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

[hrag]

If anybody is planning on NH205, watch out for horrible surprise potholes, non existent sections (esp. the narrow bridges) between Madanapalle and Kadiri. The road in general is superb but these bad stretches pop up and catch you by surprise.

The pleasant surprise is that Kadiri now has a superb 4 lane road (there was no road a few months ago) in front of the bus stand.

[vinodh2004]

Thanks to all. I have decided to take the CHE-VJY-HYD route on the way up and probably via kurnool on return.

[vnabhi]

Hi Vinod2004 and Ram2004.
How did your trip go? Can you please update us on the road condition?

[ravi@64bhp]

Met too keeping an eye on this thread. I am going to do a Chennai trip in February.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by ravi@64bhp

Met too keeping an eye on this thread. I am going to do a Chennai trip in February.

I might be doing this trip in June.
Hey travvellers please update.

On my last trip I chose the hyd-narketpally-miryalguda-ongole-chennai (650 kms) route.

This time I am driving (most proably alone).
Would like to check alternate routes.
Also since I want to reach Adyar would rather avoid North Chennai traffic

I have ridden once on the Hyderabad-Kurnool-Kadappa strecth and remember the road as quite decent.

[bblost]

Hey,

I am driving down to Chennai from Hyderabad on the 14th of June, 2008.

Route is Hyderabad -> Miryalguda -> Adanki -> Ongole -> Nellore -> Chennai.

Distance 650 kms.
Wagon R.

Requesting an update on current road conditions.
Please.

Thanks,

[vnabhi]

No idea about current road condition, but the Miryalguda route is infamous as a rim breaker.
Why don't you go the longer route via Kurnool and Chittoor? The road is pretty good from Kurnool to Chennai, I am told. However, road widening is taking place between Hyd and Kurnool.

[bblost]

@Vnabhi
Do you mean
Hyderabd -> Kurnool -> Nandyal -> Cuddapah -> XXX -> Chennai.

How do I proceed to Chennai from Cuddapah.

Thanks,

[ksrchowdary]

On 18th May 2008, I had travelled from Hyderabad to Chennai in Wagon R. Route taken was Hyderabad - Suryapet - Vijayawada - Ongole - Nellore - Chennai. Total Distance covered 730 Kms in 11 hours. It took nearly 5.5 hours to reach Vijayawada because of heavy traffic, from there its a pleasant drive till chennai.

In the return journey, I came via Chittor On 21st May 2008, surprisingly the distance and time were almost identical to the onward journey. Route taken was Chennai - Ranipettai - Chittor - Pileru - Rayachoti - Cuddapah - Panyam - Nandyal - Kurnool - Hyderabad. Road condition is decent from Chennai till Kurnool (520 Kms). After Kurnool, lot of construction work is going on till Hyderabad and you must look out for diversions every 3-4 kms.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by bblost

@Vnabhi
Do you mean
Hyderabd -> Kurnool -> Nandyal -> Cuddapah -> XXX -> Chennai.

How do I proceed to Chennai from Cuddapah.

Thanks,

krs has already answered your question.
He was lucky to reach Vijaywada in 5.5 hours. There is tremendous density of truck traffic on that route, and accidents are very common. Take a look at btirthanker's travelogue from Calcutta to Hyd where he has posted a pic of congestion on that route. But once you reach Vijaywada, the NH5 is a breeze to drive on.
On the other had, if you are prepared for road diversions every 3-4 kms upto Kurnool, it is a good drive from there till Chennai on the state highway, which is devoid of heavy traffic. I remember someone doing that stretch in 5.5 hours on a M800!

[Alton]

Hi bblost,
Dont touch Miryalguda.The Road is horrible.Instead try this =
Hyderabad ->Nagarjuna Sagar->Macherla->continue straight via Karempudi->Piduguralla->Addanki->on to the NHAI Nellore->Chennai.
Recently we made through this on 3 cars -Alto,Scorpio and WagonR in middle of May'08.The distance seems around 50KM more ,but the road is a breeze.Except a 5km stretch after Piduguralla towards Addanki.
We reached Chennai in 13.5 hrs including a good few Food breaks.
There's a BP bunk on the highway just after Ongole on the left side itself,plan for a lunch there at the PUNJABI Dhaba.The food served is finger licking and cheap too.Hygeine levels are OK ,you need to ask him to clean up before you settle down.
Happy driving.do post your Travellogue.
Regards

[bblost]

@Alton, thank you very much

Using map my india, I have picked up these maps for Hyderabad to Ongole.
From Ongole its a direct NH5 to Chennai.

Map 1 is Hyderabad to Macherla.
Map 2 is Macherla to Ongole.

Is this the route.

[kutlee]

Hyd to Kunool is a great road. The diversions are not that bad (most of them). You have to slow down from 120 to 80 or so, go left or right (as the diversion says) and then continue. There will be trucks but no jams. the new stretches, i mean the two lane diversons of the newly built 4 lane part are excelllent and can do 140 and make up some time lost due to diversions.

[Zappo]

Ummm... I do not know why you guys say Miryalguda road is so bad. I travelled on that road just 1.5 months back. I was driving down from Chennai to Hyderabad in an Indigo. That too in the night.

While right after Adinki where you take the left turn the road condition tells you that you left the fabulous NH but it is not so bad either. It is very much driveable unless of course you are one of those F1 drivers. You just have to keep your eyes open for those once in a while potholes which you will have to avert.

And yes, the distance becomes much lower than if you had to take the Vijaywada route. Go for it bblost, its doable.

[bblost]

actually I have done the Hyderabad <-> Chennai via Miryalaguda last year.
My odo reading were 650 kms between Adyar(Chennai) and Masab Tank (Hyderabad).
Took me about 11 hours including a lunch break.

I want to identify alternate routes.

btw, I have ridden Hyderabad <-> Cuddapah in 2005 and found the road decent.

Hyderabad <-> Macherla in 2003.

I am used to good and bad highways.
Want new roads.
a feeling that will be well understood here.