Quote:
Originally Posted by pramodpk Hi,
Below is the trip plan that we thought of. Attachment 2536379
I have chosen the route via Chennai to avoid the under construction roads between Tirupati and Naidupeta.
My Queries.
1. What would be the ideal place to stay in Chennai during Onward and return Journeys
2. What would be the ideal place to stay in Visakhapatnam during onward and return Journeys
3. General road conditions.
4. Anything to be careful about while driving in Kolkata
Plan would be start between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM on all days.
Please let me know your inputs.
Thanks in advance. |
Hello,
As a regular on the Chennai - Kolkata route, thought of sharing my two cents. (
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route...i-kolkata.html (Kolkata - Chennai - Kolkata))
1. If you are meeting someone or have to stay back in Chennai it is a different issue, otherwise I would suggest you push a bit further and stay overnight at SRI-CITY / Tada. That is the TN-AP border. There are quite a few neat and clean hotels available there. Check MakeMyTrip.
2. Chennai (or Sri-City) to Vizag is a comfortable 14 hour drive. Roads are excellent throughout. Lunch stop can be at Vijaywada. Good veg options are Hotel D.V. Manor. Non-Veg: Taj Vivanta Vijaywada, The Hyatt Place.
3. Don't miss the Vizag entry left-loop alongside the new Vizag Bypass approach flyover. Stick to the left. Lots of stay option at Vizag. Depends on your budget. Best-Western Ramachandra off Gajuwaka junction is reasonably priced and good business hotel to stay. If you want to keep the Miss'us happy, ITC Devee Grand Bay has lovely views of Vizag harbour. For ITC you will have to "enter" Vizag city but it will not add too much to your time.
4. For sightseeing purposes if you want to stay at Konark its ok. Not very many good options at Konark. Maybe you can amble down to Puri for an overnighter. Otherwise you can stay at Chilika Lake. SWOSTI Chilika Resort is very nice and relaxing.
5. Kolkata - Vizag at one shot will be strenuous. However early or late you leave Kolkata, you will get stuck at this infamous stampede known as "Santragachhi jam". Dial in 20 minutes for this. This jam is plain irritating, man-made by over zealous cops and successfully screws up your nice, early morning highway drive mental state

. Also from this week onwards, couple of lanes of the Vidyasagar Setu,(or second hooghly bridge), will be closed to traffic for brodge repair-work and may potentially prove to be disruptive. But i would still suggest you take Vidyasagar because the alternative route is too far off and as all the trucks will be diverted to the alternative route, chances of a logjam there are higher.
I suggest you break journey at Bhubaneswar. And the next day cover Bhubaneswar - Vijaywada direct. You can comfortably do it in 14 hours.
6. Bhubaneswar - Kolkata: there are some minor diversions. Nothing to fret over.
7. Before and after Behrampore and in and around Balugaon in Orissa, please be careful of stray cattle. Villagers deliberately prod them onto the highway from the median, in the hope that you knock the bovine down and then they can siphon you off your money. Stick to the middle lane.
Please carry essential spares of your Fiesta as its a defunct model. The Orissa,(Bhubaneswar),Ford dealer is not a very pleasant chap. The Kolkata Ford dealer is more or less ok.
All the best & wish you a great drive!
Best wishes