How to Reach Tirumala — Airport, Station & Ghat Road (2026)

Tirumala is not Tirupati: the temple sits on the hill about 22 km above the town, and every arrival ends with the same ghat road from Alipiri. The airport at Renigunta is roughly 33 to 39 km and 1 to 1.5 hours from the temple. Tirupati railway station is about 22 km and an hour by bus.

✈️ From Tirupati Airport at Renigunta

The airport is about 15 km from Tirupati town and 33 to 39 km from Tirumala, depending on the route through town. Allow an hour to an hour and a half to the temple, more if you hit the Alipiri check at a busy hour.

IndiGo flies direct from Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam, and Air India and SpiceJet also serve Hyderabad. A direct Chennai flight is not something we could confirm on a current schedule, so Chennai Yatris should check before assuming it.

At arrivals there is a prepaid taxi counter. Expect roughly ₹400 to ₹700 to Tirupati town and ₹800 to ₹1,500 to Tirumala. Operators quote sedans around ₹1,300 and SUVs around ₹2,200 for the hill.

Our full guide to reaching Tirupati covers flights and trains into town in more detail.

🚆 From Tirupati and Renigunta stations

Tirupati (TPTY) is the station you want. It is 22 km from Tirumala by the Alipiri road, and the APSRTC central bus stand is a short walk from the platforms. Renigunta Junction (RU) is about 10 km further out, and some long-distance trains, including the Chennai Vande Bharat, stop there instead of at Tirupati.

From Mumbai there is no dedicated Tirupati train. The daily LTT–Chennai services pass Renigunta after about 18 hours, and whether they halt at Tirupati itself is something to check on the railway enquiry site before booking.

⛰️ The ghat road: bus, taxi or your own car

From Alipiri there are three ways up by road, and all of them pass the same security check and entry token. The ghat road is open to four-wheelers from 3 am to about midnight, and closed between midnight and 3 am. Two-wheelers are limited to 6 am to 6 pm to protect wildlife.

• APSRTC bus: about ₹90 adult single and ₹160 return, valid three days, with an AC service around ₹110. Roughly an hour up. These are the last figures we could confirm, from 2024, so allow for a small increase.

• Taxi: ₹800 to ₹1,500 one way from Tirupati, ₹1,500 to ₹2,500 as a round-trip package.

• Own car: FASTag mandatory at the Alipiri toll since 15 August 2025. Car toll figures vary by source, with about ₹50 commonly quoted. Expect a luggage check, a minimum climb time enforced against speeding, and no non-veg, alcohol or tobacco.

🚶 Walking up: Alipiri Mettu and Srivari Mettu

Two footpaths climb the hill, and both earn a Divya Darshan token that puts walkers into a dedicated darshan line.

• Alipiri Mettu: 3,550 steps, about 9 to 10 km, 3 to 5 hours. Tokens, around 10,000 a day, are issued at the Bhudevi complex near Alipiri from about 4 am, and the token is scanned again at step 2083.

• Srivari Mettu: 2,388 steps, about 2.1 km, 1.5 to 2 hours. Open 6 am to 6 pm only. Tokens, around 5,000 a day, are issued at step 1240 on the path. The free shuttle from the station covers the 17 km to its base.

Srivari Mettu is the sensible choice for anyone fit but short on time. Alipiri is the traditional climb and the one with shops and shelters most of the way. Start either path early: the steps are exposed by mid-morning, and the token counters are busiest on weekends.

🚗 Driving in from Chennai, Bengaluru or Hyderabad

Many Yatris drive the whole way and treat Alipiri as the end of the highway. Chennai to Tirupati is about 135 to 150 km and 3 to 4 hours, the shortest of the three. Bengaluru is around 250 km on the NH44 side, 5 to 6 hours with a meal stop.

Hyderabad is the long one at roughly 555 to 575 km and 10 to 11 hours, which is why most Hyderabad Yatris take the overnight Padmavati or Narayanadri instead. Whichever road you use, add the hour up the ghat and the Alipiri check to your arrival estimate.

If the ghat road timings do not suit, park in Tirupati town and take the bus up. Parking on the hill is limited on festival days.

🧭 Which way up suits you?

• With elders: taxi from the airport or station straight up the hill. The bus involves a queue at Alipiri and a change; the taxi does not.

• On a budget: free shuttle from the station to Alipiri, then the APSRTC bus up. Under ₹200 per head in total.

• On a tight schedule: fly in, prepaid taxi to Tirumala, and book a timed darshan before you land. Our darshan timings guide explains the options.

• Avoid: arriving at Alipiri between midnight and 3 am with a car. The ghat is closed and you will wait.

🛏️ Where to stay: up the hill or down in town

Sleeping on the hill means a short walk to the queue, but Tirumala rooms are limited and go early. Tirupati town has far more choice, and the bus or taxi up takes an hour.

For an early darshan slot, stay on the hill; for a late-night train, stay near the station. The Tirumala logistics guide covers cloakrooms and what to leave behind.

However you arrive, the last 22 km are the same climb every Yatri has made for centuries. Govinda, Govinda.