[narsi_6989]

Originally Posted by kavu75

I have booked a special entry online darshan for 2PM slot on March 22nd, Wednesday. Planning to start from Bangalore at 5AM and looking to reach Tirumala around 11-11.30.
This time I am looking to tonsure my head.
Is there any facility available apart from Kalyana Katta? Sometimes there used to be huge rush at Kalyana Katta. I heard that we can get it done at Pilgrim guest house as well. Do they allow or is it available only for people who stays there.

Thanks

I think you should be fine if you are up there at 11. Reason being, I went on a Saturday (Mar 04) with entry slot at 3pm. I was in Tirumala by 12:30, did tonsuring for my 1 yr old daughter and was able to join the queue at 2pm. We (all the adults) skipped lunch though as we prefer not to eat before darshan. Even if we had lunch, we would have made it on time. Here is the trick. As soon as you reach tirumala, there is check post/toll gate where they verify your car's ticket and make entry. Right after that on the left there is a place where they tonsure the head. The crowd will be less here. You can ask the guy who checks your car ticket on top of the hill. Parking will be available here as well. It was done (including bath) in 30 mins for my kid.

[nityaya]

Back from Tirupati on Saturday. We had booked the 12.00 pm slot and reached there by 11.30 and were directly sent to the line, had darshan and was out by 1.00 pm. Morning had gone to the Padmavathi temple where there was a bit of confusion. Everyone was saying that i will require xerox copy of Aadhar card for special darshan ticket and i had only originals with me. There was no xerox center open at 7.45 am. Finally as i was about to take out the car and go in search of a shop one security guard told me that it is required only for special sevas. Anyway please carry copies of id proofs to avoid inconvenience. Next day went to Kalahasti temple and Gudmallam temple.

[mobike008]

We climbed up via. Sreevari Mettu and reached around 1:30pm after starting at 10:10am ( It took us 2 hours, 20 minutes) and went directly to Donor Cell near old Woodlands hotel and took our pass from there and entered the queue from Supatam at around 2:30pm

We were out by 4:00pm.

It took us exactly 1:30 hours out of which we were made to wait in single place for nearly 1 hour. It put a lot of stress on the feet as we had just walked up

Overall, it was a great darshan !!!

So in this trip we covered the following :

1. Golden Temple, Vellore (Darshan in 5 minutes with 10 minutes in front of the god)
2. Kanipakam (Darshan in 5 minutes)
3. Tirumala Balaji (Darshan in 1:30 Hour)
4. Padmavathi Temple (Darshan in 5 minutes)

We could not go to Sreenivasa Mangapuram. So will make it up next time !

[kavu75]

Originally Posted by narsi_6989

I think you should be fine if you are up there at 11. Reason being, I went on a Saturday (Mar 04) with entry slot at 3pm. I was in Tirumala by 12:30, did tonsuring for my 1 yr old daughter and was able to join the queue at 2pm. We (all the adults) skipped lunch though as we prefer not to eat before darshan. Even if we had lunch, we would have made it on time. Here is the trick. As soon as you reach tirumala, there is check post/toll gate where they verify your car's ticket and make entry. Right after that on the left there is a place where they tonsure the head. The crowd will be less here. You can ask the guy who checks your car ticket on top of the hill. Parking will be available here as well. It was done (including bath) in 30 mins for my kid.

Thanks a lot Narsi.
The information provided by you helped me a lot. We had a wonderful Darshan on March 22nd.
Started from Bellandur at 4.30AM, reached Alipiri gate at 9.30AM and reached Tirumala check post / toll gate at 10.05AM. As per your suggestion checked with person at toll gate for tonsuring and he directed me to the left side building after toll gate. There were very less crowd and many slots were free, finished my tonsuring in 10 minutes.
We were at special darshan entry gate at 10.40AM(luckily got the parking close to the entry gate), Our Darshan slot was at 2PM and just thought of try our luck. The person manning the gate told us to wait for sometime and allowed us inside at 10.50, directly went to a counter where they scan our entry ticket. But the system shows a mismatch in time slot as we were very early and counter person told us to come after 11AM.
Exactly after 11, he called us and scanned our ticket and no errors this time. Looks like they are keeping 3 hour buffer time.
We had a wonderful Darshan and came out in 40 minutes.
After collecting laddus, started back from Tirumala at 1PM.

Thanks all for the details

[govigov]

If you book a special darsan, where can you park the car? Can you please give directions to the place to park the car and to the special darsan entrance?

[kavu75]

Originally Posted by govigov

If you book a special darsan, where can you park the car? Can you please give directions to the place to park the car and to the special darsan entrance?

In the special entry darshan receipt its mentioned to report at ATC Car Parking Area.
Here is the location.
https://goo.gl/maps/UJ4eZhiwJPH2
This is a small parking area on the road side, but very near to special darshan entry.

[shrionsong]

ATC car parking is huge and easily accessible. But, if you have time, park near opposite the museum in the AP Tourism Choultry car parking area. This is right behind the laddu place and thus you can come out immediately and ride on.

Originally Posted by kavu75

In the special entry darshan receipt its mentioned to report at ATC Car Parking Area.

Following the advice of the Team BhPians we went there last sunday. Had booked the 5 pm slot and reached the queue at 2 pm. Were allowed in. Came out around 4 pm. Thanks Team Bhp.

Originally Posted by nityaya

Back from Tirupati on Saturday. We had booked the 12.00 pm slot and reached there by 11.30 and were directly sent to the line, had darshan and was out by 1.00 pm. Morning had gone to the Padmavathi temple where there was a bit of confusion.

[dhrupadh]

Hello all,

Planning to drive from Bangalore to Tirupati over the weekend. Before this we usually took the package tours and this will be first time I drive there. So I had a few queries:
1. Online darshan booking doesn't show availability over the weekend, so how package tours offer darshans? Do they have separate booking counter which can be done offline, like a counter or something once you reach there?
2. Route information is already available in the thread but any advice on the road quality and where to be careful etc.?
3. I expect Saturday's to be having rush so planning to visit on Sunday. Since I haven't done the booking, what would be best time to start from Bangalore so that I can chose a slot based on my arrival time?

[narsi_6989]

Originally Posted by dhrupadh

Hello all,

Planning to drive from Bangalore to Tirupati over the weekend. Before this we usually took the package tours and this will be first time I drive there. So I had a few queries:
1. Online darshan booking doesn't show availability over the weekend, so how package tours offer darshans? Do they have separate booking counter which can be done offline, like a counter or something once you reach there?
2. Route information is already available in the thread but any advice on the road quality and where to be careful etc.?
3. I expect Saturday's to be having rush so planning to visit on Sunday. Since I haven't done the booking, what would be best time to start from Bangalore so that I can chose a slot based on my arrival time?

It is better to book online. Not sure about offline counters. The website shows that the slots are full for the weekend and don't think they will entertain bookings (just like IRCTC when the tickets are sold out).
It is better to book for the following Sunday (28th May) when the slot is available.

[ravib]

Originally Posted by dhrupadh

Hello all,

Planning to drive from Bangalore to Tirupati over the weekend. Before this we usually took the package tours and this will be first time I drive there. So I had a few queries:
1. Online darshan booking doesn't show availability over the weekend, so how package tours offer darshans? Do they have separate booking counter which can be done offline, like a counter or something once you reach there?
2. Route information is already available in the thread but any advice on the road quality and where to be careful etc.?
3. I expect Saturday's to be having rush so planning to visit on Sunday. Since I haven't done the booking, what would be best time to start from Bangalore so that I can chose a slot based on my arrival time?

1. AFAIK, package tour tickets are direct tie up with TTD (from APSRTC or KSRTC or any agency etc) and not listed in public quota tickets shown in TTD website online. And I don't think there is a Rs. 300 offline counter to buy tickets as you go.
2. Road conditions are good throughout. Only thing you need to be careful is after KA border when you enter AP and till you exit "Rangampeta Cross Roads" and take right, the road is 2L and you need to really careful when you overtake or when someone is overtaking from opposite direction. I call this out mainly because of rash driving in this section, particularly by bus drivers and few idiotic taxi drivers.
3. Weekend's are anyways crowded. Don't think there will be lesser crowd on Sundays. We have had darshan in 2 hours or even less on saturdays multiple times and sometimes very long time on Sundays. It all depends on crowd situation on that day and your luck. There is no simple or straight answer.

At any rate, i would recommend you to exit Bangalore atleast by 6 am to be in Tirupati around 11ish with sedate driving and minimal breaks. Plus additional 1 hour to reach Tirumala. Add your own time for breaks depending on how long you want to stop for a break.

-Ravi

[sdp1975]

When do the bookings for TTD accommodation at Tirupati and Tirumala open ? I see on the TTD website that rooms for October have not yet been released. Getting an accommodation at Tirumala seems particularly challenging as that fills really fast.

I need to book a room for October 21.

[audioholic]

Originally Posted by sdp1975

When do the bookings for TTD accommodation at Tirupati and Tirumala open ? I see on the TTD website that rooms for October have not yet been released. Getting an accommodation at Tirumala seems particularly challenging as that fills really fast.

I need to book a room for October 21.

It's not challenging to get Accommodation as you say. There is a 90 day advance reservation period which opens up on a daily basis. Even after that the accommodation is usually available for some time except during holidays and some special occasion. Hence you will have to wait for some time for the quota to be released.

[daretodream]

Hello everyone

What is the closure timings of Tirupati-Tirumala ghat road?

Is it 12:00 midnight to 03:00 am?
Or
12:00 midnight to 04:00 am?

[mobike008]

Originally Posted by daretodream

What is the closure timings of Tirupati-Tirumala ghat road?Is it 12:00 midnight to 03:00 am?
Or
12:00 midnight to 04:00 am?

Closed between Midnight to 3:00am !!

[shifu]

Hi guys, I am planning to go to Srikalahasti temple and Tirumala over a weekend with wife and kid. I would like to do the puja at Srikalahasti in the morning, so planning to take a flight from Hyd on Fri eve and go straight to SriKalahasti that night. Will do the puja early morning on Sat, and then go to Tirumala the same day (if time permits), or on Sun early morning. Then I'll take a flight back home on Sun evening/night.

Do you know a decent hotel to stay in SriKalahasti for Fri night? Not looking for anything fancy, but AC and clean toilets and beds. For Sat night, I am planning to book a room in Hotel Bhimas going by the reviews. But if you have any personal experience, would appreciate the feedback.