[kala]

Originally Posted by vasoo

Planning a Trivandrum trip next month. I plan to start at about 4AM from Bangalore. I will go by NH7 through Dndigul after which I have two options, one is to turn off to NH 208 at Thirumangalam, get into Kerala through Thenmala and continue to TVM or to go all the way to Nagercoil and turn off to NH47. I believe the latter, even though about 40 km longer, will be a faster and easier drive. I see that many Volvo buses are regularly doing this route in about 10 hrs at night. Any updates on these routes?

Btw, are there any good eateries beyond Dindigul on NH7 for lunch ?

Had driven on the latter route (via Nagercoil) in August. The final stretch between Nagercoil and Trivandrum can be slow thanks to the Kerala traffic, but NH7 is an excellent and fast drive.

If you start at 4AM, you should be able to reach Nagercoil in time for lunch. Doing that distance in 8 hours should be pretty comfortable.

[pramodpk]

Originally Posted by vasoo

Planning a Trivandrum trip next month. I plan to start at about 4AM from Bangalore. I will go by NH7 through Dndigul after which I have two options, one is to turn off to NH 208 at Thirumangalam, get into Kerala through Thenmala and continue to TVM or to go all the way to Nagercoil and turn off to NH47. I believe the latter, even though about 40 km longer, will be a faster and easier drive. I see that many Volvo buses are regularly doing this route in about 10 hrs at night. Any updates on these routes?

Btw, are there any good eateries beyond Dindigul on NH7 for lunch ?

The Nagercoil route will definitely faster. I drove to Trivandrum via Thirumangalam - Thenmala on Oct 22nd. Details in thread below

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2554991

It took 14 hours for me but it usually take 11 hours via Nagercoil eventhough the latter is 40 KMs longer. Also, I would also advice against Thenmala route as this would be Sabarimala season.

If you start at 4:00 AM from Bangalore, you will reach Nagercoil at 1:00 PM comfortably. I would advise you not to stop for lunch at Nagercoil but proceed since you will be able to cover some more distance before the peak hour traffic in this route. If you want to have lunch, there is one 'Business Restaurant' (forgot the complete name) around 18 KMS after the NH 7 exit on the RHS. I had lunch here once.

[vu2pmc]

hi,

yesterday, I drove from mysore to Calicut via, gundlupet, gudalur, Nilambur, edavanna, areacode, vazhakkad, Calicut. The roads were indeed good but for a km of bad patch after thoppekkad.. In terms of kms, I guess it is not even 5 kms more than calicut sulthan bathery route.

Attached is the gpx track log ...

[neel24neo]

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Read somewhere that roads around Munnar, especially Munnar town to Pallivasal is in bad state. Have you noticed?

That stetch of NH49 is particularly bad. the really bad stretch starts before you reach Pallivasal and extends all the way to Munnar.

On the return leg from munnar to trivandrum i chose to drive through idukki. the route taken was Pallivasal-Anachal-Chengulam dam-kallarkutty dam-keerithode-idukki-muttom-thodupuzha-muvattupuzha-ernakulam-trivandrum. The roads are good from idukki to muttom and excellent on muttom-thodupuzha-muvattupuzha stretch.

[NPV]

Folks - need your help with routing (based on current road conditions) for my uncle who is planning this 5-6 day trip during last week of December when his son will be visiting India:

Bangalore - Calicut - Guruvayoor - (Nemmara - Peruvamba - Palakkad - Kavalapara) - Tirupur - Chennai - Bangalore
Note:
1. Places within () not in any specific order of visiting preference
2. Prefer to stay overnight at Calicut, Guruvayoor, Palakkad/Tirupur, Chennai
Thanks in advance.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by NPV

Folks - need your help with routing (based on current road conditions) for my uncle who is planning this 5-6 day trip during last week of December when his son will be visiting India:

Bangalore - Calicut - Guruvayoor - (Nemmara - Peruvamba - Palakkad - Kavalapara) - Tirupur - Chennai - Bangalore
Note:
1. Places within () not in any specific order of visiting preference
2. Prefer to stay overnight at Calicut, Guruvayoor, Palakkad/Tirupur, Chennai
Thanks in advance.

Bangalore calicut via gudalur-nilambur.roads are excellent and any day better than the nh212 via wayanad.

Calicut-guruvayur via kunnamkulam.roads are ok.

Guruvayur nemmara peruvamb via thrissur nh47 vadakkencheri koduvayur.if he leaves early in the morning then he can easily make it to tiruppur for the night.

[pariwar]

Hi!
Need some advise on the route that I intend to take.
Start = Bangalore, End = Guruvayur
Departure Time = 1530 hrs
Google Maps show the shortest distance using the following stretches:
1. SH17 - Bangalore Mysore Road
2. NH212 - Bangalore-Mysore-Calicut Highway
3. At Gundlupet switch to NH67
4. Just after Gudalur switch to Calicut-Vythiri-Gudalur Road
5. At Nadukani switch to Kozhikode-Nilambur-Gudalur Road
6. At Vadapuram switch to Valanchery-Nilambur Road
7. At Pattikad continue through Ooty Road
8. Just after Perinthalmanna switch to SH23 - Shornur-Perinthalmanna Highway
9. At Pulamanthole, this highway suddenly becomes SH39 (later on it does once again say SH23)
10. At Pattambi take the turn to connect to Cheruthuruthi-Perumpilava Road
11. At Koottanadu take the Perumbilava-Nilambur Road
12. At Perumbilava take the Thrissur-Kuttipuram Road
13. At Kunnamkulam this becomes the Chavakkad-Wadakancherry Road
14. At Mamiyur take the appropriate turn into Guruvayur.

I am quite conversant with the regular BLR-CBE-Palakkad-Guruvayur road both on the National Highway as well as State Highways. Have done these roads regularly. Have also traveled through BLR-Mysore-Bandipur-Calicut-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur stretch. I am quite conversant with driving and also on the ghat sections at night. I know the efficacy of using earlier mentioned routes, however want to give this a try. I have a GPS (Map My India) which I put into service whenever I want to, hence loneliness of stretches are not a big issue. Will be carrying a laptop with me and can power up to check google if there is some conflict with mapmyindia.

Questions:
1. Comments on the current smoothness of the road on these stretches.
2. Since I will be leaving BLR at about 3.30 p.m., I will be covering the Mudumalai forest area in the night, is this permissible to do so (had heard earlier that they do not allow vehicles to traverse after dusk).

[Geo_Ipe]

Hey guys need your help again!

I'd said in my prev post that I'm driving Vellore - Ktm on 27/11.

I'd need advice on reaching Kottayam from Thrissur. The route I've always taken is Thrissur - Angamali - Muvattupuzha - Ettumanoor - Kottayam.

Is the so called "Sea port - Airport" route supposed to be better? I dont quite know that route and if it's better, could someone please give some accurate details.

And which route might the Sabarimala pilgrims take out of the 2 mentioned routes?? I'm avoiding the Cumbam - Theni - Kumily route since its the Sabarimala season.
Thanks in advance!!

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by pariwar

Hi!
Need some advise on the route that I intend to take.
Start = Bangalore, End = Guruvayur
Departure Time = 1530 hrs
Google Maps show the shortest distance using the following stretches:
1. SH17 - Bangalore Mysore Road
2. NH212 - Bangalore-Mysore-Calicut Highway
3. At Gundlupet switch to NH67
4. Just after Gudalur switch to Calicut-Vythiri-Gudalur Road
5. At Nadukani switch to Kozhikode-Nilambur-Gudalur Road
6. At Vadapuram switch to Valanchery-Nilambur Road
7. At Pattikad continue through Ooty Road
8. Just after Perinthalmanna switch to SH23 - Shornur-Perinthalmanna Highway
9. At Pulamanthole, this highway suddenly becomes SH39 (later on it does once again say SH23)
10. At Pattambi take the turn to connect to Cheruthuruthi-Perumpilava Road
11. At Koottanadu take the Perumbilava-Nilambur Road
12. At Perumbilava take the Thrissur-Kuttipuram Road
13. At Kunnamkulam this becomes the Chavakkad-Wadakancherry Road
14. At Mamiyur take the appropriate turn into Guruvayur.

I am quite conversant with the regular BLR-CBE-Palakkad-Guruvayur road both on the National Highway as well as State Highways. Have done these roads regularly. Have also traveled through BLR-Mysore-Bandipur-Calicut-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur stretch. I am quite conversant with driving and also on the ghat sections at night. I know the efficacy of using earlier mentioned routes, however want to give this a try. I have a GPS (Map My India) which I put into service whenever I want to, hence loneliness of stretches are not a big issue. Will be carrying a laptop with me and can power up to check google if there is some conflict with mapmyindia.

Questions:
1. Comments on the current smoothness of the road on these stretches.
2. Since I will be leaving BLR at about 3.30 p.m., I will be covering the Mudumalai forest area in the night, is this permissible to do so (had heard earlier that they do not allow vehicles to traverse after dusk).

Entry to Bandipur is restricted at night,with a 330 departure from Bangalore,I dont think it is a good idea to take the Mysore route.Stick to the NH7-NH47 combo and go via Salem-Palakkad.From Palakkad,I would suggest that you take the Palakkad-Ottapalam-Kulappully-Pattambi-Kunnamkulam-Guruvayur route.The entire drive shouldnt take more than 10hours.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by pariwar

2. Since I will be leaving BLR at about 3.30 p.m., I will be covering the Mudumalai forest area in the night, is this permissible to do so (had heard earlier that they do not allow vehicles to traverse after dusk).

Nowadays, the road after Gundulpet closes at 6 pm (earlier it used to be 9 pm), so you will not be able to reach that place before then. Therefore, either you leave earlier from Bangalore or stick to the Salem or Sathyamangalam route

[Twiny]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Nowadays, the road after Gundulpet closes at 6 pm (earlier it used to be 9 pm)

Though I have seen the suggestion for 12hrs ban in News Paper, has it become effective already?

[coolclouds]

Originally Posted by Geo_Ipe

Hey guys need your help again!

I'd said in my prev post that I'm driving Vellore - Ktm on 27/11.

I'd need advice on reaching Kottayam from Thrissur. The route I've always taken is Thrissur - Angamali - Muvattupuzha - Ettumanoor - Kottayam.

Is the so called "Sea port - Airport" route supposed to be better? I dont quite know that route and if it's better, could someone please give some accurate details.

I hope MC road should be still the better option as the traffic on seaport-airport route also should be high due to Chottanikkara and Vaikom temples.

If you still plan to take seaport - airport road, you need to take a left after Kalamassery (Premier/apollo Jn, just before Nippon Toyota new showroom), a right after about 1.5 kms to seaport - airport road. The dead end would be Karingachira where you take right towards Tripunithura and join the Ernakulam-Kottayam route.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Twiny

Though I have seen the suggestion for 12hrs ban in News Paper, has it become effective already?

Yes, that is what I heard, time restriction is from 6 pm - 6 am now.

[Jammy70]

Good morning folks, need your inputs.

I am driving to Guruvayoor with family on 02 Dec (Friday) with a ETD of 6.30am. Till last week, I had almost finalised on taking the NH7/NH47 option till Palakkad and then opting for the Palakkad - Pattambi - Guruvayoor route for the final stretch.

Watching the posts here over the last couple of days, I have been wondering whether to opt for the BLR-MYS-Gundulpet-Gudalur - Nilambur - Manjeri - Guruvayoor route. I have done this route couple of years back and remember some bad stretches (not sure where, but between nilambur and Manjeri, I think).

I believe this route is about 50-60km shorter, though the time taken would be more or less the same as NH7/NH47 (is that right?). Is this route a good option? If so, where do you think I could stop over for lunch - since we are travelling with kids, this is important. I am also confused about the section between Manjeri & Guruvayoor - I seem to have lost the log from my last trip and any help with regard to this sector would be very much appreciated.

Or, do you still recommend sticking to NH7-NH47 for a comfortable drive?

Will look forward to your guidance.

Thanks!

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Jammy70

Good morning folks, need your inputs.

I am driving to Guruvayoor with family on 02 Dec (Friday) with a ETD of 6.30am. Till last week, I had almost finalised on taking the NH7/NH47 option till Palakkad and then opting for the Palakkad - Pattambi - Guruvayoor route for the final stretch.

Watching the posts here over the last couple of days, I have been wondering whether to opt for the BLR-MYS-Gundulpet-Gudalur - Nilambur - Manjeri - Guruvayoor route. I have done this route couple of years back and remember some bad stretches (not sure where, but between nilambur and Manjeri, I think).

I believe this route is about 50-60km shorter, though the time taken would be more or less the same as NH7/NH47 (is that right?). Is this route a good option? If so, where do you think I could stop over for lunch - since we are travelling with kids, this is important. I am also confused about the section between Manjeri & Guruvayoor - I seem to have lost the log from my last trip and any help with regard to this sector would be very much appreciated.

Or, do you still recommend sticking to NH7-NH47 for a comfortable drive?

Will look forward to your guidance.

Thanks!

The nilambur option is shorter by around 50kms but it would be a longer drive in terms of time,especially after vazhikadavu the local traffic slows you down considerably and its a constant clutch brake accelerator ritual after that,plus the roads are narrow.

If you simply want to try a different route then take it else dont bother.you could stop for an early lunch at vazhiyoram just before nilambur town.overall i would still reccomend nh7-nh47 combo for ease of driving.