Need Inputs on Travelling To Chennai

ERTIGA_ZMR · Mar 3, 2014

Dear Friends,

I have to be in Chennai for 3-4 days as my bro in law needs eye treatment at Sankar Netralya.

My didi and Jiju coming to Chennai early morning around 4 AM by train. I would like be there before them. Please suggest at what time I should start from Bangalore Electronics city. I guess 9 PM would be fine if I need to be Chennai by 3 AM.

Couple of queries I have :

1: Approximate driving hours from Bangalore to Chennai railway station? I drove till Vellore couple of times and it took around 4 hours.

2: It is stupidity to ask route option, I guess we need to follow only one road from Bangalore to Chennai.But please confirm which if there is any better option.

3: How is Chennai Railway station parking, is it good enough?

4: Hows the driving condition is Chennai, must be better than Bangalore?

5: Any budget hotels around Sankara Netralya.

6: Distance between Sankra Netryalya and Chennai Railway Station.

7: Anyone has good reference in Sankar Netralya, kindly pm me.

Thanks,
Alok

Figoian · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

Hi

My comments are inline.

ERTIGA_ZMR said:

My didi and Jiju coming to Chennai early morning around 4 AM by train. I would like be there before them. Please suggest at what time I should start from Bangalore Electronics city. I guess 9 PM would be fine if I need to be Chennai by 3 AM. - Bangalore - Chennai normally takes about 6-7 Hrs @ 80-100 KMPH and couple of breaks. Being it a full night drive, please do take care and have number of breaks you may need. Moreover, you can expect a good amount of truck traffic.

Couple of queries I have :

1: Approximate driving hours from Bangalore to Chennai railway station? I drove till Vellore couple of times and it took around 4 hours. - 6 - 7 Hrs. As you are starting for EC, Bangalore traffic is avoided. So you are well saved and can reach early too.

2: It is stupidity to ask route option, I guess we need to follow only one road from Bangalore to Chennai.But please confirm which if there is any better option.EC - Hosur - Krishnagiri (Take Left) - Vaniyambadi - Ambur - Vellore - Sri Perambudur - Poonammale - Chennai. This is the best route for you. Roads are excellent, with some construction, widening works at few places.

3: How is Chennai Railway station parking, is it good enough? - Yes. Sufficient.

4: Hows the driving condition is Chennai, must be better than Bangalore? - 1000 Times better! In fact, I never thought Chennai would have changed, rather transformed this good. I just had been to Chennai last week and spent about 10 days there. Most of the metro work is done and the roads were cleared where ever done, unlike Bangalore. Most of the roads are wider, with Flyovers and Subways as needed. Even during peak hours, the traffic is existent, but moving one and never stagnant, again, unlike Bangalore. Than anything, you can surely have a Pot Hole Free and Speed Breaker Free drive Can't dream of that in Bangalore

5: Any budget hotels around Sankara Netralya. - Not sure on this.

6: Distance between Sankra Netryalya and Chennai Railway Station. - Google Map / GPS can help you better.

Thanks,
Alok

amit1km · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

Since you want to reach by 3 PM to reach Railway station, I would suggest start by 8 PM.There are a lot of toll booth are there , they will eat a lot of your time if you are going to take Krishnagiri route. This route will be faster than the rest.

As per my knowledge, there is a parking lot next to the railway station and it has lot space, so don't worry about parking.

ERTIGA_ZMR · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

Shouldn't I use the route which volvo buses take.

Till Vellore I used this route couple of times:

EC - Hosur - Krishnagiri (Take Left) - Vaniyambadi - Ambur - Vellore - Sri Perambudur - Poonammale - Chennai

I guess at Krishnagiri, I have to skip flyover and take a left and straight road would be towards Vellore.

Figoian · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

ERTIGA_ZMR said:

Yes, that's the very same route.

You can't miss the left at Krishnagiri as the flyoever is closed for onward traffic due to contruction work. The flyover is used for you to come from Salem and now from Chennai / Vellore as well.

amit1km · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

ERTIGA_ZMR said:

It is bit confusing, if you are well aware of on which flyover you need to take right it is fine.I guess there are multiple flyover are there. I do not know the count.

ERTIGA_ZMR · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

amit1km said:

I guess it is just after a toll both. If you take flyover it will take you to Hognekal side and left turn towards Vellore

Figoian · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

ERTIGA_ZMR said:

That's not the case since a long time as that flyover is closed for traffic towards Vellore or Salem. As I mentioned earlier and quoted below, for both Vellore & Salem, you have the go under the bridge as it's diverted only for traffic from those places and not towards. The diversion is clear that you can't miss it.

Figoian said:

AppU · Mar 3, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

What ever Figoian said is right and perfect.

But, please ensure which Railway station in Chennai. There are two stations one is Central Railway station and another one is Egmore Railway station.

The distance between Central and Egmore will be some 5Kms only.

Highway Ranger · Mar 4, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

ERTIGA_ZMR said:

No. You have to take the flyover just after the tollbooth. It is the second flyover that you have to go under and take the left.

But, as Figoian said, that flyover is closed on going traffic and you will be anyway forced to going under it.

It should take you around 6 hours doing around 80 to100. Do not stop in dark isolated places for any reason. If necessary, use the toilets provided in the toll plazas. Take tea breaks where ever you find bright and populated tea shops. Ambur maybe a good idea.

appus · Mar 4, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

Figoian said:

When I went to chennai for the first time , Nov 2011 - I missed the left and went almost 25KM. [frustration]

. I was having doubt seeing only Salem-Madhurai. No one was on the road side to ask too. Finally, came back all the 20+ km. I did not loose much time as the roads were excellent

Yes, :stupid:

Figoian · Mar 4, 2014

Re: Need some input about Chennai

appus said:

Yes appus, that used to be the case until the flyover was used for both ways. Since about or more than a year, it's open only for incoming traffic to Hosur. So, now either you go to Vellore or Salem, you have no choice than taking the road beneath.

BTW, good point from AppU. Which Railway Station you want to go? Chennai Central or Chennai Egmore? These are 2 biggest stations where all trains from other cities come in apart from other smaller stations too.

ERTIGA_ZMR · Mar 4, 2014

I have both Sysgic and Nokia maps which are excellent. Since I will be driving alone hence need to listen instruction carefully.

Thanks to all of you for valuable input. Most probably it will be without break journey, may be one or two sushu breaks.

IndicaDLS2002 · Mar 5, 2014

@ERTIGA_ZMR sorry for stealing your thread but I needed the same info, so it might help both of us [:)]

Actually I was just going to start a new thread about this when I saw this thread as I plan to do a "Bangalore-Tirupati-Chennai & back" week long trip most likely sometime in Summer. So obviously I will take the old madras NH4 road.

Few questions:

1. Is summer time advisable to visit Chennai due to the heat?
2. What are the good places to visit these days in Chennai? I have visited a long time back & don't remember much.
3. Good budget/3-star hotels to stay in Chennai any suggestions?.
4. Nearby places to visit?

The information in previous posts is quite helpful but its mostly about route.

Thanks in advance. Started a new thread anyways. Please add to either thread http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/travel-itinerary/16524-bangalore-tirupati-chennai-back.html#post370800

Need Inputs on Travelling To Chennai

ERTIGA_ZMR

V10

Figoian

V10

amit1km

V8

ERTIGA_ZMR

V10

Figoian

V10

amit1km

V8

ERTIGA_ZMR

V10

Figoian

V10

AppU

V10

Highway Ranger

V10

appus

V10

Figoian

V10

ERTIGA_ZMR

V10

IndicaDLS2002

V8