[jkrishnakj]

Couldn’t agree more Ampere. Another drawback is the lack of shops / restaurants even for a simple tea or coffee in this route. I generally don’t take breaks on my return and this route is fastest and shortest for me, but, when my wife and son are with me, I think twice to do this.

[Gnath89]

Travelled Coimbatore->Sathy->Thimbam->Germalam->Kollegal->Maddur->Bangalore last Sunday. Took this route to avoid the expected queues at all tolls on the Salem route. This was the Sunday after Pongal week.
Took me 7hrs 20 mins for 311km with a 45 min break for lunch + taking in the vistas near Germalam.

Road&Traffic condition
Coimbatore -> Sathy - The usual - Good roads with the sporadic hold ups thanks to slower heavy vehicles

Sathy-> Thimbham - The road condition is very good, bit of gravel as usual at the hair pin bends, was blessed with minimal lorry traffic owing to the day/timing. Had to stop at hairpin 21 only for about 5 mins to allow for a heavy lorry to reverse and find traction uphill

Thimbham -> Germalam - The road is in very good condition, a few sections have been newly asphalted. I was carrying food and water along, else would be a good idea to stock up before crossing the forest checkpost. They ask for your destination and note down your vehicle number at the checkpost on TN end

KA Border -> Kollegal - Poor roads for ~40km. Big potholes with no real warning, best to stick to 60ish speeds on this stretch. Whatever little good roads are left are taken up by the paddy threshers. They've created 3ft high stacks which slow you down to 20kmph at a few spots

Kollegal -> Maddur - First time on this road after this was made wider/relaid. Very good condition except for a small 3km stretch after the Kaveri crossing, work is still on here. Google maps show you a smaller route on the west of the hill, which is being laid, the normal diversion takes you around the east of the hill after the Kaveri bridge

Maddur -> Bangalore - The usual. It was 4 ish when I hit Maddur. The regular Sunday evening Mysore-Bangalore traffic had caught in. The regular "I'm faster than you are" overtakes + lane switches kept me company till RR Nagar. Flyover work is on full pace through Maddur town, post Ramanagara the 6 laning work is also on almost throughout, slowing you down drastically. I took 2 odd hours to do the 73 km distance

Overall, an amazing drive through lovely vistas and dense forests. Loved it thoroughly. Will definitely choose this route whenever I have to do this route on a Sunday. I would have saved at least 1 hour of wait time at the tolls I'm sure, add to it the lesser distance + 0 toll cost.

PS: I live in North Bangalore and hence chose to enter city through Mysore road and not through Kanakapura.

[NPV]

Well, I didn't travel all the way to Coimbatore, but probably this thread is what comes closest so posting here.

The family hadn't traveled outside the city since Feb last year, so for a change they wanted to go on a drive and also have lunch someplace. We decided on Sai Sangeet, Thoppur and started at around 11:15am today. Though traffic didn't seem too heavy on the highway, starting from the elevated toll on Hosur Road, all tolls had long lines due to sensors not working intermittently, cars having blacklisted tags (insufficient balance) and impatient city drivers trying to cut in and out of toll lanes! We ended up spending almost equal amount of time driving and at the tolls put together

Reached Sai Sangeet at 2:15pm and started back at 3:15pm and reached home at 6:45 pm, superhero Attibele toll took 40 minutes to cross!

[nidhinsarath]

This weekend we are driving to Bangalore( Bommenahalli near white field) from Coimbatore. We are planning to return on the same day itself. Which is the best route to opt for? Will it be a tiring journey? My mom is reluctant to stay in hotel due to covid issues. How long it will take if I start by 4am?

[ravib]

Originally Posted by nidhinsarath

This weekend we are driving to Bangalore( Bommenahalli near white field) from Coimbatore. We are planning to return on the same day itself. Which is the best route to opt for? Will it be a tiring journey? My mom is reluctant to stay in hotel due to covid issues. How long it will take if I start by 4am?

You can budget for 6 hours one way drive plus breaks time. Stick to Perundurai-Salem-Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Hosur-Bangalore route, because you plan to return on same day.

Will it be a tiring journey - Definitely Yes as you end up with 12 hours drive on same day. For a 4 am start, you can reach Bangalore by 10 am to 10.30 am.

-Ravi

[NPV]

Originally Posted by nidhinsarath

This weekend we are driving to Bangalore( Bommenahalli near white field) from Coimbatore. We are planning to return on the same day itself. Which is the best route to opt for? Will it be a tiring journey? My mom is reluctant to stay in hotel due to covid issues. How long it will take if I start by 4am?

Bommanhalli is on Hosur road, not Whitefield, do check again. If it's the bommanhalli on Hosur road, you're in luck since you don't have to endure any bangalore city traffic, it's bang on/wee bit off the highway as you enter bangalore.

With a 4am start from Coimbatore you should be able to reach before 10.30am with one 20-30 minute break en route.

Edit:there is a Bommenahalli off old Madras road near KR Puram, is that the one you're headed to ?

[jkrishnakj]

Actually a 4 am start with 2 breaks if not more than 30 Minutes cumulative should get you to Ecity Toll by about 930 am. After that start the pain of an hour to Whitefield.

I have heard of a route from Hosur that by-passes Bangalore and goes to Whitefield, via Sarjapur/Varthur? I’m not too sure, but I’m thinking nidhin can use that to reach a little faster ?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by jkrishnakj

I have heard of a route from Hosur that by-passes Bangalore and goes to Whitefield, via Sarjapur/Varthur? I’m not too sure, but I’m thinking nidhin can use that to reach a little faster ?

One option is the Attibele-Sarjapur-Varthur road, gets one directly to old airport road beyond Kundalahalli towards Hope farm junction in Whitefield.

When entering Bangalore from Hosur side, just after the Attibele toll, stay on service road and make a right turn below the bridge/flyover.

You're probably referring to Hosur-NH207-Bagalur-Sarjapur route but that may take more time especially in the onward journey it may not save time as it's in the morning. Again, that route has options to merge back onto Sarjapur-Varthur road and then it's same as the other route I mentioned or one can drive all the way towards hope farm junction in Whitefield.

[BackInTheFold]

Originally Posted by NPV

One option is the Attibele-Sarjapur-Varthur road, gets one directly to old airport road beyond Kundalahalli towards Hope farm junction in Whitefield.

When entering Bangalore from Hosur side, just after the Attibele toll, stay on service road and make a right turn below the bridge/flyover.

You're probably referring to Hosur-NH207-Bagalur-Sarjapur route but that may take more time especially in the onward journey it may not save time as it's in the morning. Again, that route has options to merge back onto Sarjapur-Varthur road and then it's same as the other route I mentioned or one can drive all the way towards hope farm junction in Whitefield.

Thanks. Do you know happen to know the current state of this road?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by BackInTheFold

Thanks. Do you know happen to know the current state of this road?

Well no, I don't know the current status of both these routes. However, I'd pick the Attibele-Sarjapur-Varthur road since the Attibele-Sarjapur road section is widened and is a divided road.

On the other hand, the NH 207 from Hosur had a few narrow sections and also there was work in progress when I traveled last in early 2020, not sure if these are completed now.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by BackInTheFold

Thanks. Do you know happen to know the current state of this road?

Originally Posted by NPV

Well no, I don't know the current status of both these routes. However, I'd pick the Attibele-Sarjapur-Varthur road since the Attibele-Sarjapur road section is widened and is a divided road.

On the other hand, the NH 207 from Hosur had a few narrow sections and also there was work in progress when I traveled last in early 2020, not sure if these are completed now.

Hoskote-Whitefield section of NH207 used to be in a very bad state. Dont know if they have improved by any means.

[thetank]

Originally Posted by BackInTheFold

Thanks. Do you know happen to know the current state of this road?

Drove through Attibele-Sarjapur Road recently. It is a bit patchy but not bad.

[condor]

Was on the Malavalli-Kollegal + section over the weekend. The road widening is in progress, and a new bridge being built about 500m south of the old heritage bridge near Shivanasamudra falls. And of course, a toll booth coming up on the stretch. Roads generally good. The new bridge will be part of the road that will skip Kollegal town itself - and with that the narrow roads inside the place.

[denver85]

Originally Posted by BackInTheFold

Thanks. Do you know happen to know the current state of this road?

Attibele-Sarjapura road is decent now with one or two rough patches. They are cutting the trees and leveling the sides for widening the roads, but it did not have much impact on the current road surface.
Hosur-Bagalur route also has very good surface, its a bit longer is the only disadvantage. Actually you can avoid the long detour thru Bagalur by taking Hosur-RTO office-Nallur-Kagganur route, it reduces the distance and roads are very good with one or two rough patches and speed breakers close to the villages.

Originally Posted by NPV

Well no, I don't know the current status of both these routes. However, I'd pick the Attibele-Sarjapur-Varthur road since the Attibele-Sarjapur road section is widened and is a divided road.

Attibele-Sarjapur section still have the old undivided road, the widening works on full swing now.

Originally Posted by ampere

Hoskote-Whitefield section of NH207 used to be in a very bad state. Don't know if they have improved by any means.

NH207 overall condition is far better now. The Hoskote-Thirumalashettyhalli used to have a lot of bad patches, everything is smooth now. Even the Devanahalli-Hoskote is far better these days. For Devanahalli-Sarjapura, earlier I used to prefer the Budigere-Kattanallur gate-Hopefarm-Dommasandra route, but now the Devanahalli-Hoskote-Samenthanahalli-Muthkur-Sarajapura is faster and peaceful, had great road surface also on this section

[BackInTheFold]

Originally Posted by denver85

Actually you can avoid the long detour thru Bagalur by taking Hosur-RTO office-Nallur-Kagganur route, it reduces the distance and roads are very good with one or two rough patches and speed breakers close to the villages.

Thank you. Would you suggest this as an alternative to the Attibele - Sarjapur road? If you could share a map link or narrative to navigate from Hosur - Sarjapur Road, I'd really appreciate it. Would love to try this as an alternative on the next drive back into Bangalore.