[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by rish27

Hi All

Planning a trip to Hyderabad with wifey and kiddo; though I have gone thru the forum to understand the routes et al. But still need some more details and clarity on the following:

- Leaving BLR on the 24th early morning by 4. Best place to stop over to stretch and have a breakfast etc. The desirable things remain the way are, clean restrooms, parking space etc

- Any places to visit specifically; we have planned Ramoji, The Zoo, Science centre and planetarium etc, if something else can be suggested as well. We are staying in Hyderabad for 2 days around Hitech city, and accordingly the itinerary is or will be planned like that.

- Anything to be careful about like interceptors, speed limits etc. Any recommended fuel bunks

- Importantly any idea if the e-wallets like Mobikwik and/or Paytm are accepted; I do not have FasTag, any ideas from where can I install it.
NPV, hyd_traveller, bblost, ranjitp1 or frequent Hyderabad travellers, request your inputs.

Thanks
Rishi

This has a comprehensive list of details of eateries on the NH7 in both directions https://goo.gl/uJOQcx

D1:Salarjung-Charminar (park car at salarjung and take auto to charminar,laad bazaar areas),Light & Sound Show at Golconda fort by 5pm.
D2:Ramoji City and back-full day affair.

FasTag will have to be installed by IDBI or ICICI bank,and its a time consuming process for the installation(unless things have changed by now,should take you a week for the payment and installation).

[prashkul]

Hi all,

I may be driving to Hyd this Sunday, 12/25. My destination is near Raghavendra Theatre in Malkajgiri. After attending a ceremony/lunch, will be driving back to Blore the same day.

1. How much time should I budget for travel to Hyd (Malkajgiri), if I leave Blore (e-city) early morning around 4am?
2. Any route suggestions to get to the final destination?
3. How much time approx. for the return trip to Blore?
4. I'm hoping to pay the tolls using credit card. Any problems with doing so?
Since I'll be returning the same day, I'm planning to take two-way receipts at all the tolls, so as to save some money.
5. I've travelled on this road many times (Blore-Mahbubnagar stretch), so am aware of the road conditions, food options. Anything to be aware from Mahbubnagar till my destination (which I guess is in Secunderabad?).

I understand it is going to be expensive mode of travel, considering it is just me and my brother in a petrol car but I don't have option to start Sat night and reach Hyd on Sun morning. Hence, car may be the best option.

Thanks, Prashanth

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by prashkul

1. How much time should I budget for travel to Hyd (Malkajgiri), if I leave Blore (e-city) early morning around 4am?

7hrs to Shamshabad,2hrs to Malkajgiri

Originally Posted by prashkul

2. Any route suggestions to get to the final destination?

Take the ORR from Shamshabad(airport,where you would see this huge interchange with flyovers criss crossing and boards stating outer ring road) and take the Ghatkesar exit (exit no 8 iirc).Direction of Srisailam,Vijayawada,Nagarjuna Sagar etc,

https://goo.gl/maps/q9EKmurtxtH2 (BLR highway to Raghavendra,Malkajgiri)

Originally Posted by prashkul

3. How much time approx. for the return trip to Blore?

Door to Door should take you around 9-10hrs for return.Return using the same Google Map advised above.If you decide to travel via the city,it would take you ages with traffic and metro construction etc.

Originally Posted by prashkul

4. I'm hoping to pay the tolls using credit card. Any problems with doing so?

If you have FasTag,load the card,else most tolls accept PayTm is what I heard,card should be ok too.

Originally Posted by prashkul

Since I'll be returning the same day, I'm planning to take two-way receipts at all the tolls, so as to save some money.

Do it only if your sure you will return the same day

Originally Posted by prashkul

5. I've travelled on this road many times (Blore-Mahbubnagar stretch), so am aware of the road conditions, food options. Anything to be aware from Mahbubnagar till my destination (which I guess is in Secunderabad?)

Nothing unusual.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by prashkul

Since I'll be returning the same day, I'm planning to take two-way receipts at all the tolls, so as to save some money.

4am start
5am BLR airport
11-12noon HYD airport
1:30pm destination (ORR route would be more comfortable)
3pm start
4pm HYD airport
11-12midight BLR airport (Night time driving)
1am home

You can buy the two-way tolls if you are absolutely sure of returning non-stop. My suggestion is just buy one-way and keep the option to halt in Hyd or Kurnool in case you feel too tired.

Be safe and don't drive under time pressure, I am sure you can afford to be a bit late on Monday.

[bblost]

I drove down to Bangalore from Hyderabad on Friday.
Returned on Sunday.

No new update about the road except that its still very good.
For dinner on the return trip we stopped at Suraj Grand (Location)

The food was quite decent but if ordering a Masala Dosa please ask them to not apply the chilly paste inside it. My kids found it spicy.

Do not fully rely on your credit cards as for some reason my ICICI card refused to get approval citing some security issue. Also not all the toll gates accept PayTM. They also refused to give change for the 2,000 note.
The card started working once I reached Hyderabad and used it in a shop. No idea why it had an issue at the Toll Gates.

I also noticed interceptors deployed near Kurnool. Then a couple of miles later near Dhone saw the aftermath of overspeeding.

There is distubring content in the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5AhH8XyAMg

Take care, drive safe.

[sriturl]

http://www.nhtis.org/nhai/index.html
I found this new site. Probably already used by some. Shows detailed information of toll booths, with rate and facilities. In the section "toll plazas on map", you can search for toll between two cities.
Pretty neat.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Guys, beware of new speed guns after Jadcherla near Bhutpur. A friend of mine was fined Rs 400 for doing 106 kmph at a zone that had a limit of 80 kmph.. He does not remember seeing a speed limit board. But the cop in the Innova had proof! He gave him a colour print of the car and the speed he was doing! He gave him an receipt too!

The same pal traveled to Kurnool a couple of days ago and on his return encountered speed checks at the same spot. Fortunately he was not speeding. The cop was stopping every vehicle and then cross-checking with the other cop who had the speed gun. People below the limit was asked to proceed after that, while others were fined.

The exact spot is below:

https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/...78.03675?hl=en

[rahulb22]

Hello Folks,

Back from a short Bangalore - Hyderabad vacation trip last week.
Onward: 26th Dec
04:30 AM: Start from BSK, Bangalore
08:00 AM: Breakfast break at Bluemoon [Decent food, good restrooms]
12:30 PM: Hyderabad [Sarvi for Lunch - Good biryani ]

Key highlights:
- Birla Mandir [Had to give NTR Garden, Lumbini a miss due to crazy crowd]
- Full day package at Ramoji [Excessive crowds but very well managed]
- Golkonda Fort [Suggest you reach early to beat the crowd. Gets very crowded after 10 AM in the holiday season]
- Charminar [Better to avoid driving in this area. Take Uber/Auto to roam around. And don't forget to try the biryani at Shahdab]
- Salar Jung Museum
- Some shopping around Banjara Hills for the ladies

Return: 29th Dec
03:00 PM: Start from Banjara Hills, Hyderabad
07:15 PM: Early dinner break at Bluemoon [after a horrible experience at Ravi Theja. Would not recommend this place if you are travelling with family]
11:30 PM: Reached home

Roads remain excellent and you could easily maintain an average of 100 KMPH. Lucky not to have encountered any speed checks on the way.

[Mistakenguy]

Hi guys,
I am planning to drive down to Hyderabad tomorrow from Bangalore. Below is the proposed plan. Requesting regulars on this route to suggest breakfast/lunch options.

Planning to include Belum Caves and Gandikota Fort(if time permits) on the onward trip.

Start from Mysore Road, Bangalore - 430 AM
Reach Belum Caves - 930 AM( Require suggestions for breakfast stops in this stretch- there seems to be no good options listed after IPC and before Blue Moon). Is 2 hours enough to explore this place ?
Onward to Gandikota Fort/ Hyderabad ( depending on mood/time) ( Require suggestions on lunch stops in this stretch).

Thanks in advance.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by Mistakenguy

I am planning to drive down to Hyderabad tomorrow from Bangalore. Below is the proposed plan. Requesting regulars on this route to suggest breakfast/lunch options.

Belum+ Gandikota + Hyderabad will be just too tiring Do consider an overnight halt at Kurnool if you're visiting Belum and Gandikota.

The good options for breakfast on the highway are around Gooty (Bluemoon, A1 are almost next door, Ravi Theja is also there but seeing reports that it's best avoided!), rest are further away. With an early start, Indian Paratha co., Kamat Chikballapur, Nandi Upachar, etc are not options as they will not be open so early.
Alternatively, you can try going inside Anantpur town but again most places would open around 7am, maybe it will work for you with a 4:30 start from Mysore Road.
*I've heard Hotel Masineni Grand is good, guess their restaurant will be open at least by 7am.

[Mistakenguy]

Originally Posted by NPV

Belum+ Gandikota + Hyderabad will be just too tiring Do consider an overnight halt at Kurnool if you're visiting Belum and Gandikota.

Thanks NPV for the tip.

Just had a great weekend at in-law's place in Hyderabad.

We skipped Belum and covered Lepakshi+Gandikota instead.

Left home at 5 AM and reached Lepakshi by 7 AM. Had breakfast from Haritha restaurant there ( Avoidable). Left from Lepakshi by 830 AM and reached Gandikota Fort by noon. Had lunch from the Haritha restaurant there too and left by 3 PM. Reached home at Hyderabad by 930 PM after having our snacks at Food Pyramid ( found the place to be OK).


Return leg was smooth. Left Hyderabad by 415 PM and reached home at Bangalore by 1045 PM.

[Juggy]

Originally Posted by bblost

For dinner on the return trip we stopped at Suraj Grand

The food was quite decent but if ordering a Masala Dosa please ask them to not apply the chilly paste inside it. My kids found it spicy.

Another thumbs up for Suraj Grand at Kurnool. It's easy to locate and service is brisk. They are happy to dole out ghee to temper the spice, and my kids seemed to take their meals pretty well. Clean Toilets attached to the adjacent hotel, and warm waiters offer this as an attractive lunch / dinner option.

Travelled on Republic day (empty, even blue moon & A1 Plaza closed early) and yesterday and there were no interceptors. But noticed quite a few bikers on Triumph cruisers, who were comfortably doing 140, so maybe they knew something I didn't.

When we left the wedding place near Medchal yesterday morning, everybody advised us to take the ORR, and though it was 40 odd km plus, even Google maps delivered on its promise of a quick getaway. I can't emphasize the usefulness of these ORR stretches enough.

Wonderful drive as always and I will always be curious why there is so little traffic on this route.

[revvenant]

Did the Hyd-B'lore on Friday and the return on Sunday. Took me about 7 & 1/2 hours either way (excluding stops, Kompally - ITPL). Had a close shave while coming back when a stray dog jumped in front of the car near Kurnool and I had to do emergency braking + swerving to avoid it.

Roads are pretty decent throughout but some nasty speed breakers are there near Karnataka border. For food options, if you are ready to leave the highway for a bit then I found Hotel Balla (their restaurant is called Spice Touch) in Anantapur quite good . It is right in a corner of Sapthagiri Circle, about 6-7 kms off the highway. They have proper parking as well.

[bhaskar.guru]

Hotel Suraj Grand @ Kurnool where our last meet happened has some finger licking food as well. Had one of the best meals there.

[9tMax]

For information for fellow travellers on the Hyd- Bangalore stretch - Blue Moon food court has got a few rooms for accommodation on the first floor of the building.
Normally for Bangy-Hyd trip you wont need any accommodation enroute, but in case you are coming from somewhere further down south and can't manage to get anything in Bangalore, then this is one option for a night break right on the highway.
It happened with us. We were coming back from Masinagudi and I was planning a night halt in Bangalore as I was having one more extra day of leave, but to our surprise all the hotels on the NH in between Hebbal and Airport was fully booked. So next option was Anantapur, called up Hotel Masineni Grand - and they were also full.
Dejected, started driving towards Hyderabad, and just as we reached Blue Moon at around 10 PM, noticed that the signboard says "Rooms Available". I was delighted.
Rooms are quite okay, enough for a night halt, has got both ac and non-ac options along with complimentary breakfast.