Tirumala Divya Darshan by Footpath — Alipiri vs Srivari Mettu (2026)

Divya Darshan is the free darshan slot TTD gives Yatris who climb to Tirumala on foot, by the Alipiri footpath (3,550 steps) or the shorter Srivari Mettu (2,388 steps). The token is free, needs Aadhaar, and is scanned part-way up. Here are both walks, the October 2026 token rules, and how to reach each base.

🥾 Alipiri vs Srivari Mettu — the two walks in numbers

Alipiri is the classic route, starting about 4 km from Tirupati railway station at the Padala Mandapam gate. It is the longer, gentler walk: roughly 9 km of covered steps and slopes, with the steep Mokalla Parvatam ("knee-breaker") stretch coming late.

Srivari Mettu starts at Srinivasa Mangapuram, about 17 km west of Tirupati. It is short and steep, and ends near the same Tirumala bus stand area.

Both paths are roofed, lit and lined with stalls, with shoe and luggage counters at the base.

🎫 The Divya Darshan token — where, when and how it works

The token is free, issued against Aadhaar, and cannot be booked online. TTD issues it at the Bhudevi Complex beside the Alipiri bus stand from early morning; older guides quote 4 AM for Alipiri and 6 AM for Srivari Mettu.

Quotas move around. For years the figure was about 10,000 tokens a day for Alipiri and 5,000 for Srivari Mettu, but recent reports say Alipiri tokens are paused and only Srivari Mettu tokens are on issue. Ask at the counter before you set out.

Scanning points:

• Alipiri: around the 2,083rd step at Gali Gopuram, two-thirds of the way up.

• Srivari Mettu: around the 1,200th step (some notices say 1,240th).

• Keep the token: it is checked again at the Divya Darshan queue entrance in Tirumala.

⏰ Footpath hours and the children rule

Alipiri's walkway is reported open through the night, so serious walkers start at 3–4 AM to beat the heat. Srivari Mettu is a daytime path, roughly 6 AM to 6 PM, with gates shut in the evening.

Leopard sightings have shaped the rules since 2023. Yatris with children under 15 may enter either path only between 5 AM and 2 PM, and TTD staff send walkers through the forest stretch above Gali Gopuram in guarded batches.

• A leopard was seen near the 7th mile rock on Alipiri as recently as September 2026; walk in groups, not alone.

• At the 7th-mile checkpoint, police tag children's hands with parent contacts.

• Never plan on Srivari Mettu after dark; be at the base by 2 PM at the latest.

🧳 Luggage, footwear and what to carry

TTD runs a free luggage service at both bases; over 50 lakh Yatris used it in April–May 2026 alone. Bags go up by vehicle and are collected at the Tirumala luggage room near the MBC cottages; keep the receipt.

• Deposit footwear at the base too; the steps are walked barefoot or in socks.

• Carry one small bottle; water and buttermilk stalls line both paths.

• Phone, Aadhaar, token and cash in a sling bag; everything else to the counter.

🚌 Reaching Alipiri and Srivari Mettu from Tirupati

Alipiri is about 4 km from Tirupati railway station (TPTY) and the APSRTC bus stand. Autos run all night and TTD runs a free morning shuttle. APSRTC ghat buses to Tirumala start here too, around ₹90–110.

Srivari Mettu is about 17 km away at Srinivasa Mangapuram, home of the Kalyana Venkateswara temple. TTD has long run free buses from the station every hour or two; a taxi takes about 40 minutes, so a 5:30 AM start makes the 6 AM gate.

Arriving the night before? Read our Tirumala vs Tirupati stay note — Tirupati town suits the footpath plan better.

🧭 Which should you choose?

• With elders or small children: Srivari Mettu at 6 AM sharp. Two hours of effort, well inside the 5 AM–2 PM children window.

• Fit, first time, want the full yatra: Alipiri from 4 AM, past Gali Gopuram and the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, topping out by 8–9 AM.

• On a budget: either path; the token is free and hill buses are the only cost. Compare the ₹300 route in our Special Entry Darshan guide.

• On a tight schedule: Srivari Mettu by taxi, Divya Darshan, APSRTC bus down. One long day from Chennai or Bengaluru.

• Avoid: Alipiri after 10 AM in summer, walking the forest stretch alone, and taking a token for one path then walking the other.

📅 What the token buys you at the top

TTD's daily bulletin in early October 2026 listed Divya Darshan at about 4 compartments, roughly 2 hours, against Sarva Darshan at 9 compartments and about 6 hours. Trackers quote 4–9 hours on heavy days; peak summer 2026 saw Sarva Darshan waits of 20–24 hours.

Weekends, the late-September Brahmotsavam week and school holidays are the worst days; a Tuesday or Wednesday in October usually means the year's shortest Divya Darshan queue. For dress code and cloakroom rules in the queue, see our Tirumala darshan logistics guide.

🛏️ Where to stay

Sleep in Tirupati town the night before: Alipiri is a 10-minute auto ride and the Srivari Mettu bus leaves from the station area. After darshan, take a Tirumala room; TTD rooms open 60 days ahead and go fast.

Govinda! Govinda! May the climb be light and the darshan unhurried.