[ampere]

There is one more option w/o Bangalore but use NH7.

Drive till Chikkaballapur and turn on NH234 towards Mulbagal.

The route is :

Hyderabad-Kurnool-Chikkabalapur-Chintamani-Mulbagal-Chittoor-Arcot-Tindivanam-Pondicherry.

Almost empty roads till Mulbagal. Some traffic till Arcot. Again empty from Arcot till Pondi via Cheyyar/Vandavasi/Tindivanam.

[RoadSafety_RR]

Thanks for the route info. I will try to bypass Bangalore during my trip.

[ampere]

Hyderabad-Kurnool-Chikkabalapur-Chintamani-Mulbagal-Chittoor-Arcot-Tindivanam-Pondicherry.

Originally Posted by RoadSafety_RR

Thanks for the route info. I will try to bypass Bangalore during my trip.

This is the route link I meant:

Route Link

[pypkmsrikanth]

Bypassing Chennai is not so difficult, instead of going through smaller roads via Chintamani etc. With an early start, one can do red hills to Pondy in two and a half hours comfortably.

[racer_ash]

So. Some family emergency comes up and we need to travel to Pondy over the next weekend. Flight and train options are ruled out due to the very short notice. Bus options ruled out too since we need to take multiple buses to reach Pondy.We are extremely short of time. But the good part is that both me and dad can drive. Here is the plan (keeping in mind the extremely short timeframe and lack of leaves).

Friday 3pm: Start to Pondy: I am planning to take the Hyd-Nalgonda-Addanki-Red Hills-Chennai bypass-Vandalur-Tindivanam-Pondicherry route. I have calculated around 13hrs for the drive (since its gonna be me and dad only, we would not need much breaks). Plan to reach Pondy by 4am or so. Need to start at around 11am. And planning to reach Hyd by midnight Saturday. Dad needs to compulsorily attend office on Sunday. Hence this plan.

Question 1: I feel its too stressful. I know some family commintments are unavoidable and my dad relies heavily on me for such stuff. He doesnt even want to hire a driver for the trip because he feels both of us driving combined is a better option. We can even alternate between driving and sleeping (been there done that before on one such emergency drive to Chennai). Since we need to go an extra 130kms one way, do u guys feel this trip is taking things too far?

Question 2: What about the route. With the 4 laning between Nalgonda and Addanki 90% complete, I feel its the best route to take compared to the Bangy route.

Question 3: Since we would be in Chennai in the dead of night, is it better to drive through the city and take the ECR. I studied in a college on the ECR road and I know the road very well and hence this question. It might take longer though. But you get what I mean right.

Looking forward to your suggestions.

Originally Posted by racer_ash

Since we need to go an extra 130kms one way, do u guys feel this trip is taking things too far?

Hyderabad>Chennai>Pondy is easily doable. With 2 drivers, there is no need to worry. If you feel tired, take power-nap at any of the toll plazas.

With the 4 laning between Nalgonda and Addanki 90% complete, I feel its the best route to take compared to the Bangy route.

The route is okay. Please note that 6-laning works are still in progress on NH 5.

is it better to drive through the city and take the ECR.

Drive on Chennai bypass and take NH 45/66 via Tambaram, Chengalpattu bypass and Tindivanam bypass. It's 4-lane all the way to Pondy.

[SyncNest]

Hi, I am planning to drive to Pondicherry this month. 24th being the long weekend. I am driving from Hyderabad and hoping to drive all the way to Pondicherry. Google says, it will take 12+ hrs.

Please advise if there is a bypass I can take. Don't want to get stuck in Chennai traffic. I am fine with taking either of the roads - ECR or NH5

Also let me know your thoughts: If you have done Hyd- Pondicherry before and you think I should stop for the night in Mamallapuram. I am planning to start early, but not too early on account of the fog these days - may be 5 AM. I will be the only one driving.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by SyncNest

Also let me know your thoughts: If you have done Hyd- Pondicherry before and you think I should stop for the night in Mamallapuram. I am planning to start early, but not too early on account of the fog these days - may be 5 AM. I will be the only one driving.

Why dont consider the Hyd-Devanahalli-Hosakote-Malur-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Vellore-Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam-Pondy

https://goo.gl/maps/czNHo

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Why dont consider the Hyd-Devanahalli-Hosakote-Malur-Hosur-Krishnagiri-Vellore-Arcot-Cheyyar-Vandavasi-Tindivanam-Pondy

https://goo.gl/maps/czNHo

I have done this route upto Vellore twice from Hyderabad. It takes around 10 hours with a 7 am start.

[NoMind]

Originally Posted by SyncNest

Hi, I am planning to drive to Pondicherry this month. 24th being the long weekend. I am driving from Hyderabad and hoping to drive all the way to Pondicherry. Google says, it will take 12+ hrs.

Please advise if there is a bypass I can take. Don't want to get stuck in Chennai traffic. I am fine with taking either of the roads - ECR or NH5

Also let me know your thoughts: If you have done Hyd- Pondicherry before and you think I should stop for the night in Mamallapuram. I am planning to start early, but not too early on account of the fog these days - may be 5 AM. I will be the only one driving.

Can you give us an idea about the driving conditions you encountered on your trip, if you did the trip ?

I am going to make the trip soon. Thinking of stopping off at Vellore for the night and continuing on the next day.

[SyncNest]

Originally Posted by NoMind

Can you give us an idea about the driving conditions you encountered on your trip, if you did the trip ?

I am going to make the trip soon. Thinking of stopping off at Vellore for the night and continuing on the next day.

Hi, No, I went to Alleppey instead. Kerala backwaters. I think I will go to Pondicherry this month. But it may be very hot. Are you travelling from Hyderabad? My friend who shuttles back and forth between Hyderabad and Chennai was telling me all the volvo buses take Guntur-Chennai highway. It is NH5 I think. The intersection point for this road is thru Nalgonda. All 4 laned (toll) highways till Chennai. And then of course, the ECR from there to Pondicherry

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NoMind

I am going to make the trip soon. Thinking of stopping off at Vellore for the night and continuing on the next day.

Originally Posted by SyncNest

It is NH5 I think. The intersection point for this road is thru Nalgonda. All 4 laned (toll) highways till Chennai. And then of course, the ECR from there to Pondicherry

Yes it makes sense to take the Chennai option of the 4-lane. Crossing Chennai is also easy. But in case you need to stay, Chennai has good options. But then you are just 150km away from destination!

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by NoMind

Thinking of stopping off at Vellore for the night and continuing on the next day.

Hyderabad - Vellore is a 10/11 hour drive. Start early around 5am from Hyderabad and you will make good progress. I am not suggesting this or any route for Pondicherry but just giving you information on Hyderabad - Vellore travel. Route via Bangalore outskirts is better than the one via Nandyal - Kadapa for Vellore.

Originally Posted by SyncNest

Are you travelling from Hyderabad? My friend who shuttles back and forth between Hyderabad and Chennai was telling me all the volvo buses take Guntur-Chennai highway. It is NH5 I think. The intersection point for this road is thru Nalgonda. All 4 laned (toll) highways till Chennai. And then of course, the ECR from there to Pondicherry

I guess your friend is talking about Hyderabad - Chennai buses (which take Hyderabad - Nalgonda - Addanki - Medarametla - Ongole - Chennai route) and not Hyderabad - Pondicherry buses (which take Hyderabad - Kurnool - Nandyal - Kadapa - Chittoor - Vellore - Pondicherry route). By the way, Guntur gets by-passed as the NAM Expressway joins NH5 south of Guntur.

[NoMind]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Hyderabad - Vellore is a 10/11 hour drive. Start early around 5am from Hyderabad and you will make good progress. I am not suggesting this or any route for Pondicherry but just giving you information on Hyderabad - Vellore travel. Route via Bangalore outskirts is better than the one via Nandyal - Kadapa for Vellore.

I guess your friend is talking about Hyderabad - Chennai buses (which take Hyderabad - Nalgonda - Addanki - Medarametla - Ongole - Chennai route) and not Hyderabad - Pondicherry buses (which take Hyderabad - Kurnool - Nandyal - Kadapa - Chittoor - Vellore - Pondicherry route). By the way, Guntur gets by-passed as the NAM Expressway joins NH5 south of Guntur.

Hi All,

I took the one through anantapur palamner chittoor and on to vellore. We started from home around 5 Am. We reached vellore around 4 pm.

We just took it easy and booked into a guest house, did darshan the next morning and continued on to Pondy.

BTW, we are living in Auroville currently for the next few months. Its heaven and bliss asides the hot and humid weather. Nice thing is it starts ebbing away around 5.30 pm and is cool till about 7/8 Am.

[robimahanta]

Guys which route is the fastest currently between Hyderabad and Pondicherry? It need not necessarily be the shortest. Which route is ideal for an early morning start from Hyderabad in an XUV with family?
Thanks