coast route · Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam
The coastal AP corridor — two rivers and the sea.
- Distance
- 350 km
- Drive
- 6.5 hrs
- Suggested
- 1 nights
- Best season
- Oct – Feb
T
hree hundred and fifty kilometres on NH-16, roughly six and a half hours of driving, and almost all of it between two river deltas. You start in Vijayawada with the Krishna behind you and Indrakeeladri hill in the mirror, and the highway heads east into country that is flat, wet and intensively farmed: paddy to the horizon, canals cutting across the fields, coconut and banana along the bunds. Eluru sits in the middle of it, with Kolleru lake spread out to the south in the low ground between the two deltas, filling up in winter with pelicans and painted storks.
The Godavari at Rajahmundry is the centrepiece. The highway crosses on long bridges beside the rail bridge, with the old Havelock structure standing off to one side, and the river below is wide enough that the crossing feels like an event rather than a span. Past Rajahmundry the delta character holds for a while and then begins to change. Annavaram appears on the right, the Satyanarayana Swamy temple sitting on Ratnagiri hill just above the highway, and after Tuni the Eastern Ghats close in properly, low green ridges running parallel to the road the rest of the way through Anakapalle to Visakhapatnam.
Done straight through this is one long day, and plenty of people drive it that way. It is better as an overnight. Rajahmundry is the obvious halt at roughly the midpoint, with the river ghats to walk in the evening and boats heading upstream towards the Papikondalu gorges in the morning. Splitting it also means the delta towns, where the highway narrows into a main street for a few kilometres at a time, get crossed in daylight rather than at the end of a tiring day.
The drive, stop by stop
- 01
Vijayawada
The drive begins in the Krishna delta, under Indrakeeladri hill with the Kanaka Durga temple on it, and the first task is simply getting out of the city cleanly. Benz Circle and the barrage approaches are where a badly timed departure costs you twenty minutes, so an early exit onto NH-16 is worth the alarm. Once past Gannavaram the highway opens and the country turns to canals and paddy for as far as you can see. Hanuman Junction and Eluru follow in quick succession, and if you have an hour to spare, Kolleru lake lies south of Eluru and is at its best on winter mornings when the migratory birds are in.
- 02
Rajahmundry
Roughly the midpoint and the reason this drive is worth doing slowly. The highway crosses the Godavari on long bridges running alongside the rail bridge, and the river here is broad enough that most cars go quiet for the length of the span. Rajahmundry is the natural overnight: Pushkar Ghat and Kotilingala Ghat to walk in the evening when the light comes off the water, boats going upstream towards the Papikondalu gorges if you have a morning free, and Godavari cooking, which means river fish and ghee rice done properly. The town is also known for its sweets, and buying some for the road is close to a local custom.
- 03
Visakhapatnam
The second half leans towards the coast and you feel the change before you see it. Annavaram comes up on the right, with the Satyanarayana Swamy temple on Ratnagiri hill directly above the highway, an easy darshan to fold in without losing much time. After Tuni the Eastern Ghats close in, low green ridges keeping pace on the inland side, and through Anakapalle the road runs in the gap between hills and sea. Vizag arrives with Simhachalam's temple hill above the approach and the bay opening beyond it. RK Beach in the evening, Kailasagiri for the view across the harbour, and the submarine museum if the group likes that sort of thing.
Along the corridor
When to drive
November to February gives the most comfortable driving on this corridor, with dry highway, cool mornings and a coast that is pleasant rather than sticky by the time you reach Vizag. It is also when Kolleru near Eluru is worth the detour, since the migratory birds are in through those months. October is green and beautiful but sits inside the Bay of Bengal depression season, when a system offshore can leave the coastal stretch wet and slow at short notice, so keep dates a little flexible if you travel then. June to September means heavy delta rain and standing water on the low sections around Eluru and Tadepalligudem. April to June is the least rewarding window, humid all the way along the coast with very little relief anywhere on the route.
The road & your driver
The whole route runs on NH-16, the old Chennai to Kolkata highway and one of the better long-haul corridors in Andhra Pradesh: four to six lanes, sound tarmac, clear signage, and frequent fuel stops and clean halts through Eluru, Tadepalligudem and Rajahmundry. There are no ghat sections on this run at all, since the climbing terrain belongs to the Araku side beyond Vizag. What does need attention is traffic rather than terrain. This is a heavy freight corridor, so overtaking discipline matters and night running deserves care, and the highway drops to a town street for a few kilometres at a stretch through the delta towns, where two-wheelers and cross traffic appear without warning. The Godavari crossing at Rajahmundry is straightforward but long and exposed, and stopping on the bridge is not an option. Our drivers run this corridor regularly and know where the road narrows and where the toll plazas back up. Pushing all 350 km in one tiring haul is possible but not advisable, and the one-night halt at Rajahmundry is what keeps the trip pleasant. Tell us when you book if elderly passengers or young children are travelling, so extra breaks are built into the day.
Good cars for this road
Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam — FAQs
How long does Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam take by car?
About 350 km on NH-16 and roughly six and a half hours of pure driving, which becomes a full day once you add meal stops and a Godavari halt. We suggest planning it as a one-night trip with the halt at Rajahmundry, so the river, the ghats and any temple stops get proper time and you reach Vizag in the evening rather than at the end of your tether.
What is the best season for this coastal drive?
November to February. The highway is dry, the mornings are cool, and Kolleru near Eluru has its migratory birds in. October is lovely but falls inside the depression season on the Bay of Bengal coast, so keep dates flexible. June to September brings delta rain and standing water on the low sections, and April to June is humid the whole way with no relief along the route.
Are there any ghat sections on this route?
None. NH-16 stays on the coastal plain the whole way, and the only real elevation you see is the Eastern Ghats running parallel to the road inland after Tuni. The climbing terrain everyone associates with this part of Andhra belongs to the Araku road, which starts north of Visakhapatnam. If the ghats are what you came for, add Araku onto the end of the trip rather than expecting them on the way.
What is worth doing during the halt at Rajahmundry?
Walk the river ghats in the evening, Pushkar or Kotilingala, when the light comes off the water. In the morning, boats run upstream towards the Papikondalu gorges, which needs half a day but is the best thing on offer here. Eat Godavari-style river fish and ghee rice, and buy sweets before you leave, since the town has a reputation for them that it earns.
Can we stop at Annavaram or Kolleru along the way?
Both fit without adding much. Annavaram sits directly above NH-16 on Ratnagiri hill between Rajahmundry and Tuni, so darshan at the Satyanarayana Swamy temple is a straightforward hour. Kolleru is a short detour south of Eluru and is worth it mainly in winter, when the pelicans and painted storks are in. Mention either when you plan the day so the driving hours are set accordingly.
Ready to book it?
This page plans the drive. If you just want the car and the fare —
Vijayawada to Visakhapatnam cab — fares & booking
approx 350 km · 6–7 hrs · one all-inclusive fare, no advance
More drives
Ready for the Vijayawada–Visakhapatnam road?
Trace it, send it on WhatsApp, pay UPI on pickup. We'll have a driver ready.