[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by nightfury88

Route 1 - Bengaluru - Salem - Coimbatore - Thrissur - Muvattupuzha - Pathanamthitta = 631 kms @ 12 hours 20 mins

Route 2 as suggested by Google Maps - Bengaluru - Salem - Dindigul - Cumbum - Kumily - Erumeli - Ranni - Pathanamthitta = 589 Kms @ 11 hours 17 mins

Route 3 - Bengaluru - Salem - Madurai - Tenkasi - Pathanamthitta = 658 kms @ 12 hours 52 mins

Route 2 is the best option. Shortest, fastest, best surface.

[JayG]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Just wish they would fully open the NH road that would help bypass the dreaded Balaramapuram-Neyyatinkara-Parasala stretch.

One can travel from Thiruvallom toll till Kaliyikkavilai all along the under construction NH except for a short diversion of about 2-3 km along the Neyyar bank (eastern side of NH) before Vlanthankara. From Cheruvarakonam it is just 10 min (4km) to Kaliyikkavila. Takes about 40 min now from Thiruvallom to Kaliyikkavila depending on the traffic along the Neyyar bank (essentially a bund road which is a bit narrow at the northern bank, but plyable). And makes it comfortable by taking away half of the tiresome drive till Thirupathisaram bypass entry. But guess once the stretch is open, the traffic may be quite intense.

[achats]

Originally Posted by achats

I am planning to drive down with family in my Brezza from Navi Mumbai next weekend to my home town in Palakkad district. Plan is to drive till Hubli on day 1; do the Murudeshwar - Kollur Mookambika temple visits on day 2 and on day 3, early start from Kollur to reach home before nightfall. Is it better to avoid the kasargod - calicut - perinthalmanna NH66 due to the road works going on? Other option shown to me is the Madikeri - Mananthawadi - Kalpetta - Perinthalmanna route - anyone taken this route recently and how is the road condition?

.

Reached home in Kerala after a 1350km drive. The stretch from Navi Mumbai to Hubli was uneventful, except for a 45min road widening block at Karad. Hubli - Murudeshwar - Kollur stretch was good, driving through winding forested sections. From Kollur Mookambika temple, took the longer Mangalore - Madikeri - Wayanad - Manjeri - Perintalmanna route. The Kollur - Mangalore stretch went like a breeze, on the excellent NH66. From Mangalore, road widening on NH73 caused some delays. Rest of the way in Karnataka, it was like driving in Kerala, with slightly less traffic. The stretch around Madikeri was good, with ribbon like roads through coffee plantations. In kerala, got delayed at the Thamarassery Ghat section. Overall, the road surfaces were excellent. Pleasantly surprised by the reduction in the number of those murderous private buses on kerala roads. But plenty of overloaded trucks trying to overtake each other, causing backed up traffic.

[ike]

How is the Thrissur - Trivandrum stretch these days? I'm familiar with the Tcr - Ekm leg but not driven beyond Ekm in a long time now. The single lane after Cherthala used to be a nightmare, hoping things are better now with Kollam & Alapuzha bypasses?

I have a wedding to attend in Trivandrum early next month, wondering if I should just book Vande Bharat both ways and be done with it?

[tikku.dk]

Originally Posted by ike

How is the Thrissur - Trivandrum stretch these days? I'm familiar with the Tcr - The single lane after Cherthala used to be a nightmare, hoping things are better now with Kollam & Alapuzha bypasses?
?

Widening works undergoing on sides, along with single lane traffic makes it worst

[Bibin]

Quick update on roads from Trissur to Nileswaram

Trissur to Kunnamkulam- Same old conditions with unlevelled road with lot of potholes on the main road, Even the Kecheri Akkikave road is also in same condition no major works done till date

Kunnamkulam to Kuttipuram- Roads are good

Kuttipuram to Kozhikode- Road work is in progress everywhere, but they have arranged separate one-way traffic for both sides and you don't have to worry about giving way to the incoming traffic, however no rooms to overtake in most of the places.

Kozhikode bypass- Road works are in progress

Eranjikkal to Kannur- Road works are going on in multiple places, Be cautious during night drives.

No major developments seen between Kannur and Nileswaram may be since we have taken the Pazhayangadi detour.

While coming back we started by 2.45 AM last Sunday and reached Kalady by 10AM with one fuelling stop at Mahe. I think have lost roughly 30mins due to the slow moving one traffics all the way from the North till Kalady and also, we got in a roadblock due to a building under fire at Kottakkal that morning. There also we lost some 20mins.
Thsu early morning drives shall not lose timing on this route provided there are no surprise roadblock in the stretch

[Rajeevraj]

Drove Munnar-Bangalore couple of days back. The stretch from Munnar to Bodimetu is absolutely fabulous. I think the best hill highway stretch in Kerala from a quality of road perspective. Wide 2 lane with good shoulder space. Of course there are lot of good roads all over, but this seems to have been done just right.

[Garth]

I am planning to drive back from Kottayam to Bangalore. Can anyone suggest how good or bad is the route via Kumily, Dindigul, Karur, Salem is? Or is it better to go via Coimbatore, Salem?

[deathwalkr]

Originally Posted by ike

wondering if I should just book Vande Bharat both ways and be done with it?

That is the best option. If tickets are available and train timings suit your schedule, they are the best option to travel within Kerala

Catch up on sleep, read a book, listen to music, watch movies/shows, tasty snacks.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Garth

I am planning to drive back from Kottayam to Bangalore. Can anyone suggest how good or bad is the route via Kumily, Dindigul, Karur, Salem is? Or is it better to go via Coimbatore, Salem?

Theni-Dindigul is superb 2-Lane. You need to check on how it is till Theni via Kumily. And from Dindigul no comments! 4-lane all the way.

As the regards to to the option via Angamaly: How is the route via Kumarakom? I am not sure if that is the better option to latch on the 4-lane or its better to go via Muvattupuzha. To me if the if its easy to reach Thrippuanithura, then I guess I would suggest that as gets you to 4-lane earlier. But then you endure the speed limits till Walayar.

[Garth]

Originally Posted by ampere

As the regards to to the option via Angamaly: How is the route via Kumarakom? I am not sure if that is the better option to latch on the 4-lane or its better to go via Muvattupuzha. To me if the if its easy to reach Thrippuanithura, then I guess I would suggest that as gets you to 4-lane earlier. But then you endure the speed limits till Walayar.

I wanted to explore the route via Kumily as I haven’t done it before. Will take me around 2.5 hrs to reach Aluva either via Thripunithara or Muvatupuzha. Thanks for your insights on the TN side of the highway. Guess I have done Salem to Karur earlier to a relatives place. The roads were superb back then. No idea after that

[JayG]

Originally Posted by Garth

Guess I have done Salem to Karur earlier to a relatives place. The roads were superb back then. No idea after that

During our quarterly drives from TVM to BLR, we traverse the Karur-Salem sector in the early afternoon. The road surface is excellent with minimal traffic, that grows near Salem.
Salem to Karur stretch in the mornings on weekdays will have random two wheelers going for work, but they occupy the left lane usually.
In fact, I relish the Dindigul - Salem sector the most in the whole trip as it helps to make up for the delays till Nagercoil

[Garth]

Thanks guys. Can anyone update on road conditions between Kottayam and Theni then?

[ampere]

There is one flyover construction happening very close to the Namakkal ramp down at Salem. It may not hold one down majorly, but some times traffic builds up.

[JoeMichael]

Originally Posted by Garth

Thanks guys. Can anyone update on road conditions between Kottayam and Theni then?

I traveled this route in the last week of Jan. Roads are smooth and wide.There is one diversion which can be a slight bottle neck depending on the time of the day. I am planning to drive this route on 14th (Bangalore to Kottayam ).

Advantage of this route would be lesser truck movement compared to Coimbatore - Palakkad route, Lower toll and better scenery. Disadvantages- Possibility of congestion at the ghat section and not many options for food and refreshments