Hyderabad <-> Chennai : Best route, time, distance & road conditions

[vinodh2004]

Hi, I am planning to hit road on 20th to travel to Hyderabad from Chennai. There are so many routes available. I would like somebody to advise me the best route that I can take both in terms of time and quality of road. I also saw that the volvo buses take about 10hrs time to reach hyderabad. Pls let me know the route if you happen to know. I plan to start at 5 a.m. Tips on b/fast and lunch will also help.

[akroy]

Pls search for this. There is already a detail discussion on it.

FYI
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...-distance.html

Mods Pls do the needful

Abhi

[Dhanasekaran]

Which vehicle would you be using? It matters a lot. There are roughly 4 routes available and it depends purely upon the vehicle.

Chennai-Ongole-Pidiguralla-Narkatpally-Hyd

Chennai-Renigunta-Cuddapah-Kurnool-Hyd

Chennai-Chittoor-Cuddapah-Kurnool-Hyd

Chennai-Chittoor-Kadhari-Gooty-Kurnool-Hyd

Roughly 80~90Kms is the difference between each routes. Choose according to your preference.

Also look at MapmyIndia - maps, directions, and local search across India - just search, print and go! for detailed route plan.

[vinodh2004]

I will be driving in Verna XI petrol. I prefer good roads even if its little long and I am planning 10hrs including break. Is it possible

[vinodh2004]

Mapmyindia is really a good site. I normally go thru google live search which doesnt give the names of towns that we cross and which sometimes is a problem. Thanks Dhanasekaran.

[Dhanasekaran]

Dear Vinodh,

Please choose 3rd option.

Route from Chennai till Kurnool will be good. Kurnool to Hyd is OK. Road widing work is in full swing.

Remember to cross this distance in Day never take any chance of doing it in night.

10 hrs should be great enough to cover this distance. Fuel it full tank that should take you to Cuddapah. Next full tank take you to Hyd. I guess the FE should be around 10KMPL.

[vinodh2004]

Thanks Dhanasekar. My freind suggested route no.1 or the one thru' Nalgonda. He said its the shortest and fastest. Even I wanted to try NH5 as I have never driven thru that road. Pls suggest which is better of the following options
Che-Vijayawada-Hyd
Che-Ongole-Narkatpally-Hyd
Che-Ongole-Nalgonda-Hyd
or any other route via NH5

[nitindangoria]

I don't intend to butt in and confuse the issue.
I have recently gone from Hyd to Chennai, via kurnool while going and returning via V'wada.
I found the return route via V'wada the best of the lot. The Chennai-V'wada is just excellent, there is hardly any traffic and , most importantly for me, there was not a single carbreaker ( speed brakers ) on the entire journey which made my Uno happy.
The Kurnool highway is not a 4 lane highway like the Chennai-v'wada one and with lots of speed brakers your speed will get reduced. The only negative aspect of the V'wada-Hyd route is the mad traffic which will keep you tense throughout.
Let us have your experiences after your trip.

[hvkumar]

Chennai-Vwada-Hyd will be the most enjoyable since you have NH5 till VWada. But keep in mind that traffic is very heavy on NH9 between Vwada and Hyd

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by nitindangoria

I don't intend to butt in and confuse the issue.
I have recently gone from Hyd to Chennai, via kurnool while going and returning via V'wada.
I found the return route via V'wada the best of the lot. The Chennai-V'wada is just excellent, there is hardly any traffic and , most importantly for me, there was not a single carbreaker ( speed brakers ) on the entire journey which made my Uno happy.
The Kurnool highway is not a 4 lane highway like the Chennai-v'wada one and with lots of speed brakers your speed will get reduced. The only negative aspect of the V'wada-Hyd route is the mad traffic which will keep you tense throughout.
Let us have your experiences after your trip.

The problem with this route is that you will have a honeymoon till Vijaywada on the Golden Quadrilateral (NH 5), but a nightmare on the Vijaywada-Hyd route--to be precise, from a place around 60 kms after Vijaywada, where the 4-lane ends, and 4-laning begins. The distance from that place (I think it is Nandigama) to Hyd is around 220 kms. It will take you more than an hour to do the last 30 kms to get into Hyd, unless it is during odd hours.
I recently read that villagers on that route recently protested about the poor condition of the highway, leading to so many fatalities.
I too am planning a trip to Chennai during that time, but I am more inclined to take Danasekaran's suggestion of going via Kurnool, Cuddapah and Chittoor. If there were so many speedbreakers, he could not have convered it in a record time. Perhaps those car-breakers are on the other route to Kurnool suggested by somebody above.
As regards the route via Ongole to Narketpally or Nalgonda, I don't have recent updates, but my BIL almost broke his rim when he traveled on it last year. It is also the shortest of all, and taken by the buses to Chennai from Hyd.
Please estimate for 12 hours instead of 10, to be more realistic. Anything done earlier than that will make you happy

[Dhanasekaran]

Route from Hyd till Kurnool is the questionable one. 4 laning is at full swing means at every 3 kms stretch there is a diversion. Night driving is to be avoided.

I remember it is Kothakota after Jadcherla the route is diverted from NH7 to local route. You will cross roughly 30~40 Kms to reach the NH7 again. But I do not see them as a problem in day driving. However it is only question fom 200 kms till this issue is present.

After Kurnool it is single lane beutiful stretch. Kurnool to Chennai is roughly 530Kms and I have done it in 7 hrs with my Maruti 800.

Pls follow the below mentioned route.

Kurnool-Nandyal-Cuddapah-Rayachoti-Pileru-Chittoor-Ranipettai-Chennai

I see only a total 10~15 Kms is where the road is having rough and poor patches. Otherwise the entire stretch is good. You even have very good ghat section going for 6~kms after cuddapah.

I have really enjoyed this route and am sure others would as well.

[vinodh2004]

Thanks dhanasekaran. I intend to go via vijayawada and return on the route specified by you as I will be returning back again on 25th

[ram2004]

Hi,

I too am planning to take a ride to Hyderabad. But based on research and discussion I understand the best bet is to go via Vijayawada though taking off via Piduguralla/Nalgoanda/Narkatpalli is an option. But on return I am planning to see both Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam (maybe an overnight stay there) and return via Ongole to Chennai.

I intend leaving on 22nd Morning and returning on 26th/27 and would be driving a Tata Safari

regards
Ram

[sreenivass]

Ram and Vinod, watch for craters if you are taking Addanki-Piduguralla route. There was a stretch where pot holes and craters can surprise one, I drove through this route in Oct 07.

[Dhanasekaran]

Adding to the Mr.Ram's comment, one of my friend who drove from Hyd to Ongole on this route had a real time rim broken @ Mriyalaguda junction. After so much research, I found that in AP especially in this route from Addanki till Narkatpally the speed brakers (so called) is available at the village entrance and also at exit.

Most of the times this will not have any marking for ease of identification. Very careful drive is essential. On the other hand it will kill the time you have saved by driving through NH-5.

Choice is yours...