[thomasmatthew]

I am planning to drive from TRivandrum to Chennai next weekend. I will be the only driver and since this is my first really long drive, i have a few queries.

This is what i could get from google maps Pappanamcode, Kerala to Tiruneermalai Main Rd - Google Maps . But I am pretty sure this is not completely accurate. I would really appreciate if any body has the customized map for this route.

I am planning to start early morning from Trivandrum, halt at Trichy for the night and resume early morning the next day. Here are the questions that i have:
- Assuming if i start from Trivandrum(Pappanamcode specifically which is outside the city) by around 7:30 AM ish, what would be average travel time till Trichy including the mandatory breaks?
- Is there a good recomendation for 'value for money' hotels that i can stay for the night in Trichy?
- Any recommendation for decent hotels for food breaks(veg or non veg) on the way?
- If i start from Trichy early morning (say 4am). How long will the commute to Chennai take on an average?
- Are there specific points in the route where a first timer can get lost or get confused?

The selection of Trichy as a halting point is considering the following factors:
- Cover as much as distance possible in the day without tiring myself
- Good hotels to stay for a couple
- Reaching Chennai by Morning to be at office

[hvkumar]

You can follow the link below, to get an idea of the route profile for Trivandrum-Madras.
Even though the route profile is old, route is same.

http://hvkumar.googlegroups.com/web/...hw4ZZRj3RjJ_-A

Let me elaborate the route:
Trivandrum-Pappanamcode-Neyyatinkara-Nagercoil-Tirunelveli-Virudhunagar-Madurai-Melur-Viralimaalai-Trichy-Permabalur-Villupuram-Chengalpattu-Madras.

You have no choice but to go through Nagercoil town.
From 18 kms beyond Nagercoil onwards, it is a wonderful 4-laned road till Madurai, with some small incomplete sections around Tirunelveli.
Tirunelveli is also bypassed as are all other cities/towns en route.
Madurai has a lovely bypass - although I have gone through the city.
Take the Viralimalai route to Trichy, not the Dindigul route, where some road widening work between Dindigula nd Trichy is causing some dislocation.
Trichy bypass is under repair.
From Trichy onwards, it is wonderful 4-laned road.

Lots of budget hotels near Trichy Jn railway station.

You can make it to Trichy by late evening if you leave before 7 am. Try to leave TVM by 6 am to beat the traffic in the congested TVM-Nagercoil corridor.

The only place where you can get lost/confused are:
Nagercoil town, but as you enter town, watch out for the road forking left with the signboard for Tirunelveli.
As you near Madurai, watch out for the right turn to the old bypass (marked for Rameswarm/Tuticorin/Trichy) instead of the new bypass which also heads for Trichy via Dindigul.

[thomasmatthew]

This is excellent info. Thanks a lot Kumar

[vishnurp99]

Hi,

I am planning to drive from tambaram to trivandrum sometime in the next couple of weeks.
I am planning to start early morning from chennai at 5.00 AM. Just me and my wife will be travelling and i will be driving the whole way. Which would be the best option for me?

From what i understand i have 2 options

The first one is.
Trivandrum-Nagercoil-Tirunelveli-Madurai-Viralimalai-Trichy-Villupuram-Madras

The second one is
Madurai-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-kulathupuzha-kollam-tvm.

If anybody has taken these routes recently can you please post experiences? Since monsoons have started has the condition of the roads deteriorated?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by vishnurp99

Hi,

I am planning to drive from tambaram to trivandrum sometime in the next couple of weeks.
I am planning to start early morning from chennai at 5.00 AM. Just me and my wife will be travelling and i will be driving the whole way. Which would be the best option for me?

From what i understand i have 2 options

The first one is.
Trivandrum-Nagercoil-Tirunelveli-Madurai-Viralimalai-Trichy-Villupuram-Madras

The second one is
Madurai-Rajapalayam-Tenkasi-kulathupuzha-kollam-tvm.

If anybody has taken these routes recently can you please post experiences? Since monsoons have started has the condition of the roads deteriorated?

It is best to stick to Route 1 because it is 4 lane almost all the way till Nagercoil. You can make good speeds, and reach TVM by evening. Route 2 is not advised because it is 2-laned from Madurai-Tirumangalam onwards and is hilly - with rains in Kerala, it will be also heavy rains in that route.

Nagercoil-TVM can be very congested till 9 pm.

[trammway]

I have traveled many times between Chennai and Trivandrum, I choose to go via. Tiruvannamalai and Coimbatore.

Tambaram -> Tindivanam -> Tiruvannamalai -> Uthankarai -> Salem -> Coimbatore -> Palakad -> Trichur -> Ernakulam/Kochi -> Thiruvananthapuram

or

Tambaram -> Tindivanam -> Vilupuram -> Salem -> Coimbatore -> Palakad -> Trichur -> Ernakulam/Kochi -> Thiruvananthapuram

No hassle in the road as it completely on the NH and only near to coimbatore from avinasi you need to sail slowly along with the traffic but that is only for 30mins or so.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by trammway

I have traveled many times between Chennai and Trivandrum, I choose to go via. Tiruvannamalai and Coimbatore.

With due respects, I think hvkumar's suggestion is the better one.

Only Nagercoil - Trivandrum would take time in this stretch, whereas in the route you suggested most of the roads in Kerala would be slow with congested traffic - Palakkad - Trichur, The Ernakulam byepass and Cherthala - Alleppey are particularly time taking strecthes.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

It is best to stick to Route 1 because it is 4 lane almost all the way till Nagercoil. You can make good speeds, and reach TVM by evening. Route 2 is not advised because it is 2-laned from Madurai-Tirumangalam onwards and is hilly - with rains in Kerala, it will be also heavy rains in that route.

Nagercoil-TVM can be very congested till 9 pm.

Is it adviceable/ possible to complete this (TVM- Chennai) in a day? I"ll be the only person driving!

[aargee]

Last weekend I travelled to Trivandrum by Volvo & they follow HVK Sir's route.
Start time : 5:45 PM at Koyambedu
End Time : 06:55 at Karama Junction

It wonderful route, still my Wife always dismisses (outright) the idea of driving from Chennai to Trivandrum. I'm very sure one can do this route by car in less than 12 hours due to the excellent road condition. If I were you, I would start sharp 4:00, reach Trichy for Breakfast, Madurai for Lunch & reach Trivandrum by evening. The roads are breeze only in TN, once you enter KL, the roads are just OK & you cannot enjoy the tension free highway & you've to concentrate more.

Is it adviceable/ possible to complete this (TVM- Chennai) in a day? I"ll be the only person driving

Very much possible, but I would say, depends on person to person. I did a solo night drive to Trivandrum during Oct 2007, (horrible mistake, but learnt a lot) without knowing the road conditions & without consulting anyone. Took about 750+ Kms one way & did it about 16-17 hours towards & 14 hours drive back including breaks. In todays road condition, I'm confident of doing in less than 13 hours with break.

[thomasmatthew]

Originally Posted by trrk

Hi,



With due respects, I think hvkumar's suggestion is the better one.

Only Nagercoil - Trivandrum would take time in this stretch, whereas in the route you suggested most of the roads in Kerala would be slow with congested traffic - Palakkad - Trichur, The Ernakulam byepass and Cherthala - Alleppey are particularly time taking strecthes.

I agree(though i havent driven on other routes). I did this route couple of months back. It was a joy to drive.. I started around 6:30 AM from Trivandrum and reached Tambaram around 9PM with sufficient breaks in between

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Is it adviceable/ possible to complete this (TVM- Chennai) in a day? I"ll be the only person driving!

Just as a benchmark, in conventional 2-laned roads, several years ago, I have done Trivandrum-Madras in 9 hours. So why should you not do it in one day given the super-fast 4-laned roads that you have today?

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Is it adviceable/ possible to complete this (TVM- Chennai) in a day? I"ll be the only person driving!

Thiruvananthapuram to Chennai measures 800 km. One can drive about 1000 km in a day. In March 2010, I did Pune to Bangalore [875 km] in 12.5 hours including breaks. However, there are two conditions to be met: the vehicle should be in good condition and adequate breaks should be taken en route.

[trrk]

Hi,

Originally Posted by aargee

If I were you, I would start sharp 4:00, reach Trichy for Breakfast, Madurai for Lunch & reach Trivandrum by evening.

On 21/04/2010, I travelled from Tirunelveli to Tiruchi (and onwards to Thanjavur).

The 144kms from Tirunelveli to Thirumangalam turn off was done in 1 hour and 46 minutes of running time. From there to the Tiruchi byepass turn off to Thanjavur was 154 kms and was done in 1 hour and 52 minutes.

A total distance of 298kms was covered in 3 hours and 38 minutes, thanks to the good roads. The speed never went beyond 100kms for 99% of the distance. I did go to 120kph for about 20 seconds to just see how the Manza feels!

So if you have breakfast at Tiruchi, even Tirunleveli is too early for lunch!

[batman]

Originally Posted by vishnurp99

Hi,

I am planning to drive from tambaram to trivandrum sometime in the next couple of weeks.
I am planning to start early morning from chennai at 5.00 AM. Just me and my wife will be travelling and i will be driving the whole way. Which would be the best option for me?

During this mid April I happened to drive to Tuticorin with my family via Madurai. We started at 5:30 in the morning from Kilpauk and reach Tuticorin at 2:30PM with 4 minor breaks. For your information, we could pass Madurai around 12:15PM.

One of my friend drove recently (Solo trip) upto Madurai in his Alto in about 6 hours. So you can confidently say it should not take more than 6 hours from Madurai to reach Trivandrum including lunch break.

[vishnurp99]

I am planning to drive from tambaram to tvm just before onam. Please let me know if the condition of road is good enough and if there is any roadwork/diversion that i should be aware of. I plan to start by 2.30 afternoon from tambaram and reach nagarkoil by around 10 and nagarkoil to tvm after that. Doing this to beat the nagercoil-tvm traffic. Planning for 10 minute breaks every 150 km odd in this drive.. Let me know if 8 hrs is enough from tambaram to nagarcoil or if it's too ambitious. I will be the only one driving.