[akshays]

Hi, I plan to travel to Tanjore and thereafter to Sikkal from Bangalore next Sat morning and plan on returning on Sunday. What might be the best route. My preference would be toll roads and not too concerned about extended distance if any. Also, what might be the duration of drive

[ampere]

Originally Posted by akshays

Hi, I plan to travel to Tanjore and thereafter to Sikkal from Bangalore next Sat morning and plan on returning on Sunday. What might be the best route. My preference would be toll roads and not too concerned about extended distance if any. Also, what might be the duration of drive

Bangalore-Namakkal-Trichy-Tanjore-Nidamanagalam-Sikkal

Now for Namakkal- Trichy: I would prefer Kannanur-Thuraiyur-Trichy option.
If you want tolled roads, then you should do: Namakkal-Karur-Trichy.

[venkyhere]

Originally Posted by ampere

Now for Namakkal- Trichy: I would prefer Kannanur-Thuraiyur-Trichy option.

How bad is namakkal-thottiyam-musiri-gunaseelam- No.1 tollgate.jn (trichy) ?
I had done this couple of times last year, but there were lots of potholes around gunaseelam, and a few ones spread all along the route. Has this deteriorated a lot ?

Planning to travel shortly, never done the kannanur-thuraiyur route. If the surface is far superior, will take it.

[sunsetorange]

Originally Posted by venkyhere

How bad is namakkal-thottiyam-musiri-gunaseelam- No.1 tollgate.jn (trichy) ?

I did this last month on my Trichy- salem - trichy round trip. The road has been recently relaid and is in excellent condition for the most part, barring a smattering of speed breakers.
It is narrow and full of curves as before and it is safe to be very alert.

[akshays]

Thanks @ampere. Just did a 1,100km Blr-Trichy-Thanjavur-Sikkal-Thanjavur-Trichy-Blr . Left on Sat morning and returned on Sun night. While the Namakkal-Trichy stretch single lane wasn't too bad, however I would definitely have preferred taking the toll road like you suggested. But yeah including a 45min tea break at the Radisson in Salem, multiple bio breaks and complete slow driving right from Salem to my place in Basavangudi, it took me 7hrs. Left Thanjavur at 1.30pm and was home at 8.30pm. Not too bad eh!

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by ampere

Now for Namakkal- Trichy: I would prefer Kannanur-Thuraiyur-Trichy option.
If you want tolled roads, then you should do: Namakkal-Karur-Trichy.

Originally Posted by venkyhere

How bad is namakkal-thottiyam-musiri-gunaseelam- No.1 tollgate.jn (trichy) ?
....
Planning to travel shortly, never done the kannanur-thuraiyur route. If the surface is far superior, will take it.

Have done regularly these routes (namakkal-kulithalai-trichy/namakkal-kannanur-trichy).

While kannanur route is traffic free, there are two bad stretches in between - a bridge construction diversion between puthan santhai and alanganatham jn (~ 1 km), and road that connects kannanur-pagalvadi (~ 6 kms).

The regular route that I use is good throughout (namakkal-kulithalai-trichy) but it gets narrowed down towards trichy for last 10 kms with some curves.
If you travel by day time and comfortable with 2 lane roads, you can take this and it is fast enough. Normally takes 1.5 hours to complete namakkal-kulithalai-trichy with sedate driving.

If you want to take toll roads throughout, namakkal-karur-trichy is the option but again, for the last 10 kms roads are narrow and if you are stuck behind slow moving traffic, overtaking could be a challenge depending on traffic. I dont find any difference in timing taking this route than the above. just that, you'll pay more tolls and you get wider roads for most of the stretch.

Namakkal-musiri-gunaseelam-trichy is also good throughout (roads are patched), but musiri-trichy stretch is full of curves, and could be slower than Kulithalai route.

[csateesh]

Quick update from my end

Trichy -> Bangalore

This time decided to use the Trichy -> Gunaseelam -> Namakkal Route instead of the other option that is using NH81 where you turn right to reach Musiri

This decision was driven by an early departure (5:30am) from Trichy. The NH81 entry from Trichy is crowded and is pot hole filled

And if you keep speeds to around 60 to avoid the pot holes in a few stretches you will do Trichy -> Namakkal in around 80 to 90mins.

A2B at Rasipurtam was the Breakfast point this time instead of A2B Namakkal

Cheers

[srvm]

Originally Posted by ampere

Bangalore-Namakkal-Trichy-Tanjore-Nidamanagalam-Sikkal

Now for Namakkal- Trichy: I would prefer Kannanur-Thuraiyur-Trichy option.
If you want tolled roads, then you should do: Namakkal-Karur-Trichy.

Thanks ampere for this route suggestion

I did the three Ranganathaswamy temples darsan in a single day recently. Your suggestion for Kannanur/Thuraiyur route between Namakkal-Srirangam helped me greatly. While returning, I took the Gunaseelam-Musiri-Thottiyam route. My first time on both routes. I have shared details here (Best route to visit Srirangapatna, Sivanasamudra & Srirangam (trichy)).

One thing, I observed on the 6km stretch between Kannanur-Pagalavadi (bypassing Thuraiyur): the carriageway in Kannanur-Pagalavadi direction is ok/good (just about for one car width). The other half in the opposite direction is quite bad and bumpy.

[csateesh]

Quick Update on BLR -> Trichy (29/Jan/20)

Departed from Malleshwaram and the route taken (Time taken 6hr 30min excluding 2 breaks)

Malleshwaram -> NICE Link Road -> Hosur Road -> Attibelle -> Salem -> Namakkal -> Musri -> Thottiyam -> Trichy

This
was via Gunaseelam - I realized this was a big mistake especially after dusk. The pot holed filled road impacted my drive a lot

Return was via Toll Road

Trichy -> Kulithalai -> Thottiyam -> Namakkal -> Salem -> Bangalore
(Time Taken 6hr 30min excluding 2 breaks)

The good thing for return journey was an early departure (6am) which helped me reach BLR just in time for lunch

Attibelle was a non issue both ways.

FastTag worked like a charm through and through. No hiccups

[arun_josie]

Which is the best route to Trichy? Destination is near Central Bus stand, Trichy. So, is it preferred via Karur or should I take the exit from Namakkal?
Google Map says, via Karur is quicker.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Which is the best route to Trichy? Destination is near Central Bus stand, Trichy. So, is it preferred via Karur or should I take the exit from Namakkal?
Google Map says, via Karur is quicker.

Time wise almost similar. But Karur is longer and is a tolled road. Karur-Trichy is however wide 2-laned toll road.

Anyday easier to drive than Namakkal-Musiri (or Thuraiyur)-Trichy.


But sometimes if you want to enjoy the 2-lane interior roads of TN, then I would recommend the Thuraiyur option.

If its just plain dash to Trichy, go with Karur option. Karur option also leads you to bus stand, while Thiraiyur will take you to northern point (toll gate)

[NPV]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Which is the best route to Trichy? Destination is near Central Bus stand, Trichy. So, is it preferred via Karur or should I take the exit from Namakkal?
Google Map says, via Karur is quicker.

Karur should be fine, you get tolled NH section for most of the drive, then it narrows down as you get closer to city. As far as I know, the NH takes you right in front of the central (Chatram) bus stand.

[anandhsub]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Which is the best route to Trichy? Destination is near Central Bus stand, Trichy. So, is it preferred via Karur or should I take the exit from Namakkal?
Google Map says, via Karur is quicker.

In case you are doing in day hours it is better to stick to the Namakkal route. Although a 2 laned road the drive is generally very peaceful. Karur is too much of a roundabout. At Musiri you can take the bridge over Kaveri to join the Karur-Trichy highway which takes you directly to the bus stand.

At night it might be better to take the Karur road given the longer tolled stretch.

[sunsetorange]

Originally Posted by NPV

As far as I know, the NH takes you right in front of the central (Chatram) bus stand.

Chathiram isn't the central bus stand! That comes in Cantonment.

[csateesh]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

Which is the best route to Trichy? Destination is near Central Bus stand, Trichy. So, is it preferred via Karur or should I take the exit from Namakkal?
Google Map says, via Karur is quicker.

Wouldn't recommend Karur route. I would prefer Namakkal - Musri - Kulithalai - Trichy.

In this route there is short stretch where the roads could slow you down but in general it is the best and the fastest