Broadway (High Court / Pallavan Salai), Central Chennai
To
Tambaram (South Chennai railway junction)
Route Corridor
Via High Court, Central, Periyar Bridge (TVS/DMS), SHB, Saidapet, Concorde (Guindy / Race Course), Guindy RS, St Thomas Mount PO, Meenambakkam Old Airport, Thirusoolam National Airport (Chennai Airport), Pallavaram, Chromepet, T.B. Sanatorium
Distance
Approximately 26.4 kilometres
Total Stops
16 named stops
Journey Time
Approximately 65 to 80 minutes
Daily Trips from Broadway
Approximately 9 to 10 trips per day (~57 min interval)
Daily Trips from Tambaram
Approximately 9 to 10 trips per day
First Bus from Broadway
5:00 AM
Last Bus from Broadway
Approximately 9:30 PM
First Bus from Tambaram
5:00 AM
Last Bus from Tambaram
Approximately 9:30 PM
Frequency
Approximately every 57 minutes — low frequency route
Operating Days
All 7 days including Sundays and public holidays
Bus Type
Ordinary service
AC Bus Available?
No AC buses on Route 18A
Starting Fare
Rs 6 (Ordinary minimum)
Why Route 18A matters
One of the few MTC routes that stops directly at Chennai International Airport (Thirusoolam), making it the cheapest public bus to and from the airport from Broadway and GST Road localities. It also serves the airport area’s Old Airport at Meenambakkam.
All 16 Stops with Landmarks and Local Context
Route 18A is a historic GST Road corridor route, unique for its airport coverage. It passes directly through the Chennai Airport zone — both the Domestic/International terminal at Thirusoolam and the Old Airport complex at Meenambakkam. For budget travellers, this is the cheapest bus connection between Broadway and the airport.
Zone 1: Broadway to Saidapet — City Core (Stops 1 to 8)
Stop 1 High Court / Broadway
What it is
Origin terminus near the Madras High Court and Broadway bus hub
Key landmarks
Madras High Court (a magnificent heritage building on the seafront, est. 1862 — one of India’s largest courts), Broadway bus stand, Parrys Corner, RBI Chennai
Metro
Blue Line: Washermenpet, Broadway, to Airport and Koyambedu
Stop 2 Central
What it is
Chennai Central RS stop
Key landmarks
Chennai Central — all mainline trains nationwide; Metro Blue Line Park Station
Rail
Mainline trains to Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, all of South India
Stop 3 Periyar Bridge (TVS / DMS area)
What it is
Named after the Periyar EVR bridge on the Anna Salai corridor
Key landmarks
Periyar Bridge over Cooum River, TVS (Tamil Nadu Textbook Society) building, DMS (Directorate of Medical Services), Anna Salai (Mount Road) junction
Stop 4 T.V.S.
What it is
Named after the Tamil Nadu Textbook Society / TVS building area
Key landmarks
State government textbook offices, Mount Road commercial zone, Anna Salai residential and commercial strip approaching Saidapet
Stop 5 D.M.S.
What it is
Directorate of Medical Services headquarters stop on Anna Salai
Key landmarks
Directorate of Medical Services, Tamil Nadu Health Department offices, Teynampet area, approaching LIC Building junction
Stop 6 S.H.B. (State Housing Board)
What it is
Named after the Tamil Nadu State Housing Board office on Anna Salai
Key landmarks
State Housing Board offices, Nandanam area, LIC Building junction approach
Metro
Nandanam Metro Station (Green Line) is nearby — connects to Koyambedu and Wimco Nagar
Stop 7 Saidapet
What it is
Major transit junction at the entry to South Chennai
Key landmarks
Saidapet bus stand, Saidapet Railway Station (suburban trains — Chennai Beach to Tambaram line), DMS Hospital, Saidapet markets
Rail
Saidapet RS: suburban trains to Chennai Beach and Tambaram
Why it matters
One of the highest-boarding intermediate stops on Route 18A — South Chennai residents use this as a joining point for the airport
Stop 8 Concorde (Race Course / Raj Bhavan area)
What it is
Landmark stop near the Madras Race Club and Raj Bhavan, close to the Race Course Road junction and the Park Hyatt
Key landmarks
Madras Race Club (active horse racing venue), Raj Bhavan (Tamil Nadu Governor’s official residence), Park Hyatt Chennai (five-star hotel), Race Course Road, approaching Guindy
Zone 2: Airport Corridor (Stops 9 to 12)
Stop 9 Guindy Railway Station
What it is
Suburban rail interchange stop in Guindy — a key industrial and educational zone
Key landmarks
Guindy Railway Station (suburban trains on Chennai Beach-Tambaram line), Anna University main campus approach, Guindy National Park (India’s smallest national park within a city), Guindy Industrial Estate
Rail
Guindy RS: suburban trains to Chennai Beach, Saidapet, Tambaram, and Chromepet
Note
Anna University, one of India’s premier technical universities, is accessible from this stop
Stop 10 St Thomas Mount PO
What it is
Post office stop near the historic St Thomas Mount hillock
Key landmarks
St Thomas Mount (a hillock where St Thomas the Apostle is believed to have been martyred in 72 AD, housing a 16th-century Portuguese church with a relic), Mount station approach, St Thomas Mount locality
Heritage
The church on the hillock is one of India’s oldest, belonging to Our Lady of Expectation — a major pilgrimage site for Catholics
Rail
St Thomas Mount Station on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram suburban line
Stop 11 Meenambakkam Old Airport
What it is
Named after the historic Meenambakkam aerodrome — Chennai’s original civil airport until 1954
Key landmarks
Old Meenambakkam airport complex (now used for IAF/government aviation purposes), approaching the current Chennai International Airport area
Historical note
Meenambakkam served as Chennai’s main civil airport from the 1940s until the new Thirusoolam terminal opened. The area still has aviation-related infrastructure
Stop 12 Thirusoolam National Airport (Chennai International Airport)
What it is
The most significant stop on Route 18A — serving Chennai International Airport directly. This makes Route 18A the cheapest MTC bus connection to the airport from Broadway
About the airport
Chennai International Airport (IATA: MAA) is Tamil Nadu’s only international gateway, handling approximately 22 to 25 million passengers annually. It serves both domestic and international flights
Key landmarks
Chennai Airport Domestic Terminal, International Terminal, Airport Metro Station (Blue Line — direct Metro to Central, Koyambedu, Airport)
Metro connection
Chennai Airport Metro Station is adjacent — provides high-speed connectivity to the city without road traffic
Tip
For airport travel, alight at Thirusoolam National Airport stop. If coming from the airport, board Route 18A here for the cheapest fare to Broadway, Saidapet, or Guindy. The bus fare to Broadway is approximately Rs 12 to Rs 15 — far cheaper than taxi or auto
Warning
Route 18A runs only every ~57 minutes. For airport travel with tight flight schedules, always check the next bus timing well in advance or choose the Metro/taxi for reliability
Zone 3: South Chennai — Pallavaram to Tambaram (Stops 13 to 16)
Stop 13 Pallavaram
What it is
Major South Chennai suburb and transit hub
Key landmarks
Pallavaram Railway Station (suburban trains), Pallavaram bus stand, St Thomas Mount hillock (visible from here), local commercial area
Rail
Suburban trains to Chennai Beach and Tambaram
Stop 14 Chromepet
What it is
Busy South Chennai suburb, historically associated with chrome tanning
Key landmarks
Chromepet Railway Station, Chromepet market, Hasthinapuram residential area approach
Rail
Suburban trains on Chennai Beach-Tambaram-Chengalpattu line
Stop 15 T.B. Sanatorium
What it is
Named after the historic Tambaram Sanatorium government hospital complex
Key landmarks
Government Tambaram Sanatorium Hospital (major multi-speciality public hospital), Tambaram Sanatorium Railway Station
Medical
A major public hospital serving the entire Tambaram belt
Stop 16 Tambaram (Final Stop)
What it is
Southern terminus — one of South Chennai’s most important railway junctions and transport hubs
Key landmarks
Tambaram Railway Station (major suburban junction on Chennai Beach-Chengalpattu line), Tambaram bus terminus, Vandalur Zoo access road
Rail
Suburban trains to Chennai Beach, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram; junction for the Arakkonam line via Pallavaram
Connections
Multiple MTC routes from Tambaram to Kelambakkam, Velachery, Saidapet, and ECR. Vandalur Zoo (Arignar Anna Zoological Park — India’s largest zoo) is 5 km away
Bus Fare Chart for Route 18A
Route 18A operates as an ordinary service. Minimum fare Rs 6. All fares include cess of Rs 1.
Stage
Ordinary (Rs)
Express (Rs)
Deluxe (Rs)
Night (Rs)
1
6
8
12
10
2
7
10
14
12
3
8
11
16
14
4
9
13
18
16
5
10
14
20
18
6
11
16
22
20
7
12
17
24
22
8
13
19
26
24
9
14
20
28
26
10
15
22
30
28
11-12 (Full route)
16
23
32
30
Practical Fare Guide
Broadway to Saidapet (approx. 10 km): Rs 8 to Rs 11 Broadway to Guindy RS (approx. 14 km): Rs 10 to Rs 14 Broadway to Chennai Airport / Thirusoolam (approx. 18 km): Rs 11 to Rs 16 Broadway to Pallavaram (approx. 22 km): Rs 12 to Rs 17 Broadway to Tambaram (26.4 km, full route): Rs 13 to Rs 19 Monthly pass: Rs 2,000 unlimited MTC pass covers Route 18A
Who Uses Route 18A
Budget Airport Travellers
Route 18A is the cheapest bus connection between Broadway and Chennai Airport. For travellers without tight schedules, the fare saving vs taxi or auto is substantial. The bus stop at Thirusoolam is directly at the airport approach road.
GST Road Corridor Commuters
Residents along Anna Salai and GST Road from Saidapet to Tambaram use Route 18A for access to Broadway and Central for government offices, rail travel, and the city centre.
Tambaram Residents to City Centre
Tambaram residents use Route 18A as a direct Broadway and Guindy connection via the GST Road corridor, avoiding the need for multiple transfers.
Key Traveller Tips
Route 18A runs only every ~57 minutes. Check the schedule before heading to the airport — missing the bus means a 57-minute wait or hiring an auto.
For airport travel, the Airport Metro Station (Blue Line) provides faster, more reliable service to Central and Koyambedu. Use Route 18A only if you are connecting from a stop along its corridor.
At Broadway, Route 18A departs from a specific bay — check the board carefully. Many Broadway-Tambaram routes exist (18, 18B, 18C, etc.) with different corridors.
The St Thomas Mount section (near the hillock) is a popular detour for first-time visitors — the hilltop church offers panoramic views of the airport runway approach.
Always verify timings at mtcbus.tn.gov.in. Moovit app for real-time tracking.
Last updated: April 2026. MTC may change route timings, stops, and fares without notice. Always verify current information at mtcbus.tn.gov.in before travel.
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