The most important journey is from Tirupati town up to Tirumala temple — 22 km uphill on a steep ghat road, gaining nearly 600 metres in elevation.
By bus: APSRTC runs dedicated link buses from the Tirupati Central Bus Station up to Tirumala continuously, day and night. Buses leave when full — usually every few minutes. The journey takes about an hour. There is a separate downhill ghat road; buses use the up-ghat road one-way going up.
On foot: Two ancient pilgrim paths climb the seven hills. The longer one starts at Alipiri, on the southern edge of town, and climbs 3,550 stone steps over 11 km — most pilgrims take 4–6 hours. The shorter Srivari Mettu path starts further south at Srinivasa Mangapuram and is 2,388 steps, about 4–5 km, with a 2–3 hour climb. Both paths are fully covered with concrete shelters and lit. Pilgrims who walk up earn a faster darshan queue.
By car: Private cars and taxis use the same up- and down-ghat roads as the buses. There are vehicle checkpoints at both ends — non-pilgrims are not technically barred from Tirumala, but visiting the temple complex as a sightseer is awkward in practice.
Within town: Tirupati town is laid out for pilgrim movement. Cycle rickshaws and autorickshaws are everywhere; meters do not exist, so agree the fare before you start. Ola and Uber operate.