[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by Schoudhury

HVK Sir , thanks .
Starting on 29th from bangalore, doesn't look , reaching BBSR by 30th mid afternoon, very feasible.
So looks like i need to start on 28th only .

Is it possible to do blore-Vizag in one day ? Its around 1k kms , if i start real early , cant i make it to Vizag in a day , say 3.30 am start and reach vizag by 9 and take rest.
Next day early morning , say around 5.00, if i start cant i make it by mid afternoon to BBSR ?
How are the roads.
I will be driving a Ritz.
Or it will be too much of a driving, as i need to attend the marriage also in the evening , so i need to be in a position to have fun there also .

Also if i need to start on 28th,how should i plan the drive , i mean which places should be best logical break points .

Please advise .

Cheers

If you leave by 330,you would reach nh5 at nayudupeta by 9.from there vijayawada is 5hrs drive and another 6-7hr drive to vizag.overall around 16- 18hrs drive to vizag.80% on 4laned roads.vizag bhubaneswar like vnabhi and hvk said around 7hours.

[rnidumolu]

Originally Posted by Schoudhury

Just checked out the flight fares and they cost a bomb,around 20k for round trip, if I go by car it will be way cheaper than flight.
I studied @ berhampur and once did a bike trip to bbsr and I think it took us around 3hrs if I'm not wrong.So my main aim is to cover as much a possible in day one otherwise will start on 28th.

Hi Schoudhury,

During the first week of October I have travelled on this road till Srikakulam except between Vijayawada to Annavaram.

First you need to check the road condition between Bangalore to Naidupet. My journey got delayed because of more number path holes enroute.

Secondly, the road between Nellore(or Ongole, I did not remember correctly) to Guntur is not in a very good shape currently (as it used to be) and has many diversions because of the 6 lane work on GQ.

Third, I came to know that some portions of GQ between Vizag to Srikakulam got damaged because of the recent cyclone Neelam. Don't know how far this info is true. Our members staying near to these places can help you giving the exact status of the road.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by Schoudhury

Is it possible to do blore-Vizag in one day ? Its around 1k kms , if i start real early , cant i make it to Vizag in a day , say 3.30 am start and reach vizag by 9 and take rest.
Next day early morning , say around 5.00, if i start cant i make it by mid afternoon to BBSR ?
How are the roads.
I will be driving a Ritz.


Also if i need to start on 28th,how should i plan the drive , i mean which places should be best logical break points .

Driving Bangalore-Vizag in one shot is the standard format most of our friends follow. You can reach much before that, in time for dinner, but restrict your breaks en route. Avoid Chitoor bypass - it is in very bad shape - and be prepared for some slow down in Guntur-Vijaywada-Vijaywada town, the first sector due to road widening.

Please think over whether you will have the stamina & enthusiasm to start again early next morning so as to reach Bhubaneswar before lunch time (easily possible).

If you wish to do it over 2.5 days, then go by my earlier plan, by staying over in Rajahmundry overnight.

Originally Posted by rnidumolu

Hi Schoudhury,


Third, I came to know that some portions of GQ between Vizag to Srikakulam got damaged because of the recent cyclone Neelam. Don't know how far this info is true. Our members staying near to these places can help you giving the exact status of the road.

No damage due to Cyclone Nilam, the road condition is fine. The cyclone affected the sector south of Vizag at Tuni & Annavaram, but none of the NH5 is damaged in that sector.

[rkg]

Bangalore-Vizag is definitively possible in a day with 3.0-4.00 AM start

Bangalore- Tirupati takes max 4 hrs. ( 100 Km 4 lane and rest of the road is good two lane.
SH 60 between putalapattu-tirupati was relaid. between tirupati-naidupet most of the patches were done as of last week of May 2012

I have started at 8 AM from tirupati reached Vizag by 10 PM. Held up for an hour near Rajamundry due to severe thunderstorms making visibility poor

Ongole to viziawada is being 6 laned but constant speeds of 60-70 kmph can easily be maintained.

[Schoudhury]

Guys.
I did the trip as planned.
So thought of giving a small update about the trip.
We, me and friend of mine who was planning to visit his hometown Vizianagaram (I pulled him in), started on 28th Nov early morning @ about 4.00 hrs and by the time we hit the Kolar roads, there was dense fog and the visibility was also every bad.
We stopped there for a while, but then we started trailing a truck and then later a Fortuner.





We crossed Tirupati @ around 9.00 hrs and hit Niadupate by 10.
We stopped there for breakfast for about 20 mins and then again started.
Before reaching Naidupet was facing some issue with the car losing power.
So @ the time when we stopped for breakfast, called up my SA and told him about the same, as the car was just serviced few days back for 40k service.
He told us it’s safe to proceed and should not be an issue, but I was still not sure as I had to cover around 3k more kms.
So when we reached Nellore, drove in a local MASS to get the car checked, there we los t about 1.5 hrs.
Started from Nellore @ about 12.30 and reached Vijayawada about @ 16.30 .Had lunch and refueled there and started again @ around 17.30.
There we decide we will proceed to Vijaynagram and stop for the day, so called up the hotel @ Rajahmundry, were I booked a room earlier, and cancelled the booking.
Before starting from Vijayawada, we had decided we will not stop anywhere, so we got some food packed from there only.
Reached Vizag around 23.00 hrs so stopped there and finished the food that we had packed and proceeded further to Vizianagaram.
Reached Vizianagaram @ about 00.30 and stopped for the day.

Stayed @ my friend's place, who was with me, for the night.
Next day started from Vizianagaram @ about 10.30, about after driving close to 100km my friend called me and informed that I had left something @ his home , so I had to again drive back till Srikakulum, my friend came till there in his dad's 92 model M800,lost around 1.5 hrs because of this .
Anyways reached berhampur @ about 15.00, went to my college to collect my certificate (which I haven't collected from the last 8 years).
There was some program going on @ my college to got delayed over there and finally started for bbsr @ about 17.00 hrs from berhampur.
Berhampur to Bbsr is about 165 kms, so thought of having some food @ chilika dhaba, a very famous one @ chilika, but had to give it a miss as there is now a bypass road created for balugoan.

Reached bbsr @ about 19.30 hrs.

The roads from Bangalore to Guntur are very good, but after Guntur to V'wada there were so many diversions, that I was getting frustrated.
From V'wada to Vizaq is again awesome.
Same is the case from Vizianagaram to bbsr.

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]


All the toll roads and very well maintained .We can easily drive @ 3 digits speeds all day long.


While coming back, started on 1st dec afternoon and reached Vizianagaram @ about 18.00 hrs and rested there @ my friends place and we both started back to Bangalore the next day early morning.
Reached home back @ about 00.00 midnights 2nd December.

Also got to see some kool sunrise ,sunset , a full moon @ night, moon after sunrise and greenery, which we hardly get to see in bangalore.









Some of the shots of my baby .





Total kms driven

Total Kms driven on last day


And here goes my MMI IOS app guiding me to my destination
.


cheers

[rkg]

Did this route on 24th and 25th Dec, 2012.
Started form Vizag at 2 Pm reached Gannavaram 10 km beofre Vijayawada by 8 PM. Over night stay at Guest house
Started from Gannavaram at 6.30 AM reached Managalagiri on NH5 by 7 AM. Had darshan at Panakala Narasimha Swamy Temple ( down and up). Started form Mangalagiri at 10 AM reached Nellore bypass by 1.30 PM
Launch break for 1 Hour
Started at 2.30 Pm reached Kalahasti by 4 Pm. There is lot of truck traffic between kalahasti-tirupati due t impending 4th World Telugu conference form Dec 28th. Could leave Tirupati bypass only by 5.30.
Progress was slow afterwards and reached Bangalore by 9.30 PM

6 lane work between Vijayawada and Guntur has too many diversions. otherwise road conditions are good
R K hotel on Nellore bypass (at the start itself near Kovvur) has very good andhra meal option. It is next to HP Petrol pump

[goandude]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Avoid Chitoor bypass - it is in very bad shape - and be prepared for some slow down in Guntur-Vijaywada-Vijaywada town, the first sector due to road widening.

Originally Posted by rkg

6 lane work between Vijayawada and Guntur has too many diversions.

Planning on a Bangalore Vizag trip end of May / early Jun. As hvk has mentioned will be planning a single day. However after going thru this thread found that
1. Chitoor bypass is bad
2. Guntur Vijaywada a distance of about 60 odd km is being 4/6 laned

What is the latest on these two stretches?

Secondly are the roads from Chittor to Naidupetta well marked? as I do not want to enter any towns like tirupati and Renigunta.

From above posts it would take about 15 hrs driving so plan to leave about 0500 h, Bfast at around 0900 around Naidupetta and Lunch around 1300 to 1400 around Guntur. Any suggestions on eating places with clean toilets, as I will be with two ladies.

[rkg]

Originally Posted by goandude

Planning on a Bangalore Vizag trip end of May / early Jun. As hvk has mentioned will be planning a single day. However after going thru this thread found that
1. Chitoor bypass is bad
2. Guntur Vijaywada a distance of about 60 odd km is being 4/6 laned

What is the latest on these two stretches?

Secondly are the roads from Chittor to Naidupetta well marked? as I do not want to enter any towns like tirupati and Renigunta.

From above posts it would take about 15 hrs driving so plan to leave about 0500 h, Bfast at around 0900 around Naidupetta and Lunch around 1300 to 1400 around Guntur. Any suggestions on eating places with clean toilets, as I will be with two ladies.

Chitoor bypass is good now ( as on Dec 2012)

You need not enter tirupati or renigunta. Bypass is clearly marked.

At naidupet you may not get good hotels.

Ask for highway at naidupet. You have to take right turn and then left from tirupati side to reach highway

There is one APSTDC Haritha on Kalahasti bypass. Few more hotels are also there between Tirupati and Kalahasti on the road. no need to enter any city.

NH5 bypasses Guntur fully. Better to aim for Viziawada. It passes through city. no need to worry. one can pass Viziawada in reasonable time. there are few hotels on the service road in this stretch

Traffic density is less between viziawada and vizag compared to naidupet and viziawada.

[Schoudhury]

Originally Posted by goandude

Planning on a Bangalore Vizag trip end of May / early Jun. As hvk has mentioned will be planning a single day. However after going thru this thread found that
1. Chitoor bypass is bad
2. Guntur Vijaywada a distance of about 60 odd km is being 4/6 laned

What is the latest on these two stretches?

Secondly are the roads from Chittor to Naidupetta well marked? as I do not want to enter any towns like tirupati and Renigunta.

From above posts it would take about 15 hrs driving so plan to leave about 0500 h, Bfast at around 0900 around Naidupetta and Lunch around 1300 to 1400 around Guntur. Any suggestions on eating places with clean toilets, as I will be with two ladies.

Bangalore - vizag is easily do able in one day , but you will reach vizag really late , say around 23.00 hrs .
I will suggest , pack some food for breakfast and only take a break for lunch .
Try to reach vijaywada as early as possible . And then plan accordingly , as from there it will take min 6 hours to reach vizag .
Don't worry about the roads, they are superb .
Also I am sure you will have GPS device to guide you , so there should not any issues at all .

Cheers

[goandude]

Originally Posted by Schoudhury

Bangalore - vizag is easily do able in one day , but you will reach vizag really late , say around 23.00 hrs .
I will suggest , pack some food for breakfast and only take a break for lunch .
Try to reach vijaywada as early as possible . And then plan accordingly , as from there it will take min 6 hours to reach vizag .
Don't worry about the roads, they are superb .
Also I am sure you will have GPS device to guide you , so there should not any issues at all .

Cheers

Already thanked you. But could you or anyone tell me the better route (faster, less traffic) around Tirupati. This screenshot from Google maps on my phone shows the northern route, while my Google maps on laptop shows the southern route.Attachment 1080562

[rkg]

Originally Posted by goandude

Already thanked you. But could you or anyone tell me the better route (faster, less traffic) around Tirupati. This screenshot from Google maps on my phone shows the northern route, Attachment 1080559while my Google maps on laptop shows the southern route.Attachment 1080562

Just before chandragiri, there will be fort compound wall on the left side. Little further, there is a petrol pump on right side. here the road forks into in to two. take the right one. there is huge road sign like what is seen on GQ indicating renigunta, nellore, naidupet. It is a proper 4 lane road with divider. Just follow the road. It will bypass tirupati, renigunta also.

In the map, You will coming in 18A, just follow 18A and get on to SH61. Both 18A and SH61 were either relaid/patched up in December 2012 for World telugu conference held in tirupati

[goandude]

Originally Posted by rkg

Just before chandragiri, there will be fort compound wall on the left side. Little further, there is a petrol pump on right side. here the road forks into in to two. take the right one. there is huge road sign like what is seen on GQ indicating renigunta, nellore, naidupet. It is a proper 4 lane road with divider. Just follow the road. It will bypass tirupati, renigunta also.

In the map, You will coming in 18A, just follow 18A and get on to SH61. Both 18A and SH61 were either relaid/patched up in December 2012 for World telugu conference held in tirupati

Thanks, your instructions are very clear and unambiguous.
But still wondering why the two google maps indicate different routes.

[goandude]

I just did Bangalore Chitoor Naidupetta Vijaywada Vizag journey yesterday, and it took me 17 hours. The traffic is really high on almost all the route..many diversions from Ongole to Vijaywada, Overall not a enjoyable drive.

Now pl tell me this . I need to get back to bangalore on Tuesday. Leaving Vizag early morning Monday. Me and my son are driving, I want to avoid the Naidupeta Mulbagal 2 lane stretch as we are not comfortable driving 2 lane at night. Should I do Vizag hYderabad Bangalore 1200 km or Vizag Chennai Bangalore 1100 km.
Through which city, Hyd or Chennai, is the connection between the highways better? as I do not want to do much driving in these cities.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by goandude

I just did Bangalore Chitoor Naidupetta Vijaywada Vizag journey yesterday, and it took me 17 hours. The traffic is really high on almost all the route..many diversions from Ongole to Vijaywada, Overall not a enjoyable drive.

Now pl tell me this . I need to get back to bangalore on Tuesday. Leaving Vizag early morning Monday. Me and my son are driving, I want to avoid the Naidupeta Mulbagal 2 lane stretch as we are not comfortable driving 2 lane at night. Should I do Vizag hYderabad Bangalore 1200 km or Vizag Chennai Bangalore 1100 km.
Through which city, Hyd or Chennai, is the connection between the highways better? as I do not want to do much driving in these cities.

Now that the NH9 between Vijaywada & Hyderabad is fully 4-laned & the Hyderabad ORR is superb, it is best. The Hyderabad route is longer by just 150 kms, but will be superfast & fully 4-laned.

Here is the detailed route profile, showing you both options:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BzW9...it?usp=sharing

[ranjitp1]

Originally Posted by goandude

I just did Bangalore Chitoor Naidupetta Vijaywada Vizag journey yesterday, and it took me 17 hours. The traffic is really high on almost all the route..many diversions from Ongole to Vijaywada, Overall not a enjoyable drive.

Now pl tell me this . I need to get back to bangalore on Tuesday. Leaving Vizag early morning Monday. Me and my son are driving, I want to avoid the Naidupeta Mulbagal 2 lane stretch as we are not comfortable driving 2 lane at night. Should I do Vizag hYderabad Bangalore 1200 km or Vizag Chennai Bangalore 1100 km.
Through which city, Hyd or Chennai, is the connection between the highways better? as I do not want to do much driving in these cities.

I would suggest do Vizag-VJA-Hyd on Day1 to reach Hyd by early evening.

And Day2,even if leave by 4 in the morning,you would reach easily reach Hebbal by 11 in the morning.

Vizag-Hyd-Blr one stretch drive can turn out to be stressful as Vizag-Hyd is a 11-12hr drive,1hr to bypass Hyd and then another 8hrs to reach Blor.Thats close to 22-23hrs of drive which IMO can get stressful.Suggest you take a break at Hyd and then drive on.