Route 5A at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
| Route Number | 5A (MTC Chennai — Ordinary and Express Service) |
| From | Thiagaraya Nagar (T Nagar) |
| To | Tambaram East |
| Route Corridor | Via Saidapet, Velachery, Nanmangalam, Pallavaram, Chromepet |
| Distance | 25.2 kilometres |
| Journey Time | Approximately 65–75 minutes |
| Daily Trips (each direction) | ~40 buses on this route |
| First Bus | 5:45 AM |
| Last Bus | 10:00 PM |
| Average Frequency | Every 5 minutes |
| Night Service | YES — Route 5A is a designated MTC Night Service route |
| Operating Days | All 7 days |
| Bus Type | Ordinary and Express Service |
| AC Bus Available? | No. Route 5A does not operate AC buses. |
| Starting Fare | Rs 8 (Ordinary minimum). 14 fare stages. |
| Monthly Pass | Rs 2,000 unlimited MTC pass (from March 2025) covers Route 5A |
Route 5A is one of Chennai’s most frequent and well-used south corridor routes, connecting T Nagar — the retail and commercial heart of the city — directly to Tambaram East via Velachery. The 5-minute average frequency makes it one of the highest-frequency routes on this corridor.
The route is notable for two reasons: first, it serves Velachery, which has become one of Chennai’s most densely populated residential and commercial neighbourhoods; and second, Route 5A is one of MTC’s designated Night Service routes — meaning it continues operating into late night and early morning hours, a rare distinction that serves BPO workers, hospital staff, and travellers on this corridor.
All Stops — T Nagar to Tambaram East
| Stop No. | Stop Name | Key Landmarks / Other Names |
| 1 | T Nagar (Thiagaraya Nagar) | T Nagar Bus Terminus, Pondy Bazaar, Panagal Park, Usman Road shopping |
| 2 | Saidapet | Saidapet Railway Station, Government Hospital, Saidapet Bus Stand |
| 3 | Velachery | Velachery Railway Station (MRTS/Suburban), Phoenix MarketCity Mall, BSNL Office |
| 4 | Velachery Bus Terminus | Adjacent to Phoenix MarketCity Mall |
| 5 | Nanmangalam | |
| 6 | Vijayanagar | |
| 7 | Selaiyur | |
| 8 | Pallavaram | Pallavaram Bus Stand, Pallavaram Railway Station, IAF Station |
| 9 | Pallavaram Market | |
| 10 | Chromepet | Chromepet Railway Station, Gem & Jewellery Market (diamonds, rubies, sapphires for export) |
| 11 | MIT Gate | Madras Institute of Technology gate road |
| 12 | TB Sanatorium | Govt Thoracic Medicine Hospital |
| 13 | Tambaram | Tambaram Railway Station, Tambaram Bus Stand |
| 14 | Tambaram East | Terminus |
Night Service — Route 5A
Route 5A is one of MTC’s designated Night Service routes. Night service operates at reduced frequency (approximately 50% of daytime levels), with fares approximately double the Deluxe rate.
| Stages | Night Fare (Rs) |
| 1 | 10 |
| 2–3 | 12–14 |
| 4–5 | 16–18 |
| 6–7 | 20–22 |
| 8–9 | 24–26 |
| 10–11 | 28–30 |
| 12–13 | 30–32 |
| 14 (Full route) | 32 |
Night service buses stop at passenger convenience — flag down the bus visibly at a lit stop. For confirmed night timing details, check mtcbus.tn.gov.in or the TownBus app.
Day Service Fare Chart
| Stages | Ordinary (Rs) | Express (Rs) |
| 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 2 | 7 | 10 |
| 3 | 8 | 11 |
| 4 | 9 | 13 |
| 5 | 10 | 14 |
| 6 | 11 | 16 |
| 7 | 12 | 17 |
| 8 | 13 | 19 |
| 9–10 | 14–15 | 20–22 |
| 11–12 | 16 | 23 |
| 13–14 (Full route) | 17 | 25 |
Practical: T Nagar to Velachery: Rs 8–11 | To Pallavaram: Rs 11–16 | To Chromepet: Rs 13–19 | Full route to Tambaram East (25.2 km): Rs 17–25
Monthly pass: Rs 2,000 unlimited MTC pass covers Route 5A.
Interchange and Connectivity Guide
| Stop | Connect To | Mode | Destination |
| T Nagar | All city routes from T Nagar Bus Terminus | MTC | All Chennai zones |
| Saidapet | Saidapet Railway Station | Suburban Rail | Chennai Beach, Tambaram |
| Velachery | Velachery MRTS / Suburban | Rail | Chennai Beach, Thiruvanmiyur |
| Pallavaram | Pallavaram Railway Station | Suburban Rail | Guindy, Tambaram |
| Chromepet | Chromepet Railway Station | Suburban Rail | Guindy, Tambaram |
| Tambaram | Tambaram Railway Station | Suburban Rail | Chennai Beach, Chengalpattu |
| Tambaram | Tambaram Bus Stand | MTC / SETC | OMR, Mahabalipuram, GST Road |
Traveller Tips
5-minute frequency: Route 5A’s 5-minute average interval is among the best on the south corridor. Missing one bus rarely means a long wait — but verify during midday (11 AM–3 PM) when frequency may thin.
Velachery vs Velachery Bus Terminus: Two stops are closely spaced here. Phoenix MarketCity is near the bus terminus stop. Clarify your exact destination when boarding.
Chromepet gem trade: Chromepet is one of India’s three major gem and jewellery manufacturing hubs (alongside Jaipur and Surat). Thousands of small family workshops cut and set diamonds, rubies, and precious stones here for export. Route 5A provides a direct connection from T Nagar to this cluster.
Night service advisory: Night service buses stop at convenience — not at every listed stop. Stand at a visible, well-lit location and signal the driver early.
Bus tracking: mtcbus.tn.gov.in. TownBus app and Chennai Travel Route Map app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Route 5A stop at Phoenix MarketCity? Yes — Velachery Bus Terminus is adjacent to Phoenix MarketCity. Alight at the Velachery Bus Terminus stop.
What is different about the Night Service 5A? Night Service 5A operates the same route at reduced frequency (approximately every 10–15 minutes instead of 5 minutes), with fares approximately twice the Deluxe rate. Buses may not stop at every stop — signal visibly from a lit location.
Is Route 5A different from Route 5? Yes. Route 5 and Route 5A are different routes with different termini and corridors. Always check the route board on the bus to confirm.
Last updated: March 2026. MTC may change route timings, stops, and fares without notice. Always verify at mtcbus.tn.gov.in.
