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Old 9th January 2025, 20:56   #14911
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by NPV View Post
[*]Started at 8am from Kochi after breakfast. Once you cross Vytilla, keep your speeds to about 30-35kmp at the entry and exit ramp of every flyover/bridge, the incline angle of the upward and downward joints can make your car fly or hurtle downwards!
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Originally Posted by naveen.raju View Post
I would recommend speeds much lower than that. Kundanoor entry is notorious and not to mention Vytilla flyover. In fact most enty/exit on bridges here are really bad - The small bridge near Elamkulam metro, Salim Rajan bridge, Infopark to name a few.
Always had this doubt when visiting Ernakulam and also while studying there. Why are all the bridges in Ernakulam having such weird angles between road and bridge? Even if there no height difference, expansion joints are big enough to make you crawl.

Other places you won't even know if you have entered a bridge, but in Kochi made sure you are aware of entering and exiting a bridge.
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Old 10th January 2025, 07:58   #14912
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by DicKy View Post
Always had this doubt when visiting Ernakulam and also while studying there. Why are all the bridges in Ernakulam having such weird angles between road and bridge? Even if there no height difference, expansion joints are big enough to make you crawl.
It might have to do with the soil. The road just before the bridge sits down over a period of time. At Vytilla, Elamkulam and Kundanoor they had leveled it, but going back to their normal state now.

If you notice the road below the metro pillar, you will notice the same where the metro pillar foundation juts out of the road in a square shape while the road around it is atleast couple of inches low. Metro gave an explanation blaming the slushy soil nature of Kochi.
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Old 12th January 2025, 07:47   #14913
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by Pequod View Post
Road surfaces are pretty good, sometimes immaculate throughout the Pala route. Traffic density also lesser than MC Road.
Thanks. Did the onward trip on 7th and returned on 9th. While going, took MC Road and it did slow us down a lot before Kottayam all the way past Changanassery and then again at Kottarakkara. Roads were very good and well marked. Started at 5:30am from Coimbatore, had 30 min breakfast at Kalady at 8:00am. Stopped for lunch at one of the many Aaryaa's after Kottarakkara at 12:30-1:15pm and reached Kochuveli at 3pm.

While returning, started at 8:00am and followed Google. It took us through state highway 8 for several sections and through a lot of empty village roads. SH 8 was fantastic. Other small roads were also quite good though very empty. Reached Palakkad at 5pm. Route was Kilimanoor, Pathanapuram, Ranni, Konni, Koothattukulam - it bypassed Pala. Next time, I am taking this route, but mark it up on google maps sticking to SH 1 and SH 8. If it is night driving, I'd stick to SH 1 all the way as it is somewhat populated compared to other route which was empty even at noon on a working day.

Had breakfast at Aaryaa's Kilimanoor and lunch at Perumbavoor junction - Green Park restaurant (fried rice was good, but biriyani and chicken were not so; clean toilets and parking is available).

Highlight for me was the quality of state highways and local roads in Kerala. Fantastic surface and great many markings. In fact, I have to go and check the road surface markings manual again though I've had a license since 1994 Second thing was that very rarely did I see two wheelers coming on to our lane in opposite direction - this stupid driving is extremely popular in Coimbatore and it is like riders want to do dare devil acts riding into oncoming traffic.
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Old 12th January 2025, 09:00   #14914
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by JithinR View Post
Hi All

....

I need to travel to Palakkad with my family. I wanted to check for the best route to travel given the current road conditions (construction, monsoon damage, rest stops for ladies etc.)....

1. Kannur - Vatakara - Ramanatukarra - Kondotty - Perinthalmanna - Tirukad - Palakkad
I guess this is the usual route but I am worried about the NH 66 expansion work. I do remember using this route to go to Calicut a few months back and it was fine. Also, it would have more rest stops.

2. Kannur - Vatakara - Perambara - Balussery - Mukkam - Manjeri - Mannarkkad - Palakkad

....

Anyone who has travelled on either of these two routes please advise.
Bump. Asking again since I might have to travel to Palakkad again. Took the NH 66 + NH 966 route the last time around both ways and it was not pleasant to say the least.
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Old 12th January 2025, 10:17   #14915
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by JithinR View Post
Bump. Asking again since I might have to travel to Palakkad again. Took the NH 66 + NH 966 route the last time around both ways and it was not pleasant to say the least.
Between Palakkad and Calicut there are multiple routes you can try. Mind you, I doubt you will find any of these better or worse than the others during daytimes at least.

Palakkad-Kongad-Perinthalmanna and then Malappuram-Kondotti-Ramanattukara.

Palakkad-Mannarkkad-Perinthalmanna and then the same as above.

Palakkad-Perinthalmanna and then Manjeri-Arekkode.

Palakkad-Perinthalmanna via Lakkidi-Varode-Cherpulassery.

Palakkad-Mannarkkad and then Alanallur-Pandikkad-Manjeri-Arekkode.

Palakkad-Kongad-Mannarkkad via Tipu Sulthan Road (this has been rebuilt recently and is now quite decent to drive on).

Once you are at Calicut commuter country you could take the NH66 (which you already did), or reach Kuttyadi and Nadapuram further on (Ramanattukara-Atholi-Ullyeri / Arekkode-Thamarassery-Ullyeri and onwards to Kuttyadi-Nadapuram). From Nadapuram you can join NH66 near Thalassery or continue to Kuthuparamba and onwards to Kannur.

The road from Calicut outskirts to the district border beyond Nadapuram can be underwhelming. Apart from that you shouldn't have complaints about road quality along any of these routes - only traffic.

My usual preference has been Kongad-Perinthalmanna-Manjeri when driving Palakkad-Calicut and Manjeri-Pandikkad-Mannarkkad when driving Calicut-Palakkad. But I tend to drive late in the night (past 9 PM along these roads).

Last edited by binand : 12th January 2025 at 10:19.
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Old 12th January 2025, 15:39   #14916
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by binand View Post
Palakkad-Perinthalmanna via Lakkidi-Varode-Cherpulassery.

.
Cherpulassery - Perinthalmana roads are not great due to construction works after Thootha, so would recommed not to take this route.
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Old 12th January 2025, 16:15   #14917
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by pram_ind View Post
Cherpulassery - Perinthalmana roads are not great due to construction works after Thootha, so would recommed not to take this route.
That's only about 8 km, and the works are more or less completed (I recall lane marking, median installation etc. pending with the carriageway work over. This was around Vishu 2024).
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Old 15th January 2025, 17:59   #14918
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

Need some help here have to travel from Coimbatore to Kalpetta and map is showing multitude of options. Till Perinthalmanna two route are shown one via Mannarkad and other via Cherupulaserry. From perinthalmanna the routes shown by g maps looks like a shortcut. Want to know which is best option? I will be travelling in a low gc sedan
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Old 15th January 2025, 21:06   #14919
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by sudhir_vag View Post
Need some help here have to travel from Coimbatore to Kalpetta and map is showing multitude of options... Want to know which is best option?
One routing could be Coimbatore-Mettupalayam-Gudalur-Devala-Meppadi-Kalpetta. Your problem will be traversing Ooty city. If this works for you I think it is the best option. There are alternative, slightly longer routes for Gudalur-Kalpetta.

If you do want to go through Palakkad, then there are two routes till Manjeri: Palakkad-Kongad-Perinthalmanna-Anakkayam-Manjeri or Palakkad-Mannarkkad-Alanallur-Pandikkad-Manjeri. From Manjeri the simplest is to take Arekkode-Mukkam-Thamarassery-Adivaram-Kalpetta. If you are adventurous you can turn right from Agasthyamuzhi and merge with the above route a bit ahead of Adivaram, via Thiruvambadi-Kodanchery-Thusharagiri. I only recently discovered this latter route (two trips so far) - it is much quieter and more peaceful with very little traffic.

Note that the Thamarassery churam - Adivaram-Lakkidi - is common to all routes that go through Palakkad. And that is going to be your main bottleneck. Traffic jams are routine, and can last for many hours.
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Old 15th January 2025, 22:23   #14920
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by binand View Post
If you are adventurous you can turn right from Agasthyamuzhi and merge with the above route a bit ahead of Adivaram, via Thiruvambadi-Kodanchery-Thusharagiri. I only recently discovered this latter route (two trips so far) - it is much quieter and more peaceful with very little traffic.

Note that the Thamarassery churam - Adivaram-Lakkidi - is common to all routes that go through Palakkad. And that is going to be your main bottleneck. Traffic jams are routine, and can last for many hours.
That helps but quick query is Thiruvambady route possible by Sedan ?
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Old 15th January 2025, 22:46   #14921
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by sudhir_vag View Post
That helps but quick query is Thiruvambady route possible by Sedan ?
Kerala roads are all generally good throughout. If you want to look for issues:

* Mundur-Kongad-Perinthalmanna is getting upgraded. Surfacing work is mostly over; median construction, lane marking etc. were pending last time I went through there.

* Meppadi-Kalpetta has some issues. Nothing that should worry even a sedan, but the occasional pothole could be there.
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Old 16th January 2025, 08:01   #14922
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

If i need to travel from Palakkad to Kannur (visiting the famous Parashinikadavu Muttappan), which one would be the best route, considering I will be driving during day time?
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Old 16th January 2025, 16:34   #14923
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Originally Posted by rakesh_r View Post
If i need to travel from Palakkad to Kannur (visiting the famous Parashinikadavu Muttappan), which one would be the best route, considering I will be driving during day time?
Palakkad-Olavakkode-Mundur-Kadambazhipuram-Thiruvazhiyode-Thootha-Angadipuram-Ramanattukara-NH66-Mahe-Kannur. Should take you around 6-7hrs.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/eqsdKqjE9e8UqkFT7

Quote:
Originally Posted by sudhir_vag View Post
That helps but quick query is Thiruvambady route possible by Sedan ?
If you prefer the hills,go via Ooty-Gudalur-Meppadi-Kalpetta

If you prefer the plains,go via Palakkad-Ramanattukara-Thamarasserry-Kalpetta.

Either ways it would be slow progress unfortunately (one to cross Ooty, and the other to cross the churam)

Last edited by Rudra Sen : 16th January 2025 at 16:44.
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Old 11th February 2025, 14:40   #14924
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

There is one more option, Route 4 via Nilambur.

Kochi - Trissur - Nilambur - Vazhikkadavu - Gudalur - Bandipur - Gundulpet - Nanjangud - Mysore - Bangalur

This route is the shortest and has the lowest toll.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Auto_guy_101 View Post
Hi All,

Of late, I have been making a Kochi-Bangalore trip every month by road. Sharing the routes and road conditions for prospective travellers.

Start point: Near Kochi Airport
End point: Near Manyata tech park or New town, Yelahanka
Normal start time: 6-6:30 AM
Normal End time: 4-5 PM
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Old 11th February 2025, 16:03   #14925
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Re: All Roads to Kerala

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Originally Posted by guruji View Post
There is one more option, Route 4 via Nilambur.

Kochi - Trissur - Nilambur - Vazhikkadavu - Gudalur - Bandipur - Gundulpet - Nanjangud - Mysore - Bangalur

This route is the shortest and has the lowest toll.
In that case - Gundlupet-Chamarajanagar-Kanakapura-Bangalore works out to be shorter than the above and has no toll at all.
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