City

Chennai Airport to City: Metro, Train, Bus and Taxi Options

Metro, suburban train, MTC bus or taxi: fares, routes and when each one makes sense for getting from Chennai airport into the city.

19 October 2026

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The cheapest dependable way from Chennai airport to the city centre is the metro. Chennai International Airport station sits at the southern end of the Blue Line, and a single ticket to Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Central or Egmore costs Rs 40, according to the CMRL fare table revised on 9 October 2026. Guindy and Alandur are Rs 20 away, AG-DMS on Anna Salai is Rs 30 and Koyambedu is Rs 40.

The other options are a suburban train from Tirusulam across GST Road, an MTC bus, a prepaid taxi or an app cab. Which suits you depends on where you are going, your luggage and the hour you land.

Metro: the default for central and north Chennai

The Blue Line runs from the airport through Meenambakkam, Alandur, Guindy, Saidapet and Anna Salai to Central and then north to Wimco Nagar, 26 stations in all, as listed on the CMRL website. For Anna Nagar, Koyambedu or Vadapalani, change to the Green Line at Alandur. The metro avoids the GST Road and Anna Salai jams completely, which matters most between 8 and 11 in the morning and in the evening peak.

Fares from the airport: Rs 20 to Alandur or Guindy, Rs 30 to AG-DMS, Rs 40 to Central, Egmore or Koyambedu.
Cheaper with stored value: CMRL publishes a separate table of 20% discounted fares for card and stored-value users on the same fare page. If you fly often, a Singara Chennai card pays for itself quickly.
Last trains: CMRL posts first and last train timings as a PDF on its time-table page. Check it if your flight lands late, because missing the last train leaves you with road options only.
Help: CMRL’s 24-hour helpline is 1860-425-1515, and the women’s helpline is 155370.

With heavy suitcases, look for the lift. A Citizen Matters walkthrough found the lift from the arrivals side to the metro concourse easy to miss, so ask airport staff rather than dragging bags up stairs.

Suburban train from Tirusulam: best for Tambaram and the south

Tirusulam station is on the Beach–Tambaram–Chengalpattu suburban line, just across GST Road from the terminals. Northbound trains go to Guindy, Mambalam, Egmore and Chennai Beach; southbound ones go to Pallavaram, Chromepet, Tambaram and on to Chengalpattu. Ordinary suburban fares are the lowest of any option here.

Southern Railway’s air-conditioned EMU also stops at Tirusulam, both on its main-line runs to Chengalpattu and on the suburban-line run to Tambaram, according to the railway’s launch notice. Its full Chennai Beach to Tambaram trip is timetabled at 55 minutes, and Tirusulam is near the Tambaram end, so the onward hop south is short.

The catch is the walk. You reach the platforms through the Tirusulam pedestrian subway, and the 2018 Citizen Matters account noted stairs, a broken lift and poor lighting at night. Conditions may have improved since, but the train is easiest when you are travelling light and in daylight.

MTC buses and feeder minibuses

MTC’s airport-numbered routes MAA1, MAA2 and MAA3 now run with new low-floor AC electric buses from Alandur depot, which took 80 of the 130 e-buses Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay flagged off on 25 August 2026, DT Next reported. Alandur’s e-bus routes as a group serve the airport, Kilambakkam, Siruseri IT Park and OMR, Tambaram, Chengalpattu and Mamallapuram, so the bus is a real option if you live along the southern IT corridor.

Two MTC feeder minibuses also leave from the airport metro station, according to CMRL’s feeder list:

S69 to Kundrathur bus stand via Pammal and Anakaputhur
S100 to Tambaram East (MCC) via Pallavaram, Chromepet, MIT and Chitlapakkam

Only a handful of minibuses run on each route, so expect waits. The Chennai Bus app shows live bus positions.

Prepaid taxis, app cabs and autos

For a family with luggage, a late arrival or a destination far from a station, a car is still the practical choice. Prepaid taxis and app cabs pick up through the multi-level car park complex. When that facility opened, DT Next reported that commercial vehicles pay an entry charge there, which tends to show up in what you pay.

At a prepaid counter, you pay a fixed fare up front for your destination, so traffic does not change the price. Keep the receipt until you reach home.
App cab fares change with demand and can rise sharply after a cluster of flights lands. Compare the quote with the prepaid fare before you book.
Travel time by road depends almost entirely on GST Road and Anna Salai traffic. In the peaks a road trip to the centre can take far longer than the metro.

For complaints about airport services, the AAI Chennai airport page lists the Airport Director’s office at 044-22560551 and apdchennai@aai.aero.

Which option to pick

Going to	Usually best
Central, Egmore, Anna Salai, north Chennai	Metro (Blue Line)
Anna Nagar, Koyambedu, Vadapalani	Metro, change at Alandur
Pallavaram, Chromepet, Tambaram	Suburban train or S100 minibus
OMR, Siruseri, Kilambakkam	MTC e-bus or cab
Late night, heavy luggage	Prepaid taxi

Quick answers

How much is the metro from Chennai airport to Central?

Rs 40 for a single ticket under the fare table revised on 9 October 2026. Stored-value users pay about 20% less.

Is there a train station at Chennai airport?

Yes. Tirusulam suburban station on the Beach–Chengalpattu line is across GST Road, reached by a pedestrian subway.

Do MTC buses go from the airport to Kilambakkam?

MTC’s airport-numbered MAA routes run from Alandur depot, whose e-bus network covers both the airport and Kilambakkam. Check the route board or the Chennai Bus app before boarding.

What is the cheapest way out of the airport?

An ordinary suburban train from Tirusulam, followed by an MTC bus or the metro.

Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.