[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by recker_us

... On the return, i plan to leave Ooty in the evening. Someone told that some gate is closed after 8PM and people are not allowed to proceed.

I assume you are going towards Bangalore?. If so, leave Ooty by 6 PM, via kallatti. There should be no problem.

[wildon]

Guys which is the best route to Ooty from Bangalore considering present road conditions ? Planing to do this trip on Linea this time.


Starting from ORR, Ramamurthy Nagar Under pass.

Google throws up 3 different routes in which 2 touching Mysore, one through Gundlupet-Chamaraja nagara.

[nfsfreak]

I assume you leave Bangalore early morning - as route to Ooty from Bandipur is closed after 8 PM.

Last week visited Himmadvad Gopalswamy temple from Bangalore (via Mysore, Nanjangud, Gundlupet).

Road is good through out.

Bangalore - Mysore --> most of the unmarked speed breakers are removed, I believe or atleast marked. So watch out for the speed breaker signs, and you should be good.

Mysore-Nanjangud-Gundlupet-Bandipur --> good 2L roads. No bad patches.

Bandipur - Ooty (via Gudalur --Longest route) was OK when I did few months back. Occassional bad patches but driveable overall.
If any changes in recent, someone update.

Bandipur - Ooty (via Masinagudi --36 hairpin bends) is good, just that its steep. would suggest you to take this route if you are comfortable.

PS:
Don't take the Mysore Bypass (via Infy campus/K.R.S) to Nanjangud. Better drive through city.
Last week, I tried that from Nanjangud-Bangalore (around 1 PM), but regretted the decision as in many stretches still 4 laning work is going on. Driving through Mysore could have been much easier and quicker.

[ethanhunt123]

Planning to head to Coonoor from Bangalore on the Aug 15 weekend. Google Maps throws up three interesting routes

1. Blr-Mysore-Gundulpet-Ooty-Coonoor
2. Blr-Krishnagiri-Thoppur-Mettur-Sathyamangalam-Mettupalayam-Coonoor
3. Blr-Krishnagiri-Salem-Bhavani-Avinashi-Mettupalayam-Coonoor

I am tending towards option 3 because have been on route 1 a lot of times till Ooty while route 3 promises the 4-laned GQ till Salem.

Any suggestions ?

[pramodpk]

Route 1 is shortest and fastest

[kala]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

Planning to head to Coonoor from Bangalore on the Aug 15 weekend. Google Maps throws up three interesting routes

1. Blr-Mysore-Gundulpet-Ooty-Coonoor
2. Blr-Krishnagiri-Thoppur-Mettur-Sathyamangalam-Mettupalayam-Coonoor
3. Blr-Krishnagiri-Salem-Bhavani-Avinashi-Mettupalayam-Coonoor

I am tending towards option 3 because have been on route 1 a lot of times till Ooty while route 3 promises the 4-laned GQ till Salem.

Any suggestions ?

Try Bangalore-Kanakapura-Kollegal-Chamarajnagar-Gundlupet-Ooty. Only slightly longer than your first option (May be 5-10 kms more), but good road surface and sparse traffic on NH209 allows you to enjoy a very relaxed drive.

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

I assume you leave Bangalore early morning - as route to Ooty from Bandipur is closed after 8 PM.

Last week visited Himmadvad Gopalswamy temple from Bangalore (via Mysore, Nanjangud, Gundlupet).

Road is good through out.

Bandipur - Ooty (via Masinagudi --36 hairpin bends) is good, just that its steep. would suggest you to take this route if you are comfortable.

Don't take the Mysore Bypass (via Infy campus/K.R.S) to Nanjangud. Better drive through city.

The roads are good through out. I agree. Go through the city. It is better that way. Suggest drive via ghats while going and come via Gudalur while coming to enjoy nice sights.

If you are travelling to bangalore on sunday evening from Ooty, avoid bangalore - Mysore road and instead come via Gundlupet - Chamarajanagar - Kollegala - Malavalli - Kanakapura - bangalore on NH 209 for peaceful drive.

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

Planning to head to Coonoor from Bangalore on the Aug 15 weekend. Google Maps throws up three interesting routes

1. Blr-Mysore-Gundulpet-Ooty-Coonoor
2. Blr-Krishnagiri-Thoppur-Mettur-Sathyamangalam-Mettupalayam-Coonoor
3. Blr-Krishnagiri-Salem-Bhavani-Avinashi-Mettupalayam-Coonoor

I am tending towards option 3 because have been on route 1 a lot of times till Ooty while route 3 promises the 4-laned GQ till Salem.

Any suggestions ?

Dont do any of the route but go via NH 209 via Kanakapura - Malavalli - Kollegala - Chamarajanagar - Sathyamangalam - Mettupalyam and Coonoor. The roads are very good with hardly any traffic and Sathyamangalam ghats will be beautiful at this point of time with some water falls as bonus.

[ethanhunt123]

I am wary of Kanakapura road as i have had pretty bad experiences on that road atleast a year back due to horrible road conditions. Is the road well maintained now ?

[ravib]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

PS:
Don't take the Mysore Bypass (via Infy campus/K.R.S) to Nanjangud. Better drive through city.
Last week, I tried that from Nanjangud-Bangalore (around 1 PM), but regretted the decision as in many stretches still 4 laning work is going on. Driving through Mysore could have been much easier and quicker.

The roads are good through out. I agree. Go through the city. It is better that way.

In case, if you are taking B'lore-Mysore highway to reach Gundlupet & ooty....

I slightly disagree to go through the mysore city traffic although they are valid options. Unless you are familiar with the one way roads inside the city, you can better avoid it.

Here is an alternate option. After you cross SriRangapatna and continuing in SH17, you will hit first major signal at the beginning of mysore city. You will be see Columbia Asia hospital in diagonally opposite side. This major signal is the Ring Road junction signal in which you will see a Sign board showing right arrow for "Ooty". Don't take that right which will lead you towards Infy campus/KRS side and will be messy as nfsfreak stated.

Instead, take left and continue in the Ring Road and you can hit the Gundlupet road via Lalith Mahal Palace Road->Race Course Road. See this link in google maps.

I always take this route, which has very less traffic and also only one (or) two signals to pass through which are not major/time consuming ones.

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India to Gundlupet, Karnataka, India - Google Maps

Note: For some reason, google maps is not showing a straight line route after Srirangapatna-Sidaalingapura village till Columbia asia hospital/Ring Road junction, but takes a slight deviation towards Mahavir Jain Temple and Infant Jesus church.

I guess you won't have to take that deviation and hit the ring road junction signal straight, unless something has changed recently. People who travel regularly can confirm, if that deviation is a must. Even in case, if you have to take the deviation, the moment you hit Ring Road, take left instead of right.

-Ravi

[nfsfreak]

Originally Posted by ravib

Instead, take left and continue in the Ring Road and you can hit the Gundlupet road via Lalith Mahal Palace Road->Race Course Road

Oh I dint know this. Thanks. Would try this next time.
Hope we can use this road while on return as well (twds B'lore from Gundlupet)?

[ravib]

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

Oh I dint know this. Thanks. Would try this next time.
Hope we can use this road while on return as well (twds B'lore from Gundlupet)?

Yep, you can use that very well on return journey too. No mess with Mysore city traffic. And thats what i do always Also, taking left in Columbia Asia hospital junction signal is in line with the direction towards Nanjangud/Gundlupet instead of taking right towards KRS which is in opposite direction and then joining back in Gundlupet road.

But you got to be careful in Ring Road if you are driving in dark, because sometimes few stupid truck drivers, drive in wrong side of the road, so a word of caution.

Another note: After taking left from SH17 towards Ring Road, the Ring road ends/joins in SH33, which is the road that comes from Malavalli/Bannur towards Mysore. So the moment you cross the two signals, you will see

1) Lalitha Mahal Palace on your left
2) Police Quarters on your left
3) Mysore Zoo compound wall on your right
4) Race Course on your left

-Ravi

[kala]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

I am wary of Kanakapura road as i have had pretty bad experiences on that road atleast a year back due to horrible road conditions. Is the road well maintained now ?

I've been taking this route regularly since last August/September. Initially (late last year) there was a 1-2 km stretch within Kanakapura town where you had to deviate through some narrow roads since the main highway was being relaid - but now it is complete, so you have a smooth passage through Kanakapura town too.

The worst stretch you'd face on Kanakapura road will be the one between Banashankari temple and Khoday's factory because of ongoing Metro work. But if you're joining Kanakapura road from NICE road (or starting from where I am - beyond the metro construction stretch ), Kanakapura road is a breeze now.

[ethanhunt123]

Still a 2 lane road right ?

[Fauji]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

I am wary of Kanakapura road as i have had pretty bad experiences on that road atleast a year back due to horrible road conditions. Is the road well maintained now ?

It is excellent. Look at Kala's response above.

Originally Posted by ravib

Instead, take left and continue in the Ring Road and you can hit the Gundlupet road via Lalith Mahal Palace Road->Race Course Road. See this link in google maps.

-Ravi

When i mentioned about going through city, i meant this road. Sorry for confusion. At any cost, avoid ring road.

Originally Posted by ravib

Another note: After taking left from SH17 towards Ring Road, the Ring road ends/joins in SH33, which is the road that comes from Malavalli/Bannur towards Mysore.
-Ravi

The road between Mysore - Bannur is patchy at some places but definitely doable.

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

Still a 2 lane road right ?

Yes. But well laid and nice drive. Hardly any traffic. Plus you have abonus of seeing twin falls of Gaganachukki and Barchukki at Shivanasamudra.

If you have time and bit adventurous, after Gundlupet, hit Chamarajanagar and the go via BR Hills and join Kollegala on NH 209 and drive back to Bangalore via Kanakapura. The road goes through forests of BR Hills wild life sanctuary for long distance and if lucky you can spot some wild animals. The road condition was decent. The road through forest is closed between 6PM to 6AM
Google Maps

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ravib

But you got to be careful in Ring Road if you are driving in dark, because sometimes few stupid truck drivers, drive in wrong side of the road, so a word of caution.

Originally Posted by nfsfreak

Oh I dint know this. Thanks. Would try this next time.
Hope we can use this road while on return as well (twds B'lore from Gundlupet)?

Its not that bad going through the city. Sign boards are available and they will easily guide you through the city and in early morning hours, its easy to go through.

The main problem is while returning during evening hours when traffic is high. Its at that time, ORR is more preferred. Also while coming from Nanjangud, the route directions to Bangalore, directly will lead you through ORR automatically.

Also to add to Ravi comment on rash driving, please note that on the ORR leading to Columbia Asia Hospital from Lalit Mahal, there is a bus depot in between. Those folks drive in the wrong direction and are very-very rash. Hence please be careful to spot them as you would be driving fast on the ORR and suddenly you will notice a bus cutting in from the wrong direction.