Route information required: Bangalore - Chennai airport - Kalahasti

[ma_nu_t]

Hi,

I am planning a trip to kalahasti (near tirupati) via chennai from Bangalore next week. I will be leaving Bangalore in 15th Morning and pick my friend from Chennai airport and head towards kalahasti from there on the same day(planning to leave chennai by 5PM).

This is the first time I am visiting chennai, hence do not know anything about this city. Hence request chennai bhpians to provide me all possible information about the route


1. I will be taking GQ to chennai from Bangalore. I checked out in maps.google.com for the maps and found that there are two possible routes to airport from NH4.

route 1. Take a right turn at Sriperumbudur - after nokia factory go below fly over - (SH110) ->Mudichchur road-> Tambaram -> NH45 chromepet -> pallavaram -> Airport
route 2. Take right at poonamallee -> Mt Poonamallee road -> katipara junction - right turn - great southern trunk road -> Airport

The above is bookish information and I am not sure which route is the better one to take. Or is there any other route which is better and quicker ?


2. From Airport, I have to reach NH5 ( from there to Tada -> Kalahasti). Again from google, I found out following route:

Airport -> take left on great southern trunk road -> katipara junction -> go straight on Jawahar Lal Nehru Road -> cross adyar river -> Dead end - take right turn on Anna main road -> immediate left at ashoka piller - Jawahar lal nehru road -> cross Rajan salai, continue straight -> cross vadapalani police station, straight -> chennai bus terminus (straight) -> poonamalli high road junction, straight -> tiruvallur road junction, (straight) -> perambur high road junction (straight) ->go down the Fly over (left side ) -> NH5 junction, take left

This route looks like goes through the heart of the city and there could be high traffic on saturday evening.

Do I have any other better choice which is quicker ?

Waiting eagerly for your replies.

- Manu

[manavdotcom]

Unfortunately, this is the only way.If you are going to Tirupati first, then there are alternatives.

[Mission_Safari]

To reach chennai airport route 1 is better

To reach Kalahasthi don't start from chennai at 5PM .. i mean you would end up getting caught in the peak city traffic right from the airport till the moment you cross the lucas tvs signal . I would say take rest and leave early morning the next day to kalahasthi

[PraveenM]

B'lore to Chennai airport using route2 is better even if you are going to face heavy traffic at Porur and Kathipara Jn.

From Chennai Airport to NH5, taking the Jawaharlal Nehru rd till Redhills is the most straight forward. traffic again is usually heavy but flows.

I recently drove to Tirupati and took AP StateHighway 61 (Nayadupet - SriKalahasthi- Renigunta) off NH5 and it is highly recommended over the Tada-SriKalahasthi or Yerrabelem-SriKalahasthi. SH61 is a still a 2 lane highway with plenty of shoulders, clear lane markings, excellent tarmac and hardly any traffic!

[sreenivass]

I dont think Sr Kalahasthi is on NH5, its a bit off NH5.

[akroy]

Originally Posted by sreenivass

I dont think Sr Kalahasthi is on NH5, its a bit off NH5.

Srikalahasti is on SH61 about 20km from Tirupati.

Abhi

[esteem_lover]

B'lore to Chennai airport, i would advice you to drive on till maduravoyal where you should take the chennai bypass (right turn) which will take you straight to tambaram & there to airport. The bypass road will take app between 20-30 mins, from TBM to airport another 20-30 minutes.

[suvi]

I went to Chennai/Tirupati recently. I would recommend Porur / Katipara junction if you are doing it in the non-peak hours.
Chennai - SriKalahasthi You can go via Poonamallee (esp if you are leaving @ 5pm) since the other route goes longer distance within chennai. Take the same road towards Bangalore and take right after Poonamallee (there is a sign board for Tirupati). Take right at Renigunta for SriKalahasthi (again there is adequate sign)

[novice]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

B'lore to Chennai airport, i would advice you to drive on till maduravoyal where you should take the chennai bypass (right turn) which will take you straight to tambaram & there to airport. The bypass road will take app between 20-30 mins, from TBM to airport another 20-30 minutes.

I would also recommend this route. Once you reach Poonamalle junction where a flyover construction is in progress, take the bypass road(left turn) and drive for about 10kms. You will once again see a fly-over under construction at Maduravoyal, take the right turn and join the Bypass road. When you approach the end of the Bypass take the left turn which will take you to Tambaram.

Try to avoid porur - kathipara route as it goes through crowded areas. Also the other route that you mentioned is not safe for night travel.

[ma_nu_t]

Thanks to all for the reply. Its quite helpful.
From NH4 to Airport, I will finalise on Maduravoyal- bypass road-tambaram-chromepet route. It looks like bypass road would be faster compared to porur-kathipara junction route even though bypass road is lengthier.

[csentil]

Thats the best choice. Keep in mind that on the Poondamallee bypass road keep left when you approach a second flyover. The flyover is basically for the opposite side traffic only. Your side of the road will split into two (basically there's a divider). Keep to the left lane. The right lane will force you to take a right turn. Just wanted to let you know as the signboard is kept at the wrong place here !!!Watch out for lorry traffic on the Maduravoyil - Tambaram bypass road. Its a two lane road with overspeeding sand laden lorries at times....