trying to figure out if it makes sense to try the Avinashi route.

[quicksilver]

No byepass yet in Avinashi and the road from Avinashi to Cbe is still the same, more or less. Only the stretch from the L&T Byepass to Coimbatore airport has been 4 laned.

It will be some more time before this becomes the road of choice... till then, I would advise taking the Sathy road from Mettur.

[DWind]

Hi,

I am planning to travel to Coimbatore from Bangalore to attend a friend's marriage on my Hyundai Verna. I am starting from Electronic city at 6 PM. Considering this, what is the best route to travel and how long would it take. can I do this Non-stop (no refreshment breaks except for loo and I am traveling alone). I have done non-stop travel before driving from Chennai-Mysore in 6.25 hours.

[csentil]

I think the updates are there in the previous posts of mine.

Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Thoppur - Mettur - Bhavani - Avinashi - Coimbatore

Since you are driving during the night I would suggest this route rather than Ammapettai - Sathy - Coimbatore.

EC to Krishnagiri is an hour max. Krishnagiri - Thoppur - an hour at the max. 4 lane all the way.

Take right at Thoppur for Mettur. Thoppur - Mettur - 1 hr. Mettur - Bhavani - 1 hr. These sections are 2 laned roads. Be caeful.

Bhavani - Cbe 2.5 hrs. Bhavani - Avinashi road work is in progress but most of it is done (as per previous posts). Avinashi to Cbe is 2 lane most of the way.

Do not take Salem - Bhavani route as road work is still on. You should be able to be in Coimbatore midnight or by 1 AM if you leave at 6 PM.

I'm assuming you are a safe driver and will drive carefully during the night. I certainly wouldn't recommend driving later than 11 PM.

[quicksilver]

+1 to CSenthil. Just be wary of pedestrians and cycle wallahs crossing the roads in the night on the 4 laned highways as itis not too un-common.

Also, in the stretch between Perundurai-Avinashi there are some places where both the sides of the 4 lane are not opened. Sometimes they divert all traffic to one side and this can be hard-to-spot if travelling at high speeds in the night.

Best option would be to start very early in the morning and reach Cbe by 8-9 AM? if that was an option.... ie. Without much traffic, you should be able to do the distance in less than 6 hours comfortably.

[mail4ajo]

Planning a trip to Yercaud. How the conditions of the roads after Krishnigiri till Yercaud? Thanks in advance.

[bala80]

I did a road trip to yercaud from chennai last month and it was a very pleasent experience throughout. After krishnagiri, with the new L&T toll road driving is a breeze till Salem. Only couple of instances wherein you should watch out for is the downhill ghat section in thoppur just before the toll gate where there are quite a few speedbreakers in quick succession and on nearing salem, there were a few patches where road work was still on. But nothing major to worry about, you can constantly maintain your speed throughout this stretch. At salem junction, you can take the left to proceed towards yercaud. All through the way, road conditions are excellent. Wishing you a nice journey!

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Planning a trip to Yercaud. How the conditions of the roads after Krishnigiri till Yercaud? Thanks in advance.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Planning a trip to Yercaud. How the conditions of the roads after Krishnigiri till Yercaud? Thanks in advance.

Isnt this a round about route going to Salem? Wouldnt chennai-villupuram-salem be much shorter and faster?

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Originally Posted by m8002?

Isnt this a round about route going to Salem? Wouldnt chennai-villupuram-salem be much shorter and faster?

Actually , if you go thru vellore and tiruapthur and towards salem around 15 kms before salem there is another route which goes up into yecaud via monfort school etc, i forget the place where it branches off, this would ideally be the shortest in my view.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by PRADEEP KUMAR

Actually , if you go thru vellore and tiruapthur and towards salem around 15 kms before salem there is another route which goes up into yecaud via monfort school etc, i forget the place where it branches off, this would ideally be the shortest in my view.

Actually the route from Tirupathur & Aathur joins near the point which Pradeep is referring, you could take a right to Yercaud without touching Salem if you are going either via Tirupathur or using the regular route via Villupuram.

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

Planning a trip to Yercaud. How the conditions of the roads after Krishnigiri till Yercaud? Thanks in advance.

Fantastic roads ( just for very small stretch traffic will be directed in single road at 2 places after Mettur turn I guess. Good that Speed breakers were in place at the GHAT section before Salem. Have seen many vehicles accelerate on downhill & suffers due to going out of the road on corners.

Edit: Route via Krishnagiri is longer by somewhere around 40 kms, I personally feel its worth doing this road than via Ulundurpet

[mail4ajo]

UPDATE:

All round amazing roads. Krishnagiri to Salem was the best stretch. Except for a few very short area where work is underway and the 2 way traffic before Salem, all roads are great. Kept to 90kms/hr throughout without much effort.

Took 7hrs to Yercaud with a few breaks. The additional 35 odd kms was worth the drive.

Some pics:

[sriturl]

Hi Found this active thread to seek advice.
Planning a weekend trip to Silent Valley national park from Bangalore.

Which route would be better?
Via Wayanad?
or Via Chamarajanagar, Sathyamangalam?
or Via Coimbattore, Palakkad?

One way would be a leisurely drive and other would be a fast one. Didn't decide if we start Friday, follow speed drive through NH7, reach Coimbatore or Palakkad, and cover forest over weekend, or leisurely drive on Saturday morning, and fast drive on Sunday night.

Advice greatly appreciated about road conditions, what to expect, approx travel time etc.

thanks in advance.

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Originally Posted by csentil

@karthik: You are crazy man Salem - Perundurai - Cbe is a strict no no for the next 1 yr atleast. 5 hrs to do 180 odd kms from Salem to coimbatore !! I was advised on the Ammapettai - Sathy road a long time back by my cousin and after publishing it in this thread a lot of people have used it. I did it last week and its still the best and easiest way to get to Cbe.

The great thing abt this route is traffic into Cbe is never high. Saravanampatti, Ganapathy do not suffer from the same amount of traffic like the Avanishi sector. So one can get to Gandhipuram from Annur within 45 minutes. Hope College bridge is still being widened and that is another bottleneck while coming from Avinashi. Thankfully the 6 laning of Avinashi Road from Hope college to the flyover is done so its pretty easy now though devoid of vegetation.

I did Bangalore - Coimbatore in 5 hrs 45 minutes (with 30 minutes breakfast break) last Thursday.

Starterd 6.00 am from the petrol bunk in Jeevan Bheema Nagar. Krishnagiri was 7.20. From Krishnagiri to the A2B just before the Thoppur Ghat section (a distance of around 70 kms) took me 35 minutes or less. Reached A2B at 7.55 am. The road is awesome to say the least. The layout of the road is better than the GQ to Chennai. You have an extra lane wherever there's a right turn. So you don't have vehicles blocking the fast lane when taking a right/u-turn.

Left A2B at 7.30 and reached Cbe via Ammapettai - Athani - Gobi - Nambiyur - Puliampatti - Annur - Ganapathy at 11.45 am. I still prefer this route as I don't have to enter Sathy and the road from Athani to Sathy has many small villages. Gobi - Nambiyur - Puliyampatti is virtually devoid of any vehicles. I think I met just 1 bus and some cows on the way !!!

Return I did even quicker yesterday. Left Cbe at 12 pm. Reached A2B at 2.55 pm. Left A2B at 3.20 pm and reached Krishnagiri toll gate at 3.46 (according to the toll slip) !! It was amazing driving in the Civic with constant speeds of 150kmph+ . Reached Silkboard at 4.45 pm and home around 5.25 pm. Afternoon traffic being sparse it was an easy drive except from EC to Silkboard and the three flyover constructions in Attibele, Chandapura and EC.

Non stop one can do Bangalore - Cbe in 5 hrs provided you choose your departure time well.

Toll Gate is getting ready just before the Thoppur Ghat section and should be operating within a couple of weeks.

The Thoppur Ghat section has been relaid. However expect speedbreakers and stupidly kept road blocks on the ghat section. This is present only on the Dharmapuri to Thoppur side. Its a downhill during most of the ghat section and its damn irritating to take a fast curve downhill and see the roadblocks and speedbreakers. Lorries have toppled over due to sudden swerving and breaking here !!!

There are no speedbreakers when you come from Thoppur towards Dharmapuri.

Hi,
Planning to drive to ctore from chennai,Have been normally taking the krishnagiri- thoppur- ammapettai- athani- andhiyur- sathy- annur- cotre.
You suggest ammapettai- gobi- nambiyur -annur-ctore.

Is there any difference in distance as well? Kindly confirm.

tnx