[Maverick79]

Originally Posted by venuvedam

Stopped for a quick bite at Ongole Toll Plaza hotel. Very decent restrooms but not much of food options. Thali was good though.

Me too visited this 'N5' Restaurant for the first time last week end.
Tried Thali and found pretty good. Staff were very cooperative.
Not sure about Non-Veg, But Veg had pretty decent options.
Wash rooms were pretty neat.
This might be good alternate/ competition for Hotel 'Amaravati'.
Also, the timing at which we reach this from Chennai is also mostly by 12.00 pm. We started around 7.00 am from Chennai and reached exactly by 12.15 noon with two breaks(Half hour each).
Driving again on 7th April.

[vivekkr_99]

Originally Posted by arun_josie

In the below post, you can check the chennai bypass route that I took during my Hyderabad - Nagercoil drive,

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post3608091

Thanks Arun. We took the same route. We took the bypass after Vandallur. There was moderate to heavy traffic in some places (dont remember the exact names since I'm not much familiar with those places). But, we could cross the stretch in around 40-50 minutes.

[Seek]

Hi, I am driving down to Hyderabad next month from Chennai and was trying to get an update on the road conditions. I have driven a few times before, once taking the piduguralla-mirayalaguda route and twice the vijayawada route. I see that most members take the piduguralla route. The vijayawada route I recollect in 2011-12 had a lot of diversions and constructions which I guess by now should have been completed and it should be a good road. The piduguralla stretch i still remember at that time had some horrendous potholes and I had a tough time in my honda city (this time am in a safari storme).

So 2 questions:
1. Why do members still prefer the piduguralla route? How much is the time/distance saved versus the vijayawada route and also which one provides a better driving pleasure?
2. Any update on the Chennai-vijayawada-hyderabad road condition. especially chennai-vijayawada since I am travelling to Bapatla as well over the coming weekend (8-10 Apr).

[bblost]

Originally Posted by Seek

So 2 questions:
1. Why do members still prefer the piduguralla route? How much is the time/distance saved versus the vijayawada route and also which one provides a better driving pleasure?

Because the route is shorter and roads are very good.

[rnidumolu]

Originally Posted by Seek

2. Any update on the Chennai-vijayawada-hyderabad road condition. especially chennai-vijayawada since I am travelling to Bapatla as well over the coming weekend (8-10 Apr).

Hi,

Two weeks back I have traveled between Chennai and Vijayawada. The road widening work is still in progress and there are diversions in this route at few places between Nellore - Chilkaluripet, but they are very much doable.

Have safe journey and drive safe.

Thanks,
Ravikumar N

[vivekkr_99]

Originally Posted by Seek

2. Any update on the Chennai-vijayawada-hyderabad road condition. especially chennai-vijayawada since I am travelling to Bapatla as well over the coming weekend (8-10 Apr).

Hi,

I took this route on 26-March. The road widening is happening between Nellore and Ongole - and there are many diversions. I covered the route around 6-7 am in the morning, and there was not much traffic or blocks in those diversions. The rest of the route is good 4-laned and a breeze to drive.

Regards,
Vivek

[Seek]

Originally Posted by rnidumolu

Hi,

Two weeks back I have traveled between Chennai and Vijayawada. The road widening work is still in progress and there are diversions in this route at few places between Nellore - Chilkaluripet, but they are very much doable.

Have safe journey and drive safe.

Thanks,
Ravikumar N

Originally Posted by vivekkr_99

Hi,

I took this route on 26-March. The road widening is happening between Nellore and Ongole - and there are many diversions. I covered the route around 6-7 am in the morning, and there was not much traffic or blocks in those diversions. The rest of the route is good 4-laned and a breeze to drive.

Regards,
Vivek

Thanks. Ravi and Vivek, can you also let me know the time it took you to reach Vijayawada?

[vivekkr_99]

Originally Posted by Seek

Thanks. Ravi and Vivek, can you also let me know the time it took you to reach Vijayawada?

Just sharing the details from my last trip - these are approximate times only - can vary depending on the traffic conditions. Since I was coming from Trivandrum, we took a detour from Vandallur towards Nellore

Vandallur bypass to Nellore - it took around 3.5 - 4 hours in the evening. We faced moderate to heavy traffic around Vandallur.

Nellore - Vijayawada outskirts took us around 4 hours. Started from Nellore at 6 am and crossed Vijayawada by 11 am (again moderate to heavy traffic for close to 45 minutes @ Vijayawada).

Hope this helps

Vivek

I drove Chennai [dep 3:45 am] - Hyderabad HITEC City [arr 2:20 pm] on 23 March 2016. I missed the left turn at Medarametla on NH 5 due to [i] perhaps, I drove on the completed grade separator with no prominant signage before it and [ii] I depended on my outdated dash navigator, which guided me through Chilakaluripeta. Anyway, I drove some 20+ km extra on a good 2-lane road until it joined the 4-lane SH between Addanki and Piduguralla. Many times I drove in the night, but never missed that important left turn. But, on that day, in the broad daylight, I missed it. I knew that signage existed below that flyover, which was under construction during my last ride on NH 5 in February 2016. But, on that fateful day, I didn't observe any signages indicating left turn towards Hyderabad and missed it.

[bblost]

Originally Posted by J.Ravi

But, on that day, in the broad daylight, I missed it. I knew that signage existed below that flyover, which was under construction during my last ride on NH 5 in February 2016. But, on that fateful day, I didn't observe any signages indicating left turn towards Hyderabad and missed it.

It happens. I once missed the turning at Narketpally and had to go a couple of kms before finding a u-turn.


Something my wife and daughter found very amusing for the rest of the trip.

[rnidumolu]

Originally Posted by Seek

Thanks. Ravi and Vivek, can you also let me know the time it took you to reach Vijayawada?

I start from Ponneri, which is outside of Chennai so I will not face any city traffic inside Chennai. And coming to the time taken, it depends on the speed you maintain (no brainer).

I did a night drive and have started around 10:30 PM and was able to reach Vijayawada by 05:00 AM, with one bio break and one tea break in between. As I was travelling my kids I strictly maintained the speed limit of 80 KMPH.

Hope this helps you in planning.

Thanks,
Ravikumar N

[Seshadri Kannan]

I plan to travel to Hyderabad this Sunday. Owing to the extreme heat conditions, I plan to break my journey - leaving on Sunday afternoon around 3PM stay at Ongole. Leaving early in the morning from Ongole and hope to reach Hyderabad by 12 noon.

Any suggestions on decent hotels at Ongole with secure parking for my car? And are there good restaurants between Ongole and Piduguralla?

[bordeaux]

I did this on Apr 23, 2016. Started from Gachibowli, Hyderabad at 4:00AM and reached Vandalur, Chennai at 4:00PM (710 KMs)

NH-9 is now six lanes with perfect tarmac till ~8 KMs just after Hyderabad ORR. No median plantation though. And no signs of any planning for the same. Tough to drive on this stretch during night. Till Narketpalli, perfect four lanes with median plantation missing at places. I hope it gets better with time.

Narketpalli-Medarmetla section ranges from awesome to bad. Combined total 15 KMs stretch is still two lanes with either work in progress or stalled work. Miryalaguda has a working bypass with only one incomplete flyover. Towns of Piduguralla and Adanki do not have bypasses. Piduguralla is the toughest stretch till you join GQ. Other than that the entire stretch has way too many curves. Feels like driving in the mountains without gradient.

Ramps to join GQ at Medarmetla are still work in progress. While coming from Hyderabad, take left after the crossing the flyover from under and join the NH-16/NH-5 using the exit ramp.

Medarmetla-Nellore has a series of diversions and super specialty speed breakers. Don't even think that if you go fast on those, you won't feel it. Approach them dead slow. Only good news is that work is in progress at most of the places and nearing completion at many places. At most places, you can clearly see they are fixing the mistakes made previously. They didn't care to build six lane bridges for four lane roads earlier and now they have to spend huge amounts of money and time in extending those bridges.

As mentioned by many others, N5 Food Plaza is the best pit-stop. You don't have to constantly keep looking for it, you don't have to hunt for parking space and you don't have to break your momentum either. A few pics of the plaza.


Beautifully integrated Toll Plaza and N5 Food Plaza


Possibly one of the best views for a petrolhead.


Patrol vehicles and Ambulance standing by in the huge parking space.


Parking space on the other side.


Nice and clean dining space with premium looks.

Nellore-TN Border section is still four lane but the best of the entire stretch. It's fast with sparse traffic.

After that, you'll be sort of lost among part time six lane, part time four lanes and part time diversions till you join the Chennai Bypass Road. Many traffic signals as well.

Compared to Hyderabad ORR, Chennai Bypass Road felt like a daylight robbery. Northern half of the road has too many jumps and not maintained properly. No potholes though. Toll is 85/- for the entire stretch. Southern half is better.

Place to stay just outside Chennai: Mithran Residency. Neat and clean, Air Conditioned, Budget, Enough parking space (semi-closed) with a security guard at night. Plenty of food options nearby. Honey Spice 2 KMs north is a good upscale restaurant serving North Indian as well as South Indian food. A Cafe Coffee Day is also located at 500 meters north of the hotel.

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Seshadri Kannan

I plan to travel to Hyderabad this Sunday. Owing to the extreme heat conditions, I plan to break my journey - leaving on Sunday afternoon around 3PM stay at Ongole. Leaving early in the morning from Ongole and hope to reach Hyderabad by 12 noon.

Any suggestions on decent hotels at Ongole with secure parking for my car? And are there good restaurants between Ongole and Piduguralla?

Ongole hardly has any good places to stay,you can check out Kolas which is the best among the bad?!

[Maverick79]

Originally Posted by Seshadri Kannan

I plan to travel to Hyderabad this Sunday. Owing to the extreme heat conditions, I plan to break my journey - leaving on Sunday afternoon around 3PM stay at Ongole. Leaving early in the morning from Ongole and hope to reach Hyderabad by 12 noon.

Any suggestions on decent hotels at Ongole with secure parking for my car? And are there good restaurants between Ongole and Piduguralla?

Originally Posted by ranjitp1

Ongole hardly has any good places to stay,you can check out Kolas which is the best among the bad?!

Guys,
I have done this route many times in the recent past, starting only after 4:00 pm most of the times(From East Tambaram). Was able to reach Dilshuknagar by 2.00~2.30 am, with family and few breaks for Dinner and nature calls.


Though I would not advocate driving in the night post midnight, with some preparation and calculated risk, you can easily accomplish this particular route/stretch. Never drove too fast unnecessarily. Avg speeds were always around 70 kmph for the total trips.