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AFAIK, usually majority of roads in Tuticorin district are bad in shape and will cause more delays in terms of driving time. My friend traveled near to these areas in Tuticorin district thought not exactly to above listed places last weekend and mentioned the road conditions are not good or at least don't expect smoother roads.

So budget for additional time in your planning/driving time for safer side.

-Ravi

Hopefully the option via Tirunelveli/Ottapidaram should help. Some relief through that option?

Hello folks. Planning to drive down from Chennai to Rameshwaram this weekend. The route is Chennai (Porur) -> GST -> Vilupuram -> Trichy -> Pudukottai.

Going by Google, it shows around 9.30 hours. I've driven up to Trichy on this stretch and the roads were fantastic. From the thread, it looks like the roads are OK but the 9.30 hours seems crazy. I was thinking more like 8 hours.

I will be traveling with parents. Would like to maintain decent speeds (in my Altis). I will be returning to Chennai after a halt in Madurai which should be more manageable.

Please let me know the road condition and estimated timings.

These are my reasonable section-wise estimates

Porur-TVS tollgate 5 hrs (4-lane with trigger happy traffic and barricades)
TVS Tollgate-Karaikudi 70 min (wide 2-lane)
Karaikudi-Ramnad 100 min (road widening)
Ramnad-Rameswaram 1 hr

There is no way do it in 8 hrs.

Thanks a ton. Will plan for this! I hope the roads are decent!

Hi planning a road trip Chennai-Trichy-Madurai-Rameswaram-Madurai-Vagamon-Chennai
Any heads up on recent road conditions is welcome.

For Madurai - Rameshwaram, you check the below thread,
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...ml#post4490484

Team BHP,

I am planning a Chennai-Madurai-Rameshwaram-Kanyakumari and back to Chennai trip in the week of Christmas Dec2019 and request advise on the best route map including hotel stay and pit stops for breakfast/ lunch/petrol filling. Duration of trip will be a week.

I am planning this trip with my wife on my HONDA CITY ZX 2017 model - got it serviced recently and hope this will suffice for the trip from vehicle readiness point of view. Also please advise if i have to purchase FASTag for this trip before the trip since i heard it is mandatory at NH Toll plazas from 15 Dec2019 onwards.

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Near good roads all the way.

Chennai-Trichy-Madurai: End to end 4-lane. About 500km. You should be able to cover in 8-9 hours. Start early to get out of Chennai/Chengalpet and you should be good. Chennai-Trichy many places on the way. Dont know much about Trichy-Madurai.

Madurai-Kanyakumari : Full 4-lane Awesome roads! ~250 easy doable in 4 hours.

Kanyakumari-Rameshwaram: ~320km. About 6 hours. KK-Tirunelveli-Tutikorin bypass - Vembar - Ramnad - Rameshwaram

Rameshwaram-Trichy-Chennai : Rameshwarm-Ramnad-Pudukottai-Trichy-Chennai. Good wide 2-lanes from Ramnad to Trichy via Pudikottai/Karaikudi.

Places to Stay:

Madurai/Kanyakumari: Many options Chose based on budgets and options
Rameshwaram : Daiwik is a good place.

Thanks for the prompt response - very much appreciated:)
I heard that FASTag is mandatory on NH for paying toll from 15Dec2019- do i need to get one before my trip?

If you can quickly manage its anyway better. More than the convinience of queues, its the cash avoidance at the toll booth itself, which helps.

Please look at Fastag thread on the forum.

I am planning to drive Chennai - Rameshwaram/Dhanushkudi next week during Pongal holidays. Need advice on few things.

• Google maps suggest Trichy-Melur-Sivaganga-Ramanathapuram stretch. How is this route compared to Pudukotai-Karaikudi which you recommended.

• As I am travelling during Pongal, will there be decent restaurants available en-route. Driving with wife and 2.5 yrs old. Have seen most of the restaurants kept closed in Chennai city during this time.

• Yet to decide on the place of stay. Have noted your recommendation. Also seen Hotel Ashoka and Grand being recommended in the other related threads.

• Since we will be doing around 600KM one side, is there any other places (green/historical) which can be connected en-route

Thanks in advance!

I did both the routes in Oct'19. Road widening work was going on between Karaikkudi and Devipattinam . You will find some good stretches and some WIP stretches. I dont think the work would have been completed by now. So it is better to avoid this route. While coming back from Rameshwaram, I took Ramnad-Sivaganga-Melur route. The roads were great.

Thanks! Did you connect any other places en-route?

My itinerary in Rameshwaram includes the temple, Dhanushkodi beach and Sir Abdul Kalam's memorial. Since you visited this place recently, do you have any inputs that would help me to plan better.

If you have time, please visit " ariyaman beach ". it's a serene beach with no waves ! You will love it if you are a beach lover