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

[envyravi]

Hi,

I am planning to drive to Chennai on 12th September, in my WagonR. If i start early in the morning (no night driving) can I reach Chennai before 7pm? I want to know the best route and also places where I can stop for food, refuel etc. On my return on 13th if I start around 2 pm can I reach Vijayawada before 7 pm? I want to night halt there and start to Hyderabad next day afternoon.

Thanks in advance.

Envyravi

[akroy]

Yes you can reach Hyd - Chennai in a day...

1) Short Route: Hyd - Anantapur(on NH7) and then on NH205 - Kadiri - Tirupati - Chennai
You can stop by at Gooty A1 Plaza for refuel, early lunch and then proceed...

Return journey:
Chennai outskirts - Vijayawada can be easily done in less than 5 hours with one halt.(you can stop for tea snacks at Ongole A1 Plaza which will come on your side),

I personally did similar timings from Tirupati to Vizag during my Kolkata drive in my Alto (read my travelogue)...

Abhi

[PRADEEP KUMAR]

Hi,
the shortest and fastest (APSRTC ROUTE) is nellore-Nagarjunsagar-HYD.

[suren181]

The Vijayawada route is packed densely with heavy traffic and for a real long distance the Highway is as good as a 2 lane road. AFAIK the distance to Chennai on this route is around 730 ~ 750 kms.

The normal route that I take is I take a right into Nalgonda after Narkatpally, bypass Nalgonda and straight onto via some smaller towns (villages) namely macharla, Chirala (not good at remembering names moreover all names in Telugu) etc., to touch the Chennai Kolkata expressway just ahead of Ongole which is roughly 325 kms away from Chennai.

By doing this the total distance works out to approx 650 kms with very minimal traffic. The downside to this route is the presence of numerous speed breakers which aren't quite visible ahead of and after the villages, and a few bad stretches en route.

I prefer this route mainly because of the dense traffic on the Vijayawada highway. Need to add though its been nearly 6 months since I last took that route and wonder if the rains would have spoilt the roads. Am sure one of our other TBHPians would know the conditions at present.

[BunnyPunia]

We did took the Vijaywada route, its a heaven till Vijaywada and a few ten km more, after which its a little messy. But still, you end up coverin distance quite fast:

Chennai - Gudur : 137km (2 hrs )
Gudur - Ongole : 176km (2.5 hrs)
Ongole - Guntur : 106 ( 1.5 hrs)
Guntur - Vijaywada : 32km (0.5 hrs)

From chennai to Vijaywada, 557km will take 8.5 hrs including breaks.
From Vijaywada, HYD is another 238km, 4.5 hrs including breaks

Total distance :795km, 13hrs.

[nitindangoria]

Hi,
I recently went to Chennai via Anantpur and Gooty but returned via vijayawada. The return route is the best as there is the 4 lane National Highway till Vijayawada. The road is a beauty, there is not much traffic and , the most importantly, there is not a single speedbreaker on this road. As someone pointed out there are endless speed breakers on the Anantapur/Gooty road. Hyd-v'wada route is full of traffic and you have to be on your guard every moment of the drive for reckless drivers but I feel it is worthwhile going on the Hyd-V'wada route. Both the routes will be about 700 kms.
Have a safe journey.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by akroy

Return journey:
Chennai outskirts - Vijayawada can be easily done in less than 5 hours with one halt.(you can stop for tea snacks at Ongole A1 Plaza which will come on your side),

I personally did similar timings from Tirupati to Vizag during my Kolkata drive in my Alto (read my travelogue)...

Abhi

Sorry bad estimation, took the gudur - Chennai distance wrong actually...
It should take you 6-7 hours (if start at 4AM)

Abhi

[sreenivass]

There are actually a couple of them.

1. Hbad - Sagar, Macherla - Addanki - Ongole - Nellore - Chennai
2. Hbad - Narketpally - Nalgonda - Piduguralla, Addanki, rest as in 1
3. Hbad - Narketpally - Nalgonda - Piduguralla - Chilakaluriprta - Ogl, ..
4. Hbad - VJWD - GNTR - OGL, ...

I did Hbad to Ongole (ogl) in 6 to 7 Hrs. I do not think it will be more than another 4 or 5 hrs to Chennai. The route I took was 2.

[bblost]

Hyderabad -> Narketpally
drive on,

about 70 kms before Guntur you come to a right cutoff for Adanki.
Adanki connects to NH5 about 30 kms before Ongole.

decent road, total distance 650 kms.
time: out of Hyd 6 AM, Chennai 3:30 PM

[suren181]

ROute 2 is what I had taken too Sreenivass... Sorry guys, I just didnt remember the names of the towns..

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by BunnyPunia

We did took the Vijaywada route, its a heaven till Vijaywada and a few ten km more, after which its a little messy. But still, you end up coverin distance quite fast:

Chennai - Gudur : 137km (2 hrs )
Gudur - Ongole : 176km (2.5 hrs)
Ongole - Guntur : 106 ( 1.5 hrs)
Guntur - Vijaywada : 32km (0.5 hrs)

From chennai to Vijaywada, 557km will take 8.5 hrs including breaks.
From Vijaywada, HYD is another 238km, 4.5 hrs including breaks

Total distance :795km, 13hrs.

If I remember correctly, Vijaywada to Hyd is 260 kms, not 238. Generally it takes around 6 hours to commute this distance,plus more if there is dense traffic in the outskirts of Hyderabad.

[ravi@64bhp]

Hyderabad to vijayawada is 280 km.

The best route I would prefer is
Hyderabad-Nagarjuna Sagar-Piduguralla-Narasaraopet-Chilakalurpet-Ongole-Nellore-chennai. You enter NH5 at Chilakalurpet. From chilakalurpet to chennai 380 km and is a cakewalk.

I prefer sagar route to Narkatpally. The sagar route is really good with little traffic. Vijayawada road is always dangerous.

[sreenivass]

Originally Posted by ravi@64bhp

Hyderabad to vijayawada is 280 km.

The best route I would prefer is
Hyderabad-Nagarjuna Sagar-Piduguralla-Narasaraopet-Chilakalurpet-Ongole-Nellore-chennai. You enter NH5 at Chilakalurpet. From chilakalurpet to chennai 380 km and is a cakewalk.

I prefer sagar route to Narkatpally. The sagar route is really good with little traffic. Vijayawada road is always dangerous.

Up to Sagar and a little beyond roads are pretty good. Macherla -> Nakirekal was really bad two yrs ago. I think Nalgonda one is straighter and better. Any one to compare ?

[envyravi]

Hi,

I didnt knew there were so many routes.Thanks to you all, from your experiences I have ruled out:

HYD-VJA route- heavy traffic
NKTPLLY-Nalgonda-Macherla route-too many villages and speed breakers
Anantpur-Gooty- bad road.

The Sagar-Macherla-Ongole-Nellore route seems to be the best option. On the return, I have to stop at Vijayawada to visit my relatives. Which is the best route to H'bad, from Vijayawada, other than the VJA-HYD highway. I will be starting on 14th afternoon.

envyravi

[sreenivass]

Originally Posted by envyravi

Hi,

I didnt knew there were so many routes.Thanks to you all, from your experiences I have ruled out:

HYD-VJA route- heavy traffic
NKTPLLY-Nalgonda-Macherla route-too many villages and speed breakers
Anantpur-Gooty- bad road.

The Sagar-Macherla-Ongole-Nellore route seems to be the best option. On the return, I have to stop at Vijayawada to visit my relatives. Which is the best route to H'bad, from Vijayawada, other than the VJA-HYD highway. I will be starting on 14th afternoon.

envyravi

Check the route between Sagar and Nakirekal via Macherla. Between Hyderabad and VJWD I do not see options other than NH, watchout for funny folks overtaking during bends even.