[kala]

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

Given the roadworks creating a lot of diversions, I think, the safer option is to check the trains, and if not then take the car..

I think NH209 is an excellent alternative in this scenario. Even with sedate driving it shouldn't take more than 5 hours to reach Karumathampatti (on NH47 about 10 kms before L&T byepass start - Neelampur) from the NICE Road - Kanakapura Rd junction (Approx. 290 kms), and roads are excellent throughout.

[vinucv]

Originally Posted by ajithbr

I believe it is Vadakkenchery(Palakkad dist) on NH47 and not Wadakkanchery(Thrissur dist) near Shoranur & on Indian Railways

A slight variant to your route "Wadakanchery-Nenmara-Pollachi- Palladam-Tiruppur Chengappalli" by doing Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai(join back NH-47) would have been a lot straight-forward than crossing Tiruppur to avoid confusion as well as the town traffic.

On Vadakkenchery-Nenmara-Pollachi route, many people including yours truly is eager to know if there any diversions, even if it is minor. This is because a few months back, someone reported a diversion on this stretch while going to Kerala forcing the drive to be Pollachi-Palakkad-Vadakkenchery instead of via Kollengode-Nenmara. So, please let us know of any such things noted.

And can you please tell us where all you had food-breaks and how was the food & toilets there?

I did not see any diversions in Kollengode-Nenmara-Pollachi-Palladam route but last time when I took the Kangeyam route there were some diversions (not sure where exactly as it was almost a year ago)

As for the food, we had lunch from Indian coffee house somewhere near Angamaly and then dinner at Salem. In between had a cup of tea from a wayside hotel. Toilet at a petrol bunk near Palladam was descent (10-15 km before palladam)

[vnabhi]

Folks
I plan to drive down this weekend to Ooty from Hyderabad and then go to Cochin via Gudalur-Nilambur-Guruvayoor and then along the coast on NH-17.

From Cochin I plan to go to either Munnar or Valparai. I need guidance on the fastest route to Bangalore from either place, and what roads to avoid (eg Palakkad to Avinashi stretch) Also what will be the driving time from Munnar to BLR and from Valparai to BLR, assuming I leave around noon?

[rameshnanda]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Folks
I plan to drive down this weekend to Ooty from Hyderabad and then go to Cochin via Gudalur-Nilambur-Guruvayoor and then along the coast on NH-17.

From Cochin I plan to go to either Munnar or Valparai. I need guidance on the fastest route to Bangalore from either place, and what roads to avoid (eg Palakkad to Avinashi stretch) Also what will be the driving time from Munnar to BLR and from Valparai to BLR, assuming I leave around noon?

Munnar-Udumalpet-Dharapuram-Kangeyam-Perundurai-Salem-Bangalore
or
Munnar-Theni-Madurai-Salem-Bangalore

Given the traffic on the Theni-Madurai section, option 1 may be quicker. I am estimating the time at 8-9 hours.

Valparai-Pollachi-Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai-Salem-Bangalore

[NPV]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

From Cochin I plan to go to either Munnar or Valparai. I need guidance on the fastest route to Bangalore from either place, and what roads to avoid (eg Palakkad to Avinashi stretch) Also what will be the driving time from Munnar to BLR and from Valparai to BLR, assuming I leave around noon?

Originally Posted by rameshnanda

Munnar-Udumalpet-Dharapuram-Kangeyam-Perundurai-Salem-Bangalore
or
Munnar-Theni-Madurai-Salem-Bangalore
Given the traffic on the Theni-Madurai section, option 1 may be quicker. I am estimating the time at 8-9 hours.
Valparai-Pollachi-Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai-Salem-Bangalore

+1 to what Ramesh has said.
The Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai-Salem-Bangalore is in good condition. During my trip couple of weeks ago, I tried the SH's of Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai for the first time and found roads to be really good.
Note that once you're in Palladam, the signs will all be for Karur that you will follow and you will see Kangeyam signs just under 10Km before you reach there !
Also, just ahead of one T-junction (I think it's Avanashipalayam) you will see left marked for Tiruppur, right marked for Koduvai/Dharapuram and Erode marked straight (but there's no road ahead at the junction!). Here you have to turn left and then after about 50 metres turn right where the road to Erode/Kangeyam continues
At Kangeyam you reach a big junction with signal and a large Circle/roundabout. Here you need to turn left and then right (you will see the Kangeyam Bus Stand and will need to go on the road behind the bus stop) for Perundurai.
At Perundurai just keep driving straight at the 2/3 junctions in the town and you will be led to the service road below a flyover/bridge to merge on to NH47 towards Salem.

Hope this helps.

[vnabhi]

Folks

I need an update on the least stressful route from Ooty to Kochi. How about the one from Ooty to Cochin via Gudalur-Nilambur-Guruvayoor and then along the coast on NH-17. I heard it is scenic, but are the roads decent for a Fiesta?

And how is the other route via NH-47? Will that not be stressful as I might need to pass through Coimbatore or Avinashi? I heard roads are not great between Avinashi and Palghat.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

+1 to what Ramesh has said.
The Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai-Salem-Bangalore is in good condition. During my trip couple of weeks ago, I tried the SH's of
Palladam-Kangeyam-Perundurai for the first time and found roads to be really good.

@NPV, Palladam-Kangeyam is a part of the famed NH67 and not a SH.
Kangeyam-Perundurai is a SH. But as you said, the roads are immaculate.

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Folks
I need an update on the least stressful route from Ooty to Kochi. How about the one from Ooty to Cochin via Gudalur-Nilambur-Guruvayoor and then along the coast on NH-17.
I heard it is scenic, but are the roads decent for a Fiesta?

If you dont like the twisty mountain roads, take the road to CBE and NH47.
But even otherwise this would be better as it has started raining in Kerala. So no idea about routes around Nilmabur would be.

[nishad.hameed]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Folks

I need an update on the least stressful route from Ooty to Kochi. How about the one from Ooty to Cochin via Gudalur-Nilambur-Guruvayoor and then along the coast on NH-17. I heard it is scenic, but are the roads decent for a Fiesta?

And how is the other route via NH-47? Will that not be stressful as I might need to pass through Coimbatore or Avinashi? I heard roads are not great between Avinashi and Palghat.

Gudalur-Nilambur-Guruvayoor is a headache. private buses and local traffic will make your moving average around 30. I would suggest CBE.

[vnabhi]

Thanks guys. Can someone let me know the best path via CBE to NH-47---a path that bypasses cities and traffic bottlenecks, apart from bad roads?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thanks guys. Can someone let me know the best path via CBE to NH-47---a path that bypasses cities and traffic bottlenecks, apart from bad roads?

While descending down divert from NH67 at Mettupalayam and goto Annur.
Then take the NH209 to Kurumba Palayam.

Here you should see the diversion to CBE airport. This will lead you directly to Avinashi road. Once you hit the Avinashi road,
take left (towards Salem). A few km will lead you to L&T bypass. And there on you are on to the bypass on the NH47.

Here is a route snapshot.

Ooty - Palakkad

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ampere

While descending down divert from NH67 at Mettupalayam and goto Annur.
Then take the NH209 to Kurumba Palayam.

Here you should see the diversion to CBE airport. This will lead you directly to Avinashi road. Once you hit the Avinashi road,
take left (towards Salem). A few km will lead you to L&T bypass. And there on you are on to the bypass on the NH47.

Here is a route snapshot.

Ooty - Palakkad

Thanks. This is my first trip to those parts, so on the route you've given, where should I expect bottlenecks like bad roads and thick traffic?

And is 6 hours doable from Ooty to Kochi?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thanks. This is my first trip to those parts, so on the route you've given, where should I expect bottlenecks like bad roads and thick traffic?

And is 6 hours doable from Ooty to Kochi?

The reigion around Walayar check post and around Kuthiran are bad sections.
But I think 6 hours would be a bit less (for a distance of 300km). Because you would spend considerable time drive till CBE due to ghat sections.
Its about 100km till L&T bypass. This should take about 3 hours max (due to traffic and ghat sections). Then comes the rest 200km to cover which
you can budget accordingly. That why I mentioned 6 hours may be a bit less.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ampere

The reigion around Walayar check post and around Kuthiran are bad sections.
But I think 6 hours would be a bit less (for a distance of 300km). Because you would spend considerable time drive till CBE due to ghat sections.
Its about 100km till L&T bypass. This should take about 3 hours max (due to traffic and ghat sections). Then comes the rest 200km to cover which
you can budget accordingly. That why I mentioned 6 hours may be a bit less.

Ok got you. I guess it will be safe to assume 8 hours then. In that case, won't the route via Gudalur and Nilambur take the same time? And is that not more scenic?

Does anyone know how heavy the rains are in that route?

[lloydofcochin]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Ok got you. I guess it will be safe to assume 8 hours then. In that case, won't the route via Gudalur and Nilambur take the same time? And is that not more scenic?

Does anyone know how heavy the rains are in that route?

Ooty - Cochin via Coimbatore can be covered in around 6-7 hours I guess with breaks. The route via Gudalur would be more scenic esp if you drive down via the Kallatti ghats but then if you are driving during the day you would end up taking more time since the roads are narrow and they pass through a lot of small towns and the traffic will be pretty thick with hardly any opportunities for overtaking.

[Sunney]

I traveled from Cochin to Chennai and back last week. The brief summary on road condition is: Cochin to Trichur Mannuthi jn. is fast track. Early morning or late night you can cover in 40 minutes.
From Mannuthi till Walayar not good, but bearable. It was well-known phrase "If you want to know worst roads, enter Kerala through Walayar checkpost, the saga starts."

This time I found the opposite: Crossed Walayar to TN, started worst roads till L&T, the worst stretch in Cochin-Chennai. L&T also aging, with broken surface.
L&T through Avinashi is with lot of diversions, still bearable.

Once hit Chengappally, till outskirts of Chennai you are again on fast-track.
(It took only 10.15 hrs)