[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by WhiteHorse

Guys, planning a Hyd to Vij trip on Wed for a gig. Any updates on the route (NH9), especially the heavy traffic (last time Chotuppal was clogged).

We are planning to leave at 4am from ORR.

Roads are excellent.You should be able to do the distance in about 4hours.

[hyd_traveller]

Originally Posted by WhiteHorse

planning a Hyd to Vij trip on Wed

We are planning to leave at 4am from ORR.

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

You should be able to do the distance in about 4hours.

The road is in excellent condition except for a couple of diversions.

Do not get lulled into driving fast because the car can do so or the road makes you feel that you can do so.

Early morning can see groggy villagers crossing the highway without looking either side or driving on the wrong side.

Stick to maximum 80kmph and do slow down as and when situation demands and even then you will be in Vijayawada from ORR/NH9 junction (before Ramoji Film City) in 3 hours non stop.

You can make a halt at 7 Refresh just before Suryapet (on your left side) for a cup of tea/coffee (not sure if it functions 24 hours).

Edit : Watch out for unmarked speed breakers on the service road where ever you take diversions or at tolls. This does not apply during day time as the speeds on such stretches is anyway around 30kmph due to traffic.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

You can make a halt at 7 Refresh just before Suryapet (on your left side) for a cup of tea/coffee (not sure if it 24hrs].

it was 24 hours,not sure of it now.My hunch is it is stil 24hrs thanks to the volvos that frequent the route.
Www.foodseven.com

[laxmanrk]

Travelled on 08th Dec 2012 to Nellore on the following route

Hyd - Suryapet - Vijayawada - Nellore

Started @ 5:45 from Mehdipatnam reached Nellore by 02:15 PM.

Great Road upto Vijayawada except for 2 diversions on this stretch. Wasted about 2 hours in Vijayawada traffic including breakfast. From Vijayawada it gets a bit frustrating due to the diversions and on going works. Although road condition is good (no pot-holes at all) After Ongole (towards chennai) there are no works and NH5 is in the same 2x2 layout. (atleast upto Nellore)

Returned to Hyderabad on 09th Dec 2012 via the following route

Nellore - Addanki - Dachepalle - Nagarjuna Sagar - Hyderabad

Started at 10:30 AM and reached LB Nagar by 6:30 PM

Nellore to Addanki was good. Addanki to Dachepalle the road is being 4-laned and about 50% is completed. Villages and culverts are yet to be widened/ by-passed. So in these stretches the road is bad but not un-bearably bad. From Dachepally the road upto Sagar is very narrow. Sagar to Hyderabad has quite a few speed breakers and some bad stretches.

Was skeptical of this route, but in the end the return route distance is less by about 80kms and I would recommend this route.

Vehicle: Ford Figo!

[ThePunter]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

it was 24 hours,not sure of it now.My hunch is it is stil 24hrs thanks to the volvos that frequent the route.
Www.foodseven.com

Originally Posted by laxmanrk

Travelled on 08th Dec 2012 to Nellore on the following route

Hyd - Suryapet - Vijayawada - Nellore

Started @ 5:45 from Mehdipatnam reached Nellore by 02:15 PM.

Great Road upto Vijayawada except for 2 diversions on this stretch. Wasted about 2 hours in Vijayawada traffic including breakfast. From Vijayawada it gets a bit frustrating due to the diversions and on going works. Although road condition is good (no pot-holes at all) After Ongole (towards chennai) there are no works and NH5 is in the same 2x2 layout. (atleast upto Nellore)

Returned to Hyderabad on 09th Dec 2012 via the following route

Nellore - Addanki - Dachepalle - Nagarjuna Sagar - Hyderabad

Started at 10:30 AM and reached LB Nagar by 6:30 PM

Nellore to Addanki was good. Addanki to Dachepalle the road is being 4-laned and about 50% is completed. Villages and culverts are yet to be widened/ by-passed. So in these stretches the road is bad but not un-bearably bad. From Dachepally the road upto Sagar is very narrow. Sagar to Hyderabad has quite a few speed breakers and some bad stretches.

Was skeptical of this route, but in the end the return route distance is less by about 80kms and I would recommend this route.

Vehicle: Ford Figo!

Originally Posted by gajadonga

Drove down from Chennai last night.
Started from Thuraipakkam 12noon took about 1.30 hrs to reach the Redhills through
Ashoka pillar and Anna nagar.Delay due to Metro work going on.
Worthwhile taking the Chennai bypass from Tambaram to reach Redhills.
Six laning work going on till Tada so some diversions.
Ongole to Vijayawada lot of diversions and service lane drivings but moving traffic and
heavy traffic between Guntur-Vijayawada.Reached Vijayawada 6.30pm.
Trafic diversion at Vijayawada due to Dusera and was able to exit at 8.15pm.
Reached Suryapet 9.30pm stopped at Restaurant 7 on the bypass good facilities.
Reached home 12 midnight.
The road between Vijayawada-Hyderabad is good, well marked and quality of roadwork
is excellent.

Originally Posted by sameer sultan

Chennai - Hyderabad Road Conditions latest update.

I drove down to Hyderabad via Vijaywada last friday November 16 2012. Started at 615am from my home on PH Road near Dasaprakash. Connected to NH 5 via Kilpauk New Avadi Road Padi intersection IRR. The last time I drove on NH 5 was in Dec 2008, it was a breeze as I did the 415 KMS MAA-BZA in 5.5 hours including a 30 min Breakfast stop at Nellore. This time till Nellore six laning work is in progress but nothing to worry as there were not many diversions as the work was going on the side of the roads and it was well marked. Reached Nellore around 845am and entered the town for Breakfast at the APTDC.There are not many eateries on this highway hence have to enter the towns for a good meal. Left at 915am from Nellore, till Ongole it was status quo. But after Ongole the road conditions are worse as almost every 500mts there is a diversion and at some places it is not well marked. Too many bridges are under construction and it was a tiring drive. The last 100 odd kms from Ongole to Vijaywada really tested the nerves. Reached Vijaywada at 1PM almost 1.5 hrs behind schedule due to the horrible road conditions from Ongole. Thankfully lorry traffic was sparse in this stretch.

Spent the afternoon and everning at Vijaywada as I have family there. Started for Hyderabad at 120AM, family resisted a lot not to drive at this time but I insisted on leaving as had some work at hyderabad the next day.

The NH 9 Vijaywada - Hyderabad highway was under construction in Dec 2008 and it was a hellish drive the last time. I had no idea how much progress the construction work had made hence with a lot of apprehension I started the drive. To my surprise I was greeted with a super 4 lane highway with well marked tracks borders reflectors and all. It was a smooth drive. Exactly 100 kms from Vijaywada there is a diversion as a bridge is under construction for bye-passing a town. Apart from this the entire 270 KMS stretch from Vijaywada till Ramoji Film City is a pleasure to drive. I reached Ramoji Film City at 530am after a comfortable 4 hour drive. In the day time just 3 hours is enough to cover this stretch of 270 kms as the highway is very good. In all there are 4 toll booths, 1 is under construction and 2 are under going trial runs. The significant feature of this highway is that all the towns and villages have been bye-passed with bridges and there is illumination on some bridges too. Very impressive and convenient if one is driving in the night. There is a CCD outlet just before Suryapet, it falls on the right side if one is coming from Vijaywada. From Ramoji Film City I took the ORR to reach Saifabad area via Airport/Shamshabad as I did not want to pass thro' the old city which was under communal tension. The ORR is another marvel of a road!!

Under current road conditions Chennai - Hyderabad Via Vijaywada can be comfortably covered in 9.5 hours with minimal stops.

Chennai - Vijaywada 6.5 Hours

Vijaywada - Hyderabad 3 hours.

Originally Posted by hyd_traveller

There is no need to go on MG Road (unless you wish to halt there for food) till Benz Circle.

Cross the temple and turn right and use the original Prakasham Barrage to cross the river. Continue straight on this road (Old Guntur Highway) till it merges with the new Kolkata-Chennai 4-laned highway.

Avoid this shortcut during peak times (7am to 9am). I have no idea what are the peak times in the evening.

I did it on 16-Nov-2012 and had started from the temple at 09:15am. Did the 84 km from the temple to Chilakaluripet in 1 hour 15 minutes.

On Google Map : https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=C...p=4&sz=19&z=15

There was a minor traffic jam between Point B and Point C (and that can be nerve wracking and killing during peak times) while one has to drive slow between Point C and Point D. Rest is a breeze though the road between Point D and Point E cannot be compared with the highway between Hyderabad and Vijayawada.

Friday is the day of crowds but even then it is not all that difficult. Vehicles are not allowed up hill on Fridays officially as per rule though I did see the police allowing the vehicles on a Friday morning. Use the 100/- line and you should be out within the hour.

Thanks for the updates, a very good read indeed.
I am a first timer to this route. Planning a Hyd sightseeing trip from Chennai. Can see a lot of heroes of the route here please help out.
Plan is to start Saturday 22nd morning (around 6am) from Chennai, planning to go via Nagarjuna sagar to have a glimpse of it too (no extended stoppage in mind)

-I am not very much of an 'early' morning person,(this would make me sleepless during night) so really dont want a 5am start, but 6- 6:30 is fine. So will it make a major difference in time to get out of Chennai city? -Plan to reach by dusk not exactly night.
-Start from Pallikarana; should I take the byepass going through tambaram and then upwards, or going through the city (kathipara-koyambedu-near retteri) helps?
-From Ongole i see that, before and after Sagar dam there are no "major" roads, hence more than one option exist- which is better? Addanki-Dachepalle-Macherla-Sagar and then Nalgonda to join VW-Hyd highway.. OR Vinukonda-Durgi route in the first half? This is purely from map view and some data from earlier posts, so turning points in the recommended route will be of immense help. Sagar to hyd, is the mentioned route the primary one? and fine?
-4 adults (including my elderly parents who would have just reached a day back from Kerala) and 2 kids 3&6 in a Punto - would like to to try avoid 'worst' roads to care about bones, sleep as well as suspension.
-MMI gps is in hand and G-maps in phone is the back up.
-Food / Nature stops in between?

Other non-route queries.
-Looking for Budget hotel around lakdiKaPul/abids/nampally areas 1k to max 2k per day. any recco? 2 or may be 3 nights plan.
-How is one day hyd city tour by aptdc? or going places in apna car is better? (to give driver ie, "me" a break). Birla,Golconda,CharminarSalarjung,Necklace,Koti shopping are the points so to say, as of now. A visit to Gachibowli (friends place-Sunday?) and pass through HiTech city area is likely too
-On way back, plan to go 1 day Ramoji visit- and then head back home. During return, doesnt really mind a night drive and in that case Vijayawada full highway route is recommended? or traffic may paralyse me?

Thanks in advance to share your thoughts.

Saju

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by ThePunter

6- 6:30 is fine. So will it make a major difference in time to get out of Chennai city?

Earlier the better.Budget for a 10-12hr drive.

Originally Posted by ThePunter

-Start from Pallikarana; should I take the byepass going through tambaram and then upwards, or going through the city (kathipara-koyambedu-near retteri) helps?

if its early before traffic,come via Kathipara else take the bypass.

Originally Posted by ThePunter

-From Ongole i see that, before and after Sagar dam there are no "major" roads, hence more than one option exist- which is better?

To come via NSagar,the route Chilakaluripet-Narasaraopet-Karempudi-Durgi-Macherla-Sagar-Ibrahimpatnam-LB Nagar,is the best option.Road from Narasaraopet till Macherla are in fair condition nothing great potholes here and there.From Chilkaluripet to LB should take you around 5.5-6 hours.

Originally Posted by ThePunter

-Food / Nature stops in between?

None of any worthy mention on the entire route.There is a Coffee Day at Nayudupeta beyond that there is nothing till Nagarjuna Sagar where you have a APTDC outlet.Carry food with you.You would have to go into the towns if you must stop.

Originally Posted by ThePunter

-Looking for Budget hotel around lakdiKaPul/abids/nampally areas 1k to max 2k per day. any recco? 2 or may be 3 nights plan.

http://www.hotelpadminiresidency.com/ <<<<strictly budget and no frills place.

Please pm hyd_traveller,I cant remember the name of a place he had reccomended at Begumpet.

Originally Posted by ThePunter

How is one day hyd city tour by aptdc? or going places in apna car is better? (to give driver ie, "me" a break).

The tour is good and covers all the places of interest.You can book online on the APTDC site.

Originally Posted by ThePunter

A visit to Gachibowli (friends place-Sunday?) and pass through HiTech city area is likely too

If you are going to Gachibowli,you would anyway see Hitech City

Originally Posted by ThePunter

-On way back, plan to go 1 day Ramoji visit

Ramoji is a one full day affair.You book online.Impossible to do Ramoji and drive back to Chennai the same night.You would be dead tired.

Originally Posted by ThePunter

During return, doesnt really mind a night drive and in that case Vijayawada full highway route is recommended? or traffic may paralyse me?

No problem with traffic as long as you and your co-passengers are ok and experienced with night driving and holding off sleep and with oncoming light glare.Facilities to eat are nil past Vijayawada.

[Seek]

Originally Posted by ThePunter

Thanks for the updates, a very good read indeed.
I am a first timer to this route. Planning a Hyd sightseeing trip from Chennai. Can see a lot of heroes of the route here please help out.
Plan is to start Saturday 22nd morning (around 6am) from Chennai, planning to go via Nagarjuna sagar to have a glimpse of it too (no extended stoppage in mind)

Saju

Hi Saju, I'm travelling to hyderabad from chennai on the 22nd too. Driving alone with my dog! I'll be doing the vijaywada route and starting at about 5 AM from Thoraipakkam.

Incase you are doing the nagarjuna sagar route, you can plan to stop over at nagarjuna sagar for the night. i did that once with my family and it was a nice stop. there is a good APTDC haritha (not sure if i got the name right) hotel there and a couple of places around to see. Pleasant mornings and then just carry on your journey to hyderabad.

[rnidumolu]

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

To come via NSagar,the route Chilakaluripet-Narasaraopet-Karempudi-Durgi-Macherla-Sagar-Ibrahimpatnam-LB Nagar,is the best option.Road from Narasaraopet till Macherla are in fair condition nothing great potholes here and there.From Chilkaluripet to LB should take you around 5.5-6 hours.

As you are tend to do a day drive, I would recommend to take the turn towards Addanki after Ongole (left turn after somewhere around 27kms from Ongole). Though the road is still under construction, it is doable. At Nekarikallu, you have to take left turn. The land mark is you will have the statue of Alluri Sita Rama Raju (a freedom fighter with Bow and Arrows). So the entire roud map would be like below -

(On GQ road)
Chennai -> Nellore -> Ongole

(On state highway where 4 lane construction is in progress with some diversions and very much doable)
Ongole -> Addanki -> Nekarikallu

(On state highway single road)
Nekarikallu -> Karempudi -> Macherla -> Nagarjuna Sagar -> Mallepalli -> Ibrahim Patnam -> LB Nagar

For your information, this is the route taken by the bus operators (govt run as well as private run). The stretch between Nekarikallu -> Macherla -> Nagarjuna Sagar dam (somewhere around 70-80kms) is not in a very good shape

Also as mentioned by our members, there is nothing significant place you can find enroute for food till you cross the Sagar Dam. After crossing the Dam, there is Haritha, run by APTDC. But you will not be able to reach this by lunch time if you have plans to see the Dam and surroundings.

Please carry food or have it at Ongole City (though very early)

[ThePunter]

Originally Posted by Seek

Hi Saju, I'm travelling to hyderabad from chennai on the 22nd too. Driving alone with my dog! I'll be doing the vijaywada route and starting at about 5 AM from Thoraipakkam.

Incase you are doing the nagarjuna sagar route, you can plan to stop over at nagarjuna sagar for the night. i did that once with my family and it was a nice stop. there is a good APTDC haritha (not sure if i got the name right) hotel there and a couple of places around to see. Pleasant mornings and then just carry on your journey to hyderabad.

Hey- thats always nice to know. :-)
What places are you referring to near Nagarjuna sagar? It would be good to know! But doesn't seem the distance will allow me for a Friday eve start. Otherwise this could have induced a change of plans to start previous evening instead of Sat morning.. phew..
And seems, with the current start time I will be hovering around Sagar during hot?? noon.

[Seek]

Originally Posted by ThePunter

Hey- thats always nice to know. :-)
What places are you referring to near Nagarjuna sagar? It would be good to know! But doesn't seem the distance will allow me for a Friday eve start. Otherwise this could have induced a change of plans to start previous evening instead of Sat morning.. phew..
And seems, with the current start time I will be hovering around Sagar during hot?? noon.

In an earlier trip i left chennai late in the morning and was in nagarjuna sagar around evening. Spent the evening taking some night shots of the dam and relaxed. Next day morning we went around a spot where there are a couple of waterfalls, forgot the name of the place! There also is a ferry trip that takes you across the krishna river that you could do. Basically just a relaxed stop over and at what is the worlds largest 'left earth dam', it is worth it. But stay at the haritha.

[vnabhi]

The waterfall is Ethipothala Falls. While traveling from Macherla to Nagarjunasagar, one needs to turn right around 5 kms before the dam onto a narrow road (but good condition) and drive 10 kms till the dead end, where the entrance is located. There is also a restaurant at that place, but he takes ages to prepare food if you want something that is not already prepared.

I suggest you see the place enroute, unless you are hungry. If you can't, please drive ahead till Vijay Vihar (3 to 5 kms after the dam) and have lunch there. It is a decent AP Tourisim resort, that also has good rooms and a swimming pool.

Assuming you are staying there , then after lunch you can drive to the falls or to the other side of the dam and take a ferry to the Nagarjuna Island. Ferry may not be available after 4 pm or so, so prepare for it. A better alternative is to have a siesta and a dip in the pool in the evening, as you'll be tired.

[Sivasankar]

Hello,

Am planning a driving trip with my family in 2 cars to Hyderabad tomorrow.

Planning a stop over in Vijayawada (where we will be visiting the Kanakadurga temple) before proceeding to Hyderabad on Monday.

Suggest good places to see on the way from Chennai to Vijayawada.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by Sivasankar

Hello,

Am planning a driving trip with my family in 2 cars to Hyderabad tomorrow.

Planning a stop over in Vijayawada (where we will be visiting the Kanakadurga temple) before proceeding to Hyderabad on Monday.

Suggest good places to see on the way from Chennai to Vijayawada.

You can Visit Mangalagiri Panaka Narasimha swamy temple near guntur, Amaravati maybe a little detour but another good temple. These are the 2 places that come to my mind. If some thing else pops up I will update you.

[Seek]

Just did the chennai hyderabad via vijayawada yesterday. Lots of diversions on the guntur vijayawada stretch and then heavy traffic to cross vijayawada. Had a couple of tyre issues on the way and realised tubeless puncture repair is still new on the highways. Had to go 50 km before finding a guy at naidupet who attended to it. Makes sense to carry a car pump along.

Also found heavy traffic at hyderabad from ORR till my place in sainikpuri. That alone took 2.5 hours. Overall close to 15 hours since i didnt drive fast as well. Was travelling with my dog.

[Sivasankar]

Thanks venki.bala for the information. I'm stationed a littled outside the hub at Vijayawada. Planning to visit Kanakadurga temple early tomorrow. Can you suggest a reliable fuel pump to refill the tank here?

The road work mentioned by Seek is really delaying progress and we were desperately waiting for Vijayawada to show up on the horizon, considering the total absence of road signs on distances to Vijayawada.

A brief report on our sedate drive -

6:30am - Left Chennai

9:00am - Breakfast at an eatery somewhere near Tada

Lunch at Ongole

5:00pm - Reached Vijayawada

Originally Posted by Seek

Just did the chennai hyderabad via vijayawada yesterday. Lots of diversions on the guntur vijayawada stretch and then heavy traffic to cross vijayawada. Had a couple of tyre issues on the way and realised tubeless puncture repair is still new on the highways. Had to go 50 km before finding a guy at naidupet who attended to it. Makes sense to carry a car pump along.

Also found heavy traffic at hyderabad from ORR till my place in sainikpuri. That alone took 2.5 hours. Overall close to 15 hours since i didnt drive fast as well. Was travelling with my dog.

Originally Posted by venki.bala

You can Visit Mangalagiri Panaka Narasimha swamy temple near guntur, Amaravati maybe a little detour but another good temple. These are the 2 places that come to my mind. If some thing else pops up I will update you.