[9tMax]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Any suggestion for a decent hotel at the entry/exit of Vijayawada and Rajahmundry for night halt?

Thanks in advance,
Ashis

In Rajamundry there is no option to stay on the NH-16. I have been looking for a decent hotel in Rajamundry, right on the NH-16, for last several years. But unfortunately nothing was available till this May, when i was coming back from Kolkata and desparately wanted to take a night halt.

In Vijaywada you have 2 good options - The Kay Hotel and Hotel Innotel - right on your route, at the junction of NH-16 and Vijaywada Ring Road (IRR).

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by sriswe

Last time, we stayed at Hotel Anand Regency and it was good and also nearby to entry/exit from NH16. They give corporate discount as well, you can call in advance and confirm.

Thanks,
Srinivas. R

Originally Posted by 9tMax

In Rajamundry there is no option to stay on the NH-16. I have been looking for a decent hotel in Rajamundry, right on the NH-16, for last several years. But unfortunately nothing was available till this May, when i was coming back from Kolkata and desparately wanted to take a night halt.

Thanks for the suggestions. I made a night halt at Rajahmundry in Hotel Anand Regency back in June '17. It's 2-3 kms from the highway, has good indoor parking space, is an old but well maintained hotel. You can try it the next time you are travelling.

I was looking for additional options but it seems that's the one and only good option in Rajahmundry.

[sriswe]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Thanks for the suggestions. I made a night halt at Rajahmundry in Hotel Anand Regency back in June '17. It's 2-3 kms from the highway, has good indoor parking space, is an old but well maintained hotel. You can try it the next time you are travelling.

I was looking for additional options but it seems that's the one and only good option in Rajahmundry.

Yes, it's an old but well maintained hotel . Price is also less when compared to similar hotels. 2-3 KMs from NH-16 is another advantage and it is be faster too.

[ashis89]

I drove from Hyderabad to Bhubaneswar 2 days ago. Took me 22 hrs including breaks and power naps. Please find the route update below:

- Hyderabad -> Vijayawada took me 4 hrs including a 30 min lunch break. Perfect roads throughout.

- Reached Vijaywada around 6PM and crossed it in less than 30 mins. Followed Google Maps which took me through Internal Ring Road of the city. Road was good and had very little traffic.

- Vijaywada -> Rajahmundry took me 3 hrs including a tea break. Roads for most part was very good. About 10% was good to average. I was driving a WagonR.

- Rajahmundry -> Vizag took me little over 3 hrs. Roads were pretty good except for long stretches of concrete roads.

- Vizag -> Bhubaneswar took me 7 hrs with lot of breaks. After leaving Vizag, there are lots of diversions for ongoing flyover work going on. Beyond Berhampur, the concrete roads need some repair. Last 50 kms is slow due to city traffic.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ashis89

- Vizag -> Bhubaneswar took me 7 hrs with lot of breaks. After leaving Vizag, there are lots of diversions for ongoing flyover work going on. Beyond Berhampur, the concrete roads need some repair. Last 50 kms is slow due to city traffic.

Where exactly is the new flyover being constructed after Vizag? And how long is the stretch of concrete road that needs repair after Berhampur? And where exactly?

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Where exactly is the new flyover being constructed after Vizag? And how long is the stretch of concrete road that needs repair after Berhampur? And where exactly?

After a break outside Vizag Convention (outskirt of Vizag city), I started for Bhubaneswar. The diversions started after 20-30 kms from there (Thagarapuvalasa onwards). There were a good 8-10 diversions for the next 30 kms and you will have to go through the service road which is narrow. While I crossed this in the wee hours of the day before 6AM, these can be bottle neck points later in the day when traffic builds up.

There on, the roads after Chilika have a few potholes here and there. Though not a deal breaker at all, you can't speed away blindly in this stretch.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ashis89

There on, the roads after Chilika have a few potholes here and there. Though not a deal breaker at all, you can't speed away blindly in this stretch.

Thanks. I knew the route from Vizag to Bhubaneswar like the back of my hand--but that was say back in the late 90s when the highway was not 4-laned. I do remember that between Thagarapuvalasa an Anandapuram junction, there were bottlenecks, but I thought the 4-laning would have taken care of them. However, as I never traveled from then, I am unaware of the current bottlenecks.

When you say 'roads after Chilika', are you referring to the stretch from Barkul to Tangi?

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thanks. I knew the route from Vizag to Bhubaneswar like the back of my hand--but that was say back in the late 90s when the highway was not 4-laned. I do remember that between Thagarapuvalasa an Anandapuram junction, there were bottlenecks, but I thought the 4-laning would have taken care of them. However, as I never traveled from then, I am unaware of the current bottlenecks.

The highway was 4-laned throughout till Bhubaneswar (and beyond). It seems they are building small flyovers around small junctions along the highway. For this, they have diverted the highway traffic to the single lane service lane. This service lane can be bottle necks with increase in traffic and the local traffic (moving in both directions in this road). Also due to diversion, your average speed will come down.

When you say 'roads after Chilika', are you referring to the stretch from Barkul to Tangi?

Yes this concrete road stretch has few potholes. Please pardon if my stats are a little off the mark as I am poor at remembering the exact location of the above issues. But they are definitely there.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Yes this concrete road stretch has few potholes. Please pardon if my stats are a little off the mark as I am poor at remembering the exact location of the above issues. But they are definitely there.

Thanks. I've done the Berhampur-Cuttack stretch hundreds of times in the late 60s and 70s, so I know that part very well. In those days, the undivided highway had a narrow bridge near Tangi, which allowed only one vehicle on it at a time. We considered that a major bottleneck back then!

[vamsi2390]

Latest updates on the road condition and stop overs please.
Also how is it now to pass Vijayawada?
Will start from Gachibowli ORR coming Saturday at 4:00 A.M

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by vamsi2390

Latest updates on the road condition and stop overs please.
Also how is it now to pass Vijayawada?
Will start from Gachibowli ORR coming Saturday at 4:00 A.M

Road from Hyderabad to Vijaywada is fantastic. I took the Internal ring road just while entering Vijaywada and a lot of the city section was by-passed. I reached Vijaywada around 6:30 and could cross the city in 30 mins. Roads from Vijaywada to Rajahmundry are bad, especially the last 100 kms. Even the Rajahmundry to Vizag patch is not very good.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by vamsi2390

Latest updates on the road condition and stop overs please.
Also how is it now to pass Vijayawada?
Will start from Gachibowli ORR coming Saturday at 4:00 A.M

Apart from what Ashish has mentioned, please expect a swarm of traffic driving towards coastal areas from Hyderabad due to Sankaranthi holidays. The maximum rush will be from Friday (11th Jan) afternoon onwards. Please expect long queues at toll booths. You will be better off if you have a Fastag on your car. I'm not sure how the rush will be on early Saturday, when you are starting.

I'm stating this from my experience of taking a cab from Vijaywada to Hyderabad on the last day of Dusshera last October. The last two tolls towards Hyderabad in the late evening took 30 to 40 minutes to cross, despite 7 booths being operated in that direction, in addition to a dedicated Fastag lane. We did not have a Fastag, but the guys who had it, saved nearly 15 minutes of time at each booth.

[vamsi2390]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Apart from what Ashish has mentioned, please expect a swarm of traffic driving towards coastal areas from Hyderabad due to Sankaranthi holidays. The maximum rush will be from Friday (11th Jan) afternoon onwards. Please expect long queues at toll booths. You will be better off if you have a Fastag on your car. I'm not sure how the rush will be on early Saturday, when you are starting.

I'm stating this from my experience of taking a cab from Vijaywada to Hyderabad on the last day of Dusshera last October. The last two tolls towards Hyderabad in the late evening took 30 to 40 minutes to cross, despite 7 booths being operated in that direction, in addition to a dedicated Fastag lane. We did not have a Fastag, but the guys who had it, saved nearly 15 minutes of time at each booth.

Thanks. Yeah I do have a fast tag. Agreed about the traffic during Pongal. Been to Vizag last year as well during the same period. Hence trying to start @early hours on Saturday to avoid Friday's toll traffic at all the tolls.
(All people normally start after work on Friday towards coastal Andhra )

[9tMax]

Finally a decent accommodation option has come up in Rajamundry - it's called Apsara Dwelling House and is part of Oyo Rooms. It's just after the Morampudi Junction, on your right hand side while going from Hyd to Vizag. Slightly small but nice, clean rooms with a good parking place at the ground floor of the apartment building. And if you are booking slightly in advance through Oyo rooms, the rates are very reasonable. They don't have a kitchen though, but will arrange for food from outside if you ask. We took a night halt there while coming back from Kolkata and was very happy with the experience.

[manas_270]

Originally Posted by 9tMax

Finally a decent accommodation option has come up in Rajamundry - it's called Apsara Dwelling House and is part of Oyo Rooms.

Thanks for this info. Just in time as I may end up staying in case I start late from here during this weekend travel.
How's the route now for the Vijayawada to Vizag stretch?