Temple town at the foot of the Tirumala hills, base for the Sri Venkateswara shrine.
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Most people come for darshan at the Sri Venkateswara Temple on the seventh peak of the Tirumala hills, one of the busiest pilgrim sites in India. The town below adds older temples, the hilltop rock arch at Sila Thoranam and the Chandragiri fort. It suits pilgrims, families and anyone willing to plan darshan tickets ahead and accept long queues.
Trip planner
Plan from your city
Photos
Sri Venkateswara Temple at TirumalaThe seven hills of TirumalaSwami Pushkarini temple tank at TirumalaTirupati town seen from the Tirumala ghat roadClouds over the Tirumala hills
Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Select a photo for its author and licence.
Best time to go
When
What to expect
October to February
The most comfortable weather, about 18 to 28 C. This is also peak season, and the Brahmotsavam festival around September and October brings very large crowds.
March to May
Hot, with daytime highs of about 35 to 42 C. Plan temple visits for early morning or evening.
June to September
Monsoon rain, with greener hills and noticeably fewer pilgrims than in winter.
Sights and activities
1
Sri Venkateswara Temple, Tirumala
The main shrine, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, on the seventh peak of the Tirumala hills. Free darshan tokens can mean very long waits, so most visitors book the Rs 300 special entry darshan online.
Distance
About 18 to 22 km from Tirupati town by ghat road
Entry
Free (Sarva Darshan); Rs 300 for special entry darshan
Timings
TTD's daily schedule shows darshan roughly 7 am to 7 pm and 8 pm to 12:30 am; Suprabhatam at 2:30 am
APSRTC and private buses link Tirupati with Chennai (about 135 km, 3 to 4 hours), Bengaluru and Hyderabad. From Tirupati, APSRTC buses to Tirumala cost Rs 90 one way for adults.
By train
Tirupati Main station is about 3 km from the town centre and has direct trains from Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and further afield. Renigunta Junction, about 30 minutes' drive away, handles many more trains.
By air
Tirupati International Airport is at Renigunta, about 15 to 16 km from the town, with direct flights from cities including Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi. A prepaid or app cab to town costs about Rs 600 to 900.
Where to base yourself
Stay in Tirupati town near the railway station or bus stands, or book TTD rooms at Tirumala if you want to be close to the temple.
Getting around
TTD runs free buses from Tirupati railway station and bus stands to Alipiri and Srivari Mettu at the foot of the hills, and up to Tirumala.
APSRTC buses to Tirumala leave from the railway station and the main bus stations; fares are Rs 90 one way for adults and Rs 50 for children, or Rs 160 return for adults (valid three days).
At Tirumala, free TTD Dharmaradham buses loop round the clock about every 8 minutes, linking the cottages, queue complexes and Annaprasadam hall.
A private taxi from Tirupati to Tirumala and back costs about Rs 1,500 to 2,500, including about four hours of waiting.
Autos and taxis are easy to find in town; local transport tickets are about Rs 20, and taxis charge about Rs 100 to start plus about Rs 20 per km.
Two stepped footpaths climb the hill: Alipiri (about 7.8 km, about 3 hours or more) and Srivari Mettu (about 2.1 km, about 1.5 hours), with luggage taken up separately.
Often combined with
Places people usually visit on the same trip, and how long it takes to get between them.
TTD rooms and cottages at Tirumala, or budget hotels in Tirupati town
₹100 to ₹3,000
Mid-range
Mid-range hotels in Tirupati town, or TTD AC guest houses at Tirumala
₹2,500 to ₹8,000
Luxury
Upscale hotels in Tirupati town with restaurants and airport pickup
₹9,000 to ₹18,000
Food
TTD serves free meals to pilgrims at the Matrusri Tarigonda Vengamamba Annaprasadam complex in Tirumala. In town, a simple restaurant meal costs about Rs 175, and a mid-range dinner for two about Rs 1,000.
Try these
Tirupati laddu (the temple's sweet prasadam; extra laddus about Rs 50 each from TTD counters)
Pulihora (tamarind rice served as temple prasadam)
Andhra meals (rice with several curries, dal and pickles)
Idli, vada and curd rice with filter coffee
Andhra pepper fry (spicy dry-fried meat dish)
Vegetarian food is easy to find, including the free satvik Annaprasadam meals at Tirumala and pure vegetarian restaurants in town.
Daily costs
Budget level
Stay per room
Food per person
Local transport
Budget
₹1,000
₹400
₹200 per person
Mid-range
₹4,000
₹1,000
₹2,000 per vehicle
Luxury
₹12,000
₹2,500
₹3,000 per vehicle
Per day. Travel to and from your city is added in the planner above.
Permits and documents
No permit is needed. Carry photo ID such as Aadhaar; it is required to book darshan online, and Aadhaar is mandatory for the senior citizen darshan quota.
Safety
By day
Crowds are the main issue: queues for free darshan can run 12 to 24 hours or more on busy days. Book a timed ticket and carry water.
At night
Ghat roads to Tirumala are open about 3 am to midnight.
Solo women
The temple area is crowded and busy at most hours.
Roads
The up and down ghat roads (about 18 km each) are all-weather asphalt roads with time restrictions. For breakdowns on the ghat, TTD lists 0877-2263636 or 9000503089.
All the main networks (Jio, Airtel, Vi and BSNL) work in town.
ATMs and cash
ATMs are easy to find in town.
Fuel
There are several petrol pumps in and around town.
Medical
Hospitals are easy to find across the city. In an emergency dial 112, or 108 for an ambulance in most states. Medical aid posts are provided on the Alipiri and Srivari Mettu footpaths. Dial 108 for an ambulance.
Pilgrims aged 65 and over can book a senior citizen darshan online (Aadhaar required, spouse allowed, 1,000 per day, Monday to Saturday at 3 pm).
Children
Children under 12 have relaxed dress rules, and free TTD buses make getting around easy. The zoo is a good break.
Wheelchair users
TTD runs a special darshan for differently abled pilgrims holding a government disability certificate, booked online. Only the spouse may accompany.
Unless a sight is described as accessible, assume it is not step-free.
Culture and responsible travel
A traditional dress code applies for paid darshan and sevas: men wear a dhoti or pyjama with an upper cloth, women a saree, half-saree or churidar with an upper cloth.
Phones, cameras and other electronics must be left in lockers; photography is not allowed inside the temple.
Leave leather items such as belts and wallets outside the temple premises.
Many pilgrims offer their hair at Kalyana Katta; this is done through a token system.
Buy laddus only from official TTD counters.
What to pack
Photo ID (Aadhaar, passport or driving licence); hotels and permits ask for it
Clothes in earthy colours, a cap and binoculars for safaris
Clothes that cover shoulders and knees, and socks for hot stone floors where shoes come off. Some temples do not allow phones or bags, so carry little
Some cash in small notes for autos, stalls and tips
Your regular medicines, plus basics for stomach upsets, headaches and cuts
