Quick answer: Tirupati, the town at the foot of the Seshachalam hills, is the gateway to Tirumala. Fly into Tirupati Airport near Renigunta, or take a train to Tirupati or Renigunta, or a bus or car to Tirupati. From there it is about 17.8 km up the ghat road to the Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, by APSRTC bus, taxi or your own vehicle. You can also walk up one of the two stone footpaths: Alipiri, the long traditional route, or Srivari Mettu, the short and steep one. There is no railway station or airport on the hill itself.

Editor's note (1 November 2026): We checked the facts in this guide against the official TTD pages and the reliable news reports listed under Sources at the end. Where sources disagree, or where we could not confirm a detail for 2026, we say so. Footpath hours, token rules and two-wheeler limits change often, sometimes overnight after a wildlife sighting, so check TTD before you set out. HinduTone is not affiliated with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

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By air

The nearest airport is Tirupati Airport (code TIR), near Renigunta. TTD puts it about 15 km from Tirupati town. TTD says the airport has direct flights to cities such as Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, New Delhi and Visakhapatnam. The actual list changes with airline schedules, and recent data based on Airports Authority figures shows only a handful of scheduled routes. Check the current schedule with the airlines before you plan around a direct flight.

From the airport, taxis and app cabs take you to Tirupati or straight up the ghat road to Tirumala. If you go straight up, allow for the security check and vehicle queue at the Alipiri toll gate at the foot of the hill.

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Using a bigger airport. Many pilgrims, especially those flying from abroad, land at Chennai or Bengaluru and travel on by road or rail. TTD estimates about 3 hours by road from Chennai airport to Tirupati and about 5 hours from Bengaluru airport. Traffic can add a good deal to these times. From Hyderabad, recent airport data shows direct flights to Tirupati. For door-to-door options from each city, see our city guides linked at the end.

  • Best for: travellers short on time, and those connecting from an international flight in Chennai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad.
  • Watch out for: very early or late arrivals, because the ghat roads normally close between midnight and 3 am.
  • Tip: if you land late, stay the night in Tirupati and go up early the next morning.
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By train

Tirumala has no railway station. Pilgrims arrive at one of two stations in the plains:

  • Tirupati (TPTY): the main station in town, run by South Central Railway. TTD says it is about 26 km from Tirumala. It has five platforms, and APSRTC buses to Tirumala leave from the station area.
  • Renigunta Junction (RU): a busy junction on the main lines. TTD puts it about 30 minutes by road from Tirupati. Many long-distance trains that do not enter Tirupati stop here. You can take a taxi, bus or local train on to Tirupati.
  • Gudur Junction: on the Chennai–Vijayawada main line. TTD lists it as about 1 hour 30 minutes by road from Tirupati. It is useful if your train does not stop at Renigunta.
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Trains reach Tirupati and Renigunta from Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Mumbai and many other cities. We do not list train numbers or timings here, because they change with each timetable and with special services at festival times. Search between your city and TPTY or RU on IRCTC, and check running status on the official Indian Railways enquiry site before you travel.

TTD also lists a railway booking office in its network of facilities. Pilgrims mostly book online, though, and that is the easier option from abroad.

By road

State buses. APSRTC, the Andhra Pradesh state road transport corporation, runs long-distance buses into Tirupati from across the state and from neighbouring states. TTD notes direct buses to Tirumala from Chennai, Bengaluru and Vellore. Private operators and taxis run from Chennai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru to Tirupati. Book state buses on the official APSRTC online portal, and check the current fare there rather than relying on figures from older blogs.

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Your own car or a taxi. Tirupati is well connected by highway to Chennai, Bengaluru and the rest of Andhra Pradesh. TTD allows pilgrims to drive their own vehicles up the hill, or to hire taxis and maxi cabs of up to 12 seats. A toll is collected at the Sapthagiri toll plaza at Alipiri. TTD says the amount is set by its management and may change, so carry the means to pay digitally or in cash.

Ghat roads and vehicle rules

  • Two roads, one-way each: vehicles go up on one ghat road (about 17.8 km) and come down on the other (about 18 km), according to TTD.
  • Hours: TTD says the ghat roads are normally open from 3 am to midnight. Buses and other vehicles are not allowed between midnight and 3 am, except on special occasions when TTD keeps the roads open round the clock.
  • Two-wheelers: TTD sometimes restricts two-wheelers to daytime hours, especially in wildlife breeding season. In August 2024, for example, it allowed them only from 6 am to 9 pm until 30 September. Recent reports say TTD has also barred two-wheelers around Garuda Seva during Brahmotsavam. We could not confirm a standing 2026 rule, so check TTD before you ride up.
  • Security check: all vehicles and passengers are checked at the Alipiri checkpoint before the climb, so allow extra time at busy periods.
  • Breakdowns: TTD runs an automobile clinic. For a breakdown or accident on the ghat roads, its page lists 0877-2263636 and 9000503089, and 108 for an ambulance.
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Tirupati to Tirumala

This last stretch is where most pilgrims choose between riding and walking. If you are riding, you have three options.

APSRTC buses. APSRTC buses leave Tirupati for Tirumala from the railway station, the RTC central bus station, Sri Padmavathi bus station and Balaji link bus station. TTD describes the service as frequent, run according to pilgrim arrivals. One TTD page mentions a bus every two minutes, but another gives no fixed frequency, so treat this as a guide only. Return tickets bought in Tirupati are valid for three days, according to TTD. Fares are revised from time to time, so check the current fare at the counter or on the APSRTC site.

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Taxis and jeeps. Shared and private taxis wait near the bus station and the railway station. Agree the fare before you start, and confirm whether it includes the toll.

Your own vehicle. Drive up the ghat road during its open hours. Parking is available at Tirumala, but it fills up at weekends and festivals.

Journey time depends mostly on the queue at the Alipiri checkpoint. At weekends and peak festivals, the wait there can be longer than the drive itself, so leave plenty of margin.

Walking up: Alipiri and Srivari Mettu

Climbing the hill on foot is an old act of devotion, and TTD keeps two stone footpaths (sopanamargas) for it. Both have toilets, drinking water, shelters, medical aid, food stalls and security patrols along the way. TTD also offers free luggage transfer: hand in your bags at the foot of the path and collect them at Tirumala.

RouteStart pointStepsDistanceHoursNotes
AlipiriAlipiri, at the foot of the hills in TirupatiAbout 3,550 (widely reported)About 7.8 km on one TTD page and about 11 km on anotherIn June 2025, reports said climbs were allowed from 5 am, regulated groups only after 2 pm, and no entry after 9:30 pm. Check TTD for current hours.The longer, more gradual traditional route, roughly 3 hours or more. Luggage is collected at the GNC counter in Tirumala.
Srivari MettuSrinivasa Mangapuram, near Chandragiri, on the western side of Tirupati2,388About 2.1 kmDaytime only. We could not confirm 2026 opening and closing times, so check TTD.Short but steep, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Luggage is collected at the MBC counter in Tirumala.

Safety rules on the footpaths

After a child was killed by a leopard on the Alipiri path in August 2023, TTD tightened its footpath rules. Reports in June 2025 and January 2026 describe the rules now in force. Families with young children should start before 2 pm, and children are not allowed uphill after that. After 2 pm, pilgrims walk in supervised groups (reports mention batches of 50 to 100), and the Alipiri path closes for the night at about 9:30 pm. Leopards were again sighted near the Alipiri route in October 2026, and TTD repeated its advice to walk in groups and keep children close.

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  • Start early in the morning. It is cooler, and you stay well inside the daytime window.
  • Carry water, a light snack and any medicines you need, and wear comfortable footwear or go barefoot as many devotees do.
  • Pilgrims with heart, knee or breathing problems should think carefully, and TTD advises choosing the walk according to your health.
  • Do not walk alone, and follow instructions from TTD vigilance staff on the route.

Divya Darshan tokens for walkers

TTD gives footpath pilgrims free darshan tokens, known as Divya Darshan (DD) tokens, subject to a daily quota. The arrangement has changed several times. From 6 June 2025, TTD moved issue of the Srivari Mettu DD tokens to dedicated counters at the Bhudevi Complex in Alipiri, as a temporary measure until counters at Srinivasa Mangapuram receive Archaeological Survey of India approval. Reports say tokens are scanned at a checkpoint partway up the path, and pilgrims who miss the scan may not be allowed into the darshan queue.

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We could not confirm the daily quota, whether DD tokens are currently issued for the Alipiri route, or the exact counter timings for 2026. Third-party sites disagree on all three. Ask at the Bhudevi Complex or check TTD announcements on the day. As with every darshan type, each darshan pilgrim receives one free laddu.

Getting around Tirumala

Once you are on the hill, you rarely need a taxi. TTD runs free buses, called Dharma Rathams, on clockwise and anticlockwise circuits. They link the cottages and guest houses, the Annaprasadam complex, the Kalyanakatta tonsure complex, the Vaikuntam queue complex for Sarva Darshan, the footpath complex for Divya Darshan, and the special-entry darshan complex. TTD says they run round the clock, about every 8 minutes in each direction. TTD has been adding electric buses to this fleet through 2025 and 2026, so frequency may be better than the official page states.

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Down in Tirupati, TTD also runs a small free bus service between the railway station and the Srivari Mettu footpath, calling at Alipiri. According to TTD, there are three buses about every 45 minutes, with trips from 5 am to 6:15 pm and the last return from Srivari Mettu at 7:15 pm. Otherwise, take an APSRTC bus or an auto-rickshaw to the start of either footpath.

Planning tips

  • Book darshan and rooms before transport. Darshan and room quotas open monthly, about three months ahead, and popular dates go quickly. Book only on the official site, ttdevasthanams.ap.gov.in. Our step-by-step darshan booking guide, quota release guide and accommodation booking guide explain the process.
  • Match your arrival to your slot. If you have a timed darshan ticket, reach Tirupati at least half a day early so ghat-road queues or a late train do not make you miss it.
  • Avoid the night gap. The ghat roads normally close between midnight and 3 am, and the footpaths are not open late at night.
  • Check the calendar. Brahmotsavam, Vaikuntha Ekadasi and long weekends bring huge crowds, extra buses and traffic restrictions. See our best time to visit guide and Tirumala today for current conditions.
  • Laddu prasadam. Each darshan pilgrim gets one free laddu. Extra laddus are sold separately, as explained in our laddu guide.
  • Visiting from abroad? Our complete Tirumala guide for NRIs covers documents, quotas and planning from overseas.

FAQ

What is the nearest airport to Tirumala?

Tirupati Airport, near Renigunta. TTD puts it about 15 km from Tirupati. From the airport you go by road to Tirupati and then up the ghat road to Tirumala. For many international travellers, Chennai is the practical gateway. TTD estimates the drive from Chennai airport to Tirupati at about three hours.

Which railway station should I book to for Tirumala?

Tirupati (station code TPTY) is the closest, and TTD says it is about 26 km from Tirumala by road. Renigunta Junction is a short drive from Tirupati, about 30 minutes according to TTD, and many long-distance trains stop there. Check current timetables on the official Indian Railways enquiry site or IRCTC, because schedules change.

How do I get from Tirupati to Tirumala?

APSRTC runs buses up the ghat road from the railway station, the central bus station and other bus stations in Tirupati. You can also take a taxi or drive yourself. The up ghat road is about 17.8 km. Ghat roads are normally open from 3 am to midnight, and two-wheelers can face extra time limits.

Which footpath is shorter, Alipiri or Srivari Mettu?

Srivari Mettu is much shorter: about 2.1 km and 2,388 steps, roughly an hour and a half for a fit walker. Alipiri is the longer and older route, widely given as 3,550 steps. TTD pages put its length at between about 7.8 km and 11 km.

Do walkers get free darshan at Tirumala?

TTD issues free Divya Darshan tokens to footpath pilgrims, subject to a daily quota. Since June 2025 the Srivari Mettu tokens have been issued at the Bhudevi Complex in Alipiri, not at the start of the path. Rules have changed several times, so check TTD before you set out.

Is HinduTone part of TTD?

No. HinduTone is not affiliated with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). Book darshan, seva and rooms only on the official TTD website, ttdevasthanams.ap.gov.in.

Related guides

Sources