[ampere]

Originally Posted by 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

Fastest should be the Chennai highway (Hyd-Chennai-Tindivanam-Pondicherry). But I dont know how much time one should account for to cross Chennai.

[jha.shailesh]

Folks - Planning to do Hyderabad-Puducherry in a day. I don't mind 12 hours of drive, however just wanted to check the road conditions and if it is advisable? Which route to take?

[Ryuu]

Just back from a marathon drive.

Hyderabad-Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry-Neyveli-Thiruvannamalai-Vellore-Chittoor-Madanapalle-Kadiri-Anantapur-Kurnool-Hyderabad. I did this in 4 day trip.

Hyderabad to Chennai is a breeze VIA NAM Expressway. 10 hrs of drive. However, crossing chennai and getting to ECR was a bit of pain. Took an hour and half to get to ECR and from there on it's a 2 hour drive to pondi. The route which I took while coming back was on purpose. It was a 14 hour non stop drive from Neyveli.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

Hyderabad to Chennai is a breeze VIA NAM Expressway. 10 hrs of drive. However, crossing chennai and getting to ECR was a bit of pain. Took an hour and half to get to ECR and from there on it's a 2 hour drive to pondi.

Unless and until you *want* to take ECR there is no specific reason you *need* to. Given that they are 4-laning the ECR (as I hear from members), the original charm is anyway lost.

So you might as well take the bypass via Red Hills, continue on to GST and head to Pondicherry via Tindivanam.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by ampere

So you might as well take the bypass via Red Hills, continue on to GST and head to Pondicherry via Tindivanam.

I have driven on this road a couple of years back and it felt much safer than the ECR, especially at night.

[Gannu_1]

Originally Posted by bblost

I have driven on this road a couple of years back and it felt much safer than the ECR, especially at night.

The Tindivanam road is a much much safer road compared to the ECR. For one, it is a 4-laned road with a median whereas the ECR is a 2-laned road with no medians, plenty of blind curves and straight stretches - I've seen bikes and cars plying at dangerously high speeds! Accidents are very common in the ECR.

I will certainly not recommend this route to someone who's traveling to Pondicherry for the first time from Chennai.

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by Ryuu

Just back from a marathon drive.

Hyderabad-Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Pondicherry-Neyveli-Thiruvannamalai-Vellore-Chittoor-Madanapalle-Kadiri-Anantapur-Kurnool-Hyderabad.

Please share your update on the road condition on the Vellore-Chittoor-Madanapalle-Kadiri-Anantapur sector?

[Ryuu]

Originally Posted by ampere

Unless and until you *want* to take ECR there is no specific reason you *need* to. Given that they are 4-laning the ECR (as I hear from members), the original charm is anyway lost.

Originally Posted by Gannu_1

I will certainly not recommend this route to someone who's traveling to Pondicherry for the first time from Chennai.

You're right. I had to take the ECR because I had booked my hotel at Sholinganallur and wanted to go to Mahabalipuram as well. ECR is really dangerous at night as observed and pointed.

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Please share your update on the road condition on the Vellore-Chittoor-Madanapalle-Kadiri-Anantapur sector?

Vellore to Chittoor is a pain despite being only 37KMs owing to patchy road, truck and local bus traffic. Chittoor to Madanapalle is good all the way. Two lane road with reflectors. Madanapalle to Ananatapur is a mix of good and bad roads. 30% of the stretch is being repaired. One has to be wary of the sudden discontinuation of freshly laid tarmac at many points.

[Zezé]

We are planning a trip to Pondicherry and since we cannot leave before noon and I am not very comfortable with night driving, we will need to take an overnight pit stop. Which would be the best route to drive, keeping in mind the need to stop for the night?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Zezé

We are planning a trip to Pondicherry and since we cannot leave before noon and I am not very comfortable with night driving, we will need to take an overnight pit stop. Which would be the best route to drive, keeping in mind the need to stop for the night?

The Hyd-Chitoor road is quite good. Check out Hyd-Tirupati road updates. Its the same (Kurnool-Nandyal-Chitoor)

[Zezé]

Originally Posted by ampere

The Hyd-Chitoor road is quite good. Check out Hyd-Tirupati road updates. Its the same (Kurnool-Nandyal-Chitoor)

Thanks, ampere. According to Google Maps, it will take some 15 hour to drive the 800 kms using the Kurnool-Nandyal-Kadapa-Chitoor-Vellore route. As suggested, will monitor road updates for Hyderabad to Tirupati.

If I use this route, guess my best bet would be to schedule an overnight halt at Kadapa, which around the half way mark. Hopefully, there will decent staying options in Kadapa. Any suggestions?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Zezé

If I use this route, guess my best bet would be to schedule an overnight halt at Kadapa, which around the half way mark. Hopefully, there will decent staying options in Kadapa. Any suggestions?

Sorry I have no idea about the stay options on this route. Good to check with regulars.

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by Zezé

We are planning a trip to Pondicherry and since we cannot leave before noon and I am not very comfortable with night driving, we will need to take an overnight pit stop. Which would be the best route to drive, keeping in mind the need to stop for the night?

I suggest Hyderabad - Kurnool - Devanahalli - Hoskote - Kolar - Chittoor - Vellore instead of Hyderabad - Kurnool - Kadapa - Chittoor - Vellore. However, Mobike008 will not agree. There are some bad patches around Nandyal which I would not like to subject to my car. Plus, more isolated road.

Originally Posted by ampere

The Hyd-Chitoor road is quite good. Check out Hyd-Tirupati road updates. Its the same (Kurnool-Nandyal-Chitoor)

Kadapa - Chittoor road also needs to be checked up. That stretch is not on Kadapa - Tirupati stretch. Chittoor - Vellore road is no great shakes with a few patches with top tar missing but one can maintain 60. There was a road closure from Chittoor just after AP/TN border where left fork turns to Ranipet and right to Vellore was under re-laying. Not sure if completed.
Kadapa has a Govt. owned Haritha on the start of by-pass. No idea if the quality and condition.

Originally Posted by Zezé

Thanks, ampere. According to Google Maps, it will take some 15 hour to drive the 800 kms using the Kurnool-Nandyal-Kadapa-Chitoor-Vellore route. As suggested, will monitor road updates for Hyderabad to Tirupati.

If I use this route, guess my best bet would be to schedule an overnight halt at Kadapa, which around the half way mark. Hopefully, there will decent staying options in Kadapa. Any suggestions?

Noon start and via Devanahalli can get you easily to Devanahalli / Hoskote / Kolar. You could even go via Hebbel & K R Rajapuram and stay in the city.

[Zezé]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

I suggest Hyderabad - Kurnool - Devanahalli - Hoskote - Kolar - Chittoor - Vellore instead of Hyderabad - Kurnool - Kadapa - Chittoor - Vellore.....

...Noon start and via Devanahalli can get you easily to Devanahalli / Hoskote / Kolar. You could even go via Hebbel & K R Rajapuram and stay in the city.

Guess this might be a sensible option, on the onward leg, given the noon start. At least one is sure of the road conditions. And probably more accommodation options at Devanahalli and further along the route. Not really excited about staying in the Bangalore, mainly because of the traffic within the city.

As regards the return leg, would it make any sense to drive along the east coast, viz. Pondicherry-Chennai-Nellore-Ongole-Nalgonda-Hyderabad? This is the default route, to and from Pondicherry, recommended by Google Maps.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

Noon start and via Devanahalli can get you easily to Devanahalli / Hoskote / Kolar. You could even go via Hebbel & K R Rajapuram and stay in the city.

Very sensible option. I had this in mind, but somehow I did not suggest to OP. Thanks for bringing it up. Good that it comes from folks like you who have actually done it!

Regenta Inn, Shivas Gateway and Presidency are 3 of the hotels right at first signal after air port exit.