Took Green Lines Tirupathi package for weekend. Had initially booked for Thursday but changed to Friday just a day before and they allowed me to do so online. They give no refund but allow to use a coupon code to book some other route or reschedule the same route journey, so its useful and user friendly. Bus was good but my seat pushback wasn’t proper. It was a Volvo and they provided water bottle and blanket(so do all Volvo’s). Reached Tirupathi by 3.30 am and they provide room to freshen up and breakfast. breakfast is OK. Rooms are OK for bath. They take to Tirumala in APSRTC bus as private vehicles not allowed to the TIrumal hill and local guide joins us here. He instructs what to do, what not to do, what to take etc. But the irritating part is he kept saying we will leave u behind if you don’t come back in given time. he told that at least 20 times by the time we reached hill top!
En route to top, guide will say "You will get 2 laddu for free, and if anyone want more we will get it for 50 rs per laddu". At least 100 laddu he sold at 50 per laddu. What many don’t know is additional laddu is available near temple for Rs.25 each(2 extra per person) So travel guys make 100% profit here. Well its their livelihood I felt.
They will pay you cash to take 300 Rs fast darshan ticket and after darshan you will be taken to Padmavathi temple in Tirupathi and then lunch and back to Bangalore by 7 pm. Overall it was a good journey and I recommend to those who are travelling with families and dont want to take any risk. These people too, like most other private travels have different rates for weekday and weekends. And the difference is usually around 300 Rs per person.