[asmr]

Originally Posted by arvind71181

if you plan to start by 6:30 you can reach Madurai comfortably by 1:30 PM including breaks for breakfast. The only major bottleneck is bypassing Trichy. I am assuming that the holiday rush will be mostly on Friday evening/Saturday evening, might be wrong here

Oh I thought it would be a 8-9hr drive even with just one break. But it might very well turn out to be that way, given narayans80's input below. I don't have to go in to Trichy. Thought the road diverges before Srirangam. I get that there will lot more vehicular traffic, particularly city vehicles and two wheelers until I cross the bypass intersection some 20kms on the south side, but where does the general bottleneck happen?

Originally Posted by narayans80

Pretty much worst days to travel. Return traffic atleast could be distributed. Onward would be awfully bad.

Chillout at home, choose some other weekend to be on road.

I was afraid I might get this feedback.

The plans are laid, unfortunately. I have readied up my mind for it, since the alternative is getting stuck at home on a 4 day long holiday with 2 hyped up kids.

[bottle]

Originally Posted by asmr

Hello all,

Just a general query since I haven't driven this route before. I was originally thinking I will go to Thekkady but that plan got dropped.

I am driving from Chennai to Madurai this Saturday with family. Taking the standard NH route. Being the weekend before Deepavali, I expect much more traffic, but I plan to start by 6:30AM and reach Madurai by 3 or 4pm latest. Does this seem realistic or should I start earlier?!

Why spend so much time in traffic, if possible start at 4am and reach by 11 am or so

I havent been recently but for peace of mind just use auto and go especially Meenakshiamman temple

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by asmr

The plans are laid, unfortunately

Start uber odd times like 3 am and decide on detours based on blood reds enroute on Google Maps. For return you can think of 5 pm start time from Madurai.

If you have to visit in the central Madurai. Take either an auto or bus and go. Don't even think of taking your car on the 4 concentric veedhi.

If you are interested in temples, look at smaller temples. Last year we visited Thirumohoor Kalamegha Perumal on a normal Sunday morning. The temple was totally empty at 720 am. You can't expect this extreme, but it would atleast be relatively free.

[asmr]

Originally Posted by bottle

Why spend so much time in traffic, if possible start at 4am and reach by 11 am or so

I havent been recently but for peace of mind just use auto and go especially Meenakshiamman temple

The only issue here is the kids, but I guess a 45min discomfort for them will save a few hours on the road. They can sleep in the car. Thanks for the input.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Start uber odd times like 3 am and decide on detours based on blood reds enroute on Google Maps. For return you can think of 5 pm start time from Madurai.

If you have to visit in the central Madurai. Take either an auto or bus and go. Don't even think of taking your car on the 4 concentric veedhi.

If you are interested in temples, look at smaller temples. Last year we visited Thirumohoor Kalamegha Perumal on a normal Sunday morning. The temple was totally empty at 720 am. You can't expect this extreme, but it would atleast be relatively free.

I am staying in the southern side of the city. I plan to visit Meenakshi amman temple on Saturday evening itself. And couple more temples early Sunday morning. The input on not taking the car near to the bigger temples is going is to prove helpful. I will simply hire 2 autos for that trip alone.

I plan leave Madurai on Deepavali morning around 8 or 9AM. May be a bit more early, since I have to be back by Monday evening in Chennai. Thanks a lot again for your inputs!

[arvind71181]

Originally Posted by asmr

Oh I thought it would be a 8-9hr drive even with just one break. But it might very well turn out to be that way, given narayans80's input below. I don't have to go in to Trichy. Thought the road diverges before Srirangam. I get that there will lot more vehicular traffic, particularly city vehicles and two wheelers until I cross the bypass intersection some 20kms on the south side, but where does the general bottleneck happen?

Its pretty dicey, sometime the entire stretch from Srirangam to Exit of Trichy has been a pain a couple of times while some times its just a miracle and everything flows through! But as narayanan said, you need to probably be prepared for traffic as its the holiday time, especially buses!

And no second thought, Meenakshi amman temple, please visit only in auto else it will be trouble

[bottle]

Originally Posted by asmr

The only issue here is the kids, but I guess a 45min discomfort for them will save a few hours on the road. They can sleep in the car. Thanks for the input.

Even I travelled with my son when he was 2 and recently now hes 6 both times 4am start helped as he sleeps till 8ish which is a good time for a breakfast stop, after that 3-4 hours drive wont seem as bad plus they get rest time in the afternoon.

Reaching in the evening and then going to Meenakshi Amman temple immediately will be exhausting

[narayans80]

During peak drive days, you can expect chaos at any place. All it takes is some idiot to cause an accident and everyone gets delayed. That is why I had suggested to look for blood reds enroute.

Based on past experience, you need to watch out for Madras-Villupuram, Samayapuram-Trichy bypass. Paranur, Athur, Vikravandi and Samayapuram will be busiest.

2021 Kaanum Pongal day I drove entire Ulundurpet-Madras at 65-70 kph. This was a time when traffic was much lesser relatively.

Being long weekend Saturday, you can expect Meenakshi Amman temple to be crowded as well in the evenings. If you want to visit peacefully then 5-530 am would be it.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by asmr

Hello all,

Just a general query since I haven't driven this route before. I was originally thinking I will go to Thekkady but that plan got dropped.

A few answers from my side based on experience of travelling to Villupuram for almost every other festival. If you intend to start at around 6:30 AM expect to spend at least 4 hours to reach Villupuram, earlier Friday evenings alone used to be bad during such weekends but now most private cars have opted to start on Saturday mornings so my suggestion is as a few others mentioned start at least by 4 AM so that you could reach Villupuram by 7 AM and continue peacefully onto Madurai.

With regard to the return it should not be much of an issue though since I assume most people would possibly be staying back on Tuesday as well with a fair chance of Govt declaring holiday for educational institutions.

Park your car at the hotel, take a local auto around Madurai. Finding parking within Madurai city is tough. Fix up a local auto guy who can possibly take you around for all the temples over the period of your stay. This way you can get a better deal.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Another point to remember is keep in mind a lot of Trichy local traffic is now going via the bypass Cauvery bridge on account of repairs being done for the old Cauvery bridge so at times this stretch faces bottleneck and possibly you might face as well due to the festive weekend

[asmr]

This is some great set of inputs, team.

Originally Posted by arvind71181

Its pretty dicey, sometime the entire stretch...
And no second thought, Meenakshi amman temple, please visit only in auto else it will be trouble

Originally Posted by bottle

Even I travelled with my son when he was 2 and recently now hes 6 both times 4am... Reaching in the evening and then going to Meenakshi Amman temple immediately will be exhausting

Originally Posted by narayans80

During peak drive days, you can expect chaos at any place... Being long weekend Saturday, you can expect Meenakshi Amman temple to be crowded as well in the evenings. If you want to visit peacefully then 5-530 am would be it.

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

A few answers from my side based on experience of travelling to Villupuram for almost every other festival... start at least by 4 AM so that you could reach Villupuram by 7 AM and continue peacefully onto Madurai... Park your car at the hotel, take a local auto around Madurai...

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

Another point to remember is keep in mind a lot of Trichy local traffic is now going via the bypass Cauvery bridge ... possibly you might face as well due to the festive weekend

Thanks a lot to each of you for your guidance. So, yeah, I will plan to start from Chennai at 4AM or so. I am thinking that we might have a breakfast break near Chengalpet and then press till Madurai for lunch, barring any bio breaks.

And yes, I will hire a couple of autos for the local temple runs. I will be sure to respond here with my observations so that others may find it useful.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by asmr

I will plan to start from Chennai at 4AM or so. I am thinking that we might have a breakfast break near Chengalpet and then press till Madurai for lunch, barring any bio breaks.

You might not find anything opened before 7. Two times I started at 4am (on a normal weekend), I made it to Perambalur Aswins for breakfast at 730 am. Not sure how it'd be on 22nd. Aswin's is busy even on normal weekends.

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by narayans80

You might not find anything opened before 7. Two times I started at 4am (on a normal weekend), I made it to Perambalur Aswins for breakfast at 730 am. Not sure how it'd be on 22nd. Aswin's is busy even on normal weekends.

I suppose he could possibly break around 7 AM Ulundurpet considering the traffic likely and his start at 4 AM or stretch and reach Ashwins around 8 AM

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

I suppose he could possibly break around 7 AM Ulundurpet

Last few times I left at 4am, crossed Sengurichi at 645-700 am, no restaurant after the toll plaza was open. A2B was the only one gearing to open, rest were all sleepy

[pypkmsrikanth]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Last few times I left at 4am, crossed Sengurichi at 645-700 am, no restaurant after the toll plaza was open. A2B was the only one gearing to open, rest were all sleepy

Better to break at Ashwins then

[asmr]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Last few times I left at 4am, crossed Sengurichi at 645-700 am, no restaurant after the toll plaza was open. A2B was the only one gearing to open, rest were all sleepy

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

Better to break at Ashwins then

To be on the safer side, we are planning to take the staple packed food for all travels - idlis + podi - that we can stop after any toll plaza to the side and wolf it down. I haven't been to Aswins before. I will make it a point to visit it on any one leg of the journey for sure. Thanks again!