If you are heading for a train at Chennai Central or Egmore, at least nine MTC routes in the corporation’s route data stop at one or both stations, and they reach from Thiruvotriyur in the north to Nanganallur, Kannagi Nagar and Tambaram in the south. Route 28 is the workhorse: it runs from Thiruvotriyur through Tondiarpet and Regal to Central, crosses Periyar Bridge and ends at Egmore North, with buses averaging one every eight minutes.
This guide lists the routes by the part of the city you are starting from, shows which stop each one uses near the stations, and notes where the metro is the faster link.
Which routes stop at Central and Egmore
The route matrix below shows the stops each route uses around the two stations. Four routes (28, M152N, 127B and A18) pass close to both, which matters if you are unsure which terminal your train leaves from. Routes 21C, 138C and 20C use the Central stop only, while 23C and 23A come in on the Egmore side.
The gaps quoted here are averages from MTC route data published on our route pages; they may be dated and real waits vary by time of day, so check live timings on the official MTC site or the Chennai One app before you set out.
Routes by starting area
| Starting from | Route | Get off at | Route length | Average gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thiruvotriyur, Tondiarpet, Regal | 28 | Central or Egmore | 16.7 km | 8 min |
| Kannagi Nagar, Thoraipakkam, Adyar, Mandaveli | 21C | Central | 21.7 km | 21 to 47 min (page gives both) |
| Nanganallur, St Thomas Mount, Guindy, Saidapet | M152N | Egmore or Central | 21.4 km | 1.2 hrs |
| Ayanavaram, Kellys; or Besant Nagar, Adyar, Saidapet | 23C | Egmore | 22.8 km | 8 min |
| Thiruverkadu, Maduravoyal, Aminjikarai | 127B | Egmore | 23.4 km | 1.3 hrs |
| Thiru.Vi.Ka.Nagar, Perambur station | 138C | Central | 18.5 km | 41 min |
| Ambattur Estate, Lucas TVS, Ayanavaram | 20C | Central | 21.8 km | 1.2 hrs |
| Tambaram, Chromepet, Pallavaram, airport | A18 | Central | 34.3 km | 1.8 hrs |
| Palavakkam, Thiruvanmiyur, Mylapore (Luz) | 23A | Egmore | 21.5 km | 2.4 hrs |
Source: MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route pages for each route (linked). Gaps are averages and may be dated.
From the north
Thiruvotriyur, Tondiarpet and Washermanpet riders have the easiest time: 28 goes straight down the coast road to Central and then on to Egmore. From Perambur and Thiru.Vi.Ka.Nagar, 138C runs via Perambur station, Choolai and Central. From Ambattur Estate and Ayanavaram, 20C stops at Central on its way to Broadway.
From the south and the airport side
A18 starts at the High Court, calls at Central, and then runs down Anna Salai through Saidapet, Guindy, the airport and Chromepet to Tambaram and Vandalur. It is the only route here that links Central directly with the GST Road suburbs, but buses are infrequent. M152N from Nanganallur goes through St Thomas Mount, Guindy and Saidapet to Egmore and then Central.
From the south-east and the west
From Kannagi Nagar, Thoraipakkam and Adyar, 21C terminates at Central. Besant Nagar and Adyar residents can take 23C, which reaches Egmore through Saidapet and Anna Salai. On the west side, 127B from Thiruverkadu and Maduravoyal comes in through Aminjikarai and Taylors Road to Egmore.
That is the average gap on route 28 between Thiruvotriyur and Egmore North, the most frequent route in this guide according to the MTC route data.
When the metro is quicker
Both stations have a metro stop. Chennai Metro Rail’s station list includes Puratchi Thalaivar Dr M.G. Ramachandran Central Metro and Egmore Metro, along with Koyambedu, Guindy and Alandur (CMRL). The Central metro station took its present name in 2020 (Deccan Herald). With heavy luggage from Koyambedu, Anna Nagar or the airport, the metro is usually quicker.
- Check your ticket for the station name first. Buses marked Egmore will not always pass Central, and the reverse is also true.
- Route 28 and route M152N touch both stations, so they are safe choices if plans change.
- Leave a generous buffer on weekday evenings; the averages above say nothing about traffic on Anna Salai or Poonamallee High Road.
- MTC tickets, passes and live bus tracking are available on the Chennai One app, launched by the state in September 2025 (PTI).
Quick answers
Which bus goes from Thiruvotriyur to Chennai Central?
Route 28 runs from Thiruvotriyur to Egmore North via Central, about 16.7 km, with an average gap of eight minutes in the route data.
Is there a direct bus from Tambaram to Central?
Yes. Route A18 runs from Vandalur Zoo and Tambaram to the High Court via the airport, Guindy and Central, but buses average about one every 1.8 hours.
Which bus goes from Besant Nagar to Egmore?
Route 23C links Besant Nagar and Adyar with Egmore through Saidapet and Anna Salai, with an average gap of eight minutes.
Where can I check live bus timings?
On the official MTC website and in the Chennai One app, which also sells MTC tickets and passes.
Information checked against official sources on 19 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Route 28: Thiruvotriyur to Egmore North R.S., MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route 21C: Central R.S. to Kannagi Nagar, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route M152N: Nanganallur to Central R.S., MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route 23C: Ayanavaram to Besant Nagar, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route 127B: Thiruverkadu to Anna Square, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route 138C: Thiru.Vi.Ka.Nagar to Anna Square, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route 20C: Oragadam to Broadway, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route A18: High Court to Vandaloor Zoo, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Route 23A: Palavakkam to Egmore, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Chennai Metro Rail Limited, official website (station list)
- Tamil Nadu govt renames three metro rail stations in Chennai (Deccan Herald, 31 Jul 2020)
- Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Ltd, official website
- TN launches Chennai One app for single QR ticket across public transport (PTI via The Week, 22 Sep 2025)
