Chennai - Trivandrum : Route Queries

man_xzone · 18th December 2012, 00:12

I'm planning to travel by road from Chennai to Trivandrum during this Christmas vacation and would be taking the route Chennai-Trichy-Madurai-Tirunelveli-Trivandrum. I have gone through this route last year along with my friends. But this time around, I will be driving alone.

So planning to leave Chennai by weekend evening(4PM) and halt at Trichy over the night and leave towards Trivandrum next morning(5AM).

Any recommendation(s) on a decent/value-for-money hotels (on the way) that i can stay for the night in Trichy? With car parking preferred.

Apologize if these questions are already answered.

Regards.. Manesh..

SafeDrive · 19th December 2012, 10:33

We normally stay at Sangam in Trichi. This is inside the city and you would face traffic. I have seen a couple of hotels on the highway - have had food there but never stayed there. The food was good and the places looked good too.

ognale · 19th December 2012, 11:14

Guru Hotel, opp. Trichy Main Bus Stand. Economical. Good rooms. Decent restaurant downstairs. Free breakfast. Lots of amenities close by - shops, petrol bunk, etc.
I stayed there last month with family. No probs.
And not very far from the Highway too, I think.

man_xzone · 19th December 2012, 12:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by ognale

Guru Hotel, opp. Trichy Main Bus Stand. Economical. Good rooms. Decent restaurant downstairs. Free breakfast. Lots of amenities close by - shops, petrol bunk, etc.
I stayed there last month with family. No probs.
And not very far from the Highway too, I think.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SafeDrive

We normally stay at Sangam in Trichi. This is inside the city and you would face traffic. I have seen a couple of hotels on the highway - have had food there but never stayed there. The food was good and the places looked good too.

Thank you very much ognale and SafeDrive.

I was looking for something on the way. But these details will help

ognale · 19th December 2012, 13:47

Manesh, there's a Hotel Sona Mina on the Chennai - Trichy Highway, just adjacent to the Samayapuram Toll Plaza, about 20km before you hit Trichy. Decent reviews on Tripadvisor. Google for contact details. (That's what I did - since I was generally jobless today!) This might help avoiding the town altogether, as you seem to desire.

man_xzone · 19th December 2012, 15:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by ognale

Manesh, there's a Hotel Sona Mina on the Chennai - Trichy Highway, just adjacent to the Samayapuram Toll Plaza, about 20km before you hit Trichy. Decent reviews on Tripadvisor. Google for contact details. (That's what I did - since I was generally jobless today!) This might help avoiding the town altogether, as you seem to desire.

Exactly what i was looking for.. Thanks a lot ognale..

e-katz · 3rd February 2013, 16:20

I am planning to drive down to TVM from Chennai this Friday. Please suggest the best route with suggestions for ideal starting time and breaks. Thanks!

hvkumar · 3rd February 2013, 16:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-katz

I am planning to drive down to TVM from Chennai this Friday. Please suggest the best route with suggestions for ideal starting time and breaks. Thanks!

Nothing better than NH45 to Trichy (via Tindivanam, Villupuram, Permabalur), then the Trichy-Viralimalai-Madurai road, followed by NH7 till before Nagercoil (via Tirunelveli), and then Nagercoil-TVM.

Roads are superb till NH7 goes off to KK 18 kms before Nagercoil. From there onwards, the road (NH47 from Nagercoil) is painfully slow with heavy traffic congestion & markets in all the small towns en route.

narayans80 · 4th February 2013, 12:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-katz

I am planning to drive down to TVM from Chennai this Friday. Please suggest the best route with suggestions for ideal starting time and breaks. Thanks!

You should be shooting for a mid-day or midnight crossing of Kavalkinaru to Trivandrum stretch, which would roughly translate to a 2-3am or noon-2pm ish start from Madras. The only point of concern with the latter will be crossing Madurai, which would take about 40 min if you cross at 7-8pm evening timings.

I did kind of odd timings Madras 640pm - Chengalpattu 940pm - Ulundurpet toll 1120 to 1140pm break - Madurai BP Ghar 300-330am break! - Tirumangalam 355am - Kavalkinaru 615am - Poovar 740am. I barely stepped above 100-110 the entire drive, roads are fairly empty south of Melmaruvathur.

e-katz · 6th February 2013, 06:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Nothing better than NH45 to Trichy (via Tindivanam, Villupuram, Permabalur), then the Trichy-Viralimalai-Madurai road, followed by NH7 till before Nagercoil (via Tirunelveli), and then Nagercoil-TVM.

Roads are superb till NH7 goes off to KK 18 kms before Nagercoil. From there onwards, the road (NH47 from Nagercoil) is painfully slow with heavy traffic congestion & markets in all the small towns en route.

Any suggestions on good starting time in the morning?

e-katz · 6th February 2013, 07:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayans80

You should be shooting for a mid-day or midnight crossing of Kavalkinaru to Trivandrum stretch, which would roughly translate to a 2-3am or noon-2pm ish start from Madras. The only point of concern with the latter will be crossing Madurai, which would take about 40 min if you cross at 7-8pm evening timings.

I did kind of odd timings Madras 640pm - Chengalpattu 940pm - Ulundurpet toll 1120 to 1140pm break - Madurai BP Ghar 300-330am break! - Tirumangalam 355am - Kavalkinaru 615am - Poovar 740am. I barely stepped above 100-110 the entire drive, roads are fairly empty south of Melmaruvathur.

I prefer driving during the day, so I will aim for a early morning slot probably 5 am? Should be able to make it in 12 hrs with breaks - what do you say?

ampere · 6th February 2013, 07:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-katz

I prefer driving during the day, so I will aim for a early morning slot probably 5 am? Should be able to make it in 12 hrs with breaks - what do you say?

I think in that case you would be there right during the peak traffic.
May be you should start 2-3AM as Narayan mentioned. Its not that difficult. Before you know it would be morning you would crossing Ulundurpet.

At least on 4-lanes, it is much easier driving very early mornings. Traffic is much more streamlined.

hvkumar · 6th February 2013, 08:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-katz

Any suggestions on good starting time in the morning?

Regardless of starting time, it will be bad in Nagercoil-TVM sector. If you leave too early from Madras, then you are likely to face horrendous times because you may end up doing that sector between 3-6 pm which is the worst time because of school, college & office traffic.

e-katz · 6th February 2013, 22:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Regardless of starting time, it will be bad in Nagercoil-TVM sector. If you leave too early from Madras, then you are likely to face horrendous times because you may end up doing that sector between 3-6 pm which is the worst time because of school, college & office traffic.

Ok, let me put it this way. If I had to reach tvm by 7-8 pm, what time should i leave? Since I would be staying at a relative's place, I want to reach there early!

hvkumar · 6th February 2013, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-katz

Ok, let me put it this way. If I had to reach tvm by 7-8 pm, what time should i leave? Since I would be staying at a relative's place, I want to reach there early!

Start at 5-6 am perhaps so that you can reach TVM before 7 pm.
MDS-Trichy, 4 hrs
Trichy-Madurai, 2 hrs
Madurai-Nagercoil, 3 hrs
Nagercoil-TVM, 2 hrs
Remaining time, breaks + delays

18th December 2012, 00:12	#106
man_xzone Newbie Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11 Thanked: 0 Times	Need Help - Chennai-Trivandrum I'm planning to travel by road from Chennai to Trivandrum during this Christmas vacation and would be taking the route Chennai-Trichy-Madurai-Tirunelveli-Trivandrum. I have gone through this route last year along with my friends. But this time around, I will be driving alone. So planning to leave Chennai by weekend evening(4PM) and halt at Trichy over the night and leave towards Trivandrum next morning(5AM). Any recommendation(s) on a decent/value-for-money hotels (on the way) that i can stay for the night in Trichy? With car parking preferred. Apologize if these questions are already answered. Regards.. Manesh..
	() Thanks

19th December 2012, 10:33	#107
SafeDrive BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 425 Thanked: 86 Times	re: Chennai - Trivandrum : Route Queries We normally stay at Sangam in Trichi. This is inside the city and you would face traffic. I have seen a couple of hotels on the highway - have had food there but never stayed there. The food was good and the places looked good too.
	(1) Thanks

19th December 2012, 11:14	#108
ognale Newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Chennai Posts: 9 Thanked: 4 Times	re: Chennai - Trivandrum : Route Queries Guru Hotel, opp. Trichy Main Bus Stand. Economical. Good rooms. Decent restaurant downstairs. Free breakfast. Lots of amenities close by - shops, petrol bunk, etc. I stayed there last month with family. No probs. And not very far from the Highway too, I think.
	(1) Thanks

19th December 2012, 13:47	#110
ognale Newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Chennai Posts: 9 Thanked: 4 Times	re: Chennai - Trivandrum : Route Queries Manesh, there's a Hotel Sona Mina on the Chennai - Trichy Highway, just adjacent to the Samayapuram Toll Plaza, about 20km before you hit Trichy. Decent reviews on Tripadvisor. Google for contact details. (That's what I did - since I was generally jobless today!) This might help avoiding the town altogether, as you seem to desire.
	(1) Thanks

3rd February 2013, 16:20	#112
e-katz BHPian Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 138 Thanked: 19 Times	re: Chennai - Trivandrum : Route Queries I am planning to drive down to TVM from Chennai this Friday. Please suggest the best route with suggestions for ideal starting time and breaks. Thanks!
	() Thanks