[KrisSree]

Originally Posted by ampere

Are you referring to the following by-pass?

Unknown road to Unknown road - Google Maps

Yes mate. The very same road but this road does not connect directly to the Kadappa Road. The last bit of the road (Yellow one) only exists on the map - Rail under bridge chronically under construction I assume. While coming from Tirupati, you have to take the left into the white coloured road and take the railway crossing at Karakambadi. This little innocent looking stretch (may be 400 Mts) plus the railway crossing makes your trip a mess!

Cheers!

[srimath]

There is work going on on the Tirupati-Renigunta road which is the reason a lot of people prefer to use the Karakambvadi route if they are travelling towards Kadapa. Another option is to continue till Renigunta and then take the Bypass road though this will increase the distance by 5 km.

[KrisSree]

Thank you Srimath. Would try this proposed road next time. In all probabilities would be travelling Nov/Dec. Hope by that time the Renigunta - Tirupathi road would get fixed.

Cheers!

[srimath]

I am going to tirumala tomorrow again though this time by train. I normally travel to tpty every alternate week.

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by srimath

I am going to tirumala tomorrow again though this time by train. I normally travel to tpty every alternate week.

Srimath, I will be travelling to Tirupathi either 1st week or 3rd week of October by car.

Appreciate route info, total kms and current road conditions, if you know.

[srimath]

Avi Bhai,

The total distance from Tarnaka to Srinivasam Complex, Tpty is 541KMs. The route was HYD-KURNOOL-NANDYAL-KADAPA-RAJAMPET-TPTY.

Kurnool-Kadapa is being 4 laned. Also patchy road between Orvakal-Nandyal. You can easily reach tirupati in 8-9 hours(I took 9 hours in my estillo).

Kadapa-Rajampet-Kodur-Tirupati is a nice road though you need to watch out for speed breakers before & after villages.

I am going to tirupati again this week.

[prabingade]

Hi Avi,
After Kodur, before Renigunta/ORR, you need to take a right turn which goes through a railway gate and then Sri Venketewara College of Engineering. This route is easily trackable in maps but I was there at 11:00pm in the night, I almost missed and thought of letting you know.

If you miss it, then you need to take the Chennai-Ananthput ORR to get to the town.

I am not sure which is the best way to get into Tirupati/Tirumala. Any suggestions from the locals?

Thanks.

[srimath]

Originally Posted by prabingade

Hi Avi,
After Kodur, before Renigunta/ORR, you need to take a right turn which goes through a railway gate and then Sri Venketewara College of Engineering. This route is easily trackable in maps but I was there at 11:00pm in the night, I almost missed and thought of letting you know.

The route you are referring to is known as the Karakambadi route. This is the best route to get to tirupati when coming from Rajampet as you will bypass Renigunta.

[himavanth_m]

From Kadapa, you can also do Kadapa - Rayachoti - Tirupati.

Somewhere inbetween Rayachoti and Tirupati, you would need to make a turn towards Tirupati (which basically leads to the Chennai Anantapur Road)

In this route, you wiill basically enter Tirupati on the SV University side. However, this route will be longer too (by 30 kms I guess) as compared to the Kadapa - Rajampet - Tirupati Road.

Once you cross SV university, a left turn will get you to the road that leads to Tirumala. Make sure that you reach the base of Tirumala before 12 AM midnight. Vehicles are not allowed to enter the Ghat between 12 AM and 4 AM for 4 hours.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

From Kadapa, you can also do Kadapa - Rayachoti - Tirupati.

Somewhere inbetween Rayachoti and Tirupati, you would need to make a turn towards Tirupati (which basically leads to the Chennai Anantapur Road)

Approximately 50 kms after Rayachoti on NH18, you reach Pileru, which is where you turn left to go to Tirupati. If you miss the turn, you will reach Chittoor.

[prabingade]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

Make sure that you reach the base of Tirumala before 12 AM midnight. Vehicles are not allowed to enter the Ghat between 12 AM and 4 AM for 4 hours.

It is actually from 12am to 3am. In the 15th Aug long weekend, I went to see the Vellore temple and on the return could make it only by 12:02am and got blocked till 3am.

Suggest reaching there by 11:45pm or so as the last entry is at sharp 12:00 midnight and it is not depended on the no. of the vehicles in the queue.

[Night_Hawk]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

From Kadapa, you can also do Kadapa - Rayachoti - Tirupati.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Approximately 50 kms after Rayachoti on NH18, you reach Pileru, which is where you turn left to go to Tirupati.

Couple of months ago Road widening works were in progress on the Ghat Section between Kadapa and Rayachoty (NH18)

IMHO, if the widening workls are still going on, night drives are not advisable on this Ghat section.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

From Kadapa, you can also do Kadapa - Rayachoti - Tirupati.

Somewhere inbetween Rayachoti and Tirupati, you would need to make a turn towards Tirupati (which basically leads to the Chennai Anantapur Road)

In this route, you wiill basically enter Tirupati on the SV University side. However, this route will be longer too (by 30 kms I guess) as compared to the Kadapa - Rajampet - Tirupati Road.

Once you cross SV university, a left turn will get you to the road that leads to Tirumala. Make sure that you reach the base of Tirumala before 12 AM midnight. Vehicles are not allowed to enter the Ghat between 12 AM and 4 AM for 4 hours.

This route is only 11 kms longer than the one via Rajampet. The distance from Somajiguda to Alipiri via the Rayachoti->Pileru route was 551 kms, compared to 540 on the Rajampet route.

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Approximately 50 kms after Rayachoti on NH18, you reach Pileru, which is where you turn left to go to Tirupati. If you miss the turn, you will reach Chittoor.

Pileru is the right place to turn left---it is a small town that can whiz by un-noticed if one drives fast. One needs to turn left at Pileru and reach Tirupati via Bhakrapeta.

If you have time, you can take the 25 kms route to Talakaona waterfalls by taking the left turn at Bhakrapeta. The falls amid thick forest will be good after monsoons. We went in June, and they were not worth the visit, as there was not much water then.

Below is a distance chart that might be of help, especially in watching out for the left turn at Pileru:-

Somajiguda to Kurnool: 210 kms

Kurnool to Cuddapah: 190 kms (go straight from here if you want the Rayachoti route, or turn left at the bypass to go via Rajampet)

Kadapa to Rayachoti: 45 kms

Rayachoti to Pileru: 53 kms (turn left here into NH 205)

Pileru to Bhakrapeta: 22 kms

Bhakrapeta to Alipiri: 31 kms

I suggest you go via one route and return via the other. Talakona is strongly recommended if you have time.

[himavanth_m]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

This route is only 11 kms longer than the one via Rajampet. The distance from Somajiguda to Alipiri via the Rayachoti->Pileru route was 551 kms, compared to 540 on the Rajampet route.

If you have time, you can take the 25 kms route to Talakaona waterfalls by taking the left turn at Bhakrapeta. The falls amid thick forest will be good after monsoons. We went in June, and they were not worth the visit, as there was not much water then.

I suggest you go via one route and return via the other. Talakona is strongly recommended if you have time.

I never thought the difference was so small as 11 kms. Have you got a chance to travel via this route recently? The route was in decent condition about 3 years back.

Also, Talakona is a must visit site if you are of the trekking type. One can climb up the falls and the view from there is splendid.


There is another highly un-recommended route to Tirupati as well. This route was splendid about 6 years back, but now it is practically impossible to do this route.

Hyderabad - Narkatpalli (On the Vijayawada) - Turn right towards Addanki - Miryalaguda - Piduguralla - Addanki - Ongole (Here you touch the splendid NH5) - Nellore - Naidupeta (Turn right towards Sri Kalahasti) - Sri Kalahasti - Renigunta - Tirupati
Total comes around 600 kms on this route.
Last time I did this route, was in shock and awe at the size of the potholes. Since I was in a Safari I was still OK. But what a horrible route it was.

Firstly, one has to negotiate through the horrible Hyd - Vijayawada highway. And if that is not enough, you travel to the equally worse miryalaguda - Addanki state highway. Once you reach Ongloe, the drive to Tirupati is a breeze and excellent.

I did this route because of the one small bridge that crosses the Krishna river after crossing Miryalaguda and near Wazirabad. It is a special place for me.

However, this was not the case 7 years back. Back then, this Addanki route was in excellent condition while the Kurnool route was under construction. The Addanki route also sees no traffic. The only place where there is heavy traffic is Hyd - Narkatpalli.

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

I never thought the difference was so small as 11 kms. Have you got a chance to travel via this route recently? The route was in decent condition about 3 years back.

No, I travelled in June, 2009.

Originally Posted by himavanth_m

Also, Talakona is a must visit site if you are of the trekking type. One can climb up the falls and the view from there is splendid.

+1 to this. There are also Haritha guest houses at Talakona.