[narayans80]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Destination is near Central Bus stand

For a Central bus stand destination, stick to Namakkal, Musiri route all the way to Number 1 tollgate. You can take the bypass all the way till TVS tollgate (same place you exit for Dindigul, Grand Gardenia). Hopefully Aristo junction is fixed now.
--
Karur road takes you near Chatram, and I expect Google Maps to throw up a spoon and let you drive through the city, which isn't an exciting prospect

[arun_josie]

Thanks everyone for your inputs.

I took the Karur route as I had some time constraint. This route was excellent all through. The challenge was from Chathiram bus stand to Central bus stand, google took me via some narrow roads, thankfully the traffic was less.

I was targeting 5-6 hours but it took me only 4 hours and 15 minutes to reach the city limit (Non stop), thanks to less traffic and empty tolls. Another 20-25 minutes to reach Central bus stand.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Karur road takes you near Chatram, and I expect Google Maps to throw up a spoon and let you drive through the city, which isn't an exciting prospect

Yes, via Musiri will help to cross the city via the bypass.

Next time will try the Musiri route.

[nfsfreak]

Hello Friends,

Recently did Trichy-Bangalore (Route: Nochiyam-Pagalavadi-Kannanur-Senthamangalam-Budhan Santhai-Namakkal-Salem)

Avoided Kulithalai-Trichy stretch, as I heard road expansion work is going on and is very slow.

Started from Trichy at 9 AM and reached Bangalore (Kasavanahalli) by 4 PM on a Sunday with 1 hour lunch break at Hosur A2B (near Chennai Silks).

Road Conditions

• Connecting road between Pagalvadi and Kannanur is re-laid recently and is in excellent condition.
• Mannachanallur bypass works are in progress and will be completed soon, within a month or so. With that, we shall avoid the small town completely.
• Kannanur-Senthamangalam - its bumpy and bad is some places, but totally manageable.
• I took me 2 hrs to reach Budhan Santhai from Trichy with leisured driving (aka 80 kmph mostly) as the traffic is minimal.

Observations - (my first regular trip in this stretch post lockdown)

• Most of the highway hotels are operational - checked my usual ones - Soolagiri A2B, Thoppur A2B/Sai Sangeeth, Rasipuram A2B.
• Bus traffic is very minimal but two wheelers and four wheelers are unusually high, which is understandable. Trucks - usual numbers.
• No checks while crossing KA border from TN at Attibele (Zuzuvadi checkpost), but observed that on the other side, TN Police was checking for e-Passes after Attibele to enter TN but just in that one place. No checks anywhere in TN after crossing the border.
• Bangalore traffic is very high (like pre-covid era) and had to wait almost 15 mins to take right at Parppana Agrahara signal.

[temala]

Hi
I have a travel plan next week to Trichy.

In this covid situation, major issue in long drive has been rest rooms for my mom and wife.

Any suggestions for good and quality restaurants or stop by places in this route.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by temala

Hi
I have a travel plan next week to Trichy.

In this covid situation, major issue in long drive has been rest rooms for my mom and wife.

Any suggestions for good and quality restaurants or stop by places in this route.

Did a Trichy trip over the Diwali weekend.

A lot places are available depending on where you plan to stop. We had an early start so stopped only at the Namakkal A2B for breakfast/ restroom. Fairly clean. For a earlier stop there is Sree Saravana Bhavan just post Krishnagiri and Sai Sangeet in Thoppur. However not sure how good the restrooms are here.

On the way back we stopped at Salem Saravana Bhavan just before the Omalur toll for breakfast and restroom. Good part is this had outdoor seating so we could eat in the restaurant itself while in A2B we took parcel and ate in the car. Restrooms were decent too.

[temala]

Originally Posted by anandhsub

Did a Trichy trip over the Diwali weekend.

A lot places are available depending on where you plan to stop. We had an early start so stopped only at the Namakkal A2B for breakfast/ restroom. Fairly clean. For a earlier stop there is Sree Saravana Bhavan just post Krishnagiri and Sai Sangeet in Thoppur. However not sure how good the restrooms are here.

On the way back we stopped at Salem Saravana Bhavan just before the Omalur toll for breakfast and restroom. Good part is this had outdoor seating so we could eat in the restaurant itself while in A2B we took parcel and ate in the car. Restrooms were decent too.

Thanks Anand. I am bit relived now.

We are planning to pack our food but clean rest rooms were concern. I know A2B were crowded during pre covid era. Hope they are maintaining it properly now.

[gajadonga]

Quick update on the road conditions.

Traveled last weekend.

Banglore to Namakkal.
Four lane good conditions of the roads. Salem all flyovers open in the bypass and is a bliss to cross the town.

Namakkal to Thottiyam.

Namakkal town before you enter the flyover it has huge speed breaker as I traveled in the night could not spot it huge thud and landed back on the road. Thereafter good condition of the roads can maintain good speeds this was in the night.

Thottiyam to Musiri

Rough patches but manageable slow down at all the entry point of the small towns as speed breakers are in place.

Musiri to Trichy.

Very good conditions of the road.

To summarise totally no potholes throughout the stretch.Slow down at the entry and exit of the small towns due to speed breakers

On the way back I tried Trichy Musiri Kulithalai Karur as I wanted to avoid the road widening work between Kulithalai and Trichy. Roads are in good condition

[temala]

Originally Posted by gajadonga

Quick update on the road conditions.
On the way back I tried Trichy Musiri Kulithalai Karur as I wanted to avoid the road widening work between Kulithalai and Trichy. Roads are in good condition

Thanks for the update. How much time did it take from Bangalore to Trichy. Did you guys stop for food? Any suggestions for neat place for food?

[gajadonga]

As I was driving from Hyderabad just a refuel break at Macdonald in Shoolagiri and another 5 mins break for exchange of driving with my son at Namakkal. Neat washrooms at Macdonalds Shoolagiri.
Better to carry home food in the Covid times.

[ravib]

On Dec 27th, 2020, did my usual yearly trip to Pillayarpatti near Karaikudi.

Bangalore-Trichy-Pudukkottai-Pillayarpatti => All throughout roads are very good. No complaints.

For Bangalore trichy section, after namakkal, i took Thuraiyur road, as it was quite long since i took it last. Surprisingly even after heavy rains/monsoon, all throughout the roads are in excellent condition and are newly laid in many places. Overall, it was a very smooth drive from Bangalore to Trichy.
And as usual, was able to do Namakkal-Trichy 90 kms in 90 minutes. It was more peaceful with very less traffic. The good thing is that Kannanur-Pagalavadi section is widened now to a 2L road and it is no longer a single road. Though there will be hardly any vehicles in that section, now we don't have to get down to give way as it is much broader now.

Also, there is a new by-pass for Manachanallur which is ready to open. Since it was not open when i traveled, i had to get into the small town which had bad roads inside. It just takes 2 to 3 minutes to cross, so not a big problem. Next time, people can directly take the by-pass and avoid going inside the town.

-Ravi

[narayans80]

Took Trichy-Musiri. Road seems to be recently resurfaced and is in excellent condition.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Took Trichy-Musiri. Road seems to be recently resurfaced and is in excellent condition.

Good to know. With Cauvery in full flow, it must be a delight to see/drive along the banks.

-Ravi

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Took Trichy-Musiri. Road seems to be recently resurfaced and is in excellent condition.

Via the northern bank or via southern bank through kulithalai ?
Also, any idea of the road condition musiri-thottiyam-namakkal ?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

Via the northern bank or via southern bank through kulithalai ?

Sorry it wasn't clear. I meant the northern bank via Tollgate-Nochiyam-Gunaseelam as Ravi correctly guessed

This was a Madras-Trichy-Musiri drive, so no idea beyond Musiri towards Namakkal.

[gajadonga]

Always the roads from Namakkal to Thottiayam is in good condition.
Thottiayam to Musiri and toll gate is the issue. This road is very twisty and many blind corners. Overtaking will be difficult in case a local state transport bus or lorry is ahead of you especially after Thottiayam to toll gate.