The Chennai to Madurai bus leaves from Kilambakkam (KCBT), where SETC runs ultra deluxe, AC and sleeper services through the night. The 456-km trip takes about eight to nine hours, an ultra deluxe seat works out near ₹456 on the official rate, and buses arrive at Madurai’s Mattuthavani bus stand.
The numbers
Madurai is one of the routes that defines SETC, which runs Tamil Nadu’s government services over 300 km. Most travellers take it overnight, leaving Chennai in the evening and reaching Madurai at dawn, and the choice is mainly between classes rather than operators.
This guide sets out where the buses leave from, what each SETC class costs on the official rates, the road taken, and what to expect on arrival.
Where the Chennai to Madurai bus leaves from
Madurai buses moved to the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus at Kilambakkam when it opened, and they have stayed there. DT Next’s October 2026 holiday boarding guide lists Tiruchy, Madurai, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil among the southern routes operating from Kilambakkam. The TNSTC booking site also lists the new SETC Volvo multi-axle service to Madurai as starting from Kilambakkam KCBT.
Private omni buses have more pickup points. redBus lists Adyar, Alandur, Anna Nagar, Ambattur and the airport bus stand among boarding points for this route, which helps if you live in the west or north of the city.
It’s often said you can still catch a government Madurai bus at Koyambedu.
The record shows Government buses to Madurai start from Kilambakkam. The October 2026 boarding list shows Koyambedu serving only western, ECR and Andhra routes.
SETC classes and fares
SETC has 1,080 buses on 195 routes and runs ultra deluxe, AC seater, AC sleeper, seater-cum-sleeper and non-AC sleeper buses, according to the Transport Department policy note for 2025-26. In December 2025 it added 15-metre Volvo 9600 seater coaches with 51 seats, according to Volvo; the TNSTC site lists them as AC semi-sleepers running from Kilambakkam to Madurai.
Fares follow per-km rates that have not changed since 29 January 2018. AC and sleeper classes have lower lean-season and higher peak rates.
| SETC class | Rate per km | Rough fare for 456 km |
|---|---|---|
| Ultra deluxe | 100 paise | about ₹456 |
| AC seater, lean / peak | 110 / 130 paise | about ₹502 / ₹593 |
| Non-AC sleeper, lean / peak | 135 / 155 paise | about ₹616 / ₹707 |
| AC sleeper, lean / peak | 180 / 200 paise | about ₹821 / ₹912 |
Source: Transport Department Policy Note 2025-26, mofussil fare table (paise per km). Rough fare is rate multiplied by 456 km; actual SETC route distance, tolls and fees change the ticket price.
Treat these as a guide. The SETC route distance from Kilambakkam may differ from the 456 km listed online, and the booking site adds tolls and reservation charges. Booking platforms list fares from about ₹350, so some services come in below the arithmetic.
The discount SETC gives from the sixth trip in a calendar month for frequent travellers, according to the 2025-26 policy note.
Private sleepers and booking
On 31 October 2026, redBus listed 559 daily services by 188 operators for a weekday, with fares from about ₹350 to ₹5,000 and departures through the day and night. Private AC sleepers are the costliest; prices climb on Friday nights and before Pongal and Deepavali.
SETC seats open 90 days ahead on the TNSTC site and app. The site lists a toll-free reservation line, 7825812626, and a WhatsApp complaints number for SETC, 9445014448. SETC keeps four seats per bus for women and offers 10% off for groups of ten or more.
Journey time and the road
Operators listed journey times from 7 hours 52 minutes to 9 hours 10 minutes on redBus. Buses take GST Road south through Chengalpattu and Tindivanam, the highway past Villupuram, Ulundurpet and Perambalur to Tiruchirappalli, and then the Madurai road via Viralimalai and Melur. Overnight buses usually stop once or twice for food and tea.
Getting to Kilambakkam and arriving at Mattuthavani
Kilambakkam has its own MTC terminus inside the complex, and a January 2024 government press release ordered shuttle services to Vandalur railway station for suburban train users. MTC route 170A runs 43.7 km from Madhavaram via Koyambedu, Guindy, Tambaram and Perungulathur to Vandalur, about every 55 minutes on route data; it does not list KCBT itself, so allow time for the last stretch (frequencies are averages and may be dated).
In Madurai, Chennai buses use the Mattuthavani (MGR) bus stand. Its redBus page notes separate SETC ticket counters, round-the-clock food stalls and a police booth, and says local buses link it with Periyar bus stand and Madurai Junction. Arappalayam bus stand is about 8 km away.
What this means for you
- Go to Kilambakkam for a government Madurai bus; Koyambedu no longer has them.
- An ultra deluxe seat is the cheapest reserved option; a non-AC sleeper is the middle ground for overnight trips.
- Book at least a week ahead for Friday nights, and as soon as booking opens for Pongal.
- Mattuthavani is on the city’s edge; plan a local bus or auto to the centre.
Quick answers
Where does the Chennai to Madurai bus leave from?
Government buses leave from Kilambakkam (KCBT). Private omni buses also pick up at points such as Alandur, Anna Nagar and the airport.
How much is the bus fare from Chennai to Madurai?
On the official rates, an SETC ultra deluxe seat works out near ₹456 and an AC sleeper between about ₹821 and ₹912, before tolls and fees. redBus listed weekday fares from about ₹350 on 31 October 2026.
How long does the Chennai to Madurai bus take?
About 7 hours 50 minutes to 9 hours 10 minutes, per operators’ listed times.
Which bus stand in Madurai do Chennai buses reach?
Mattuthavani (MGR) bus stand, which has SETC counters and local bus links to Periyar bus stand.
What to watch
Pending: Kilambakkam railway station
A suburban station beside the terminus has been under construction, with the skywalk to the bus stand the main pending work. When it opens, reaching Madurai buses by train gets much easier.
Pending: fare revision
SETC rates are unchanged since 2018, per the policy note. Any revision would change the table above.
Checked against official sources on 31 October 2026. Timings and fares change; confirm on the operator’s booking site before you travel.
Sources
- Demand No. 48, Transport Department Policy Note 2025-26 (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- TNSTC/SETC online reservation home page (Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporations)
- Press Release No. 69: review of Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus, Kilambakkam (DIPR, Government of Tamil Nadu, 9 January 2024)
- Volvo 9600 coaches flagged off by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Volvo Buses India press release, December 2025
- Route 170A: Madhavaram B.S. to Vandaloor Zoo, MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page
- Chennai to Madurai bus route page (redBus), viewed 31 October 2026
- Mattuthavani bus stand page (redBus), viewed 31 October 2026
- Aayudha Pooja holidays travel guide: special buses, boarding points and routes (DT Next, 16 October 2026)
