[gopaneel]

Train was my first option as well. But the tickets are waitlisted and there are 4 of us. Hence the decision to hit the road.

Regarding the route mentioned. If I'm going via Trichur, its not the NH17 from Edapally, right? Any reason why that is recommended?

[mallumowgli]

Originally Posted by gopaneel

Regarding the route mentioned. If I'm going via Trichur, its not the NH17 from Edapally, right? Any reason why that is recommended?

NH17 is congested and narrow and a pain in the wrong place. NH47 is 4 lane and faster

[binand]

Originally Posted by gopaneel

Train was my first option as well. But the tickets are waitlisted and there are 4 of us. Hence the decision to hit the road.

Regarding the route mentioned. If I'm going via Trichur, its not the NH17 from Edapally, right? Any reason why that is recommended?

Even the JS is waitlisted?

Anyway - the route mentioned (via Thrissur) is NH 47 till Thrissur (Edappally-Aluva-Chalakkudy-Thrissur), some state highway from Thrissur to Edappal, and NH17 from there onwards till Kannur. The reason for preferring NH47 over NH17 for the first part of the journey is that the Ernakulam-Thrissur section has been developed under the North-South Corridor project to 4 lanes, dual carriageway (but has tolls), hence you cover this distance quicker and more peacefully (about 70 km, I think - but that's a fourth of the overall route).

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gopaneel

Any reason why that is recommended?

I think Edappal to Trichur via Kunnamkulam is one of the very good SH roads. I have not taken it myself, but I read on the forum its a very wide and nice. Much less congested compared to NH17.

[haripg]

How is the road from kalady to athirapally? Do we need to go thro chalakuddy. Coming from Tiruvalla.

[kala]

Originally Posted by ampere

I think Edappal to Trichur via Kunnamkulam is one of the very good SH roads. I have not taken it myself, but I read on the forum its a very wide and nice. Much less congested compared to NH17.

Congestion wise there may not be too much of difference - even this SH sees fairly heavy traffic. But the road surface is much better than the NH17 stretch south of Edappal, that's the reason why many prefer that road to the NH.

[mail4ajo]

Guys, I am planning to drive from tiruvalla to kollam. What's the condition of the MC Road now? Also what's the best road from kollam to Trivandrum. What are things I must look out for? Please help.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by haripg

How is the road from kalady to athirapally? Do we need to go thro chalakuddy. Coming from Tiruvalla.

Yes you do need to go via Chalakudy.There is no other way into Valparai.

http://goo.gl/maps/rT6XM

GM would show you another option but unfortunately that does not exist afaik

[kala]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Yes you do need to go via Chalakudy.There is no other way into Valparai.

http://goo.gl/maps/rT6XM

GM would show you another option but unfortunately that does not exist afaik

There used to be a route from Angamaly that goes through Plantation corporation estates and reaches Vettilappara bridge. Once you cross this bridge, you reach the Chalakudy - Athirappally road right in front of SilverStorm theme park very close to Athirappally. I've driven through this route about 5-6 years ago, don't see any reason why it shouldn't be open now. Shorter by about 10-12 kms compared to going via Chalakudy when coming from south of Angamaly.

To get on to this road you need to take a right turn at Karayamparambu junction - about 2 kms after you pass the NH-47/MC Road junction at Angamaly when going north.

Google Maps also shows another right turn about 1 km north of Karukutty which leads to a road that joins this same road at Munnoorppilly and is about the same distance overall. This may be slightly faster since you get to travel on the 4 lane highway for another 4-5 kms.

No idea about the current conditions of either road, but the first one used to be reasonably OK a few years back.

[ndinesh]

Hi I did Pollachi to Kochi route yesterday. Pollachi to Vadakancherry through Nenmara is in very good shape, hence the detour via Alathur may not be needed.
Vadakancherry until Mannuthy was kind of choked with traffic due to tailing of heavy vehicles. And was held up at Angamaly for around 15 minutes due to slow moving traffic.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by kala

No idea about the current conditions of either road, but the first one used to be reasonably OK a few years back.

I did this route some 6 months back and was fairly decent except for some bad stretch inside plantation.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Guys, I travelled from Bangalore to Trivandrum via nagercoil last weekend and to my horror- the roads were pathetic from kavalkinar to kerala border.

Thinking of taking trivandrum- nedumangad- thenkasi- madurai route for the return. Any idea of the current Road conditions? Also- is this route good enough in terms of time/ safety compared to the nagercoil route?

[binand]

Originally Posted by ndinesh

Hi I did Pollachi to Kochi route yesterday. Pollachi to Vadakancherry through Nenmara is in very good shape, hence the detour via Alathur may not be needed.

If I recall correctly, the detour to Alathur is to avoid NH47 altogether till Thrissur - to go to the other Wadakkanchery from Alathur via Pazhayannur (to connect to the Shornur-Thrissur road).

[haripg]

Coming from Kerala is there a way to avoid the attibele tool booth traffic jam. Going to the Yelahankha side. How is Nh 207 frm Hosur to Bagalur and fwd?

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by haripg

Coming from Kerala is there a way to avoid the attibele tool booth traffic jam. Going to the Yelahankha side. How is Nh 207 frm Hosur to Bagalur and fwd?

NH207 is in very good shape.reccomended.