[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

I am driving to Kerala (near Aluva) this Saturday. The plan is to start at 4AM in the morning.
Hearing all the horror stories of palakkad-trichur road, and the uncertainty at Walayar, I am seriously thinking of taking the Mysore-Nilambur route.

This is the route that I am planning: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=H...z=10&via=1&z=9
Has anyone taken this route? How good are the roads and what about the traffic?
What would be a realistic drive time, if we start at 4AM from Bangalore?

Stick on to regular route, or try Chamarajnagar 209 for a pleasant drive. Traffic on Nilambur route may be very high, time consuming and crowded during day time.

[jingaboysr]

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Also note: I heard, ever since Chamravattom bridge was opened, traffic has increased in leaps and bounds on NH17 (NH66) Chavakkad to N. Paravur. So would not be a bad idea going on to trichur mannuthy bye pass directly from Perinthalmanna via shornur, hitting the 4 lane highway till Aluva and then deviate towards N. Paravur. May be some regulars on the route could throw light on this.

Thanks for the info. I did not know about the chamaravattom bridge, will ask around if I am taking that route.

Originally Posted by binaiks

While the traffic has increased, there isn't much effect on the route. Considering the fact that the destination is North Paravur, I think it would be better to continue through Kunnamkulam-Chavakkad-Kodungallur-Kottapuram-N.Paravur itself. Going via Thrissur bypass would mean paying that Toll, and then driving under the constant fear of getting speeding tickets!

You are right. The alwaye route is considerably longer too. Another option would be Shornur- thrissur town -kodungallur - Paravur

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Stick on to regular route, or try Chamarajnagar 209 for a pleasant drive. Traffic on Nilambur route may be very high, time consuming and crowded during day time.

By regular route, do you mean salem-CBE route? We generally take that route and will be home by 1.pm if we start at 4am. Since this time we are going for a long vacation, it would be OK if we take an extra hour or so, provided the drive and travel is not tiring. You are right about the day time traffic in Kerala roads. Will the nilambur route be doable in ~10 hours?

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

By regular route, do you mean salem-CBE route? We generally take that route and will be home by 1.pm if we start at 4am. Since this time we are going for a long vacation, it would be OK if we take an extra hour or so, provided the drive and travel is not tiring. You are right about the day time traffic in Kerala roads. Will the nilambur route be doable in ~10 hours?

If you take the Salem - CBE route, you would be able to reach Alwaye by 2:30 - 3:00 PM considering the current road condition and traffic. I would urge you to try Nilambur route. It is shorter by atleast 50 KMS, you can avoid toll and is scenic. You will be able to do it in 11 hours.

Even if you take the regular route, you will face heavy traffic at Walayar - Palakkad - Shornur -Wadakkancherry - Thrissur.

[shalini_g]

Hi All,

Planning to drive down to Aranmula from BLR with family in the next few days. I am planning to to start at 4AM and route in mind is BLR-Salem-CBT-TCR-EKM-ALLPY-CNGR-Aranmula. Is there any other route which I can consider to reach early ? I am thinking of BLR-SALEM-Dindigal-Theni-Kumaliy-Ranni-Arnamula also. Which wll be the shortest in terms of time taken to reach the destination ?

Regards,
Gopi

[ak916]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

By regular route, do you mean salem-CBE route? We generally take that route and will be home by 1.pm if we start at 4am. Since this time we are going for a long vacation, it would be OK if we take an extra hour or so, provided the drive and travel is not tiring. You are right about the day time traffic in Kerala roads. Will the nilambur route be doable in ~10 hours?

I do Banaswadi-N Parur regularly. I dislike the mysore route due to the number of speed breakers and heavy traffic on weekends. Alternate to your route, you can try Kannakpura, Malavalli, Kollegal, Chamarajnagar, Gundlupet and then continue the rest of the journey on the same route as earlier. The roads are pretty good with very little traffic. It is a pleasant drive all the way but with almost zero food options.

My preferance nowdays is the BLR-Salem-perundurai-pollachi-kollengode-Vadakkencherry route. There is a way to skip Vadakkencherry-palakkad horror stretch of 20-30 kms mentioned in this thread a few pages back.

[Speed-Gladiator]

Originally Posted by ampere

Use this to bypass Dindigul-Theni:

Didnigul-Theni Alternative

Did anyone tried this route ? Ampere you ?. I would like to take this route tonight, as I am travelling from Bangalore to Tiruvalla. Didnigul-Theni- Kumily route was my Favorite route. Since I am travelling in the night, is it worth trying this route? and how bad is the Didnigul-Theni stretch?

[vasoo]

I am driving to Kottayam tomorrow early morning (about 4AM). Planning to take the Salem > Dindigul > Kodai Rd > Vathlagundu > Theni > Kumily route. Did anybody travel in this route recently? Anybody joining us in that direction?

Route link

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Speed-Gladiator

Did anyone tried this route ? Ampere you ?.

Originally Posted by vasoo

I am driving to Kottayam tomorrow early morning (about 4AM). Planning to take the Salem > Dindigul > Kodai Rd > Vathlagundu > Theni > Kumily route.
Did anybody travel in this route recently? Anybody joining us in that direction?

Route link

Refer this post:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2877477

Kodai road Batlagundu is quite well known. I am not sure of Vathlagundu - Andipatty.
Also I dont know how they are at night. (Esp because at night, I have no idea how to look/spot for exit points)

[jingaboysr]

Originally Posted by ak916

I do Banaswadi-N Parur regularly. I dislike the mysore route due to the number of speed breakers and heavy traffic on weekends. Alternate to your route, you can try Kannakpura, Malavalli, Kollegal, Chamarajnagar, Gundlupet and then continue the rest of the journey on the same route as earlier. The roads are pretty good with very little traffic. It is a pleasant drive all the way but with almost zero food options.

My preferance nowdays is the BLR-Salem-perundurai-pollachi-kollengode-Vadakkencherry route. There is a way to skip Vadakkencherry-palakkad horror stretch of 20-30 kms mentioned in this thread a few pages back.

Would traffic at Mysore road be a problem if I start by 4AM? If yes, I can try the Kanakpura Road, to get to Gundlupet. Bangalore-bandipur should be around 4-5 hours right?
If I decide to go via Mysore, should I go inside Mysore town?

[sajidclt]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

Would traffic at Mysore road be a problem if I start by 4AM? If yes, I can try the Kanakpura Road, to get to Gundlupet. Bangalore-bandipur should be around 4-5 hours right?
If I decide to go via Mysore, should I go inside Mysore town?

I would say that if you start before 5 AM, do go through Mysore Road - there isn't too much traffic around that time. It is after 6 AM that the traffic starts increasing (as you are going on a Saturday).

Going through Mysore town is the shortest and fastest way - there won't be much traffic at that time. The map link you have posted shows the route to be taken through Mysore town. The ring road is too long.

Bangalore (South Bangalore) to Gundlupet normally takes me 3 hours if I start around 5 AM - I think Aluva should be doable in around 10 hours by this route.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

Would traffic at Mysore road be a problem if I start by 4AM? If yes, I can try the Kanakpura Road, to get to Gundlupet. Bangalore-bandipur should be around 4-5 hours right?
If I decide to go via Mysore, should I go inside Mysore town?

I normally start at 4-4:15 when I drive to Calicut. Traffic will not be an issue if you start at 4. One thing I have noticed is that there is a shift starting around 5am at the Toyota Plant in Bidadi (around 15km from the NICE road jn) so you may encounter a lot of buses till there.

My Usual timing when I start at 4am from Belandur are Mysore: 6:30- Gundlepet- 7:15. I stop at the CCD there for a break (4km before Gundlepet town). Gundlepet-Gudalur should be around 1 hr and Gudalur-Nilambur around 1.5 hrs (not very sure on this)

It is best to go through Mysore town. At 6-6:30 it probably takes 15 min. Below are the directions to cross Mysore which has worked best for me:

1. Go straight Columbia Asia Hospital (which is the point of Intersection of the Mysore Ring Road and the Highway). The boards will indicate Calicut tot he left. No need to go left.
2. Keep going straight. You will pass a few junctions and circles. Keep going straight, in case of circles with Y kind of junctions, take the left fork (which is generally the straight one).
3. Ultimately you will end up at a T Jn in front of a big gate. Take a right from there and then the next left. This is the KSRTC Bus stand Road

(Alternate to step 2 and 3 just follow any KSRTC bus after u cross columbia asia)
4. Go past the KSRTC stand, the road curves left after that take a right.

5. Go straight, you will reach a big circle, keep going straight and at the next circle you can see the board indicating Gundlepet/Ooty to the left.

[svkndv]

I am planning to travel trissur via regular
bangalore>salem>CBTR>Palakkad>Trissur route on tomorrow morning.

If anyone travelled this route in last week or recently please update how bad the condition is .
Is it not at all drivable or in a reduced speed 30-60 should I be able to drive through from coimbatore to trissur?

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

Would traffic at Mysore road be a problem if I start by 4AM? If yes, I can try the Kanakpura Road, to get to Gundlupet. Bangalore-bandipur should be around 4-5 hours right?
If I decide to go via Mysore, should I go inside Mysore town?

Traffic would be sparse at that time of the day on Bangalore-Mysore road. But you still have to be watchful of the many speed breakers! 4-5 hours would be easy.
You may byepass Mysore road by taking a left at Columbia Asia hospital junction (around 11km after Srirangapatna), proceeding via Bannur road cross, Lalith Mahal palace and join on Nanjangud/ooty road. But if you reach Mysore by around 7AM, it would be better to go through the city. There are clear signages, keep looking for Ooty road.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by jingaboysr

Would traffic at Mysore road be a problem if I start by 4AM? If yes, I can try the Kanakpura Road, to get to Gundlupet. Bangalore-bandipur should be around 4-5 hours right?
If I decide to go via Mysore, should I go inside Mysore town?

Going via Mysore city is shorter and would be faster. It is not tough to find directions. If you start at 4:00 AM, you would reach Nilambur at 11:00 AM. From there, it would take around 4 hours. Hence it will be a 11 hour drive. Don't expect an average speed above 40 KM/H from Gundlupet till the destination.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by svkndv

I am planning to travel trissur via regular
bangalore>salem>CBTR>Palakkad>Trissur route on tomorrow morning.

If anyone travelled this route in last week or recently please update how bad the condition is .
Is it not at all drivable or in a reduced speed 30-60 should I be able to drive through from coimbatore to trissur?

Any specific reason that you want to drive via NH47 between Palakkad and Thrissur?If no,then I would suggest you go via Ottapalam-Shoranur.