[ampere]

Originally Posted by xotiq

Planning a BLR-Velankanni drive, please suggest best routes from BLR.
Thanks-

Originally Posted by coolclouds

Last time, during my return from Velankanni, I took Thiruthuraipoondi-Mannargudi-Thanjavur route. It was in good condition with less tourists traffic compared to regular route. It also doesn't have any railway gates.

The default NH67 is now very good. But yes the risk of getting stuck railway crossing at Needamangalam is always there. I would suggest to stick to the regular NH67. And take the Karur road to Trichy.

Bangalore-Salem-Karur-Trichy-Tanjore-Needamangalam-Thirurarur-Velankanni

Hot-spots:
- Cross Trichy. (Central Bus Stand - Srirangam - BHEL)


Link to Trichy Bypass:

Route Link

Traffic and congestion on NH67 from GST is very till NIT during peak hours.

[Knight Rider]

Question from someone who is doing this route for the first time.

I am driving down with my family on this month end. Since the hotels are full in velankanni, the hotel i got is at a place called Thirukadiyur. When i checked google, It was giving me less distance than the Normal route

434 km, 8 hours 9 mins (Chennai - Nagapattinam Hwy/E Coast Rd/NH 45A/SH 49)

Has anyone done this route? Any suggestions are welcome.

[DWind]

Knight Rider

If you are driving from Bangalore, would suggest you look for other Hotel options (in Thanjavur/ Thiruvarur) Tirukadaiyur is atleast 50 Kms from Velankanni which can take anytime between an hour and 90 mins to drive on narrow roads of ECR. This can be extra stressful for a first time traveler with family.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Knight Rider

Question from someone who is doing this route for the first time.

I am driving down with my family on this month end. Since the hotels are full in velankanni, the hotel i got is at a place called Thirukadiyur. When i checked google, It was giving me less distance than the Normal route

434 km, 8 hours 9 mins (Chennai - Nagapattinam Hwy/E Coast Rd/NH 45A/SH 49)

Has anyone done this route? Any suggestions are welcome.

Instead of staying in Thirukadiyur, I would advise you to stay in Karaikal.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Knight Rider

I am driving down with my family on this month end. Since the hotels are full in velankanni, the hotel i got is at a place called Thirukadiyur. When i checked google, It was giving me less distance than the Normal route

To head to Thirukadiyur, the best route is not via Trichy/Tanjore, but Salem/Veppur/Vridhachalam.

Bangalore-Krishnagiri-Salem-Attur-V-Koot Road-Veppur-Vridhachalam bypass - Sethiyarthope - Sirkazi - Thirukadiyur.

Please note : Salem-Ulundurpet is 4-lane NH68. You need to exit the 4-lane at V-Koot road to head to Vridhachalam. You cut the Chennai-Trichy 4-lane at Veppur. There many eating options on the highway. You may not worry on that front.

And as Suresh mentioned, you can also try hotels at Karaikal.

[Knight Rider]

Thanks a lot suresh, @dwind and @ampere for the quick replies!

Hotels are available in kariakal and is only 30 km to velankanni, So does this mean i take the normal route?

Bangalore-Salem-Karur-Trichy-Tanjore-Needamangalam-Thirurarur-Velankanni? Where does kariakal gets added?

Would not want to stress out as @dwind rightly mentioned.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Knight Rider

Hotels are available in kariakal and is only 30 km to velankanni, So does this mean i take the normal route?

Yes. You can then take either of the route to Karaikal. (Not a major difference I would say. )

Bangalore-Salem-Karur-Trichy-Tanjore-Needamangalam-Thirurarur-Velankanni? Where does kariakal gets added?

Thiruvarur-Nagapatnam Bypass Karaikal (towards Sirkazi on ECR)

Would not want to stress out as @dwind rightly mentioned.

Actually thats true. Start a day before by aftertoon. Arrive at Tanjore by evening. Start early the next day. Velakanni should be about 2 to 2.5 hours. You get all kinds of hotels in Tanjore.

[suresh_gs]

Originally Posted by Knight Rider

Thanks a lot suresh, @dwind and @ampere for the quick replies!

Hotels are available in kariakal and is only 30 km to velankanni, So does this mean i take the normal route?

Bangalore-Salem-Karur-Trichy-Tanjore-Needamangalam-Thirurarur-Velankanni? Where does kariakal gets added?

Would not want to stress out as @dwind rightly mentioned.

I would suggest take the best route to kumbakonam. Karaikal is close to kumbakonam.

[Voyager-1]

Originally Posted by Knight Rider

Bangalore-Salem-Karur-Trichy-Tanjore-Needamangalam-Thirurarur-Velankanni?

I suggest this is the less stressful route even though it is longer (526 km). From Bangalore till Karur bye pass, its all 4 lane and from then on till Trichy, it is a wide 2 lane road (tolled) and from Trichy to Tanjore it is again a 4 lane road. From Tanjore to Velankanni, it is normal two lane road and I do not know the road conditions (others can comment on this). So, based on your plan to visit Velankanni and surrounding places, you can decide where to halt for the night.

I recently drove through V-koot road, Vridhachalam and Chidambaram and I do not recommend that route to Velankanni from Bangalore.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

I would suggest take the best route to kumbakonam. Karaikal is close to kumbakonam.

Kumbakonam-Karaikal is never maintained in good condition. If there is an alternate would happily take it.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Kumbakonam-Karaikal is never maintained in good condition. If there is an alternate would happily take it.

+1. Its quite a broken and bumpy road esp around Peralam and there on for at least 10-15 km. Only after one gets into Karaikal limits, it kind of improves. Thats why I had suggested to drive on NH67 all the way till Nagapatnam and then take the bypass to Karaikal.

[Freon911]

Hello Folks,

Is this the best route to Velankanni from BLR?

Bangalore-Salem-Karur-Trichy-Tanjore-Needamangalam-Thirurarur-Velankanni

Could anyone who has recently traveled this route please share updates on road condition and details on good restaurants etc.

Thanks guys

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Freon911

Hello Folks,
Is this the best route to Velankanni from BLR?
Bangalore-Salem-Karur-Trichy-Tanjore-Needamangalam-Thirurarur-Velankanni

Yes thats the best route to Velankanni.

Could anyone who has recently traveled this route please share updates on road condition and details on good restaurants etc.

- I think till Krishnagiri its well known. A2B, McD, Sarava Bhavan
- Krishnagiri-Salem: Saravana Bhavan, Raja Bhojanam
- Salem: Park Plaza, Grand Estancia
- Salem-Karur : Not aware of any
- Karur-Trichy : No Idea
- Trichy: You go through won and the crodwed NH67 region, you should find something good
- Trichy-Tanjore-Nedamangalam-THiruvarur Velankanni : Not remember seeing any.


PS : Cool Handle! (Pun Intended! )

[Freon911]

Originally Posted by ampere

- Karur-Trichy : No Idea
- Trichy: You go through won and the crodwed NH67 region, you should find something good
- Trichy-Tanjore-Nedamangalam-THiruvarur Velankanni : Not remember seeing any.

Thanks Ampere for sharing these details. Any rough estimate on the time required from Karur? GMap shows around 4 hours. I had read your other posts regarding the level crossings at Needamangalam. On a lucky day if we dont get stuck at the level crossings I presume 5 hours would be enough to cover Karur - Velankanni. Your posts sure help a lot.

.. you sure got a cool and power handle. What can I say - I chose a frozen handle. Great pun.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by Freon911

Thanks Ampere for sharing these details. Any rough estimate on the time required from Karur? GMap shows around 4 hours. I had read your other posts regarding the level crossings at Needamangalam. On a lucky day if we dont get stuck at the level crossings I presume 5 hours would be enough to cover Karur - Velankanni. Your posts sure help a lot.

Karur-Trichy : ~80 km (1.5 hours)
Crossing Trichy : 1 hour
Trichy-Tanjore bypass end (40 minutes)
Tanjore-Needamangalam : 40 minutes
Needamangalam-Trihuravur-Nagapatnam-Velankanni : 90 minutes

So assume max 4-5 hours. (I hope it does not take 1 hour to cross but 30 minutes. And also hope you dont lose time in Nedamangalam.