Temples to visit on the way from Chennai to Tirupati

The quick answer

You are asking	The answer
How far is Tirupati from Chennai?	About 135 to 150 km by road, depending on the route: about 135 km via Puttur, about 148 km via Srikalahasti and Renigunta.
चेन्नई से तिरुपति बालाजी की दूरी?	सड़क से लगभग 135 से 150 किलोमीटर (3.5 से 4 घंटे)। फिर तिरुपति से तिरुमला मंदिर तक घाट रोड से लगभग 22 किलोमीटर।
How long is the drive?	About 3.5 to 4 hours without stops. Add an hour or two for each temple you stop at.
Which road is best?	For speed, the Puttur road (Chennai, Periyapalayam, Nagalapuram, Puttur, Tirupati). For a smoother, slightly longer drive with a stop at Srikalahasti, the road via Tada and Srikalahasti. For Tiruttani, the Tiruvallur road through Tiruttani and Puttur.
Is there a train?	Yes. The Saptagiri Express (16057) leaves Chennai Central at about 6:30 am and reaches Tirupati at about 9:50 am, by Tiruvallur, Arakkonam, Tiruttani and Puttur. Check the times on IRCTC.
How do I get from Tirupati up to Tirumala?	By the ghat road, about 22 km of hairpin bends, by bus, taxi or car. Or on foot: the Alipiri footpath (about 3,550 steps) or the shorter, steeper Srivari Mettu (about 2,400 steps, starting near Srinivasa Mangapuram).
When should I go?	January and February are the most comfortable, about 29 to 33 °C by day. March to May is very hot (near 40 °C), and November is the wettest month. The "When to go" box above has each month. Weekends and festivals bring the biggest crowds at Tirumala.
How do I book darshan?	On the official website of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The ₹300 Special Entry Darshan is booked online, months ahead. Free time-slot tokens (Slotted Sarva Darshan) are given out at counters in Tirupati. More in our Tirupati travel guide.

Before you go (2026)

• Book only on TTD's own website. Darshan tickets, rooms and sevas are released on the official TTD portal; anything else is a middleman.
• Token queues can be dangerous on big days. On 8 January 2025, six devotees died in a crush at Tirupati counters giving out tokens for Vaikunta Dwara darshan. On festival days, go with a booked ticket if you can, and follow TTD's announcements.
• The footpaths have rules since 2023. After a leopard killed a six-year-old girl on the Alipiri path in August 2023, TTD allows children under 15 on the footpaths only in the morning hours, asks walkers to go in groups, and keeps two-wheelers off the ghat roads at night. Check the current hours with TTD before you plan a walk with children.

Which temples are really on the way

Temple	Where it is	How it fits
Tiruttani (Murugan)	On the Tiruvallur–Tiruttani–Puttur road	On the way, if you take that road
Srikalahasti (Vayu Lingam)	About 38 km from Tirupati, on the Tada–Srikalahasti road	On the way by that road; a short detour from Renigunta otherwise
Kanchipuram	About 75 km south-west of Chennai, about 110 km from Tirupati	A detour of roughly 40 to 50 km; better as its own day
Padmavathi (Tiruchanur), Kapila Theertham, Kalyana Venkateswara, Chandragiri	In and around Tirupati	Visit before or after Tirumala

Temples from Chennai to Tirupati -Tirupati the home of Lord Sri Venkateswara Located on a hilltop, Tirumala(Tiru means holy, Mala means hill) is a major pilgrimage center.

The temple town, home to the world-renowned temple Lord Sri Venkateswara, is located on the hilltop of the Tirumala hills. There are numerous means one can reach Tirupati from Chennai which are Flight, Train, and Govt/private bus.

If you are looking to explore local temples situated on the way, then the best option will be a road trip. You can hire cheap and best taxi services. For this contact the local cab service which starts from the Rs 1500 range. (2026: that was the fare years ago; ask for a quote that includes tolls and the drive up to Tirumala.)

Before this, it is always advisable to have a basic idea about the route, there are numerous routes connected to Tirupati from Chennai. Let us see what are the best route and how much distance it takes for each route.

Chennai to Tirupati distance is about 160 km (2026: about 135 to 150 km by the usual routes; see the quick answer) and located in the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh. Hiring a cab or taxi rental from Chennai is ideal for this short drive.

After reaching Tirupati preferably early morning, one can easily travel to Tirumala (Abode of Lord Sri Venkateswara) by road or on foot. By road, the distance is 11 km in length and is the commonly used route. (2026: correction: the ghat road from Tirupati to Tirumala is about 22 km. The figure of about 11 km fits the Alipiri footpath, some 3,550 steps.) Local buses or taxis will take you to Tirumala from Tirupati

Best routes from Chennai and Tirupati

There are four major routes, but among those, two are good in terms of road trips, based on the road condition.

The best route which gives you the best and smooth travel is via Tada, Srikalahasti, and Renigunta. However, you need to travel 15 km extra when compare to other routes but the road is awesome. The total distance is 148km from Chennai.

Another good option is Thiruvallur High Road, Via Thiruthani, and Puttur. A four-lane drive along with visiting the famous Lord Murugan temple in Thiruthani. The total distance is around 135 km.

Temples to visit on the way from Chennai to Tirupati

#1 Kanchipuram:

(2026: Kanchipuram is not on the direct road. It lies about 75 km south-west of Chennai and about 110 km from Tirupati, so it adds roughly 40 to 50 km. Read our Kanchipuram travel guide and temples to visit in Kanchipuram.)

Driving past the industrial zones of Chennai and brushing past the multi-storeyed apartment complexes. One is suddenly exposed to the fields and open spaces as you progress towards Kanchipuram. This town has been an important part of history as the capital of the Cholas and later as a place taken over by the Sultans.

The little town has innumerable temples constructed by the ancient kings, and many of them are taken over and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India. Kanchipuram is famous for its megalithic archaeological sites as it is attractive for the hand-woven silk and cotton sarees of Tamil Nadu.

Most households here are involved in the weaving business.

The famous temple town with numerous ancient and powerful temples. It is prominent for Kamakshi Temple, one among the 51 Shakthi Peetas in India.

Ekambareswarar Temple is a powerful and divine temple. It is one among the Panchabhuta Lingas. Here Lord Shiva Linga is in Earth form. The specialty of the main idol is it is made by Goddess Kamakshi in the sand with her hand.

One can see the handprint of the Goddess on the Shiva linga. Here opposite to the main sanctum of Ekambareswarar, there is spatika Lingam towards the west.

Another must-visit in Kanchipuram is Varadaraja Perumal Temple. Temple dedicated Lord Vishnu, one among 108 Divya deshams of Lord Vishnu temples. The magnificent temple covers an area of 23 acres with amazing architecture.

Another attraction here is the golden and silver lizard where devotees touch it to get relief from health issues and other doshas.

Arulmigu Subramaniya Swami Temple

A famous temple of Lord Subramaniya is located in Tiruttani town. Here the temple is situated on the hilltop. One can go to the temple via road. Here there are 365 steps, representing the number of days in a year.

This temple is special and follows different rituals, unlike other Subramaniya Swami Temple. Here the Vahana of the god is Elephant instead of Peacock. Indra gifted this celestial elephant to Lord Subramaniya as a wedding gift.

The Chandana (Sandalwood paste) which they give along with Prasad during festivals has special medicinal property. Devotees instead of applying it on the forehead mix with water and consume.

Here Lord Subramanya’s idol is a Shanta murthi, with a pleasant smile. Hence devotees can’t see the Lord’s weapon in the hand and the weapon is placed only during special festival days.

Sri Kalahasti

A famous temple town, the main deity here is Lord Shiva in the form of Vayu Lingam. It is one among the Panchabhutha Lingas. It is the only temple in India which open during eclipse time.

Here they conduct Rahu and Ketu puja for the people who are suffering from the planetary dosha. It is also referred to as Rahu-Ketu Kshetram or the Dakshina Kailash.

This temple was constructed by the Chola king, later developed by the Sri Krishnadevaraya during the 15th century (2026: Krishnadevaraya reigned from 1509 to 1529, so the 16th century). The temple is not only for Rahu and Ketu Puja, but also has much spiritual significance.

Here Lord Brahma is said to be worshiping Kalahastishwara in all the Four Yugas. Also, during Dwapara Yuga, Arjuna third among the Pandava Prince happened to worship Kalahastishwara.

Besides this, there are many devotional stories regarding the Kalahastishwara such as the Kannappa story. Another greatness of the temple is. It is a place that explains all living beings are equal to god.

The name of the temple is derived from the popular devotional story of Elephant and Snake. Kala means snake and Hasthi means Elephant, hence the name Kalahasti. (2026: most tellings name three devotees: Sri, the spider; Kala, the snake; and Hasti, the elephant.)

Temple opens at morning 6.00 AM and closes at 9.30 PM. (2026: temple guides now give 5:30 or 6 am to 9 pm, and 9:30 pm from Saturday to Monday; hours change on festival days.)

Padmavathi Temple

Devotees who visit Tirumala Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy also visit Padmavathi Devi in Tiruchanur which is 5km from Tirupathi town.

Here the deity is Goddess Padmavathi, an incarnation of goddess Lakshmi.

There is a pond near the temple and it is said to be the place where goddess Lakshmi incarnated in the lotus flower.

Kapila Theertham

A beautiful temple, located at the foothills of Tirumala. Here the main presiding deity is Lord Shiva in the form of Kapileswara. The main attraction here is the amazing waterfall.

The water from the Seshachalam hill falls in the Theertham(Pond) inside the temple. A site to view for the visitors. Besides this, one can stroll in the garden outside and enjoy the amazing view of the place.

If visiting along with kids be extra careful while going near the waterfalls.

Kalyana Venkateswara Temple

Srinivasa Mangapuram is a holy place where Lord Venkateswara along Padmavathi Devi stays here for six months after their marriage. Also, it is the next important place after Tirumala Sri Venkateswara temple.

A devotee who couldn’t visit Tirumala can visit this temple and have Darshan of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swami. Here newlywed couples come and worship whereas others fulfill their wish.

This temple is popular for kalyanothsawam. It is 15km from Tirumala and takes around 25 minutes. (2026: it is about 12 km west of Tirupati town; from Tirumala, add the ghat road down. The Srivari Mettu footpath to Tirumala starts nearby.)

Thiruthani:

As you drive on in your Chennai-to-Tirupati taxi, you could turn into Thiruthani, the abode of Lord Muruga. Here is a temple included in the six unique temples of Lord Muruga. The temple is on a hill that has 365 steps leading up to it. (2026: this is the Tiruttani temple described above, under Arulmigu Subramaniya Swami Temple.)

The Vedanarayanaswamy Temple and the Nagallur Falls draw attraction at a short distance from Puttur. The temple was constructed during the reign of Krishnadevaraya.

Srikalahasti:

Srikalahasti is another temple town close to Pullicat Lake (2026: the same Srikalahasti as above; Pulicat Lake is on the coast, about 75 km away, so plan it as a separate trip), which is one of the large brackish water lakes in India, hosting many migratory birds. Kalahasti is a religious destination with the temple constructed during the 12th century. This little town is also famous for keeping alive the art of kalamkari (the art of painting on cloth using vegetable dyes with a brush).

Located close to the town are many waterfalls and picnic spots encouraging short treks on the hills to spend time by the falls.

Chandragiri:

At a distance of 15 km from Tirupati is another historical town – Chandragiri. Chandragiri was also part of the Vijayanagar dynasty and the fort was constructed in the 11th century by the Yadava kings. The Rajmahal Palace is a museum which talks about the history of this place.

A cab or taxi service in Chennai can be used to and retained for the complete journey stopping over at the interesting spots. The drive is comfortable, and there is enough motels and hotels en route to making a trip comfortable.

Summary & Conclusion

Plan a spiritual road trip to Tirupati from Chennai and enjoy your journey by visiting sacred and ancient temples.

Key points before you go

• Chennai to Tirupati is about 135 to 150 km, 3.5 to 4 hours by road; the Saptagiri Express takes about 3 hours 20 minutes.
• Pick your road by the temple you want: Tiruttani on the Tiruvallur road, Srikalahasti on the Tada road. Kanchipuram is a detour.
• Tirumala is another 22 km up the ghat road from Tirupati, or a climb on foot.
• Book darshan on TTD's official website, early; check the footpath hours if children are walking.
• Read next: our Tirupati travel guide (darshan at Tirumala), the Kanchipuram travel guide, and A Spiritual India Journey, our guide to India's temples and pilgrimages.

Suggested reading– Another spiritual journey to Shirdi Sai baba temple in Shirdi district of Maharashtra.

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