Special Entry Darshan Tirumala (Rs 300 Ticket) Guide
Special Entry Darshan Tirumala is a paid, time-slotted darshan that lets you skip most of the free general queue. It is booked online in advance on the official TTD site, and this guide explains the steps, release dates and rules.
Information guide for pilgrims. We are a taxi service and we do not provide or arrange darshan, sevas, rooms, tickets or donations. Please book only on the official TTD websites, and confirm details there. Last checked October 2026.
- CostRs 300 per person; every person needs their own ticket
- How to bookOnline only, on the TTD site or Govinda app
- When releasedAbout 3 months ahead, around the 24th-25th of the month, at 10 AM
- People per bookingUp to 6 (reported by guides, not confirmed officially)
- ID neededAadhaar per person; passport for NRI or foreign pilgrims
- Slot lengthAbout 90 minutes; arrive 15-30 minutes early
- Time neededOver 5 hours reported at a peak time in June 2026
- Same-day ticketReported as not available
What Special Entry Darshan is
Special Entry Darshan, often shortened to SED, is a paid darshan at Tirumala with a fixed date and a fixed time slot. Because you hold a slot, you skip most of the long free queue that general pilgrims join.
It is the most in-demand paid ticket on the TTD portal, so it sells out quickly, especially for weekends, holidays and festival dates.
Cost and what you get
The ticket is reported at Rs 300 per person in 2026 travel guides. Each pilgrim needs a separate ticket, so a family of four books four tickets.
Guides say one free laddu comes with each ticket, but this could not be confirmed on an official page. Rules for children were not found for this ticket, so check the booking page if you are travelling with young kids.
Who can book and what ID you need
Any pilgrim with a confirmed e-ticket can use it. Aadhaar is mandatory for Indian nationals, and the details you type must match the card. Carry the original or an e-Aadhaar for every person in the group.
NRI and foreign pilgrims use the passport. One 2026 guide says the ID entered at booking, usually the passport, is the one to carry.
When tickets are released
Tickets open roughly three months before the visit month, not two. November 2026 tickets opened at 10 AM on 25 August 2026, and December 2026 tickets opened at 10 AM on 24 September 2026. The pattern is about the 24th-25th of each month at 10 AM. TTD usually announces the schedule a week or so earlier.
Quota for the Navaratri Brahmotsavam days (12, 13, 14, 18, 19 and 20 October 2026) was held back and released separately at 10 AM on 7 October 2026.
On a release day TTD opens different items in a set order: the Arjitha seva lucky draw, other sevas, Angapradakshinam, SRIVANI, free special darshan tokens, then Special Entry Darshan at 10 AM, and accommodation at 3 PM. Do not confuse the 3 PM accommodation release with the 10 AM darshan release.
Demand is huge. TTD has said about 6 lakh users try at once, with roughly 24 lakh requests for about 2.69 lakh tickets. Be logged in and ready a few minutes early.
On the day
Your e-ticket shows the entry point and the reporting time, so follow that rather than a guess. No official source named a gate in this research.
Slots are about 90 minutes long, and guides advise reaching the queue 15-30 minutes before your slot. Even with a ticket, Deccan Chronicle reported the darshan taking over five hours at a peak time in June 2026, so the often quoted 3-4 hours is not guaranteed.
Mobile phones and electronics are not allowed inside the queue complex, and traditional dress is expected. Footwear and bags are left outside. The queue complexes have water, toilets, medical help and free food.
Cancellation, refunds and tips
Payment is by UPI, debit or credit card or net banking. Failed payments are reportedly refunded automatically in about 7 business days. One guide says 80 percent is refunded if you cancel 24 hours or more before the slot, and nothing within 24 hours, but this is not confirmed officially.
Weekdays outside holidays are easier to get. During Brahmotsavam, Vaikunta Ekadasi and school holidays, slots vanish within minutes. Quota is paused or cancelled on some festival days.
TTD warns against middlemen, and no counter sells this ticket on the spot. Book only on the official TTD site or app.
How to book, step by step
- Check the release dateLook for TTD's monthly schedule. Tickets for a month open about three months earlier, around the 24th-25th, at 10 AM.
- Log inOpen the official TTD site or the Govinda app a few minutes early and log in or register with your mobile number and OTP.
- Wait in the virtual queueUnder heavy load a queue or countdown screen appears. Stay on it and do not refresh repeatedly.
- Choose date, slot and number of peopleSelect Special Entry Darshan, then pick your date and time slot and the number of people. Reports suggest a maximum of 6 per booking.
- Enter devotee detailsFill in the details of each pilgrim, including Aadhaar details exactly as on the card.
- Review the pageCheck names, ID numbers, date and slot carefully before paying.
- PayPay by UPI, card or net banking.
- Download the e-ticketSave the e-ticket. It shows your entry point and time. Carry it with the original ID of every person.
Please confirm before you travel
Reports differ on these points, and TTD can change rules at short notice.
- Release lead time is about 3 months (25 August for November 2026), though some older advice says 2 months.
- Release time is 10 AM per Deccan Chronicle and hindutone, but some sites say 3 PM, which is probably the accommodation release.
- The limit of 6 people per booking, the free laddu and the 80 percent refund rule come from guides only.
- The entry point and exact slot clock times were not found; check your e-ticket.
- Total time is often quoted as 3-4 hours, but over 5 hours was reported in June 2026.
- The Tirumala distance of 22-26 km is a commonly cited figure, not verified.
Getting there from Tirupati by taxi
Tirumala (Alipiri toll gate and ghat road). Tirumala is about 22-26 km from Tirupati by ghat road. Vehicles going uphill enter through the Alipiri toll gate. Allow time for the ghat road, parking at Tirumala and the walk to the reporting point, and arrive well before your slot. A taxi from Tirupati can drop you at Tirumala; the darshan ticket itself is booked by you on the TTD site.
Day rent for a Tirupati to Tirumala trip. Diesel, driver charge and toll are charged extra. See the local taxi page for other trips.
Frequently asked questions
What does Special Entry Darshan cost?
It is reported at Rs 300 per person in 2026, and each person needs a ticket.
How many months ahead do tickets open?
About three months ahead. November 2026 tickets opened on 25 August 2026 at 10 AM.
Can I buy a ticket at Tirumala on the day?
Reports say no. It is online advance booking only.
What ID do I need?
Aadhaar for every Indian pilgrim, with details matching the booking. NRI and foreign pilgrims use a passport.
How many people can I add in one booking?
Guides say up to 6, but this is not confirmed officially.
Can agents get me tickets?
TTD warns against middlemen. Book directly on the official TTD site or app.
Can I take my phone inside?
No. Phones and electronics are not allowed in the queue complex.