Tamilnadu

Chennai

Chennai (Tamil:சென்னை), formerly known as Madras, this 369-year-old city is the capital of the southern state of Tamilnadu and is India’s sixth-largest city in terms of population with an estimated population of 7.45 million (2005).It serves as one of the main gateways to South India and has a thriving local culture and art scene and is one of the major destinations for medical tourism. It is considered as one of the world’s fastest growing cities although ranks 13th in terms of cleanliness.

It is on the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal and has the second longest beachfront of any municipality in the world.

 

Understand

History

Long the site of earlier coastal settlements, Madras was founded in 1639 when the British East India Company (represented by Francis Day and Andrew Cogan and aided by a local translator Beri Thimappa) was granted land to build a trading settlement by the local Telugu ruler (Nayak) of the suburb of Vandavasi, Damerla Venkatapathy Naidu on his father’s name Damerla Chennappa Naidu. The document of the land grant is dated 22 August 1639, and hence Madras celebrates its birthday on 22 August each year as Madras day. Madras was one of the first outposts of British East India Company. Colonel William Lambton, superintendent of the great Trigonometrical Survey of India, started his journey of triangulating India from St. Thomas Mount. The British built Fort St. George (today the legislative and administrative seat of the state). Fort St George was completed on St George’s day in 1640 (23 April) and hence was named after the patron saint. George Town then developed becoming the modern city of Madras, absorbing several nearby boroughs. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, is associated with Chennai. He is said to have come to India as an evangelist and died in what is now Chennai. Two suburbs, Santhome and St. Thomas Mount, are named in his memory.

In 1996, the Tamilnadu government renamed Madras to Chennai providing the reason that ‘Chennai’ was the city’s traditional name while Madras was one derived during colonial rule.

Madras is derived from Madraspatnam, a name given to the area when the British negotiated settling there with Damerla Venkatapathy Nayakudu. The origin of the name is from Muthuraja Chennappa Nayakudu as Chennapatnam.Chennappa served under Sriranga Deva Raya assisting him against the Golkonda forces of Ibrahim Qutb Shah in several battles,notably in 1576 when Penukonda was captured by Ali Adil Shah and in 1579 when he captured the Golkonda Commander Murari Rao.

In 1580, Ibrahim Qutb Shah of Golkonda invaded Kondavidu. Later he took the Udayagiri Fort and began to massacre the locals. However he was defeated after a brief fight with the Raya’s army. Qutb Shah later took the fort of Vinukonda. Sriranga defeated the Sultan’s forces with the assistance of his generals muthuraja Chennappa[damarla was his surname] and Kasturiranga. During this fight, Chennappa lost his life. He was succeeded by Kasturiranga. When East India Company was established the St.George fort in the present day Chennai, for which the permission was granted by Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu,the local palegar of that area ,under the condition that area is to be named in the honour of his father Muthuraja chennapa nayakudu as muthuraja chennapatanam.The East India Company in brief named the area as madras[madras is a corrupt form of muthuraj].In earlier days this area was called as madraspattanam and also chennapatnam. Later Govt. of Tamil Nadu renamed it as Chennai. Some elder population still refer to the city as Madras but the name Chennai has caught up with much of the population.

Under the British, the then city of Madras grew to be a major city, It was the capital of the Madras presidency, a province that covered the parts of Southern India that were not governed by any of the other princely states. After independence, it became the capital of the Madras state, and when the states were reorganized on a linguistic basis, it became the capital of Tamil Nadu.

Chennai boasts of many well known people including Elihu Yale, whose liberal gift funded the construction of Yale University in 1718; Indira Nooyi CEO of Pepsi International; A.R. Rahman, the musical genius of “Slumdog Millionaire”, Manirathnam the ace film Director, Vijay Armirthraj, Ramesh Krishnan and his father Ramanathan Krishnanm tennis stars and World chess champion Vishwanathan Anand among many others.

Culture

Chennai is gateway to the South, and its culture is distinctly different from that of any other city in India. Tamil tradition and culture are indigenous to this region and is essentially the celebration of the beauty, which is exemplified through dance, clothing, and sculptures. Chennai is both an orthodox and a modern cosmopolitan city; the culture of the city reflects its diverse population. The traditional arts, music, dance and all other art forms of Tamilnadu grow and flourish here. The food is a unique blend of traditional, to fast foods and filter kaapi. It’s a land of temples and priests. The architecture ranges from ancient temples to modern high-rises. Music is classical and western, to the growing nightlife in the city. You can find a school for traditional Bharatanatyam or Salsa dance and for music a veena / violin or for Guitar/drums school in almost every neighborhood of the city. Chennai checks reflects its traditionalism every December when the music season is in full swing. Clothes are generally conservative but young people are contemporary.

  • Traditional Tamil Clothing – Tamil women traditionally wear the Saree or Sari while the men wear Dhoti, which could be either a white pancha or a colourfullungi with typical South Indian patterns. The sari, being an un-stitched wrap, enhances the shape of the wearer while only partially covering the midriff. In Indian philosophy, the navel of the Supreme Being is considered as the source of life and creativity. Therefore by tradition, the stomach and the navel is to be left unconcealed, though the philosophy behind the costume has largely been forgotten. This makes the realization of sharira-mandala (the body), where in Angikam bhuvanam yasya (the body is your world) unites with the shaarira-mandala (the whole universe), as expressed in the Natyashastra. These principles of the sari, also hold for other forms of wraps, like the lungi or worn by men. The lungi can be wrapped over clockwise or anticlockwise and can be tied at the back or fixed just along the waist line. It’s sometimes lifted till knee and tied at the waist leisurely or just held in hand to speed up walking. In tradition Brahmin homes men wear panchey kachche where it is tied at back by taking it between legs. Similar pattern is seen in women.
  • Tamilnadu Cuisine – Rice is the staple diet in Chennai, Dosa, Idli and Uttapam are popular in Chennai. The state of Tamilnadu has a distinct place in culinary map of the country. Chennai has a wide range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian delicacies to offer. The food here gets its flavor from a host of spices and condiments used in Tamil Nadu.. Coconut, tamarind and asafetida are a must for almost all vegetarian recipes. Garam masala is avoided in Tamil cuisine. Gingelly oil(made from Sesame seeds) is normally used giving it a distinct flavor. Olive oil is usually not popular. Chutneys and mixed spice are served in the lunch and enhance the taste of the meal. The South India lunch (also called meals) in Chennai consists of cooked rice served with different kinds of vegetable dishes, Sambar, chutneys, Rasam (a hot broth made with tamarind juice and pepper) and curd (yogurt). The non-vegetarian lunch includes curries or dishes cooked with mutton, chicken or fish. Tamil meals are incomplete without crisp Papads or Appalam. In Chennai, Chettinad cuisine of Tamil Nadu is particularly famous. This cuisine is hot and spicy and provides delectable variety in mutton, chicken and fish dishes. Chettinad Pepper Chicken is one of the most famous dishes in Tamil Nadu. The Chennai style of Mughalai food can be tasted in the Biryani and Paya. Paya is a type of spiced trotter’s broth and is eaten with either Parathas or Appam. Breakfast or tiffin in Chennai includes idly (steamed rice cakes), dosai (a pancake made from a batter of rice) and lentils crisp fried on a pan, vadai (deep fried doughnuts made from a batter of lentils), pongal (a mash of rice and lentils boiled together and seasoned with ghee, cashew nuts, pepper and cummin seed), uppuma (cooked semolina seasoned in oil with mustard, pepper, cumin seed and dry lentils). Most of the breakfast dishes in Chennai are eaten with coconut chutney, sambar (seasoned lentil broth) and milagai podi (a powdered mix of several dried lentils eaten with oil). Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, is famous for its filter coffee. Most Tamils have a subtle disliking for instant coffee; therefore filter coffee is more popular. The preparation of filter coffee is almost like a daily chore, the coffee beans have to be first roasted and then ground. The coffee powder is then put into a filter set and hot boiled water is added to prepare the boiling and allowed to set for about 15 minutes. The decoction is then added to milk with sugar to taste. The drink thus prepared is then poured from one container to another in rapid succession to make the perfect frothy cup of filter coffee. An exotic drink that refreshes you and the taste that lingers, served best in “Dabarah” set which includes a steel tumbler and saucer with a rim.
  • Music – There are many composers in Carnatic music. Purandara Dasa (1480-1564) is known as the father (Pitamaha) of Carnatic music due to his pioneering contributions to Carnatic music. Purandara Dasa is renowned for formulating the basic lessons of Carnatic music. The contemporaries Tyagaraja (1759-1847),Muthuswami Dikshitar, (1776-1827) and Syama Sastri (1762-1827), are regarded as the Trinity of Carnatic music due to the quality of Syama Sastri’s compositions, the varieties of compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar and Tyagaraja’s prolific output in composing kritis. The compositions of these composers are rendered frequently by artists of today during the music festival season. Chennai Music Festival or December Season is a celebration of classical music and dance of South India held during mid December to mid January in the capital city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The festival is held at a number of venues around the city by various ‘sabhas’ or organizations. Besides the auditoriums, well-known temple premises and heritage bungalows are being used as venues. The month long dance and music extravaganza will have performances of eminent artistes from various parts of India. The ‘Margazhi festival of Dance and Music’started early back in 1927, to commemorate the anniversary of Madras Music Academy every December, was later adopted by various organizations which held art festivals in different parts of the city. The Tamil month of ‘Margazhi’ (December) is a sacred month of the Hindus. South Indian classical music (Carnatic Music) which has its roots in devotion to the gods, has been a traditional form of worship from time immemorial. The city comes alive with the festival which has now developed into a cultural extravaganza with more than 2,000 artists participating in over 300 concerts. The festival also known as ‘December Season’ attracts expatriate Indians and scholars from around the world as well. Performances include Vocal and Instrumental music, Dance – solo and group, both by junior and senior artistes. Even upcoming artists get a chance to perform along with well-established artists. The music include classical vocal renditions in various South Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu and Kannada and instruments like Flute, Veena (a large string instrument), Goottuvadyam (similar to Veena but without frets), ‘Nagaswaram’ (pipe), ‘Thavil’ (percussion instrument), ‘Mridangam’ (drum), and even ‘Ghatam’ (a mud pot). The season goes on till mid January when the scene shifts to Tiruvaiyaru, near Tanjore, where ‘Thyagaraja Aradhana’ a week long music festival is held to celebrate the birth of one of the greatest Carnatic composers and one among the trinity of music – Thyagaraja. Information about the tickets and the venues can be had from the tourist office, Chennai. The weather is cool and pleasant at this time of the year. November- December is the best season to visit the city. Now the music in the motion picture industry has emerged as an important entertainment platform in Chennai, over the years portraying the cultural changes, trends, aspirations and developments experienced by its people.
  • Dance – Chennai is home to the distinct dance form- the Bharat Natyam. Bharatanatyam is the celebration of the eternal universe through the celebration of the beauty of the body. This is done through its tenets of having a perfectly erect posture, a straight and pout curving stomach, a well rounded and proportionate body mass- to the body structure, very long hair and curvaceous hips. These tenets bring to life the philosophy of Natyashastra, ‘Angikam bhuvanam yasya’ (The body is your world). This is elaborated in the araimandi posture, wherein the performer assumes a half sitting position with the knees turned sideways, with a very erect posture. In this fundamental posture of the Bharatanatyam dance, the distance between the head and the navel becomes equal to that between the earth and the navel. In a similar way the distance between the outstretched right arm to the outstretched left arm becomes equal to the distance between the head and the feet, thus representing the “Natyapurusha”, the embodiment of life and creation.

Climate

Climate of Chennai is Tropical.

Chennai is situated in the Thermal Equator zone which prevents extreme changes in temperature. Chennai has mainly two seasons – summer (35-42°C / 95-108°F) Apr-Jun (Highest temperature ever recorded is 45°C / 113°F on 30 May 2003) and monsoon (Oct-Dec). It receives scanty rainfall from the south-west monsoon (Jun-Sep) while rest of India is lashed by heavy rains, but gets its bountiful rains from the north-east monsoon from October through December, thus amounting to about 125-150 cm (49-59 in) of rainfall annually. Rainfalls occur usually from October to December and dried up scrub lands bloom with greenery during this period.

December to February are the mildest months temperature – (19-28°C / 66-82°F). December to March is probably the best time to visit Chennai: the temperatures rarely exceed 30°C during midday and evenings are pleasant.

Climate is humid pretty much throughout the year because the city is on the coast. Summers are very hot and humid. Be sure take along light (not flimsy) clothing. Winter fashion has never been of any use in Chennai, wearing a sweater will leave you drenched in sweat in less than five minutes.

Read

Books on or set in Chennai include:

  • Madras Discovered, Tales of Old and New Madras, Madras (1992) by S. Muthiah
  • Madras – its Past and its Present (1995) by S. Muthiah
  • Madras – its Yesterdays and Todays and Tomorrows by S. Muthiah
  • At Home in Madras (1989) by S. Muthiah
  • The Spirit of Chepauk (1998) by S. Muthiah
  • Kalyani’s Husband by S. Y. Krishnaswamy
  • The Story Of Fort St. George (1945) by Col. D.M. Reid
  • Chasing Rainbows in Chennai,  (2003) by Colin Todhunter
  • Tamarind City,  (2012) by Bishwanath Ghosh
  • The Story Of Madras by Glyn Barlow

Talk

Tamil is the official language in Chennai, and also the first language of most locals. Almost all people speak Tamil, a classical language. Picking up some knowledge of the local language is useful to get by in Chennai as in every city in the world. However, knowledge of English is sufficient for the average visitor to the city. English education is widespread in Chennai . All educated people in Chennai can speak English while few understand simple English and can speak a few words. All important signboards are in English. All transactions with commercial establishments are in English. The English accent is different, there is a tendency to end sentences and words with -uh (Eg: I’m going there-uh.) and interrogative sentences with -ah (Eg: You are going there-ah?).

Unlike other major cities in India, Hindi is not widely understood. While there has been a significant increase in Hindi speakers in recent years, most locals will find it difficult to understand when you try to speak to them in Hindi. You are better off speaking English than Hindi in most southern cities except Bangalore.

Those native to Chennai and its suburbs speak the language of Tamil with a characteristic accent. Due to the proximity of the city to the State of Andhra Pradesh (where the official language is Telugu) and the presence of a sizeable quasi Telugu speaking population in the city, there is heavy borrowing of Telugu words into the vocabulary of ‘Chennai Tamil’.’Chennai Tamil’ is popularly known as Madras Bashai. Another characteristic of Chennai Tamil is that the words are spoken fast, possibly in line with the fast-paced life in Chennai when compared with the rest of the state. However, the Chennai accent does not go well with many Tamils. At best, Chennai Tamil could be termed ‘crude’. Nevertheless, all educated people are taught standard Tamil in school, and standard Tamil is still used in more formal settings as well as in the news.

 

Get in

By plane

Chennai International Airport (IATA: MAA) is the third busiest in India (after Mumbai & Delhi). All international flights arrive at Anna Terminal, while the domestic flights arrive at Kamraj Terminal. The two terminals are on the same road and are 150 m (492 ft) away from each other.It is the second-largest cargo hub in the country, after Mumbai. Chennai is well connected to London, Frankfurt, Singapore, Malaysia, Middle east, New York, Hong Kong, etc. It is in the process of being upgraded to a world class airport with direct Metro rail connection to the city.

Europe and North America: Jet Airways offers daily service to New York with one stop in Brussels. Lufthansa (Frankfurt) and British Airways (London-Heathrow), fly nonstop to Chennai with connecting service from their European hubs to points in the United States and Canada.

South-East Asia: Thai Airways offers nonstop service to Bangkok. Silk Air, Singapore Airlines and Tiger Airways connects you to Singapore along with many Indian carriers like Indian Airlines and Air India Express. AirAsia  connects passengers to Kuala Lumpur, Penang with affordable fares while Malaysia Airlines offers nonstop service to Malaysia. India’s very own Jet Airways flies non-stop to both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Cathay Pacific flies non-stop to Hongkong. Air Mauritius flies non-stop to Mauritius. Air Seychelles flies nonstop to seychelles.

Middle East: Nonstop services are available from Chennai to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Dammam, Doha,Jeddah, Kuwait, Muscat, Qatar, Riyadh and Sharjah on Air Arabia, Indian Airlines, Air India Express, Oman Air, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, Saudi Arabian and Gulf Air.

Sri-Lanka: Chennai is a hub for flights to Colombo with SriLankan Airlines, Jet Airways, Indian Airlines, Air India Express, JetLite and Kingfisher Airlines.Chennai is the traveling hub for Colombo.

Domestic: All the major Indian domestic carriers (Jet Airways, Kingfisher, Spice, Go Air, Indigo) connect Chennai with multiple flights to points all over India and most use Chennai as a hub for flights to smaller cities in South India. Paramount Airways is a low cost all business class airline that offers flights from Chennai to points in South India. Chennai is also a staging point for flights to Port Blair in the Andaman Islands.

Airport to City connection

The cheapest way to the city is by taking the suburban train into the city which only costs ₹ 12 ($0.2,€0.16). The suburban train connects you to Chennai Central and Egmore, the two main passenger train stations. Check your destination though, either before getting to Chennai or at the information desk. It may be impractical to take the suburban train. This is best if you don’t have large amounts of baggage. You have to exit the airport and walk a considerable distance (~500m) to reach the station “Tirusulam”. Tickets bought don’t have to be validated but save the ticket in case there is an inspection. The Chennai Metro is under construction and expected to open in 2014. It is advisable to take a first class ticket in the train if you happen to reach the airport during peak hours. The general compartments are often over-crowded as they transport regular commuters to work. In peak hours even the first class compartments may also be crowded. Tickets are priced around ₹70 ($1.27,€0.96). Otherwise, use the pre-paid taxi booth. Aviation Express is massively overpriced.

Using the pre-paid taxi to get to the city, each terminal has several booths for several taxi companies when you exit the airport, outside before you meet the crowd.Fast Track has the best rep, figure on around Indian rupee 550 to the city centre for a minivan. The fares are different for the domestic and international terminals though the terminals are next to each other. You can either choose the standard Taxis (Black with Yellow tops) which are usually the ancient Ambassador cars or the private call-taxi (which can come in any model and in any color). As in any Indian airport, you will be immediately haggled for transportation with promised offerings of the best price. A firm No should make them lose interest, ignore them if they continue harrassing you. It’s better to keep small change in hand while paying at the counters. Note the taxi number written on your charge slip (one copy is for the passenger and the other is for the driver to collect the fare from the counter). Make your way to the taxi stand and get the taxi number allotted at the designated desk. The helpful drivers offer to take your luggage and guide you to the taxi that drives up quickly near the allotment desk.

A new cab provider named “Fasttrack” has started off their service and a pre-paid booth of them is available at both domestic and international terminals. Comparing with the rest of the taxis their fare and service is pretty much good. Depending on the number of persons and the luggage, you can hire anything from a city car to a mini van.

Prepaid and yellow top taxis are not air-conditioned, are of vintages right from 70s and 80s, rickety, prone to stop midway, drivers exhibit rough behaviour, sometimes could be dangerous, demand exorbitant fares, pre-paid may mean nothing and they may demand more when you get down. Keep away from these types. Or know that you can always negotiate. Typical ride into the farthest part of the city shouldn’t cost more than ₹1000 by local standards.

By train

Chennai has two main long-distance train stations, Chennai Central (code MAS) and Chennai Egmore (code MS). Both are connected to the Airport by the Suburban rail and to the Bus Terminus by City buses. Central has daily trains from/to Bangalore, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad , Kolkata , Ahmedabad and virtually all other major Indian cities.Egmore has trains which cover all the places in Tamil Nadu and also a few important places outside it.

You can arrive at the prepaid taxi/auto stand and book a cab to transport you to your place of stay.

Many long distance trains to Egmore stop at Tambaram (code TBM) and some trains to Central stop at Perambur (code PER).These are two railway stations which serve the suburban areas of Chennai. Find all Trains to Chennai – http://trainspy.com/static/station/(MAS)CHENNAI-CENTRAL

Trains that connect Chennai to major hubs like Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi are usually booked out days in advance. If you plan to travel by train, consider making an advance reservation, the reservation opens 60 days before the day of travel. The AC compartments in the trains are preferable for new travelers as the sleeper class and sitting class compartments are generally very crowded. A 3-tier AC berth from Chennai to Bangalore or Coimbatore costs around Indian rupee 700 and that to Delhi around Indian rupee 2500 including meals.

By bus

Chennai has one of Asia’s largest bus stations, Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT). Seven different state owned corporations drive buses to and from various destinations within South India. Connected to the Airport and the passenger train stations (Chennai Central and Egmore) by direct buses, it offers a cheap and spontaneous mode of travel. There are hourly buses for places like Tirupati, Pondicherry, Coimbatore,Tirunelveli. You will get the option of A/C or Non-A/C coaches for cities like Bangalore, Trivandrum, Hyderabad.

Several private players also operate buses between most southern destinations. During the weekends most buses are fully occupied and it’s better to reserve a ticket in advance. All buses terminate near Koyambedu but there are different stands for state owned (CMBT), and private buses (Omni bus terminus). Both these terminus are near each other, and it is better to tell your exact destination to the taxi/auto-rickshaw driver. Buses usually drop passengers at various points in the city before reaching the Terminus. Feel free to ask the driver or fellow passengers the closest drop-off point to your destination. Always ask for the ticket and carry it until the end of your journey. Conning is very rare.

  • CMBT Enquiry : +91 44 24794705

By car

Chennai is very well connected and to other parts of India by road. Five major national highways radiate outward towards Kolkata, Bengaluru, Tiruchy/Madurai,Tiruvallur, and Pondicherry. With the progress of the Golden Quadrilateral project, driving down from Bangalore is an option too. Indian drivers will have no problem fitting into the traffic but international drivers are strongly advised against driving in India. Rules are not really rules and lane switchings happen without any notice.

Get around

Getting around the heart of Chennai city often takes time, due to traffic and heavy congestion, more so because of construction work in progress for Chennai Metro. So it is advisable to plan your journey accordingly. Travelling within Chennai is not so cheap by Indian metropolitan standards, and are quite cheap by European and USA standards. As for foreigners, it is safe to wear a mask during traveling by motorcycles as pollution is bit of a concern.

To know more on public transportation routes in Chennai, then you can find it here http://www.mccc.co.in

By train

Chennai has a suburban train network. There are four routes:

  1. Western Line: Chennai Central – Arakkonam.
  2. North Line: Chennai Central – Gummidipoondi-Sulurpet-Nellore
  3. South Line: Chennai Beach – Tambaram and Chengalpet
  4. MRTS Line: Chennai Beach – Velachery (MRTS)

Few trains on Western and North Line originate from Chennai Beach instead of Chennai Central. The Chennai Beach – Tambaram/ Chengalpet is the most used line, it takes you from the city to Vandalur Zoo for a getaway. The suburban trains are generally reliable and fast but they were built more for practical purposes of commuting than connecting tourist attractions. Unless you know your destination for sure, check with locals or information desks for the quickest way to reach your destination. The frequency of suburban trains is generally good and it is advisable to take a first class ticket during peak hours. Trains offer a reliable alternative to quickly reach your destination when compared to buses which might get trapped in traffic jams. The fare in Chennai suburban trains is the lowest in the country and you don’t have to compromise comfort for the meagre amount that you pay as in other Indian metros. The lowest second class train fare is Rs.5/-. Always keep your baggage safe when you are travelling in the suburban railway system. Chennai Central (hub for north and west suburban lines) is opposite to Park Town (MRTS line) and Park (South Suburban line) – These 3 stations make an interchange trio – the highest interchange between suburban lines happens in this zone.

By bus

Metropolitan Transport Corporation(MTC) buses ply throughout the city accessing areas which are not accessed by the suburban trains. These are government-run and extremely cheap.

Chennai has few major termini from where the majority of the buses ply towards the rest of the city. More information can be had here

Normally Bus Fare in MTC range from Indian rupee 4 – Indian rupee 50. Deluxe and A/C Buses are also operated on major routes. Fare for deluxe bus is almost two times as compared to normal bus. For same route, deluxe and normal bus have same number but deluxe buses are being run targeting long distance journey since it will stop at major bus stops only. So if you find normal buses too crowded, take a deluxe one. Non AC deluxe also have power gates and better suspension which you wont find in normal bus. If you have luggage with you, you might have to pay the cost of an extra person depending upon its size. A simple way of identifying the category of the bus is this: White Display Board – Standard Service, Yellow Display Board/LED- Deluxe Service, A/C Service- You will know when you look at it.

AC bus run by MTC chennai which run between important routes like Parrys – Tambaram, Parrys – CMBT, Chennai Central – CMBT, Chennai central – Tambaram, etc. Most frequent AC bus runs between CMBT towards Pondicherry and are known as East coast road (ECR) buses and is very comfortable for intracity travel too.

If you are getting into a bus from Chennai central railway station you can either catch a bus just in front of railway station or you can take the subway to cross the road and get it from the bus stop in front of government hospital.

Bus Route information for MTC Chennai is available online at official site, jaanlo, desiroutes and rab. While official site only provides stage wise info, others have more interactive interface which can ease your life specially if you are new to the city like desiroutes is google maps based while rab is based on open street maps.

Daily and weekly bus passes are available for tourists costing Indian rupee 50 or Indian rupee 300. They can be used on normal and deluxe bus services on all routes within the city. It is worthwhile to purchase the daily pass if you plan to visit more than a couple of sights in a day and it will save you from the trouble to maintain loose change. The daily pass can be purchased on the first bus you board from the conductor, while the weekly and monthly passes are sold at all major terminus. Recently a hop-on hop-off tour bus has also been organized by the Government. The service covers many of the famous sights along the scenic East Coast Road up to Mahabalipuram.

By auto-rickshaw

Auto-rickshaw/Tuk-tuk drivers in Chennai do not use meters; some try to overcharge and often drive rashly, but that’s part of the fun of being in Chennai. They are happy to exploit foreigners and locals alike. The advantage of being a local is that you know when you’re being fleeced, and so you’ll know when to walk away and find another auto.

The upside is that autos are ubiquitous and possibly the easiest form of transportation to locate. Use Auto-rickshaws only for short distances because they are uncomfortable. Before talking to an auto driver you might like to try and ask any local person what the actual fare should be, because the drivers will often ask for up to 3 times more. Even so, by Western standards, they are dirt cheap. You’ll have no problem once the fare has been agreed and for short trips the Auto is a must.

  • Don’t take the first auto or take the first price, take a least quote and go to the second or third.
  • Never leave anything behind when you leave.
  • Forget the meter; no one will go by it, and if they do, it’s probably rigged to show a higher fare.
  • Negotiate a rate with the driver beforehand; if he doesn’t agree, just go to the next auto on the road; there will always be others unless it’s very late or very early or you are in a remote area: then be prepared to pay up. Stick to the agreed price, though on many occasions the driver may attempt to ask for more.
  • Consult local friends beforehand to find out reasonable market prices for the distance you intend to go.
  • Try to hail individual auto rickshaws in traffic which are heading in the general direction of your destination rather than hiring one parked in their stand as they may gang up to you.

As a general rule, expect to pay about ₹10 to ₹15 for every kilometer (0.6 mi) you travel.

  • You don’t have to pay for any empty return trips that the auto-rickshaw driver has to make once you have agreed upon a fare.
  • You tell them to go to a landmark near where you want to go, and upon reaching the landmark, ask them to go a little further along a particular road to your destination. They might cite the extra distance travelled and ask for more money. So it is better to negotiate the fare upfront.
  • If you pay them for petrol, make sure you pay them the remaining fare amount after subtracting petrol charges.
  • Sometimes Airports and Railway Stations have a tariff chart.

Share autos have emerged in the recent years as an alternative mode of transport in Chennai. They are over-sized three/four wheelers charge slightly more than the bus but way lesser than a regular auto. Likewise they are faster than the buses but slower than the autos. There are four wheelers known as meter taxis, which don’t have a meter and are not taxis. They supplement the existing bus services and sometimes operate on routes based on popular demand.

On a side note – if you are fascinated by the idea of going around in an auto, think about all those foreigners, who are riding an auto from Chennai to Mumbai. A Chennai based event management company, Chennai Event Management Services, has been having these auto-rickshaw rallies from Chennai to Mumbai, or Kanyakumari, etc., and has developed a great fan following for the same. More info:

By taxi

Taxis (locally called “call-taxis” since they must be pre-arranged) are available by phone. Since there are so many listed in thr phone book already and they are mostly reliable we don’t list any. They can be ordered air-conditioned and have digital fare meters, although time-based hire is also possible with some companies. Most companies charge a minimum fare of Indian rupee 100/-(Non-AC)/150/-(AC), which is for 4km (2.4 mile) and for every subsequent kilometre they charge Indian rupee 12/- or 13/-.

Alternatively, you can hire a car for a half/full day for around Indian rupee 1200/1500. These figures are for basic models,add about 50% if you want the comfort of higher-end models. If your trip is time-sensitive, it’s best to book your taxi a few hours in advance and call shortly before your trip to confirm. However, there is every possibility of your not getting one in spite of advance booking as they book without any planning/system and ditch the customers in the last minute. A proper system of confirmed allotment at least 45 min prior to the scheduled time (like in Delhi/other cities) is what is required for Chennai.

There are many car rental companies available. Car rental agencies such as BookCab, Clear Car Rental,Cabs24x7, Avis, Chennai Cabs and Hertz.

By car

It is generally not advisable for foreign travelers to drive on their own as they might be unaware of the traffic rules and congestion in the city. Negotiating the Indian traffic is not a part of standard driving lessons and can only be mastered by experience. The roads in Chennai are better maintained than the average Indian road. Rush hour traffic may result in nasty jams. Chennai has three arterial roads: Anna Salai/ Mount Road, EVR Periyar Salai/ Poonamallee High Road, Jawaharlal Nehru Salai/ 100 feet Road.

If you choose to rent a car, it’s highly advisable to hire a driver as well. Typical driver fee comes to around Indian rupee 250/- for 4-hour shift and an additional Indian rupee 50 every hour thereafter. Outstation trips cost a driver fee of Indian rupee 750 for a 12 hour journey.

Foreign travelers should keep in mind that both diesel and petrol are used as fuel in India and it varies with the model of the car. Some cars have identical models with only a D badge to indicate diesel. Make sure you find out what type of fuel the car uses from the rental company.

ECR or East coast road is one of the very few places around Chennai that is best enjoyed by car. There are a lot of scenic views with many sightseeing options along the route. For most of the sights within the city limits, travelers would be better served by public transport or a taxi.