[InternetUser]

I plan to go on a road-trip from Pune in Maharastra to Kottayam in Kerala via Bangalore city.

I'll be driving throughout the entire trip. I'll be taking my Ford Ikon 1.3 for this trip; it's in fairly good condition.

It'd be great help if someone could inform me of these:

-- Any of the good and decent places to stay along this route?

-- Would the Ford 1.3 have any troubles with non-stop driving?

-- How much time is it likely take? Any means to to reduce time?

-- Anything else that I might need to know?

I'd earlier done the same route about 5 years back, but then the roads were still under construction. It took us 3 days on that trip. I hope to do this trip within 2 days, is this possible? I plan to as far as possible use only the national highways throughout the trip.

The last trip was in a Maruti Esteem along the same route; it was then reassuring to see Maruti service stations everywhere; but don't recall seeing any Ford service centers along the highway. Is this still the same?

Thanks.

[idea1979]

Here,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...via-salem.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...-22nd-aug.html


This might help for Bangalore to Kottayam.

Pune to Baglore should not a be any problem. Route is straight forward via Kolhapur-Belgaum-Hubli etc. Roads are good mostly.

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by InternetUser

I plan to go on a road-trip from Pune in Maharastra to Kottayam in Kerala via Bangalore city.

I'll be driving throughout the entire trip. I'll be taking my Ford Ikon 1.3 for this trip; it's in fairly good condition.

IU, I had posted a reply to your query on my ownership thread, but cross-posting the information here as well.

For the Bangalore-Kottayam part of your trip, you can either use the Palakkad route, or else the Kumily route.

Personally, i prefer the latter owing to lesser traffic, more scenic route. Roads are also in great shape.

Route is:
Bangalore -> Hosur -> Krishnagiri -> Dharmapuri -> Salem -> Dindigul -> Theni -> Kambam -> Kumily -> Mundakkayam -> Kottayam (via KK Road).

You can find more details regarding the route in the Kerala route queries section, or even in rjstyles69's latest travelogue to Vagamon. Let me know if you want further details.

Originally Posted by InternetUser

It'd be great help if someone could inform me of these:

-- Any of the good and decent places to stay along this route?

-- Would the Ford 1.3 have any troubles with non-stop driving?

-- How much time is it likely take? Any means to to reduce time?

-- Anything else that I might need to know?

I'd earlier done the same route about 5 years back, but then the roads were still under construction. It took us 3 days on that trip. I hope to do this trip within 2 days, is this possible? I plan to as far as possible use only the national highways throughout the trip.

The last trip was in a Maruti Esteem along the same route; it was then reassuring to see Maruti service stations everywhere; but don't recall seeing any Ford service centers along the highway. Is this still the same?

Thanks.

Replies to your questions :
1. Which are the places where you plan on having breaks/stops for the night? People can help with places to stay accordingly.

2. Non stop driving shouldnt give you any issues with the car. However, this being a mechanical device, its always better to have some numbers handy just in case you need some help. Always fill fuel from decent looking pumps along the highway. A member on the forum had used his 1.3 Ikon for the GQ trip, and he came back with no issues at all. That's inspiration enough.

3. & 4. Dont push yourself if you feel tired. Read up on the thread about tips for highway travel, which should be of help.

Hope that helps. All the best!

[InternetUser]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

For the Bangalore-Kottayam part of your trip, you can either use the Palakkad route, or else the Kumily route.

Personally, i prefer the latter owing to lesser traffic, more scenic route. Roads are also in great shape.

Route is:
Bangalore -> Hosur -> Krishnagiri -> Dharmapuri -> Salem -> Dindigul -> Theni -> Kambam -> Kumily -> Mundakkayam -> Kottayam (via KK Road).

You can find more details regarding the route in the Kerala route queries section, or even in rjstyles69's latest travelogue to Vagamon. Let me know if you want further details.

Thanks benbsb29!

I was planning on reaching Bangalore on the first day, then reaching Kottayam on the second day. I've done the Pune to Bangalore trip within a day before, just not sure about the Bangalore to Kottayam part. I've heard that inter-state buses regularly do the Bangalore to Kottayam trip within a day?

Incase I start from Bangalore on the second day, then it'd be night-time when I reach the Kumily region, wouldn't be able to see the scenery anyway. Isn't the Kumily route through the mountains, this would make it more risky to drive at night.

Where is this Kerala route queries section?

[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by InternetUser

Thanks benbsb29!

I was planning on reaching Bangalore on the first day, then reaching Kottayam on the second day. I've done the Pune to Bangalore trip within a day before, just not sure about the Bangalore to Kottayam part. I've heard that inter-state buses regularly do the Bangalore to Kottayam trip within a day?

Incase I start from Bangalore on the second day, then it'd be night-time when I reach the Kumily region, wouldn't be able to see the scenery anyway. Isn't the Kumily route through the mountains, this would make it more risky to drive at night.

Where is this Kerala route queries section?

The way i usually plan as well as advise my friends planning on driving down to Kerala from Bangalore is to start early morning about 3 AM, and reach Kerala in about 12 hours, including stops for breakfast and lunch (if required). Ofcourse, this is with including small stops for feeding the infant (as in my case) and fuel breaks.

Since the roads are excellent, you can maintain good speeds.

In your case, the time of start would be an issue since it would involve night driving.

The Kumily route means you climb the hills right after Kambam, and disembark from the hilly roads after Kumily at Mundakkayam.

For Kerala route queries, this is the mega thread on the same, which has a lot of regularly updated info : Link

Someone would surely help you there. You could also contact unni.ak as well as hellstar who are regular night drivers.

[InternetUser]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

The way i usually plan as well as advise my friends planning on driving down to Kerala from Bangalore is to start early morning about 3 AM, and reach Kerala in about 12 hours, including stops for breakfast and lunch (if required). Ofcourse, this is with including small stops for feeding the infant (as in my case) and fuel breaks.

Since the roads are excellent, you can maintain good speeds.

In your case, the time of start would be an issue since it would involve night driving.

The Kumily route means you climb the hills right after Kambam, and disembark from the hilly roads after Kumily at Mundakkayam.

For Kerala route queries, this is the mega thread on the same, which has a lot of regularly updated info : Link

Someone would surely help you there. You could also contact unni.ak as well as hellstar who are regular night drivers.

Thanks for all the information. Those threads do have most of the information that I required.

I too plan to type-out an ownership report for this car soon after this trip.

[deepclutch]

@benbsb29:How Much Time more needed to Reach Kottayam from Bangalore via Salem-dindigul-Theni route?Is the Night Driving Safe in that route?(NH220/KK Road IIRC).

[Sony]

Last week (October 20th) I have done a Trip to Pala thru this route. Below are the details of time taken for the journey.


Bangalore - Started at 5:15 AM from Marathahalli
Hosur - 6:30 AM. Got into a traffic block for 15 Minutes here
(Short Break-30 Minutes stop for Break Fast /Fuelling at Adayar Anandabhavan, Krishnagiri)
Salem - 9.30 AM (Salem ByPass)
Didndigul - 12:05 PM (Dindigul Bypass)
(Break- 30 Minutes- Lunch at Travancore House Hotel, Periyakulam. Good hotel and food was also great)
Kumily - 4 PM.
From Kumily the road was bad till Vandiperiyar, approx 10-15 Kms. Average speed I got was only 15-20 km on this strech.
Mundakkayam - 6 PM
Ponkunnam - 6:30 PM (Heavy raining started)
Pala - Reached home at 7:15 PM

Excpet a few Kilometers after Kumily, all the road was good. Roads till Dindigul is excellent with 4 Line all along and you can cover this sterch very fast, in 6- 6.5 Hrs including the breaks.

From Didndigul to Kumily, roads are good (2 Line Highway) with little traffic. This can be covered in 3.5-4 Hrs time including breaks.

From Kumily to Kottayam, roads are good except 15 Kms bad strech from Kumily and other parts, it is occasional potholes and patches. Kumily to Kottayam can be completed in 3- 3.5 Hrs time.