Via Saidapet, Concorde (Race Course / Raj Bhavan), Guindy RS, St Thomas Mount PO, Meenambakkam Old Airport, Thirusoolam National Airport, Pallavaram, Chromepet, T.B. Sanatorium, Tambaram, Irumbuliyur, Perungulathur, Vandalur, Vandalur Zoo, Urapakkam School, Palakka Company
Distance
Approximately 30.6 kilometres
Total Stops
18 named stops
Journey Time
Approximately 75 to 95 minutes
Daily Trips from T. Nagar
Approximately 45 trips per day (every 12 minutes)
Daily Trips from Guduvanchery
Approximately 45 trips per day
First Bus from T. Nagar
5:00 AM
Last Bus from T. Nagar
Approximately 9:30 PM
First Bus from Guduvanchery
5:00 AM
Last Bus from Guduvanchery
Approximately 9:30 PM
Frequency
Every 12 minutes — significantly higher frequency than 70V for the same GST Road southern corridor
Operating Days
All 7 days including Sundays and public holidays
Bus Type
Ordinary service. The G prefix indicates Guindy depot operation
Starting Fare
Rs 6 (Ordinary minimum)
Why Route G18 matters
Route G18 is the high-frequency alternative to Route 70V for the southern GST Road corridor. Starting from T. Nagar instead of CMBT, it provides 12-minute frequency to the airport zone, Tambaram, Vandalur Zoo, and Guduvanchery — making it far more practical than 70V for day-to-day travel from the T. Nagar, Saidapet, and Guindy belt
Route G18 vs Route 70V: Key Differences
Aspect
G18
70V
From
T. Nagar
CMBT (Koyambedu)
Frequency
Every 12 minutes
Every 2 hours
Daily trips
~45 trips
~9 trips
Airport stop?
Yes (Thirusoolam)
Yes (Thirusoolam)
Vandalur Zoo?
Yes
Yes
Guduvanchery?
Yes
Yes
GST Road coverage
Saidapet to Guduvanchery
KK Nagar to Guduvanchery (via Vadapalani)
Best for
T. Nagar / Saidapet / Guindy residents for regular south GST travel
CMBT / K.K. Nagar users needing a direct connection south
All 18 Stops with Landmarks
Route G18 shares much of its corridor with Route 18A (Broadway to Tambaram via GST Road) and Route 70V. The description below focuses on stops unique to or especially significant for G18 users.
Zone 1: T. Nagar to Guindy (Stops 1 to 5)
Stop 1 T. Nagar (Thiagaraya Nagar)
What it is
Origin terminus at Chennai’s most famous retail and commercial district
Key landmarks
Pondy Bazaar (Tamil Nadu’s busiest retail street), T. Nagar bus depot, Panagal Park, Saravana Stores, Usman Road textile zone, jewellery shops
Metro
T. Nagar Metro Phase 2 — verify operational status at cmrl.in
Why T. Nagar is the best boarding point
G18 from T. Nagar is the highest-frequency MTC bus to the Chennai Airport, Tambaram, and Vandalur Zoo from one of Chennai’s most central and accessible locations
Stop 2 Saidapet
What it is
Major South Chennai transit junction
Key landmarks
Saidapet bus stand, Saidapet RS (suburban trains), DMS Junction area
Rail
Suburban trains to Chennai Beach and Tambaram
Why it matters
Saidapet residents boarding G18 get the highest-frequency bus to the airport (12-min headway) — far better than Route 18A’s 57-minute interval from Broadway
Stop 3 Concorde (Race Course / Raj Bhavan)
What it is
Landmark stop near the Race Course and Governor’s residence
Key landmarks
Madras Race Club, Raj Bhavan (Governor’s official residence), Park Hyatt Chennai, Race Course Road junction
Stop 4 Guindy RS (Guindy Railway Station)
What it is
Suburban rail interchange stop in Guindy
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 in an urban setting — 270 acres within city limits), Guindy Industrial Estate
Rail
Suburban trains to Chennai Beach, Saidapet, Tambaram
Note
Guindy National Park within the city is one of Chennai’s most unusual natural landmarks — a forested zone with blackbuck, spotted deer, and reptiles within the Guindy Estate campus
Stop 5 St Thomas Mount PO
What it is
Historic pilgrimage landmark stop
Key landmarks
St Thomas Mount (hillock with 16th-century Portuguese church housing a relic of St Thomas the Apostle, panoramic views of airport runway approach), Mount RS (suburban train)
Heritage
One of India’s oldest churches, associated with the apostle tradition
Zone 2: Airport Corridor (Stops 6 to 8)
Stop 6 Meenambakkam Old Airport
What it is
Historic Meenambakkam aerodrome area
Key landmarks
Old airport complex, IAF/government aviation infrastructure
Stop 7 Thirusoolam National Airport (Chennai Airport)
What it is
The most significant stop on Route G18 — direct airport access
About the airport
Chennai International Airport (IATA: MAA) — Tamil Nadu’s only international gateway. Domestic and international terminals. Airport Metro Station (Blue Line) adjacent
Budget travel note
G18 is the cheapest and most frequent MTC bus to the airport from T. Nagar and Saidapet (12-minute headway). Fare approximately Rs 10 to Rs 13 from T. Nagar to airport. Far cheaper than taxi/auto
Warning
Always verify G18 timing before airport travel — confirm the next bus well in advance. For tight schedules, Metro from T. Nagar (Phase 2) or Saidapet is recommended
All stops on the Chennai Beach-Tambaram-Chengalpattu suburban line
Zone 4: Deep South — Vandalur and Guduvanchery (Stops 12 to 18)
Stop 12-13 Irumbuliyur / Perungulathur
What it is
Deep south GST Road residential zones
Key landmarks
Growing residential and light industrial settlements on GST Road south of Tambaram
Stop 14 Vandalur
What it is
Gateway to Vandalur Zoo
Key landmarks
Vandalur town, Vandalur RS (suburban trains), Sri Venkateswara University of Law approach
Rail
Vandalur RS: suburban trains to Tambaram and Chengalpattu
Stop 15 Vandalur Zoo
What it is
India’s largest zoo — a major day trip destination
About the zoo
Arignar Anna Zoological Park (1,490 acres) — largest zoo in India. Bengal Tigers, Asian Elephants, White Tigers, Giraffes, and 170+ species. Open 9 AM to 5:30 PM, closed Tuesdays
Why G18 matters here
G18’s 12-minute frequency from T. Nagar makes it far more convenient for zoo day trips than Route 70V (2-hour interval). A family can realistically plan a zoo trip using G18 without long waits
Stop 16-17 Urapakkam School / Palakka Company
What it is
Deep south GST Road intermediate stops
Key landmarks
Urapakkam residential and school area, Palakka Company local industrial landmark, approaching Guduvanchery
Stop 18 Guduvanchery (Final Stop)
What it is
Southern terminus in Kancheepuram District
About Guduvanchery
Rapidly growing suburb on GST Road, approximately 30 km from T. Nagar. Junction for Singaperumal Koil and Maraimalai Nagar Industrial Estate
Key landmarks
Guduvanchery town centre, GST Road junction, Guduvanchery RS (suburban trains)
Real estate
Guduvanchery has emerged as an affordable residential option for workers in the Kancheepuram and Maraimalai Nagar industrial zones, with apartment prices at Rs 4,000 to Rs 6,500 per sq ft in 2026
Bus Fare Chart for Route G18
Route G18 operates as an ordinary service. The G prefix indicates Guindy depot. 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
T. Nagar to Saidapet (approx. 5 km): Rs 7 to Rs 9 T. Nagar to Guindy RS (approx. 8 km): Rs 8 to Rs 11 T. Nagar to Chennai Airport / Thirusoolam (approx. 12 km): Rs 9 to Rs 13 T. Nagar to Tambaram (approx. 20 km): Rs 11 to Rs 15 T. Nagar to Vandalur Zoo (approx. 25 km): Rs 12 to Rs 17 T. Nagar to Guduvanchery (30.6 km, full route): Rs 13 to Rs 19 Monthly pass: Rs 2,000 unlimited MTC pass covers Route G18
Who Uses Route G18
T. Nagar and Saidapet Residents to Airport
G18 is the most frequent MTC bus (12-minute headway) from T. Nagar and Saidapet to Chennai Airport. Budget-conscious travellers with flexible timing use G18 instead of taxis — saving hundreds of rupees on airport transfers.
Zoo Visitors from T. Nagar and Guindy
Vandalur Zoo is one of Chennai’s most popular family destinations. Route G18’s 12-minute frequency from T. Nagar makes it the most practical MTC option for zoo day trips from this part of the city.
Deep South GST Corridor Commuters
Residents of Irumbuliyur, Perungulathur, Urapakkam, and Guduvanchery use G18 daily for access to T. Nagar, Saidapet, Guindy, and the central city. G18 is their primary and most frequent direct link.
Tambaram Rail Passengers from T. Nagar
T. Nagar residents who need to catch trains from Tambaram (to Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kancheepuram) use G18 for a direct T. Nagar to Tambaram connection avoiding transfers.
Traveller Tips
Route G18 runs every 12 minutes — significantly more frequent than Route 70V (every 2 hours) on the same southern corridor. If travelling from T. Nagar or Saidapet to the airport or zoo, always prefer G18.
For airport travel, G18 is economical but confirm the next bus 30 to 45 minutes before you need to reach the airport. The journey from T. Nagar to Thirusoolam is approximately 35 to 45 minutes without peak-hour traffic.
The G prefix indicates Guindy depot operation — the bus is often well-maintained and on schedule given shorter depot turnarounds.
At Tambaram, you can board G18 mid-route from Tambaram bus stand for onward travel to Vandalur or Guduvanchery.
Vandalur Zoo is closed on Tuesdays. Verify before planning a zoo trip on G18.
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.
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
