[Fauji]

Just came back from South Tamilnadu trip to Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Velankanni etc. The route taken

Onward :- Bangalore - Salem - Attur - Vridhachalam - Chidambaram - Karaikal - Velankanni - Thanjavur. Roads throughout is superb except for 15 KMs between Veppur and Vridhachalam which is bumpy and uneven though not many potholes.

Return:- Thanjavur - Kumbakonam - Jayakondam - Vridhachalam - Attur - Salem - Bangalore. Excellent roads throughout except for Veppur stretch.

The biggest question for anyone travelling beyond Hosur is how to avoid the mess in Hosur. With so many flyovers under construction it is absolute chaos while going as well as coming. We wasted 45 mins in jam/slow moving traffic in Hosur while coming back. Found a nice restaurant near Metttupatti - between Salem and Attur - opposite Sri Ganesh college of Engineering. It is called "Coffee Spot". We had excellent Onion uthappam and fantastic filter coffee. It is clean and nice. The loos are also clean.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Fauji

The biggest question for anyone travelling beyond Hosur is how to avoid the mess in Hosur. With so many flyovers under construction it is absolute chaos while going as well as coming. We wasted 45 mins in jam/slow moving traffic in Hosur while coming back.

- Dont take the flyover before the Attibele toll
- Go below the flyover, take the Anekal road
- Within a km it forks. Right goes to Anekal. Left goes to Hosur behind the TVS factory
- Keep going on that road. It would cut Hosur-Denkanikottai SH and reach Rayakottai via Kelamangalam
- At Rayakottai, take the Old Dharamapuri SH (via Palacode) join the NH7 at Dharmapur bypass.

Here is the route link :
Route Link

Roads may be a bit broken around Kelamangalam. But I think with your Scorp, its definitely worth it.


PS : Dont see you around lately ?

[vinjosep]

Hi,

What would be best route from Bangalore to Velankanni as of today? Approximate travel time with pit-stops would be helpful.

We will be using a hatchback, will be travelling as a family with small kids. Hence would appreciate input towards pit-stops as well (clean, good food, relatively inexpensive - in that order ). As an initial draft plan, we would like to start early from Bangalore - say 5AM. A similar start time for the return journey as well.

Alternatively are there any better options? like a train? Bus is not preferred owing to motion-sickness.

Thanks in advance.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Alternatively are there any better alternatives? like a train? Bus is not preferred owing to motion-sickness.

Train : Mysore-Mayiladthurai express

Road :

Bangaolore-Salem-Thuraiyur-Tirchy-Tanjore-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi-Nagapattam

or

Bangaolore-Salem-Vazhapadi-Vridhachalam-Chidambaram-Sirkazhi-Nagapattnam

[vinjosep]

Originally Posted by ampere

Train : Mysore-Mayiladthurai express

Road :

Bangaolore-Salem-Thuraiyur-Tirchy-Tanjore-MannargudiThiruthuraipoondi-Nagapattam

or

Bangaolore-Salem-Vazhapadi-Vridhachalam-Chidambaram-Sirkazhi-Nagapattnam

Thank you, that was fast!

The train is almost out considering that we will have to negotiate the remaining distance via bus.

The 2 routes you have mentioned, which one would be better in terms of the road? A slight difference in the distance is also ok provided the ride comfort is better.

Also please advise on good pit-stops along the route as well as tentative travel time (without considering stops along the way)

Once again, thank you.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Thank you, that was fast!

The train is almost out considering that we will have to negotiate the remaining distance via bus.

The 2 routes you have mentioned, which one would be better in terms of the road? A slight difference in the distance is also ok provided the ride comfort is better.

Also please advise on good pit-stops along the route as well as tentative travel time (without considering stops along the way)

Once again, thank you.

Both are equally good with some bad bits.

- The one via Vridhachalam : Good roads all the way but encounter traffic for the last stretch from Chidambaram
- The one via Tricy is low on traffic, good roads but a bit of rough stretches beyond Tanjore.

Both are equally good. Which one I would take? Tanjore option. May be because of lower traffic. Trichy/Tanjore can be bypassed too.

Pit stops :

- BF : For splurging : Park Plaza/ Grand Estacia at Salem
- A2B/Raja Bhojanam at Dharmapuri.
- If you start by 5, you should be at Trichy by 11. For you would have crossed Tanjore by 12 itself. Dont know of any good place beyond that.


If you chose the option via Vazhapadi/Vridhachalam, there is an A2B at Ulundurpet. But again that is also untimely for you would be crossing that 11/12.

[fordday]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Hi,

What would be best route from Bangalore to Velankanni as of today? Approximate travel time with pit-stops would be helpful.

We will be using a hatchback, will be travelling as a family with small kids. Hence would appreciate input towards pit-stops as well (clean, good food, relatively inexpensive - in that order ). As an initial draft plan, we would like to start early from Bangalore - say 5AM. A similar start time for the return journey as well.

Alternatively are there any better options? like a train? Bus is not preferred owing to motion-sickness.

Thanks in advance.

I did the Bangalore Nagore trip on Sept 7-9 last. Nagore is some 20km further from Velankanni. You can see the updates a couple of posts back in this thread.

With a kid and female members and me being only driver, I decided to take it slow and steady. I took the bangalore -salem -namakkal -thuraiyur -trichy -thanjavur. Stayed at thanjavur at hotel PLA Residency, located 100 metres from the railway stn. Next day morning took the mannnargudi -thiruthuraipoondi -nagapattinam -nagore route. It took 2.5 hours. Came back to thanjavur and stayed the night, next morning started for bangalore. Nothing was rushed and everything went hassle free.

What I would suggest is, do a similar one. Drive to thanjavur, stay there and based on your comfortableness, drive next day or take the train to Velankanni which takes three hours.

fordday.

[vinjosep]

Originally Posted by fordday

I did the Bangalore Nagore trip on Sept 7-9 last. Nagore is some 20km further from Velankanni. You can see the updates a couple of posts back in this thread.

With a kid and female members and me being only driver, I decided to take it slow and steady. I took the bangalore -salem -namakkal -thuraiyur -trichy -thanjavur. Stayed at thanjavur at hotel PLA Residency, located 100 metres from the railway stn. Next day morning took the mannnargudi -thiruthuraipoondi -nagapattinam -nagore route. It took 2.5 hours. Came back to thanjavur and stayed the night, next morning started for bangalore. Nothing was rushed and everything went hassle free.

What I would suggest is, do a similar one. Drive to thanjavur, stay there and based on your comfortableness, drive next day or take the train to Velankanni which takes three hours.

fordday.

Thanks Fordday. How much time did the journey from Bangalore to Thanjavur take? Also indicative room rates at Thanjavur please?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Thanks Fordday. How much time did the journey from Bangalore to Thanjavur take? Also indicative room rates at Thanjavur please?

Give it about 6 to 7 hours max. Its good roads all the way.

[fordday]

Originally Posted by vinjosep

Thanks Fordday. How much time did the journey from Bangalore to Thanjavur take? Also indicative room rates at Thanjavur please?

I drove on that extended weekend so had to face km long toll gate jams. Never drove more than 100kmph ever. Had breakfast at shoolagiri and lunch near trichy on a roadside hotel on the way. Overall it took me around 8 hours to thanjavur.

PLA Residency has its website, it costed me 2.1 k per night for a deluxe AC room including breakfast and taxes, comfortable for us three adults and a kid. Very clean hotel, includes a children play area as well. It has parking for 4-5 cars.

[coolclouds]

I am driving to Velankanni from Kochi this weekend and must go via Coimbatore.

I expect Coimbatore - Trichy standard route is in good shape but what are the options available between Trichy and Velankanni for a day travel?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

I am driving to Velankanni from Kochi this weekend and must go via Coimbatore.

I expect Coimbatore - Trichy standard route is in good shape but what are the options available between Trichy and Velankanni for a day travel?

Trichy-Tanjore bypass-Mannargudi-Thiruthuraipoondi-Velankanni
Thats the best possible option.

Route Link

[SBR]

Originally Posted by SBR

I will stick to Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Thuraiyur - Trichy - Tanjore - Thiruvarur - Nagapattinam. Guess this would be the safest way considering its just me & wifey with kid are traveling. Also, this route is good till Tanjore if I am not wrong.

Plan to start from Bangalore around 4:00 AM and reach Nagore by afternoon say around 3:00 PM or before.

Finally, its time to go to Nagore on the extended weekend beginning 1st Nov.

My Ride: Ritz VDi
Occupants: Me, Wifey, BIL & my 4 year old daughter
Start Time: 4:00 AM

Planned Route:

Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Thuraiyur - Trichy - Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Nagapattinam - Nagore.

From Thanjavur to Nagapattinam, is Thanjavur - Thiruvarur - Nagapattinam a better option? advise.

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by SBR

Finally, its time to go to Nagore on the extended weekend beginning 1st Nov.

My Ride: Ritz VDi
Occupants: Me, Wifey, BIL & my 4 year old daughter
Start Time: 4:00 AM

Planned Route:

Bangalore - Salem - Namakkal - Thuraiyur - Trichy - Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi - Nagapattinam - Nagore.

From Thanjavur to Nagapattinam, is Thanjavur - Thiruvarur - Nagapattinam a better option? advise.

Better, go via Thanjavur - Mannargudi - Thiruthuraipoondi as the roads are more scenic and straight. (There are bumpy ride here and there)

Thanjavur-Thiruvarur-Nagapattinam route also patched up but will not be comfortable for third row passengers, if any.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by SBR

From Thanjavur to Nagapattinam, is Thanjavur - Thiruvarur - Nagapattinam a better option? advise.

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Thanjavur-Thiruvarur-Nagapattinam route also patched up but will not be comfortable for third row passengers, if any.

When the patching up done? Last I heard was this stretch was to be rejected outright by anyone travelling to Velankanni from Tanjore.