[gajadonga]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Hi Gajadonga, this would not have come at more appropriate time. How is the traffic between cudappah and Renigunta? if I need to enter Cudapah for Food, how is the traffic inside the town. I see lots of food options inside the town hence if the traffic is manageable i wouldnt mind going inside for good food/ Clean restrooms as I am travelling with family.

Kurnool and Cuddapah only roadside dhabas. Maybe u should go into Cuddapah town for food.
I traveled between between Cuddapah and Renigunta between 4pm and 6pm in the afternoon. Minimal traffic you slow down only to the small towns in between with speed breakers. The last 50kms towards Renigunta was very good lush green mountains around. The roads are good throughout.
You might encounter traffic only between Renigunta towards Chennai. Plenty of options for food once you enter into Tamil Nadu side. I took a turn from Thiruvallur towards Tambaram. Roads are quite good only the traffic is quite heavy on this stretch.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Would love to know the timings you took for the Kurnool-Kadapa route. Is APTDC Kadapa the only place for food between Renigunta and Kurnool bypass, or are there other options?

Kurnool to Cuddapah 2.15mins. Just a breeze to drive no small villages to slow you down and all towns bypassed. I stopped at a roadside dhaba for lunch at Mydukur. A new restaurant is open at the Cuddapah bypass opposite to the Rajsekhar reddy statue. But don't know the quality of food.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by gajadonga

Kurnool to Cuddapah 2.15mins. Just a breeze to drive no small villages to slow you down and all towns bypassed. I stopped at a roadside dhaba for lunch at Mydukur. A new restaurant is open at the Cuddapah bypass opposite to the Rajsekhar reddy statue. But don't know the quality of food.

Hi Gajadonga,


Yesterday I took the route through Kadapa - Rajampet - Renigunta. Yes it is a very good option. I had lunch at Haritha Kadapa. very good food, neat clean toilets. Also there is Haritha at Rajampet and Vontimitta. Haritha Vonitmitta location is superb. right across the lake with gorgeous view during sunset. These are very good options for food/restrooms. I started from Hitec city at 10.00 and encoutered very heavy traffic till mahbubnagar and after that till Kurnool it was a breeze. reached Kurnool at 1.00pm and stopped for 10 mins break at BP ghar Dhaba. Decent restrooms but you will have to take a u-turn and travel for a one KM. The entered Rayalseema expressway - what a road this is. Amazing tarmac with sparse traffic but very minimal facilities in terms of food. there was one decent looking restaurant near Panyam, we didnot try. we reached Haritha Kadapa at 3.40 pm. its location is right at the bypass entrance. its pure veg restaurant very reasonable rates and food was very great. there was a small play area and my daughters used the same. we started from Haritha at 4.30 pm and reached Tiruchanur by 7.00pm. encountered heavy truck traffic last 25 KMs before renigunta. we had darshan and started from here at 9.00pm and reached my home at Avadi by 11.00 pm through thiruvallur.


I had taken the onward journey through nellore - ongole - NAM Expressway. Both the routes have almost same journey time with the onward journey i felt little stressfree with good facilities at right spots. the Kurnool route is new and facilities are few except petrol pumps and you may encounter traffic till kurnool and before renigunta depending on the timings.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

we started from Haritha at 4.30 pm and reached Tiruchanur by 7.00pm. encountered heavy truck traffic last 25 KMs before renigunta. we had darshan and started from here at 9.00pm and reached my home at Avadi by 11.00 pm through thiruvallur.

What is the best route to go to Ahobilam from Chennai. I am planning to go this month-end via Tiruttani - Renigunta - Kadapa - Alagadda - Ahobilam. Is this the best option?
I prefer good quality road with decent restaurant to have breakfast. Planning to start by 5 am and reach around noon.

[gajadonga]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Hi Gajadonga,

I had taken the onward journey through nellore - ongole - NAM Expressway. Both the routes have almost same journey time with the onward journey i felt little stressfree with good facilities at right spots. the Kurnool route is new and facilities are few except petrol pumps and you may encounter traffic till kurnool and before renigunta depending on the timings.

Nice to hear you have completed the journey comfortably.
The only pointer is from Kadapa to Chennai is dual carriageway and especially Renigunta to Chennai is heavy traffic region. Some of the stretches is not complete suddenly it narrows down from wide road.

Whereas the Nellore Miryalguda route is complete 4 lane. The sore point is after Puzal to Sunnabukulam the flyover construction is still going on and slows down the progress.

I felt can save an hour if you take the Nellore Miryalguda route.

I usually plan a 4 to 5 hrs of non stop drive have a break and proceed. So Ongole toll has restaurant over the tollbooth. I take a single break either way from Chennai to Hyderabad.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by RGK

What is the best route to go to Ahobilam from Chennai. I am planning to go this month-end via Tiruttani - Renigunta - Kadapa - Alagadda - Ahobilam. Is this the best option?
I prefer good quality road with decent restaurant to have breakfast. Planning to start by 5 am and reach around noon.

I think this is a good route. Breakfast options are plenty in tiruvallur - renigunta stretch. Once you cross renigunta its all small towns and you have Haritha at Vonitmitta,Rajampet of course these may be too late for your breakfast stop. Ideally Hotel akshaya tiruvallur is a good stop but considering your early start from chennai it may not be opened. i am not getting names of restaurant but there were many good ones near nagari. so you can stop there. then it should be a nonstop run till Kadapa where you can use Haritha as a restoroom stop and after that non stop till Ahobilam for late lunch.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

I think this is a good route

Thanks, Venki. I started on Saturday (1st Feb) at 5 am and reached Hotel Aryas (Old Kasi) at the TN-AP border at 7 am for breakfast. After 45 min break, started back to reach Vontimitta - Sri Ramar Temple for darshan at 10.45 am. Left there at 12 and reached Ahobilam at 2 pm exactly.

The road was good throughout except few patches on the NH 716. The Allagadda - Ahobilam stretch was bad at few places in the last 15 km.

Covered two temples (Sri Bavana & Sri Bhargava) on Saturday and covered the remaining seven yesterday before 1 PM. Had a short nap after lunch and started at 3 PM. Took Ahobilam - Bachepalle - Krishnapuram - Chagalmari - NH40 - NH 716- NH 205 and reached home at 10.45 after 30 min dinner break at the same hotel. (Krishnapuram - Chagalmarri single road stretch was bad).

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by RGK

Thanks, Venki. I started on Saturday (1st Feb) at 5 am and reached Hotel Aryas (Old Kasi) at the TN-AP border at 7 am for breakfast. After 45 min break, started back to reach Vontimitta - Sri Ramar Temple for darshan at 10.45 am. Left there at 12 and reached Ahobilam at 2 pm exactly.

.

How crowded is the Vontimitta temple?

I could not visit during my return trip but would like to cover this next time.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

How crowded is the Vontimitta temple?

It was an auspicious occasion of Rathasabthami on a Saturday. The crowd was moderate and we had to wait because of rituals and not because of the crowd.

[Ram78]

Guys.. hope you are all safe.

I may have to drive from Hyderabad to Chennai in August last week.This is the first time il be driving there.

Please advice on the best route.I generally start around 8 ish while driving to Bangalore , don't go over 95 and do not prefer driving in dark.Tolls not an issue.

[srimath]

Originally Posted by Ram78

Guys.. hope you are all safe.

I may have to drive from Hyderabad to Chennai in August last week.This is the first time il be driving there.

Please advice on the best route.I generally start around 8 ish while driving to Bangalore , don't go over 95 and do not prefer driving in dark.Tolls not an issue.

Hyd Narketpalli NAM Expressway Onglore Nellore Chennai is the best route.

I have travelled till Naidupet in May. Hyd Narketpally is part of the Hyd Vja route and is a breeze. NAM expressway is also 4 laned but fastag is not accepted on the 3 tolls on this strech. Medarmetla to Nellore is 6 laned and then 4 lane till Chennai.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by Ram78

I generally start around 8 ish while driving to Bangalore

I second Srimath on NAM-NH5 route, which is the de-facto MAS-HYD route. 0800 start would be touch and go if don't intend to drive past sundown.

We started from the McD just past ORR at 1850 and were home by 0430 with a 30 minute break took 80-100 at most. Am not sure how much checks are happening and how long they are.

[virgovencat]

Originally Posted by Ram78

Guys.. hope you are all safe.

I may have to drive from Hyderabad to Chennai in August last week.This is the first time il be driving there.

Please advice on the best route.I generally start around 8 ish while driving to Bangalore , don't go over 95 and do not prefer driving in dark.Tolls not an issue.

Just watch out for people crossing highway on this route - As you cross many small villages. Last time I traveled on this route , toll gate fellow mentioned that they are getting ready for FAST TAG - So hopefully they should have it by now.

Apply for E-pass much in advance - you would need 3 states E-pass ( TN,AP, TS)
they are getting often rejected.

All the best & drive Safe !!

[srimath]

Originally Posted by virgovencat

Just watch out for people crossing highway on this route - As you cross many small villages. Last time I traveled on this route , toll gate fellow mentioned that they are getting ready for FAST TAG - So hopefully they should have it by now.

Apply for E-pass much in advance - you would need 3 states E-pass ( TN,AP, TS)
they are getting often rejected.

All the best & drive Safe !!

TS has stopped issuing epass from unlock 1.0. No pass is required for AP transit. So only TN pass is required.

If the states implement unlock 3.0 guidelines, no passes should be required from 1st Aug.

[virgovencat]

Originally Posted by srimath

TS has stopped issuing epass from unlock 1.0. No pass is required for AP transit. So only TN pass is required.

If the states implement unlock 3.0 guidelines, no passes should be required from 1st Aug.

TN just came out with Unlock 3.0 Guidelines - We still need E-pass for inter state movement - Until August 31st

Yes, you are right about TS - Not needed
Please do double check for AP - As Andhra cops are acting really tough at border check posts

[saratjyo]

Hi Everyone,

If I need to travel from Chennai to Hyderabad, is AP pass required to cross via AP?
As per my understanding, pass is not needed in Telangana. So not sure whether we need to get a pass even if we want to cross the state. I checked in the AP epass website and is asking for AP address as endpoint to apply for the pass. So its confusing on what is the process followed.