The Chennai to Kanchipuram bus leaves from Koyambedu (CMBT), the boarding point the state named for Kanchipuram even during the October festival rush. The town is about 75 km away, and redBus listed trips of 1 hr 15 min to 2 hr 20 min on 31 October 2026, with fares from about Rs 109.
The numbers
Kanchipuram is one of the few big destinations whose buses did not move to Kilambakkam. Government and private services for the temple and silk town run from Koyambedu, along with those for Vellore, Bengaluru and Tiruttani, so residents of west and central Chennai have the easier start.
This guide covers where to board, which operators run the route, what the trip costs and how to reach the boarding point by MTC bus or metro. For what to see when you get there, see the site’s separate Kanchipuram day-trip guide. MTC frequencies quoted below are averages from route data and may be dated; check the Chennai One app or MTC for live timings.
Where to board: Koyambedu
When the government set out boarding points for the Ayudha Pooja and Deepavali rush, Koyambedu was listed for ECR towns, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Bengaluru and Tiruttani, and Kanchipuram was served only from there, DT Next reported on 13 October. A DT Next travel guide on 16 October gave the same split, with Kancheepuram among Koyambedu’s non-ECR services (DT Next).
Private operators also pick up elsewhere. The redBus route page lists Chennai boarding points including Central Railway Station, Alandur, Ashok Pillar, Anna Nagar and Avadi, and drops at Kanchipuram town or the Kanchipuram bypass, so check which one your ticket names.
Operators, fares and journey time
Government buses on the route are run by the Tamil Nadu state transport corporations, whose seat bookings go through the TNSTC reservation site. Short-haul ordinary and express buses on a 75 km run are normally bought from the conductor on board rather than booked.
On 31 October 2026 the redBus route page listed 156 daily services from 53 operators, with the first departure around 3.15 a.m. and journey times from 1 hr 15 min to 2 hr 20 min, averaging 1 hr 39 min. Listed fares ran from about Rs 109 upward, with premium coaches priced far higher. APSRTC also appears in the timetable for a through service. Treat these as indicative: they change by day and by demand.
| Option | Board at | Journey time | Fare guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government bus (TNSTC) | Koyambedu CMBT | Varies with stops and traffic | Pay on board for unreserved buses |
| Private bus or coach | Koyambedu, Central, Alandur, Ashok Pillar and others | 1 hr 15 min to 2 hr 20 min listed | From about Rs 109 listed |
| Suburban EMU | Beach line via Tambaram and Chengalpattu | Limited trains | Suburban fare |
Source: redBus route page viewed 31 October 2026; DT Next, 13 October 2026; Kancheepuram District Administration.
Kanchipuram by train instead
Rail is a slower alternative. The Kancheepuram district site says Southern Railway has extended suburban EMU services to Kancheepuram on the Chennai Beach to Tambaram to Chengalpattu section, and that trains also come in via Chennai Central and Arakkonam. The state’s town information page notes that very few trains pass through the station, so check timings before choosing this option.
Distance from Chennai to Kanchipuram given by the district administration, which says buses link the town to Chennai, Bengaluru, Puducherry, Tirupati and Tiruvannamalai.
Getting to Koyambedu by MTC and metro
The CMBT metro station on the Green Line sits beside the bus terminus; CMRL’s feeder list names it Puratchi Thalaivi Dr. J. Jayalalithaa CMBT Metro and runs small bus S60 from there to Nerkundram and Maduravoyal Erikarai. From the airport, the CMRL fare table lists Rs 40 to CMBT.
From the south, 70V runs from Guduvanchery and Vandalur through Tambaram, Chromepet, the airport, St Thomas Mount and K.K. Nagar to CMBT, 28.1 km at an average gap of about 45 minutes on its route page. 70C links Tambaram, the airport and Jaffarkhanpet with Koyambedu Market, but its route page shows a bus only about every 4.5 hours, so it is a backup at best.
It’s often said Kanchipuram buses moved to Kilambakkam with the other southern routes.
The record shows The state listed Koyambedu as Kanchipuram’s only boarding point even for the October 2026 festival rush, and the district lists Kanchipuram among towns with regular buses to Chennai.
Arriving in Kanchipuram
Buses come in to Kanchipuram town, and some private coaches set down at the bypass on the Chennai to Bengaluru side. The temples are spread across the town, so allow for an auto or a town bus from where you are dropped. For the return, the last private departures listed on redBus run late into the evening, but government bus timings vary; ask at the stand before you set off sightseeing.
What this means for you
- Board at Koyambedu CMBT for government buses; Kilambakkam is the wrong terminus for Kanchipuram.
- Allow 75 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes, depending on operator and traffic on the way out of the city.
- Check whether your coach drops at the town or the bypass, which is farther from the temples.
- Use the CMBT metro station to reach the bus terminus without road traffic.
Quick answers
Where do Kanchipuram buses leave from in Chennai?
Koyambedu (CMBT). The government listed it as the only boarding point for Kanchipuram during the October 2026 rush. Private coaches also pick up at Central, Alandur, Ashok Pillar and other points.
How much is the bus fare from Chennai to Kanchipuram?
redBus listed fares from about Rs 109 on 31 October 2026, with premium coaches costing much more. Ordinary government buses are paid on board.
How long does the bus take from Chennai to Kanchipuram?
Operators on redBus listed 1 hr 15 min to 2 hr 20 min, averaging 1 hr 39 min, on 31 October 2026.
Is there a train from Chennai to Kanchipuram?
Yes. Suburban EMUs on the Beach to Chengalpattu section run to Kancheepuram, and trains also come via Arakkonam, but services are few.
What to watch
8 November
Deepavali falls on 8 November; expect heavy crowds at Koyambedu in the days before and special arrangements announced by the transport department.
Pending
No timetable for Kanchipuram government buses is published online; check at the CMBT enquiry counter or with TNSTC before travelling.
Checked against official sources on 31 October 2026. Timings and fares change; confirm on the operator’s booking site before you travel.
Sources
- How to reach Kancheepuram (Kancheepuram District Administration)
- Kancheepuram: how to reach (Tamil Nadu Urban Tree Information System, Government of Tamil Nadu)
- TNSTC and SETC online reservation: popular routes and helplines (Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation)
- Feeder services: MTC small buses from metro stations (Chennai Metro Rail Ltd)
- CMRL fare table, last updated 9 October 2026 (Chennai Metro Rail Ltd)
- Route 70V: CMBT to Guduvanchery via Vandalur (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Route 70C: Koyambedu Market to Mambakkam (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Tamil Nadu announces temporary bus terminals, special services for Ayudha Pooja, Deepavali rush (DT Next, 13 October 2026)
- Aayudha Pooja holidays travel guide: special buses from Chennai, boarding points and routes (DT Next, 16 October 2026)
- Chennai to Kanchipuram bus route page (redBus, viewed 31 October 2026)
- Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai) Ltd: home page and free travel notices (Government of Tamil Nadu)
