[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by silversteed

If you know the route, then yes. Good roads. One suggestion though. Instead of going all the way till Kuzhalmannam junction and turning right, take a right about 2km before Kuzhalmannam. You won't miss it, as it's got a divider/island sort of thing, and comes up after a bus stop. So you can avoid the busy Kuzhalmannam area too

Great. Thanks for the tip. I am familiar with the route. Kottayi was my moms native so lot of memories as a kid. And I love the idyllic Mathur-Kottayi-Mankara areas. So a drive through this section would be nostalgic.

Originally Posted by NPV

1. & 2. (For Bangalore-Tirupur + Breakfast) you can do:
Bangalore-Salem(NH7)-Exit to NH47-Go upto Perundurai, stop at Annalakshmi for breakfast-exit NH47 & Take road towards Kangeyam, exit towards Tirupur
OR
Bangalore-Salem(NH7)-Exit to NH47-Go past Perundurai upto Vijayamangalam toll on NH47, stop at Saravana for breakfast near Toll plaza-turn to Uthukuli Road, proceed to Tirupur.

3. Simplest, straight forward route is the Palakkad-Calicut NH213 route and it bypasses most of Palakkad town traffic too.
At Chandranagar (where NH47 curves to left towards Alathur/Thrissur), exit NH47 and go straight towards Palakkad town. Just after the Indian Oil petrol pump (on left side) make a right turn and you're on NH 213.

Thanks NPV. Is Annalakshmi on the highway itself? Am familiar with the bypass from Chandranagar to get to the NH 213. But I'll mostly take the Ottapalam route. Will take a call tomorrow.

Originally Posted by ampere

For Triruppur, both Kangeyam and Avinashi options are round about. The best is to divert in between via Uthukuli. So exit at Chengapalli and take the Gobi-Kangeyam road. Turn to Tiruppur at Uthukuli.

With a 5AM start, you would cross Salem by 8, Perundurai by 8:45 and be in Tiruppur by at most 9:30/9:45. (If you drive without a break). Else Perundurai bypass is a good break point. (Annalakshmi as NPV suggested)

Since you start again from Tiruppur, it may not be a bad idea to head to Palakkad bypass via Palladam/Pollachi. It may be much faster. Less traffic on the Palladam/Pollachi road.

Thanks Ampere. For the Tirupur-Palakkad stretch, Google is indicating Tirupur-Palladam-(Turn right to what is marked in Google as NH 67)-Join L&T Bypass. Is this what you meant? Or go to Pollachi and reach Palakkad via the Pollachi-Pallakad highway.

Maybe I am over-thinking this, but since I have almost decided that from Palakkad, I'll go via Kuzhalmannam-Mathur and join the Pattambi-Valanchery highway (to avoid Palakkad and also for some Nostalgic reasons), wondering if the below route makes sense.

Palladam-Pollachi-Meenakshipuram-Chittur-Koduvayoor-Kuzhalmannam-Mathur-Kottayi-Mankara-Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Calicut.

Originally Posted by binand

Nowadays there is. After you cross Chandranagar (NH 47 bypass towards Thrissur) and Bharathmatha school, there is a junction just before you reach Kalmandapam. Turn right here (last time I tried, this road was horrible but I understand it has been repaired since) and merge with NH 213 coming from the town near the Kalpathy bridge a short distance shy of Olavakkot (Palakkad Jn.) railway station.

This is an excellent 4 lane road now.

Originally Posted by ampere

Do you mean this option?

Link

If not can you please point in Google? That would be helpful.

No, it is not this. Here is the link. It is now actually marked as NH213 from Kalmandapam itself.

Link

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Thanks Ampere. For the Tirupur-Palakkad stretch, Google is indicating Tirupur-Palladam-(Turn right to what is marked in Google as NH 67)-Join L&T Bypass. Is this what you meant? Or go to Pollachi and reach Palakkad via the Pollachi-Pallakad highway.

I was suggesting going to Pollachi.

Maybe I am over-thinking this, but since I have almost decided that from Palakkad, I'll go via Kuzhalmannam-Mathur and join the Pattambi-Valanchery highway (to avoid Palakkad and also for some Nostalgic reasons), wondering if the below route makes sense.

Palladam-Pollachi-Meenakshipuram-Chittur-Koduvayoor-Kuzhalmannam-Mathur-Kottayi-Mankara-Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Calicut.

Instead you should then do:

Palladam-Pollachi-Meenakshipuram-Kollengode-Alathur-Pazhyannur-Shornur-Pattambi-Velancherry-Kottakal-Calicut

(Its about 20-30 km longer). However I think I would still prefer Palakkad and 213. I dont how the interior roads are in evening. And if it gets dark, I hope you dont lose the route.

[silversteed]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Great. Thanks for the tip. I am familiar with the route. Kottayi was my moms native so lot of memories as a kid. And I love the idyllic Mathur-Kottayi-Mankara areas. So a drive through this section would be nostalgic.

Great to hear that. My place is not too far from Kottayi

Palladam-Pollachi-Meenakshipuram-Chittur-Koduvayoor-Kuzhalmannam-Mathur-Kottayi-Mankara-Ottapalam-Pattambi-Valanchery-Calicut.

This looks like one of the better routes. Okay, it struck me only now that your origin is Tirupur, and not Salem. Apologies for that earlier post suggesting you not to take the Pollachi route.

Originally Posted by ampere

Palladam-Pollachi-Meenakshipuram-Kollengode-Alathur-Pazhyannur-Shornur-Pattambi-Velancherry-Kottakal-Calicut

(Its about 20-30 km longer). However I think I would still prefer Palakkad and 213. I dont how the interior roads are in evening. And if it gets dark, I hope you dont lose the route.

Amp, the OP is very familiar with the route he mentioned. Going all the way to Alathur and then turning back towards Pattambi is IMHO a bit too much of a detour, and the roads are very similar to the one he intends to take.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Amp, the OP is very familiar with the route he mentioned. Going all the way to Alathur and then turning back towards Pattambi is IMHO a bit too much of a detour, and the roads are very similar to the one he intends to take.

If he knows his roads, nothing like it. Since Alathur option is more of a traveled road, I suggested that. Not sure if its a big detour. Either way, if he can make it past Ottapalam/Shornur by 5-6, that would be good.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Great to hear that. My place is not too far from Kottayi


This looks like one of the better routes. Okay, it struck me only now that your origin is Tirupur, and not Salem. Apologies for that earlier post suggesting you not to take the Pollachi route.


Amp, the OP is very familiar with the route he mentioned. Going all the way to Alathur and then turning back towards Pattambi is IMHO a bit too much of a detour, and the roads are very similar to the one he intends to take.

Thanks for the inputs. Will take this route

Originally Posted by ampere

If he knows his roads, nothing like it. Since Alathur option is more of a traveled road, I suggested that. Not sure if its a big detour. Either way, if he can make it past Ottapalam/Shornur by 5-6, that would be good.

Thank you for the suggestions. Yes, I know this route pretty well. Only section I am not familiar is Tiruppur-Palladam-Pollachi-Meeankshipuram-Chittur. From there I know the roads well enough without maps/gps. Planning a post lunch start. So should cover a major part in day-light.

Couple of final questions:
Is Hotel Annalakshmi on the highway itself near Perundurai?
Any pointers on crossing Pollachi and getting to the Chittur highway? Should I just follow maps or ask locals?

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Couple of final questions:
Is Hotel Annalakshmi on the highway itself near Perundurai?
Any pointers on crossing Pollachi and getting to the Chittur highway? Should I just follow maps or ask locals?

Its on the Perundurai bypass. While going towards Coimbattore its on the opposite side of the road.

Tiruppur-Palladam-Pollachi is a beauty to drive with absolutely no traffic. Some small effort to cross Pollachi. Good roads all the way.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its on the Perundurai bypass. While going towards Coimbattore its on the opposite side of the road.

I guess a typo or some confusion

Annalakshmi is on left side when going towards Coimbatore, it's on the highway. On the other side you have Aryaas (and to go there you will need to make a U-turn).

A link to earlier post:Here

[ampere]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its on the Perundurai bypass. While going towards Coimbattore its on the opposite side of the road.

Originally Posted by NPV

I guess a typo or some confusion

Thanks NPV. Rajeev, sorry that was an error. Yes it would be on your side when going towards Coimbatore.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ampere

For Triruppur, both Kangeyam and Avinashi options are round about. The best is to divert in between via Uthukuli. So exit at Chengapalli and take the Gobi-Kangeyam road. Turn to Tiruppur at Uthukuli.

Need some help for a friend who is doing Bangalore-Gobi-Talawadi-Bangalore.

Is it a good idea to do
Bangalore-Perundurai-Gobi on the regular NH7 & 47 route and then take Gobi-Sathyamangalam NH209 for Talawadi and return via Chamrajanagar-Kanakapura to Bangalore ?
OR
just stick to 209 both ways ?

**He is hoping this can be done in a day, starting early around 4am and returning to Bangalore by midnight (there are 3 drivers so that should not be a problem).

[ampere]

Originally Posted by NPV

Need some help for a friend who is doing Bangalore-Gobi-Talawadi-Bangalore.

Is it a good idea to do
Bangalore-Perundurai-Gobi on the regular NH7 & 47 route and then take Gobi-Sathyamangalam NH209 for Talawadi and return via Chamrajanagar-Kanakapura to Bangalore ?
OR
just stick to 209 both ways ?

Hosur option would be very fast. He can also do Omalur-Sanakagiri SH bypassing Salem via Tharamangalam. Suresh and @coolclouds are regulars on that SH.
But in any case the 4-lane would be much much faster compared to 209.

**He is hoping this can be done in a day, starting early around 4am and returning to Bangalore by midnight (there are 3 drivers so that should not be a problem).

Easily possible. A 4AM start would take him to Gobi by 8/8:30 at most. 3 hours to Salem and another 1 / 1.5 to Gobi.

[supremeBaleno]

Guys, need some help on a route.

Which of the following route is better (in terms of good roads and thus less time taken) ?
- Kollam - Virudhunagar as shown below


OR

- Trivandrum - Virudhunagar as shown below

[ampere]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Guys, need some help on a route.

Which of the following route is better (in terms of good roads and thus less time taken) ?

Its always good to go via the 4-lane and there on via Nagarcoil. Much better an option.

[Gokrish]

Originally Posted by ampere

Its always good to go via the 4-lane and there on via Nagarcoil. Much better an option.

Plus 1: Bottleneck on Tenkasi route is the famous S curve. Depending on the time of the day, one may be held up for hours too. And this is season at Courtallam falls and may find lot of traffic there!

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Guys, need some help on a route.

Which of the following route is better (in terms of good roads and thus less time taken) ?
- Kollam - Virudhunagar as shown below
Attachment 1255319

OR

- Trivandrum - Virudhunagar as shown below
Attachment 1255320

Tenkasi route would slow you down for sure.

[srikant]

Friends i need help !! I am planning to drive Bangalore-Chennai-Cochin this week, and have a few doubts !!

1. My car is KL registered, would there be any problem at Hosur checkpost? (Heard of the problems faced by owners of outstation cars in Bangalore) Anybody did a trip recently from Bangalore towards Hosur side?

2. Which is the best route to take from Chennai to Cochin ? Planning to leave from Chennai early morning by 3am.