CityUsable guide

Chennai

Capital of Tamil Nadu, India

Photo: Saiphani02, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Chennai (Tamil: சென்னை), formerly Madras (மெட்ராஸ் Meḍrās), is the largest coastal city in southern India and the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. It is on the east coast of peninsular India. Though Chennai traces its history to Fort St George and the adjoining village of Madrasapattinam founded by the British East India Company in 1640, some residential districts of the city are older. With a metropolitan population of over 11 million (2025), Chennai is the fifth-largest city in India, and the second-largest in southern India after Bengaluru.

Districts

North Chennai
The oldest part of the city north of the Coovum River. Home to MGR Chennai Central and Chennai Port.
Central Chennai
The modern city centre between Coovum and Adyar rivers. Home to Santhome Church, Marina Beach and the Tamil film industry Kollywood.
South Chennai
The newer part of the city south of the Adyar River. Home to Chennai Airport.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By train
Trains that connect Chennai to major hubs like Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi are usually booked out days in advance. If you plan to travel by train, consider making a reservation.
By bus
All buses terminate near Koyambedu, but there are different stands for state-owned (CMBT) and private buses (Omni bus terminus).
By car
Chennai is very well connected to other parts of India by road. Five major national highways radiate outward towards Kolkata, Bengaluru, Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, Tiruvallur, and Pondicherry.

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Getting around

By train
Chennai has a suburban railway network. There are six suburban lines as of June 2023:
By metro
The Chennai Metro is regularly being extended. As of June 2023, there are two metro lines:
By bus
Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses ply throughout the city. These are government-run and extremely cheap.
By auto-rickshaw
Chennai has about 71,000 auto-rickshaws.
By taxi
Taxis (locally called "call-taxis" since they must be pre-arranged) are available by phone.
By car
It is generally not advisable for foreign travellers to drive on their own as they are unaware of the traffic rules and congestion in the city.

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Airports and nearby hotels

Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.

Chennai International Airport

Chennai · International · MAA

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Read before you go to Chennai

Articles and travel topics about Chennai and India.

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

UnderstandThe name "Madras" was adopted during the British rule. The Tamil Nadu government changed it to Chennai in 1996, claiming that Chennai is the original name of the city. However, the origin of both names are uncertain.

TalkTamil is the most widely spoken language in the city and the official language of the state of Tamil Nadu.

Get inThe Blue Line of the Chennai Metro connects the airport to MGR Chennai Central. There's also an inter-corridor service along the Green Line that follows the Blue Line from Airport to Alandur.

Get aroundGetting around the heart of Chennai city often takes time, due to traffic and heavy congestion. So it is advisable to plan your journey accordingly.

SeeChennai is a diverse mix of cultures, with over 15,000 temples and a couple of mosques and churches.

DoChennai has several well-known beaches. The Marina Beach in Central Chennai is the second-longest beach in the world after Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.

LearnChennai has dozens of different institutes of higher learning from arts to engineering. The city also offers plenty of opportunities to learn Yoga, Bhartanatyam, Carnatic music and the Bhagavad Gita.

BuyMany hotels will change money for you at the front desk. However, they may not have the best rates.

EatChennai has numerous restaurants, offering an assortment of cuisine. The beach restaurants are well-maintained and serve great food during the evenings.

DrinkChennai is a difficult place to drink. Government rule states that only establishments with a minimum of 21 rooms can obtain a bar or liquor license.

SleepThe closest hotels to the airport are The Trident, Le Royal Meridian, Hilton and Radisson GRT Hotel all five-star properties.

Stay safeChennai is generally a safer area of India in terms of crime, although pickpocketing, muggings, and robberies sporadically occur.

Stay healthyWhile in Chennai it is advisable to drink bottled water (or boiled tap water) and keep a bottle handy as it is extremely hot.

ConnectBSNL and Airtel Reliance Jio, Tata, are main providers of terrestrial telephone lines in Chennai.e.

CopeThe telegraph office on Anna Salai (Mount Rd), near Higgin Bothoms accepts letters and parcels up to 8PM with a small late fee. Snail Mail in India is by a Post Card (25Ps), Inland Letter ₹5, or envelope ₹5.

Nearby

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Chennai" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Chennai", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: Saiphani02, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Improve this guide on Wikivoyage

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Chennai" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Summary from the Wikipedia article "Chennai", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia

Photo: Saiphani02, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Improve this guide on Wikivoyage