[Prancing Horse]

Dear Bhpians,
I'm planning for a trip from Hyderabad (kondapur) to Tirupati on 18th Jan night.

The route i have zeroed is
HYDERABAD - KURNOOL - ANANTPUR - KADIRI - MADANAPALLE - TIRUPATI

Vehicle to be used: ANHC

Fellow travelers: Wife & Son (1.12 years)
Its because of my son i'm going for this night journey,he wouldn't simply sit inside the car during the day journey.

Intended journey time: Start at 8PM(18th Jan) or later but before midnight & reach Tirupati by 8 AM (19th Jan)

I decided not to take
HYDERABAD - KURNOOL - NANDYAL - KUDAPPA - TIRUPATI
route mainly because of naxal problem (i read this in other forums)

I'm seeking experts advice on the route,time of travel,things to carry for the night journey (i have done night travel in my PALIO days) this is my first night journey in my ANHC (6 month old & have clocked only 3000KM,very recently completed my 2nd service).My main concern is the safety of my fellow passengers.

This is the route i'm planning for TIRUPATI - COIMBATORE

TIRUPATI - CHITTOOR - GUDIYATHAM - AMBUR - KRISHNAGIRI - SALEM - AVINASHI - COIMBATORE

I suppose there wouldn't be any night travel problem for this route.

PS:
1. Its my dear wifeys b'day.so this is a surprise trip for her.We are travelling to Coimbatore and enroute i'm planning for this surprise visit.
2. Mods: i couldn't find night travelling advise thread for Hyderabad to Tirupati or even for our NH's.Please merge if there's a specific thread.

[ampere]

I hope from Cuddapa you planned via NH18 and go via Pileru.


Other option is Hyd-Anantpur-Kadiri-Madanapalle-Pileru-Tirupathi (Though not sure of Naxa Issues)

(NH7/NH205)

As of Tirupathi-CBE:

Instead of Gudiyatham, come down to Vellore and take the GQ. Much better option for night travel.

[hvkumar]

I would avoid the Chittoor-Vellore route by night, and stick to the longer NH4 route from Vellore via Ranipet to join NH46 at Wallajahpet and then go via Vellore and Krishnagiri to Coimbatore.

[Prancing Horse]

Originally Posted by ampere

I hope from Cuddapa you planned via NH18 and go via Pileru.


Other option is Hyd-Anantpur-Kadiri-Madanapalle-Pileru-Tirupathi (Though not sure of Naxa Issues)

(NH7/NH205)

As of Tirupathi-CBE:

Instead of Gudiyatham, come down to Vellore and take the GQ. Much better option for night travel.

Ampree,thanks for the input.I'm planning to stick to the second option of yours (as mentioned in my message).Do you have any specific advice for the mentioned route(like land marks,alert areas,etc)?

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I would avoid the Chittoor-Vellore route by night, and stick to the longer NH4 route from Vellore via Ranipet to join NH46 at Wallajahpet and then go via Vellore and Krishnagiri to Coimbatore.

Kumar sir,thanks again.i would stick to the route via Ranipet as per yours & Ampree's advice. Do you have any specific input for the time of journey i have mentioned? as of now i'm planning to leave between 9.30 - 10.30PM ,so that i would cross Kadiri and places beyond by sunrise.I suppose from Kadiri to Tirupati it would take 2 - 3 hours?

[hvkumar]

Chittoor-Vellore route is for the Tirupati-Coimbatore route, not the HyderabadTirupati drive.

Yes, 3 hours from Kadiri to Tirupati should be a reasonable time estimate.

[Rovergen]

HYDERABAD - KURNOOL - NANDYAL - KUDAPPA - TIRUPATI

This is the best option , if it is a night drive expect a lot of private volvos , follow any one of them kurnool - Nandyala - Mydokur -Kudappa - rajampeta - Railway Kodur -Tirupathi , there are By pass roads to high ways for most of the towns now , so you would not enter any and try to spot the by pass road 10km before the towns .

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I would avoid the Chittoor-Vellore route by night, and stick to the longer NH4 route from Vellore via Ranipet to join NH46 at Wallajahpet and then go via Vellore and Krishnagiri to Coimbatore.

HVK,

I thought Chittoor Vellore was decent even for night? Is it not?
It is a decent 2L road right?

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by ampere

HVK,

I thought Chittoor Vellore was decent even for night? Is it not?
It is a decent 2L road right?

Road condition is good, but traffic and habitation is very sparse, has some past history of unsafe night conditions.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Road condition is good, but traffic and habitation is very sparse, has some past history of unsafe night conditions.

Thanks sir! @Prancing_Horse. Take HVK's word. Take The NH4 from Chittoor to Ranipet. Its not that big a detour considering 4L GQ of 46.

Note that you would heavy truck traffic on NH4 and its a 2L (I think).
4 Laning of NH4 has not yet happened in these parts.

[Live To Jive]

All routes will be the best routes for night driving if you have proper (legal) lights. I wish all other road users had proper lights specially trucks. Proper use of dippers and turn signals will also go a long way in making all routes good for night driving.

BTW I don't think travelling with your wife and son at night is safe. Try and see in some friends / relatives can join you in another car on this trip.

[Prancing Horse]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Chittoor-Vellore route is for the Tirupati-Coimbatore route, not the HyderabadTirupati drive.

Yes, 3 hours from Kadiri to Tirupati should be a reasonable time estimate.

Yes sir,got it.

Originally Posted by ampere

Thanks sir! @Prancing_Horse. Take HVK's word. Take The NH4 from Chittoor to Ranipet. Its not that big a detour considering 4L GQ of 46.

Note that you would heavy truck traffic on NH4 and its a 2L (I think).
4 Laning of NH4 has not yet happened in these parts.

Sure @ampere i would stick to his words.Thanks for your advice.
Its overwhelming guys.Team BHP rocks.

[shivapsreddy]

HYDERABAD - KURNOOL - NANDYAL - CUDAPPA - TIRUPATI
This is a better option, there is no naxal problem in this route.
There may be some bad patches of road between Nandyal and Cuddapah and rest of the road is very nice.

[Prancing Horse]

Originally Posted by shivapsreddy

HYDERABAD - KURNOOL - NANDYAL - CUDAPPA - TIRUPATI
This is a better option, there is no naxal problem in this route.
There may be some bad patches of road between Nandyal and Cuddapah and rest of the road is very nice.

Hey @shiva are you sure? i have heard differently from others.One of my colleague was a victim of this naxal problem in the past (around 1 - 1.5 years ago).As a matter of fact when i first googled i got this route but was skeptical about it and that's were i pinged HVK sir & went for this thread to get info from others.

[hvkumar]

I think I will go with rovergen and shivapsreddy. The Kurnool-Kadapa route is the older route, and even I have driven that route on 3 occasions to Tirupati. In the night, better to stick to a road with lots of buses, and this route seems to be the one most popular with the Hyderabad crowd.

The Ananthapur-Chittoor route has been recently improved and may take some more time to become popular, since the roads are very good currently. So since you are travelling by night, why take a lonelier route?

One clarification though - I remember that some years ago the roads around Panyam and Nandyal had serious Naxal problems, and I myself have driven through the night in convoy - is that now history?

[Prancing Horse]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

I think I will go with rovergen and shivapsreddy. The Kurnool-Kadapa route is the older route, and even I have driven that route on 3 occasions to Tirupati. In the night, better to stick to a road with lots of buses, and this route seems to be the one most popular with the Hyderabad crowd.

The Ananthapur-Chittoor route has been recently improved and may take some more time to become popular, since the roads are very good currently. So since you are travelling by night, why take a lonelier route?

One clarification though - I remember that some years ago the roads around Panyam and Nandyal had serious Naxal problems, and I myself have driven through the night in convoy - is that now history?

Ok sir,but i'm also skeptical about the naxal problem around Nandyal & Kadapa. Again after Kadapa do you advice to go ahead via Rajampet or via Rayachoti?
Comparatively how do you rate the facilities in this route to the route via Anantpur via Kadiri?