[ampere]

Originally Posted by prabhuferrari

Thank you. I am planning to do this on a Monday morning. Leave chennai by around 5 AM. I read that pondy cuddalore is good. Will 4.5 hours be enough? And with a break 5 hrs perhaps?

Its about 150 odd to Pondicherry. That section with the 4-lane should be done in about 2.5 hours max. The next 100km with traffic a max of 2.5 hours or lower.

So yes, I think 5 hours is a reasonable assumption. All depends on when you hit the 4-lane past Tambaram.

[Arvind6488]

Hi,

I am planning to do a trip from Chennai to Kumbakonam next Saturday. This is the first time I am travelling to Kumbakonam by road. Would appreciate if someone could help me with the major checkpoints and junctions that I might have to cross in the journey from Chennai to Kumbakonam.

The plan is to start by around 4.30 Am in the morning. Hence, would be helpful if someone could help on the information about a very good vegetarian hotel en route where we can break for breakfast.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Arvind6488

I am planning to do a trip from Chennai to Kumbakonam next Saturday. This is the first time I am travelling to Kumbakonam by road. Would appreciate if someone could help me with the major checkpoints and junctions that I might have to cross in the journey from Chennai to Kumbakonam.

Chennai-Tindivanam-Ulundurpet-Vridhachalam-Sethiyarthope-Kumbakonam

- To get to Vridhachalam SH from Ulundurpet, either drive into Ulundurpet town and take the SH or take the Ulundurpet bypass and exit out 4-lane further up and catch up to the SH.

The plan is to start by around 4.30 Am in the morning. Hence, would be helpful if someone could help on the information about a very good vegetarian hotel en route where we can break for breakfast.

Hotels are available at :

- Tindivanam : Aryas
- Ulundurpet Bypass : A2B

[polopm]

Originally Posted by anachronix

Next time, after you cross the Ulundurper flyover keep looking at your left for elecrtic transmission line poles, EB building and you will see the left next to it. That left connects back to the Jayamkondam route!

Travelled to KMU yesterday via this short cut and the road is gone totally. Full of potholes and best to be avoided.

Also tried the new route from Virudhachalam byepass to Veppur (on NH45) - part of the road to Salem on way back to Chennai. This road is also gone and has many potholes.

The Ulundurpet-Virudhachalam road has slowly started melting away on the edges , but is still motorable under 80 kmph.

[pypkmsrikanth]

The best bet for Kumbakonam is to go via Chidambaram. Except for about 10 kms after Sirkali the road is good all the way.

[polopm]

Originally Posted by pypkmsrikanth

The best bet for Kumbakonam is to go via Chidambaram. Except for about 10 kms after Sirkali the road is good all the way.

No, this drive can be stressful due to the curvy roads around chidambaram with heavy traffic.
The Ulundurpet - Virudachalam-Jayamkondam-Meessuriti-Anakarai-KMU
still remains the best in business. You might travel few kms more, but what you get is near pothole free roads with lesser traffic.

[klassics45]

Originally Posted by polopm

No, this drive can be stressful due to the curvy roads around chidambaram with heavy traffic.
The Ulundurpet - Virudachalam-Jayamkondam-Meessuriti-Anakarai-KMU
still remains the best in business. You might travel few kms more, but what you get is near pothole free roads with lesser traffic.

I would recommend the same, Went till jayamkondam in the weekend and it was completely pothole free. But beware in the nights, they put grains on the road and keep stones in the edges.

[vikramhere]

Hi,

I am planning to travel to Mayiladuthurai this Saturday with my family and my first time south of Chennai.

The plan is to start by 1 PM and reach mayavaram before 7pm. Since I am traveling with my kiddo, I can have a couple of restaurant breaks in between and yet reach Mayavaram before night falls.

I am really confused with the routes, should I take -
Chennai - Tindivanam - Pondy ECR - Cuddalore - Chidambaram - Vaitheswaran Koil - Mayavaram

or as proposed by Polopm should I take -
Chennai - Tindivanam - Ulundurpet - Virudachalam-Jayamkondam - Anakarai - Mayavaram

I would really appreciate any help on the route and some good veg restaurant suggestion en-route.

[arsudarsan]

Originally Posted by vikramhere

Hi,

I am planning to travel to Mayiladuthurai this Saturday with my family and my first time south of Chennai.

The plan is to start by 1 PM and reach mayavaram before 7pm. Since I am traveling with my kiddo, I can have a couple of restaurant breaks in between and yet reach Mayavaram before night falls.

I am really confused with the routes, should I take -
Chennai - Tindivanam - Pondy ECR - Cuddalore - Chidambaram - Vaitheswaran Koil - Mayavaram

or as proposed by Polopm should I take -
Chennai - Tindivanam - Ulundurpet - Virudachalam-Jayamkondam - Anakarai - Mayavaram

I would really appreciate any help on the route and some good veg restaurant suggestion en-route.

I did the first route on 19th Jan on my way back from Thiruvarur. Roads are good through out although you are likely to be slowed down between Pondy and Cuddalore. Once you cross Cuddalore traffic is much lesser. You should be able to do it in 6 hours with a break. I have no idea about the other route, but from my colleague's report, route until Anakarai is good.

If you go through Pondy, ensure you tank up in Pondy because fuel is cheaper there.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vikramhere

or as proposed by Polopm should I take -
Chennai - Tindivanam - Ulundurpet - Virudachalam-Jayamkondam - Anakarai - Mayavaram

A modification of quoted version:
Chennai - Tindivanam - Ulundurpet - Virudachalam-Sethiyarthope-Chidambaram-Sirkazhi-Mayavaram

I think ECR south of Pondicherry is quite crowded and also has lots of villages on the way. Hence more avoided the better.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by vikramhere

Hi,

I am planning to travel to Mayiladuthurai this Saturday with my family and my first time south of Chennai.

The plan is to start by 1 PM and reach mayavaram before 7pm. Since I am traveling with my kiddo, I can have a couple of restaurant breaks in between and yet reach Mayavaram before night falls.

I am really confused with the routes, should I take -
Chennai - Tindivanam - Pondy ECR - Cuddalore - Chidambaram - Vaitheswaran Koil - Mayavaram

or as proposed by Polopm should I take -
Chennai - Tindivanam - Ulundurpet - Virudachalam-Jayamkondam - Anakarai - Mayavaram

I would really appreciate any help on the route and some good veg restaurant suggestion en-route.

I would stick to the NH45/GST route, it will be faster. There are plenty of restaurants on this route. You should comfortably reach Mayavaram in 5-6 hours.

[vikramhere]

Thanks for all your suggestions, this is extremely helpful.
Couple of points, Should I go through Ulundurpet or is there a bypass around it? Via Google Maps, I see a disconnect between NH45 and SH69, so do we have to go through Ulundurpet town to reach Virudhachalam?

Have any one gone through NH-45C, which passes via Panruti and Neyveli? How is the road condition there? I am planning to visit Neyveli on the way back, if the road conditions are good.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by vikramhere

Couple of points, Should I go through Ulundurpet or is there a bypass around it? Via Google Maps, I see a disconnect between NH45 and SH69, so do we have to go through Ulundurpet town to reach Virudhachalam?

Not sure about this. I naturally assumed that the bypass should be able to connect you to Virudhachalam SH. Good to confirm with regulars.

Have any one gone through NH-45C, which passes via Panruti and Neyveli? How is the road condition there? I am planning to visit Neyveli on the way back, if the road conditions are good.

45C via Vikravandi/Panruti is quite bad. Its good be on 4-lane till Ulundurpet.

[Sridhar K]

Recently did a Chennai-Tiruchi- Pudukottai-Thirumeiyam-Tiruchi-Tiruvaiyaru-Kumbakonam-Mayavaram-Chennai on a tempo traveller.

Tiruchi-Pudukottai-Thirumaiyam is almost completely. It will be an excellent 2 lane toll road with the toll booths yet to open.

Tiruchi-Tiruvaiyaru via SH22 had heavy sand lorry traffic till Kallanai. The road is doable but for occassional potholes. SH22 all the way till K.Konam was pretty good.

Kumbakonam-Mayiladuthurai was in pretty decent shape as well.

On the return - we came via Chidambaram bypass-Sethiathoppe-Vadalur-Panruti and Vikravanti.
Mayavaram-Sirkali was full of pot holes.
Sirkali -Chidambaram-Sethiathope was really good.
Sethiathope to Vikravandi- The road condition is pretty ok though not top class. Potholes were filled.

State highway quality in TN has improved and the new Tiruchi-Karikudi road is being built very well with proper banking, shoulders.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Sridhar K

On the return - we came via Chidambaram bypass-Sethiathoppe-Vadalur-Panruti and Vikravanti.
Mayavaram-Sirkali was full of pot holes.
Sirkali -Chidambaram-Sethiathope was really good.
Sethiathope to Vikravandi- The road condition is pretty ok though not top class. Potholes were filled.

From Sethiarthoppe, you should have come down to Ulundurpet via Virudhachalam. That would have lead you to 4-lane much earlier.