[ampere]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Ok maybe your are right about Krishnagiri-Vellore.Hosur-Krishnagiri is a breeze,I just drove it and did not find a single block anywhere.100kph can be maintained.The only pending work on this stretch seems to be marking and some misc work plus iirc a flyover or a underpass.Otherwise this stretch did not take much time.

Basically what I am saying is : Its not a routine 4-lane 1000km drive like we see in Bangalore-Pune (or 500km of Hyd-Bangalore bliss).

So 12-13 hours of drive time can actually get stretched. And increasingly folks in Bangalore are finding it quite painful to drive to Chennai and back. Its not the same peaceful drive anymore. I really hope they complete that stretch very soon.

[julupani]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Devanahalli-NH207-Hosakote-Malur-Hosur.Roads good all through out.Around 90-120mins depending on driving style to reach Hosur from Devanahalli

http://goo.gl/maps/I7M6h

You think there is any significant advantage to going all the way down to Bangalore, rather than doing the route via Madanapalle.

Also, even if you do go via Bangalore, why not take NH4 and go via Hosakote-Chittor-Vellore-Arcot-Tindivanam??

[ampere]

Originally Posted by julupani

You think there is any significant advantage to going all the way down to Bangalore, rather than doing the route via Madanapalle.

Also, even if you do go via Bangalore, why not take NH4 and go via Hosakote-Chittor-Vellore-Arcot-Tindivanam??

Actually that gives me a good idea:

Hyd-Anantpur-Chikballapur-Chintamani-Mulbagal-Palamaner-Gudiyattam-Pallikonda-Vellore-Tindivanam-Pondicherry

NH234 from Chikkaballapur to Mulbagal is brilliant single lane highway.

But since there are many lonely stretches, wont advice the same, as the family would need break points. Other wise would make for an awesome drive.

A modified version (thanks to Julupani's point) which Adi you can do is :
Hyd-Anantpur-Chikballapur-Chintamani-Mulbagal-Palamaner-Chittoor-Vellore-Tindivanam.

You get more 4-lane roads, compared to the option via Kadiri and almost zero traffic till Mulbagal.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by julupani

If you do via Chennai, why would you want to take the ECR??? Between Chennai and Pondicherry, going via Tindivanam is always much better.

Is it the same even for going to tranquebar? I hated the initial portions of the OMR which went via villages.

Originally Posted by adimicra

Any decent places on the way for food and toilets? Or, better to pack stuff as much as possible?

After chennai u get decent places every 20km or so (but many of them up till mahabs). If you may need the crutch of caffeine, pack mountain dew/red bull - its not available on this route.

Shops are mostly small shops when going along the ECR.

Originally Posted by adimicra

Hotels to stay at Pondi and Mahabalipuram? I am looking for a relaxing holiday and I expect the hotel to have the normal creature comforts. Also, 2 nights at each place is the correct way to divide the time?

I would say not more than a day at mahabs. IMHO it can be wrapped up by 2pm, for someone from chennai starting at 6am.

I would say:
Hyd-Mahabs, stay overnight. There are many okayish resorts as you drive into mahabs. TTDC is wokay only. Decent rooms, 3kper head but
Next day, sightsee in mahabs, wrap up by noon, reach pondy for lunch - go to auroville, eat there, see matrimandir then evening at pondy. Check into hotel l'orient (4k) or hotel magoud (3k, cant google it). the latter is a nice little hotel with old style rooms on the promenade itself (you can see it just short of the aurobindo guest house and chief secretariat.
if you are only adults, u can check into the aurobindo society seafront guesthouses - nothing to do, but decent places all the same for 2k.

I would be surprised if u can find enough to fill two full days in pondy

[julupani]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Is it the same even for going to tranquebar? I hated the initial portions of the OMR which went via villages.

Though I cant say for sure, but I think the best option would be to come to Pondicherry via Tindivanam, and then take the East Coast Road.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Is it the same even for going to tranquebar? I hated the initial portions of the OMR which went via villages.

OMR and ECR is a pain to drive thanks to 2-lane and lots of traffic. Although the conditions are amazing. Sea side views and clean tar.

But still prefer to take the 4-lane GST (NH45).
For Tranquebaar : Best Option is :

Chennai-Tindivanam-Ulundurpet-Vridhachalam-Sethiyarthoppe-Chidambaram-Sirkazi-Tranquebaar.

[romyeo4u]

I did Bangalore - Pondicherry in Sep-13, I took Housur - Krishnagiri - Vellore - Arcot - Tindivanam -Pondicherry. Though this route is 60 km longer but good roads.

Blr to Vellore - lot of 6 lane work in progress , many deviations , one can maintain 80 - 100, then another 60 km of single lane driving and last 60 kms of 4 lane driving.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by romyeo4u

Blr to Vellore - lot of 6 lane work in progress , many deviations , one can maintain 80 - 100, then another 60 km of single lane driving and last 60 kms of 4 lane driving.

Its definitely good. But what if one has to drive 500km from Hyd and then go through this part? Thats the only point I wanted to make. Had it been end to end 4-lane till Arcot, without any diversions with only Bangalore bypass in question, I would have definitely voted for this option.

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its definitely good. But what if one has to drive 500km from Hyd and then go through this part? Thats the only point I wanted to make.

I did Hyderabad to Vellore and back twice in June. I did it via Bangalore both times. The quality of tarmac between Bangalore and Vellore is far superior though with diversions and more traffic. Both times, with regular halts for fuel, bio breaks, breakfast and lunch, it took me 11 hours total (drive time was 9.5 hours).

[romyeo4u]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its definitely good. But what if one has to drive 500km from Hyd and then go through this part? Thats the only point I wanted to make. Had it been end to end 4-lane till Arcot, without any diversions with only Bangalore bypass in question, I would have definitely voted for this option.

The best route would be Hyd-Vijaywada-Chennai-OMR-Pondicherry.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by romyeo4u

The best route would be Hyd-Vijaywada-Chennai-OMR-Pondicherry.

If the 4-lane via Chennai is complete, definitely preferred. But instead of OMR/ECR, I would suggest the 4-lane GST to Tindivanam followed by 4-lane NH66 to Pondicherry.

[simplyself]

No need to go to Vijayawada. From Narketpally one may go to Addanki and from there on to the NH 5.

Four laning of Narketpally - Addanki road is 90 % completed, One may get incomplete road near a few villages but that is not much of a problem. Going via Vijayawada is more cumbersome and longer.

Hyderabad to Addanki on Narketpally - Addanki road is 290 kms.

[RoadSafety_RR]

I am planning to drive form Hyderabad to Pondicherry next month. Based on this thread, it looks like I have got three options: one through Vijaywada, another through Addanki and the third via Bengaluru.

Has anyone recently traveled to Pondicherry in any of these routes? It would be good to have an update on the current road conditions. I am fine to take the longest route as well, if the road conditions are good.

Also, I am planning to cover Hyderabad-Pondicherry in a day. Is that possible?

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by RoadSafety_RR

I am planning to drive form Hyderabad to Pondicherry next month. Based on this thread, it looks like I have got three options: one through Vijaywada, another through Addanki and the third via Bengaluru. Has anyone recently traveled to Pondicherry in any of these routes? It would be good to have an update on the current road conditions. I am fine to take the longest route as well, if the road conditions are good. Also, I am planning to cover Hyderabad-Pondicherry in a day. Is that possible?

Hi,
I travelled from hyderabad to chennai through Addankki and I covered it in almost 11 hours with 1 hour break. I started around 6.15 from Nizampet. Pondicherry is another 140kms from chennai so add another 3 hours. I would suggest a early start like 4 am so that you can reach chennai by 2 - 3 pm and take chennai bypass and go to tindivanam and take left to Pondicherry. You might face heavy traffic till chengelpet but otherwise 4 lanes all the way from the start till the end. Also pack food as there are no good options enroute and saves you a lot of time.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by RoadSafety_RR

I am planning to drive form Hyderabad to Pondicherry next month. Based on this thread, it looks like I have got three options: one through Vijaywada, another through Addanki and the third via Bengaluru.

Has anyone recently traveled to Pondicherry in any of these routes? It would be good to have an update on the current road conditions. I am fine to take the longest route as well, if the road conditions are good.

Also, I am planning to cover Hyderabad-Pondicherry in a day. Is that possible?

Least trafficked route is the one via Bangalore.The other two options would have you negotiating Chennai city traffic imo.

Hyd-Pondy is possible in one day,but beware of fatigue.Via Blore it would take you around 14-15hrs with breaks.Same with the Chennai route as well.