Team-BHP - Chennai to Tiruchendur

Hi,

I am planning to go from Chennai to Tiruchendur next weekend (18-December-2009) and from there to Trivandrum. Planning to stay at Tiruchendur. Request for help on the following information:
1. How long would this journey take? can it be covered comfortably in 10 hours ?
2. From Madurai, is it advisable to go via Tirunelveli or via Tuticorin ? The route via Tuticorin looks to be 30 Km shorter?

Thanks!
Siva

Hi Shiva,
I can guarantee that if you drive at 80 plus speed you can reach Madurai 8 to 9 Hours. Beyond that keep at least another 5 hours. The road beyond Madurai is not as good as Chennai Trichy. Trichy Madurai is also the work is going on. On Tuticorin road up to Aruppukkottai I went, it is good as well as less traffic. Via Virudhunagar also good. It does not make much difference a matter of 30 minutes. Virudhunagar road beyoind virudhunagar the work is going on and dusty,

I would prefer the route via Tirunelveli to get to Tiruchendur. From there to Trivandrum, you have the choice of going via Kanyakumari or rejoining the NH7 at Valliyoor - both routes are good.

Hai Shiva,

Did the route some time back, I went from Trichy, Tanjore, Rameswaram, Tuticorin, Terichendur, Trivandrum. Attaching the logs herewith, you'd find the route I took from Terichendur to Trivandrum was great, pure and ethnic countryside. The logs of 18th and 19th would be useful to you.

Have fun.....

--Ramky
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My choice would be Chennai-Thirunelveli-Tiruchendur. Roads are in superb condition. Distance coverage would depend on your average speed & stops. Yes it can be done in 10 hrs if you are reasonably speed with minimized stops in between. Watch out for heavy vehicles in wrong sides

Thanks to all BHP'ians for the inputs. I made the trip over the last week. Took the Chennai - Madurai - Tirunelveli - Tiruchendur route. The road condition is good throughout. There are 4-5 points in the Madurai - Tirunelveli section where the joints in the road have a height difference of 2-3 inches and you will face a big bump if driving at speeds of 80+.

I shall write the full details of the travel in the travel section in another post and paste a link to the same in this thread.

Reaching Madurai in current road condition after this heavy monsoon within 10 hours will be not be easy.

You need to break your journey. I am suggesting below the route and plan exactly I did recently.

Day # 1: Leave Chennai around 5:30 PM and reached Trichy 10:45 PM. Night halt at Trichy.

Day # 2: Leave Trichy around 6:30 AM and reached Trichendur 12:50 Noon.

Route: Trichy-Viralimalai-Melur-Madurai-Bye-Pass-Tuticorin-Trichendur. Road from Madurai bye-pass to Trichendur is 4 lane in most of areas and some areas yet to be converted. Pls note the road expansion is still under progress, so lane change is frequent.

Day # 3: Leave Trichendur 8:30 AM and reached Trivandrum 11:40 AM.

Route: Trichendur-Karuvi-Nagercoil-Padmanabapuram-Trivandrum

Let me know your plan.

Be prepared to pay heavy toll tax between Chennai to Trichy. No calculation and they will take you for royal ride.

Have a good trip...

My Experience on this route till Madurai recently was like this. 4 am from Chennai. 5.57 am coffee at Viullupuram 8.10 Am brakfast at Tiruchy. Tiruchy Tirumangalam via By pass Madurai airport reached Tirumangalam at 12.Noon. Lunch at village near Tirumangalam. Total Toll Calculated was 285 tilll Tirumangalam. Beyond that you can calculate. In that case day journey will be much safer.

Navan Sir, did i read it right. Is the toll charge till tirumangalamis 285? I made a trip to Chennai, Thirunelveli-kutralam, kanyakumari, Nagercoil and back to chennai in 2008 Jan. The over all toll I paid for the entire trip was less than Rs.250. Do you have any splitup of the toll charges? I will be planning for anoher rip this feb/march 2010.

Tuticorin - Tiruchendur route is shorter and road condition will be OK, not great. I would advise Tiruchendur - Kanyakumari coastal road only if you are going by SUV. Route will be very scenic, but road condition can be pathetic at places.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gansan (Post 1652572)

I believe the entire coastal road has now been upgraded and is in much better condition. Anyone been on it recently?

I was able to travel from Chennai to Madurai in 9 hours, with a 2.5 hours break at Tiruchy. I have updated the complete travel details with photos at: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...rivandrum.html