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MODS:
Found several threads for Bangalore - Rameshwaram but nothing specific for Coimbatore - Rameswaram so this new thread. Please merge as appropriate if there is indeed another thread for this route.

Planning a family trip to Rameshwaram from Coimbatore the weekend of 9th Sep. Please suggest the route options - prefer better roads for a faster drive due to time available. Planning to start from Coimbatore around noon since we need to attend a function that morning.

I thought about following options:
1. My initial route plan was Coimbatore-Salem (NH47), then Namakkal-Karur-Dindigul-Madurai (NH7) and then Rameshwaram (don't know the NH/SH for this).
2. However I remember somewhere after Dindigul/Karur I had seen a road with Coimbatore sign so wondering which is that route and how are the roads ?
3. Coimbatore-Salem-Namakkal-Musiri-Trichy-Rameshwaram - how are the roads ?

Only route I'm familar is the NH7 upto Dindigul which I have done 3 times in last couple of years and know it's extremely good. Looking forward to get your suggestions on route options.

The best option is:

CBE-Palladam-Dharapuram-Didukkal-Madurai-Ramnad-Rameshwaram.
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu - Google Maps


Now instead of Dharapuram if you drive all the way up to Karur on NH67, you would
add another 60km to the distance.

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu - Google Maps



The SH of TN are very good and you would find no problems for driving.

The other thing I did not realize is that you said, you will start by noon.
We are talking about 400 km, (200km to Madurai and another 180 to Rameshwaram).

That means 4-5 hours for Madurai and another 3-4 hours for Ramehswaram.
Add to this he time taken to cross Madurai and time for breaks.

If you start by 12, you should there 9 ot 10PM. I would suggest you to carry your own for
dinner or get it packed at Madurai. There are not many good places on the NH49 for food.

Even I'd strongly recommend this route and also do carry your own food as ampere suggested as I did have a tough time searching for eateries on my last trip.

The shortest route would be: Coimbatore-Palladam-Dharapuram-Oddanchatram-Sembatti-Kodai Road-Madurai-Rameswaram.

- Out of this Dharapuram-Oddanchatram is narrower.
- After Oddanchatram you'd get a signboard saying Madurai 82 km, thats the Sembatti road (which is the route taken by Madurai-Palani buses).
- If you want wide roads Coimbatore-Pollachi-Udumalpet-Palani-Dindigul-Madurai-Rameswaram would be it. Out of this, Coimbatore-Pollachi is traffic ridden. Rest is pretty stress-free wide 2-laned NH.
- To avoid Madurai, take the bypass at Samayanallur, turn left 2 km before Tirumangalam towards Trichy/Rameswaram (the NH45B-NH7 bypass). The penultimate exit before bypass merges with Trichy-Madurai highway is the Rameswaram NH. This is a detour, but it save the hassle of driving through Madurai. Unless you want to visit Madurai, no point entering the city.
- You'll encounter some traffic for the first 20 km from Madurai then it eases out. Paramakudi town would test some patience.
- Except for towns, facilities are minimal after Madurai and more so after Paramakudi. Make sure you refuel, eat before you take Samayanallur.
- Petrol was marginally expensive by a buck or 2 near Rameswaram, Ramnad.

@Ampere, @narayans80, @h14 thanks for your valuable inputs.
I'm assuming going via Palani will add more time due to the ghat section so to summarise, I think the following are the good options available:

1. CBE-Palladam-Kangeyam-Karur-Dindigul-Madurai-Rameswaram
2. CBE-Palladam-Dharapuram-Oddanchathiram-Dindigul-Madurai-Rameswaram
3. CBE-Pollachi-Dharapuram-Oddanchathiram-Dindigul-Madurai-Rameswaram

Which among these would you suggest based on current road conditions ?

Please stick to route number 2. In route 1, I believe Kangeyam to Karur to Dindigul road works are on. As far as route 3 is concerned, CBE-Pollachi is nowadays laden with heavy traffic and will surely consume a lot of time. Take route2 and enjoy your trip!

Also, as suggested by @narayans80, Dindigul to Madurai via sembatti is shorter and also less on traffic, but I'm not sure of the current road conditions. Maybe @narayans80 or others in here can provide info on that.

No point going via Pollachi. You will lose quite some time crossing the town.
Go either via Dharapuram or via Karur.

EDIT: Just saw @h14's update. I am not aware of NH67 work on Kangeyam-Karur section. That is news to me also.
So better go via Dharapuram.

Even if NH67 were in great condition, going all the way to Karur is too much of a stretch.

Its not Dindigul->Madurai, its Oddanchatram-Madurai rather. Roads are decent, but defly less than the runway you get to drive between Udumalpet-Dindigul. You'll have low to moderate traffic as it is the bus route for Madurai-Coimbatore buses. If not for the bad state at railway crossings, NH209 (Udumalpet-Dindigul) is one of the top 2-lane highways I've driven on.

Thanks again folks.
@narayans80 - I tried getting a map for the route as per your suggestion, please see if this is what you had in mind:
CBE-Palladam-Dharapuram-Oddanchathiram-Sembatti-Madurai-Rameswaram

Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu to Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu - Google Maps

Narayan, There is hardly a 10km difference between Sembatti and Dindigul routing options. If NH209 directly hits Dindigul by-pass,
wont it be better to direct take the GQ at Dindigul by-pass itself? This is again assuming NH209 is good all the way and better the SH through Sembatti.
Please, do let me know what you thing about this.

Instead of Dindugal - Madurai - Ramanathapuram you can also consider the following
Dindugal - Natham - Singampunari - Tirupattur - Devakottai - Devipattinam - Ramanathapuram

I have done the Dindugal to Devakottai route several times and one during the last month, found the route pleasant to drive & with less traffic. regarding Devakottai to Rameshwaram heard the route is good - No personal experience

How is it driving at night in this section?
Do you get any places to break?

There was an update that Nattam section to Tirupattur is very decent.
Devakottai-Devapattanam-Ramnad (I think NH210) is just decent.

Yes, I guess its like 15 km difference. NH209 does hit the Dindigul bypass directly.

I've been on Melur-Tirupattur-Karaikudi stretch, its the bus route from Madurai towards that region. Roads were average to good, but narrow, comparable to Trichy-Musiri road width. Is the traffic that sparse and road conditions improved ? Karaikudi-Devipattinam (esp after Devakottai) used to be a horror stretch, though I read in some other thread that NH210 has come a long way from what it was.

Devipattinam-Rameswaram is excellent 2-lane, even bypasses Ramnad.

I'd love to know about night driving in this stretch too. About places to break ? assuming you meant for food. You should be able to find decent eateries at Dindigul, Karaikudi and Ramnad (maybe Natham too). If you intend to eat at Ramnad, you have to get into the town, 'cos coming from Devipattinam you can head to Rameswaram without entering Ramnad. The turnoff is 4 km ahead of the town. In between it would be hard to find.

The other thing I wanted to know, is why should one prefer the Karaikudi option over
the regular Madurai route? If its for exploring a new route, then fine.

But apart from that what are the other advantages that we get?
(The route is also 40km longer)

- Less traffic?
- Better routes ? (Does not look like it)
- Good places to eat? (Maybe as we go through Karaikdi)