Team-BHP - Intercity Bus travel reviews

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Originally Posted by balajird (Post 3033959)

Thanks for your reply venki.bala, I am traveling for the first time and thought APSRTC will be similar like KaSRTC (Bangalore - Chennai) and hence booked the tickets. I have traveled with Kesineni before but none of the other. Are these listed based on the ranking? Which is preferred?

APSRTC is not really very bad but they take more time as they go in to towns like Ongole , nellore etc. I have given the order of my preference. you can try each one every week and choose the one that suits you as you had mentioned that you will be travelling every week. Also boarding from where?

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Originally Posted by balajird (Post 3033969)

I am working at Infosys, Gachibowli office, for APSRTC, I need to board from MGBS, would you be able to advise me the right / closest option to my office?

Oh that's great. All the options that I mentioned have a boarding at Gachibowli but not very close to your office. They board at Corner of punjabi dhaba opposite to ORR entrance, maybe. 2,3 kms from ur office. MGBS is too far. Why not the great Indian Railways?

@Venkatesh, finding it hard to get tickets through our railways, tatkal seems to be the only option available. :(

I would prefer traveling in AC coach in train due to its comfort / cleanliness / peace, however, tickets needs to be planned well in advance.

Let me try the volvo and see how it goes. one more question, do they drop us in the same place when coming from Chennai?

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Originally Posted by balajird (Post 3034227)

No they donot drop in the same place. You will have get down in Lakdikapul and catch bus/share auto or get down in Matrivanam/ameerpet and get share auto towards Kondapur from where you can go to Gachibowli. I think matrivanam option would be best as there will be a lot of share autos waiting in the morning towards Kondapur/Madhapur. I have colleagues in my office who travel every weekend. They just book the tickets the reservation opens if they are unable to travel that weekend they simply cancel the ticket. you can may be try that option as well. But yes as you said they need planning and also keep track of all the tickets.

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Originally Posted by balajird (Post 3033940)

Any reviews / recommendations on Hyderabad to Chennai APSRTC Volvo? It would be greatly appreciated as I need to travel on this route every weekend.

I am a frequent traveller by these Volvos and I find them to be good, if not the best among the other services between this sector. I prefer govt buses because, in case of any breakdown in between, only APSRTC would be able to provide you with an alternate quickly. Others leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere and make you wait endlessly. Had this experience with Kesineni once on the Hyd-Bang sector.

Also there is a bus from KPHB colony that departs everyday to Chennai. In the online portal, just select KPHB to Chennai and you will find this service. On the return too, you can use this same option as KPHB is in close proximity to Gachibowli and you have umpteen share autos plying. Though they may be the slowest, APSRTC also has the reputation of keeping to the time (atleast with my experience). They depart and arrive mostly on time and do not take any unnecessary breaks.

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Originally Posted by venkyhere (Post 3033889)

- these are the 'decently-fast/comfortable/reliable but cheap' operators in this route, both operators leave at sharp 11PM (koyambedu & madiwala)
- my personal favourite is roadlink, since he takes 4.5 to 5 hrs consistently in both directions (parveen takes 5 to 5.5 hrs) ; the interiors and sheets are cleaner in roadlink & the biggest advantage is that roadlink has extensive pickup/drop points in chennai city (does not start or terminate at koyambedu)

Agree with you on all of the above points. Roadlink has one of the cleanest fleet on this route.

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Originally Posted by silversteed (Post 3033958)

I'd say they're a little late. They used to drop me at Guindy before 4 o'clock. Perhaps they mellowed down a bit, or rather, had to, because of the choc-a-block traffic between Madiwala and Hosur, and also the congestion on the Hosur-Krishnagiri stretch caused by the 6-laning.

The crew is usually polite. The best part about Roadlink is that they are very professional all along.

+1 there. I have also been dropped at T Nagar by 4 AM earlier and my parents once reached K'bedu by 330 AM. This time delay was due to traffic upto K'giri.

My parents also had a case of luggage mix up and the crew were helpful and dealt with the matter efficiently by passing on mobile nos of the other passenger whose luggage got mixed up. And they usually do not pick up passengers en route even if the bus is not full. Heard that they have strict instructions not to do this and sometimes the management conducts surprise checks also.

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Originally Posted by racer_ash (Post 3034336)

I prefer govt buses because, in case of any breakdown in between, only APSRTC would be able to provide you with an alternate quickly. Others leave you stranded in the middle of nowhere and make you wait endlessly.
Also there is a bus from KPHB colony that departs everyday to Chennai. In the online portal, just select KPHB to Chennai and you will find this service. On the return too, .

Thanks a lot racer, I have booked the ticket from MGBS for this friday, am I allowed to board from KPHB colony? also, do they stop at decent restaurants midway or should I pack something for the dinner? :D

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Originally Posted by balajird (Post 3034431)

I dont think you are allowed to board from KPHB. However, on the return journey, even if your booking is only till MGBS, they allow you to continue until KPHB by collecting the metro deluxe fare from MGBS to KPHB

And yeah, they do stop at good restaurants on the way. They used to stop at horrible places previously but offlate the trend is changed since many lady travellers are also patronising APSRTC.

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Originally Posted by balajird (Post 3034493)

Thats cool racer, thanks again. I will look for better options to reach MGBS from Infosys and yeah, the next time, I will book from KPHB.

The bus starts from KPHB and goes through the city to go to MGBS eventually and always will be delayed. It is better that you go straight to MGBS from gachibowli. You get frequent buses to Koti and MGBS is very near to Koti, instead of coming to KPHB and wasting your time in the bus.

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Originally Posted by venki.bala (Post 3034587)

Thanks Venkatesh, when I booked the tickets, I was checking the google maps and thought this would be the case. Its good to know about the various options, thanks again.

Guys. Any review about the Multi-axle volvo between Hyderabad and Goa which is run by SVR tours and travels?? I have booked them for my weekend fun trip to Goa. Not many bus options and I did not want to risk travel with Paulo travels and other unknown names. Doesnt APSRTC have a bus running between Hyd and Goa? I remember seeing one long time ago but now there is nothing in their online portal.

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Originally Posted by racer_ash (Post 3034702)

My colleague travelled by the same last week end and he rates the service as good. They reached panjim by 9 am. He says its even better than Kesineni's. hope this helps. If you need anything specific please let me know, I will check with him.