[vito_parry]

Thank you very much for the inputs vnabhi and josevijay....Greatly appreciated. Will try the alternate route...But will also have to see if I can find a LPG station to refuel on this alternate...

[shifu]

Originally Posted by shifu

I have a trip planned for Hyd to Bapatla in the second week of Sept. The route I am planning to take is Hyd - Vijaywada - Guntur - Bapatla. I understand from this thread that the stretch from Hyd - Vijaywada is very good. Any tips about the Vijaywada - Guntur - Bapatla stretch will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am driving tomorrow and there is a slight change in plans. I am now told that the instead of the Vijaywada highway I can take SH-45 (via Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, Narsaraopet, Chirala, Bapatla). However, I am not sure if this route has enough food options. I am travelling with a 2 year old, hence want to plan it carefully.

If you have any feedback on any of the two routes above, please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

[JoseVijay]

Originally Posted by shifu

SH-45 (via Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, Narsaraopet, Chirala, Bapatla). However, I am not sure if this route has enough food options. I am travelling with a 2 year old, hence want to plan it carefully.

If you have any feedback on any of the two routes above, please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

There was heavy rain and flooding for the last two days in the above mentioned places, esp., in the Guntur District. There was a news in the regional news channels that connectivity between Guntur and Hyderabad has been cut off due to flooding, but not sure which place has been mostly affected. Why take risk? Take the Vijayawada route and have some piece of mind.

[JoseVijay]

Originally Posted by shifu

I am driving tomorrow and there is a slight change in plans. I am now told that the instead of the Vijaywada highway I can take SH-45 (via Nalgonda, Miryalaguda, Narsaraopet, Chirala, Bapatla). However, I am not sure if this route has enough food options. I am travelling with a 2 year old, hence want to plan it carefully.

If you have any feedback on any of the two routes above, please let me know.

Thanks in advance!

Originally Posted by JoseVijay

There was heavy rain and flooding for the last two days in the above mentioned places, esp., in the Guntur District. There was a news in the regional news channels that connectivity between Guntur and Hyderabad has been cut off due to flooding, but not sure which place has been mostly affected. Why take risk? Take the Vijayawada route and have some piece of mind.

Please update us on the present condition of the roads you have taken. Heard that it was raining cats and dogs even today in the coastal districts. BTW, which route have you taken?

[shifu]

Originally Posted by JoseVijay

Please update us on the present condition of the roads you have taken. Heard that it was raining cats and dogs even today in the coastal districts. BTW, which route have you taken?

I took the SH45 route on the way to Bapatla last Friday. The roads were not bad. There were no major traffic blocks (maybe because it was a weekday). And I didn't encounter any problem because of the rain. I started at about 7:45am from Miyapur and was there at the Suryalanka beach resort by 4pm.

On the way back on Sunday, I took the Vijayawada express way. And oh boy! It was fabulous. Except for the cattle on the road, and people going the wrong way, it was a splendid drive. It took me the same time to come back, but this way it was less strenuous. I would obviously rate this much better route to go to Bapatla than the SH45.

[JoseVijay]

Originally Posted by shifu

I took the SH45 route on the way to Bapatla last Friday. The roads were not bad. There were no major traffic blocks (maybe because it was a weekday). And I didn't encounter any problem because of the rain. I started at about 7:45am from Miyapur and was there at the Suryalanka beach resort by 4pm.

On the way back on Sunday, I took the Vijayawada express way. And oh boy! It was fabulous. Except for the cattle on the road, and people going the wrong way, it was a splendid drive. It took me the same time to come back, but this way it was less strenuous. I would obviously rate this much better route to go to Bapatla than the SH45.

Congratulations for completing the journey safely. Happy that you were not stranded anywhere due to floods.

Last Sunday I was returning to Hyderabad from Nalgonda and I happened to see a newly built CCD just beside hotel Vivera. BTW, Hotel Vivera is between Chityal and Nareketpalli.

[subbaraomr]

My pal traveled to Vizag Steel Township today on his All New Honda City. The update he sent me is:

"On a scale of 10, I'd rate Hyd-Vijaywada as 9, BZW-Rajamundry as 7, and RJY-Vizag as 8.5'.

I was getting regular updates from him throughout the drive. He left at 6 am and reached at 4 pm, including breaks for breakfast, lunch and fuel. Total distance from Vengal Rao Park at Hyd was 660 kms (one needs to add another 25 kms if Vizag City is the destination).

Per him, the road from Vijayawada to Rajajmundry is riddled with potholes all through the stretch. But he said one can drive mostly in 5th gear, and drop gears when there are too many potholes, else one can zig and zag, depending on traffic. He took 2 hours 40 minutes to cover that stretch.

Hope this helps. It is distressing to know that the GQ has taken such a turn. I wonder how long it will take to get it back to its earlier condition."

i am a senior citizen driving a Renault fluence. Google suggests a route hyderabad-khammam-rajamundry-vizag. has anyone tried it? how is the road from khammam to rajmondry?

[rnidumolu]

Hi Subbarao,

Recent days I have not travelled in this route. The last I travelled is somewhere around 2012. Most of the truck drivers choose this road to Vizag/Rajamundry due to lesser tolls. So you can expect truck traffic on this road. Also the road condition was not good at that time, read as very pathetic. I don't guess any drastic improvement now. Night driving on this route is a big NO from myside.

If you are travelling with your family my recommondation would be to go via Vijayawada and then on GQ. This Hyderabad and Vijayawada road is recently constructed and is in very good shape. But tolls are there on this road.

Thanks,
Ravikumar N

[JoseVijay]

Originally Posted by subbaraomr

I am posting first time so please excuse if I am making a mistake. I am driving hyderabad to visakhapatnam. Google shows a route hyd-khammam-Rajamundry-vizag. Has anybody driven the khammam to Rajamundry section? Is the road good and four laned? is this route possible in 10 hours?

Originally Posted by rnidumolu

Hi Subbarao,

Recent days I have not travelled in this route. The last I travelled is somewhere around 2012. Most of the truck drivers choose this road to Vizag/Rajamundry due to lesser tolls. So you can expect truck traffic on this road. Also the road condition was not good at that time, read as very pathetic. I don't guess any drastic improvement now. Night driving on this route is a big NO from myside.

If you are travelling with your family my recommondation would be to go via Vijayawada and then on GQ. This Hyderabad and Vijayawada road is recently constructed and is in very good shape. But tolls are there on this road.

Thanks,
Ravikumar N

+1 to Ravi. The route via Khammam is not a 4 lane and I am not very sure if the road is smooth. I would suggest you to take the route through Vijayawada as roads are 4 lane all the way upto Vizag and can be covered under 10 hours.

[vnabhi]

@subbaraomr---please go via Vijaywada. The only average stretch is between Vijaywada and Rajamundry, but your friend has given you sufficient information. It used to take around 2 hours earlier, so now it looks like you need to add 40 minutes more on that stretch.

Even buses are avoiding the Khammam-Ashwaraopet route though it is shorter by nearly 70 kms.

[vnabhi]

After many years, I got a chance to drive to Vijaywada last week, with my wife as a co-passenger in my Figo tdci. Here's an update on the route :-

1. Driving time took 4 hours 15 minutes either way. Left at 830 pm and reached hotel near Benz Circle at 1245 am. On the return, left at 6 pm and reached home at Somajiguda at 1020 pm via ORR.
2. Distance from home to hotel was 289 kms while going, and 321 on the return via ORR.
3. There are 4 tolls on the way, out of which 3 are new, barring the one at Nandigama (close to Vijaywada). I could take a to-and-fro toll at the first toll booth for all 3 new tolls for a cost of Rs 335. This avoids the hassle of paying up at the other 2 toll booths. Of course, one must pass the first toll on the return within 24 hours. The toll at Nandigam costs Rs 50 one way. There is no facility for taking a two-way ticket there.
4. Distance between tolls is : 1st toll is 70 kms from Somajiguda (32 from Ramoji Film City), 2nd toll is another 58 kms away, 3rd toll is 86 kms farther, and the last one is 28 kms farther. Benz Circle is 45 kms from the last toll.
5. The famous '7 Restaurant' is not so easy to spot in darkness, unless one drives slow. It is around 12 kms from the 2nd tollgate. Worth visiting for a bio-break if one is not hungry.
6. On the return, the restaurant is around 74 kms from the 2nd toll, but on the right of the median. There is a gap in the median right in front, but caution is advised due to vehicles moving at tripe-digit speeds. There is a bigger restaurant 2 kms prior to 7 on the left side of the highway. Don't remember its name, but spotted many vehicles parked there.
7. It took a little more than an hour from Somajiguda to RFC, which is 38 kms away, due to city traffic. During peak hours, this could be a half hour extra. The stretch from LB Nagar to RFC is also not too great to permit high speeds. There are wayward city drivers too.
8. The road at Vijaywada between the 'Welcome to Vijaywada' arch till the Kanakadurga temple was simply horrible, strewn with deep potholes, uneven width, with a huge divider. Not befitting a new capital, simply put.
9. Going to Benz Circle via Bunder Road might be better than going via the highway. One needs to turn left just after the temple--one can miss that spot easily. This is at a fork, where most highway vehicles turn right towards to barrage.

Hope this helps.

[Niel@Figo]

Hi BHPians,

I am planning trip to Vizag from Hyderabad with my wife and 2 years old kid.

Thinking of the following itinerary:

24th Morning - Leave from Hyderabad to Vijayawada and stay overnight with some sightseeing
25th Morning - Start from Vijayawada to reach Vizag by evening and stay at Vizag
26th - at Vizag and overnight at Araku
27th - Stay at Vizag
28th - Start from Vizag and overnight at Rajahmundry
29th - Rajahmundry to Hyderabad.

Now, have some queries:

a. For onward route, I see the following options through google maps in forums:
- Hyderabad ORR - NH 9 via Suryapet - Vijayawada - NH5 - Vizag - total around 700 km
- Hyderabad ORR - NH9 to Narketpalli - Nalgonda- Miryalguda - Guntur - Vijayawada - NH5 - Vizag (total - 709 km)

Which one is recommended or there is any other route preferred.

b. For Return from Vizag to Hyderabad via Rajahmundry, it seems Rajahmundry to Khamman to Hyderabad route is not being preferred as per some threads. In that case, the only option is via Vijayawada.

Is the Khamman route not usable at all considering via Vijayawada is almost 60 km more.

c. Whether return stay at Rajahmundry is preferred or some other place? Any suggestions on good place to stay at Rajahmundry or any other suggested place!!

d. If I intend to cover total 710 km while returning without any overnight haul, how is the road condition and how much time it may take considering leisure driving and me being lone driver?

[b]e. How are food options availability between Hyd- Vijayawada and Vijaywada - Vishakapatnam?[b]

Looking forward to some suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[vnabhi]

@Niel@Figo. I have the following suggestions:

1. Take the route via Vijaywada. It is the fastest and also the best route. Nobody uses Khammam route nowadays, including buses.

2. Driving time will be around 10 to 11 hours from Hyd to Vizag city. Add time for breaks and you may take an hour or two more.

3. Hyd to Vijaywada will take you 4.5 to 5 hours of relaxed driving.

4. There is no need to break journey at Rajamundry. You can drive directly to Hyderabad, unless you have a compulsion for a break.

[penpusher]

Originally Posted by Niel@Figo

Which one is recommended or there is any other route preferred.

b. For Return from Vizag to Hyderabad via Rajahmundry, it seems Rajahmundry to Khamman to Hyderabad route is not being preferred as per some threads. In that case, the only option is via Vijayawada.

Is the Khamman route not usable at all considering via Vijayawada is almost 60 km more.

The route via Vijayawada is the fastest & best route. The Khammam route is a single lane state highway with slow moving traffic. IMHO dont even consider that route. Most of Vijayawada town traffic can be bypassed by using the Eluru road.

c. Whether return stay at Rajahmundry is preferred or some other place? Any suggestions on good place to stay at Rajahmundry or any other suggested place!!

Vizag to Rajahmundry distance is approx. 200 km and can be easily done in 2.5 to 3 hrs. There is no need to stay at Rajahmundry unless you start late from Vizag. If you need to stopover at Rajahmundry, Hotel Anand Regency & Hotel Shelton Rajmahendri are good options and are also not too far from the Highway.

d. If I intend to cover total 710 km while returning without any overnight haul, how is the road condition and how much time it may take considering leisure driving and me being lone driver?

It will take you approx. 2.5 to 3 hrs for Vizag to Rajahmundry. Road is excellent four-lane highway with 3 tolls (also with concrete surface for short stretch). It will again take you 2.5 to 3 hrs for Rajahmundry to Vijayawada. Road is again four-lane highway with 3 toll booths. But it has some potholes between Rajahmundry and Tanuku, although repair work is going on.

Road between Hyderabad & Vijayawada is the best stretch of this route. As quoted above, it may take you 4-5 hrs.

[b]e. How are food options availability between Hyd- Vijayawada and Vijaywada - Vishakapatnam?[b]

Between Hyderabad & Vijayawada there some good options particularly before Suryapeta.

Between Vijayawada & Vizag, best option would be at Rajahmundry, an eatery called Eat & Play, however it is 1-2 kms off the highway on AVA Road. The place is clean & is like a mini food court.

On the highway there are dhaba kind of places at Tanuku if you are in a rush.

[IndianNomad]

Hi BHPians,

I have a scheduled drive shortly from Hyderabad to Vizianagaram and back. I had gone through earlier posts, however I have queries regarding crossing Vijayawada, Rajahmundry and Visakhapatnam.
I am posting below the routes from google maps, 2 routes for each place. Kindly suggest the best one.

Vijayawada





Rajahmundry





Visakhapatnam