[manjubp]

Originally Posted by narayans80

There is a BP Ghar at Vadipatti, some 50 km before Madurai. You could drive unto Madurai, stay somewhere in the Northern part of Madurai (like Hotel Metropole for example) and leave the next morning. Also looking at your start timing, you'll make it close to midnight in Madurai and its much easier to cross Madurai to the other side of town. Rameswaram road is much better accessible from the NH45B side than the NH7.

If NH210 is better these days, Dindigul-Natham-Tirupattur-Karaikudi-Devipatnam-Ramnad-Rameswaram is a good route too. It will save you the hassle of Madurai traffic.

Though I have done non-stop Trivandrum to Bangalore with only fuel/tea break overnight recently and also many other short drives (less than 300kms, late night), I prefer to not to drive post 10PM with family, unless warranted. Considering traffic in Hosur at evening peak hours, I expect it would take atleast 5 hours to reach karur (Around 10pm), Madurai is another 160+ kms, so better to stay in a hotel at karur and start early morning(6AM).

Thanks for the information on alternative route and appreciate that. Let me check. Is Dindigul-Natham-Tirupattur-Karaikudi is 4 lane road?

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by manjubp

Considering traffic in Hosur at evening peak hours, I expect it would take atleast 5 hours to reach karur (Around 10pm), Madurai is another 160+ kms, so better to stay in a hotel at karur and start early morning(6AM).

I guess there is a way of 'bypassing' the Hosur mess by taking Attibele-TVS factory and joining on Rayakottai Road which rejoins NH7 on the other side of Hosur?

Originally Posted by manjubp

Thanks for the information on alternative route and appreciate that. Let me check. Is Dindigul-Natham-Tirupattur-Karaikudi is 4 lane road?

No it is 2-lane

[karanp23]

Any latest update on the route to Rameswaram from Bangalore especially, after the recent rains that lashed Tamil Nadu.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by karanp23

Any latest update on the route to Rameswaram from Bangalore especially, after the recent rains that lashed Tamil Nadu.

Till Madurai its a 4-lane. No changes on that. Beyond Madurai NH49 is pretty much the same as it way. Should not see any changes.

[karanp23]

Thanks ampere! I am planning trip starting December 12, 2014 and will post the travelogue.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by narayans80

I guess there is a way of 'bypassing' the Hosur mess by taking Attibele-TVS factory and joining on Rayakottai Road which rejoins NH7 on the other side of Hosur?

Hosur is not so much of a pain when going from Bangalore since most of the work on road widening/bridges is complete. However, the return is painful since work is incomplete

[hyderabadi]

Road is all the way good until Rameswaram. I have been there in Oct. make sure that you need GPS / Maps if you have to cross Madurai in day time.

Originally Posted by karanp23

Any latest update on the route to Rameswaram from Bangalore especially, after the recent rains that lashed Tamil Nadu.

[karanp23]

Well, the border crossing is not a pain based on my visit yesterday to Hosur. However, the traffic jams occur during peak hours immediately after your cross the lake (beyond the new chennai silks) where one takes a right towards Thali, due to flyover construction. Similarly, on the return direction, due to another flyover construction near the deviation to rayakotta road. I am told, that it is better to take the new semi-ring road that connects to the highway immediately after Ashok Leyland near the border. This road take you all the way round and joins again the highway after hosur, where the temporary bus terminus was located earlier during the construction of the main bus terminus. I am yet to try...

Thanks Hyderabadi! I will post my travelogue on my return after december 17

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by karanp23

Thanks ampere! I am planning trip starting December 12, 2014 and will post the travelogue.

There'll be lot more rains by mid-December. But in general NH49 condition isn't much affected by NE monsoon rains.

Originally Posted by hyderabadi

make sure that you need GPS / Maps if you have to cross Madurai in day time.

You just need to take the 2-lane bypass that forks at Tirumangalam towards Trichy/Rameswaram/Tuticorin. The Rameswaram turnoff is at the 23rd km mark (out of the 26 km long 2-lane bypass). Its fairly straightforward and you can't get lost that way.

If you meant driving through Madurai city, its a nightmare to say the least (especially if you are in expressway mode of driving).

[karanp23]

Originally Posted by narayans80

There'll be lot more rains by mid-December. But in general NH49 condition isn't much affected by NE monsoon rains.



You just need to take the 2-lane bypass that forks at Tirumangalam towards Trichy/Rameswaram/Tuticorin. The Rameswaram turnoff is at the 23rd km mark (out of the 26 km long 2-lane bypass). Its fairly straightforward and you can't get lost that way.

If you meant driving through Madurai city, its a nightmare to say the least (especially if you are in expressway mode of driving).

Folks: I had done this trip with breaks at Salem on both ways this apart, the trip was just as it was shared by many. Nothing different or unusual that I experienced. Thanks everyone

[Divya Sharan]

Folks, I plan on doing this route the coming weekend.
I only have 2 days (Sat,Sun) for the entire trip. So, I plan on leaving Bangalore early morning and reaching Rameshwaram in the afternoon.
Rest for a while and visit the important places in the evening.
Then I plan on visiting Dhanushkodi (if not touched the previous day) and return back to Bangalore.
Is the normal Madurai route the best for me?

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

Folks, I plan on doing this route the coming weekend.
I only have 2 days (Sat,Sun) for the entire trip. So, I plan on leaving Bangalore early morning and reaching Rameshwaram in the afternoon.
Rest for a while and visit the important places in the evening.
Then I plan on visiting Dhanushkodi (if not touched the previous day) and return back to Bangalore.
Is the normal Madurai route the best for me?

It will be quite hectic and tiring especially if you're the only driver, but can be done.
Route is simple - Bangalore-Hosur-Salem-Namakkal-Karur-Dindigul-Madurai on NH7, excellent roads. At Madurai, don't get into town, take the Airport Ring Road from the Tirumangalam Junction and then take the exit to NH49 towards Rameshwaram. I think the road conditions are good on this stretch too. This avoids the Madurai town completely.
At Rameshwaram I suggest you complete visits to the temples and other nearby "Theerthams" in the evening itself. Next day visit Dhanushkodi in the morning, return to hotel, check out and head back - long, almost 750Km drive back to Bangalore.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

I only have 2 days (Sat,Sun) for the entire trip. So, I plan on leaving Bangalore early morning and reaching Rameshwaram in the afternoon.

As NPV said, its too hectic. I would suggest you add another day. That would ease it up quite a bit. Gives you rest for a day in between.

[ravib]

Yes, as ampere and NPV mentioned, its too hectic. This is a round trip of about ~1300 kms, so most of the time you will be spending on road and driving (ofcourse it is interesting) but defeats the purpose of going to the destination as you end up spending just few hours there.

3 days trip is ideal. First and last days for travel and 2nd day for visiting the temple. Since you are going over the weekend, it will be crowded so you obviously need more time in temple, 22 wells to take bath if you are planning to and also for Dhanushkodi.

-Ravi

[CRV2010]

Originally Posted by Divya Sharan

Folks, I plan on doing this route the coming weekend.
I only have 2 days (Sat,Sun) for the entire trip. So, I plan on leaving Bangalore early morning and reaching Rameshwaram in the afternoon.
Rest for a while and visit the important places in the evening.
Then I plan on visiting Dhanushkodi (if not touched the previous day) and return back to Bangalore.
Is the normal Madurai route the best for me?

I recently did this route, it took almost 11 hours for me to reach Rameshwaram from Bangalore with 4-5 stops.

Its easy to reach Madurai but from Madurai it's just a two line road though roads are good you need to lookout for villages and people crossing carelessly.