The state transport department will run 9,086 special bus services from Chennai between 5 and 7 November, on top of 6,573 regular trips, for a total of 15,659 departures in the three days before Deepavali, DT Next reported after Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban announced the plan on 13 October. Deepavali falls on Sunday, 8 November, so the heaviest outward rush will be from Thursday evening to Saturday night.
For the return, 6,815 special services are planned on 9 and 10 November, in a total of 11,197 buses towards Chennai. The bigger change for travellers is where buses leave from: several southern and delta routes are being moved to temporary stands. Here is what has been announced so far.
Where the buses will leave from
According to the minister’s announcement, as reported by DT Next, departures are split across five points to keep Kilambakkam from choking:
| Departure point | Destinations announced |
|---|---|
| Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus, Kilambakkam | Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Tiruchi, Madurai, Thoothukudi, Sengottai, Tirunelveli, Salem, Coimbatore |
| Open space at the CMDA climate park, near Kilambakkam | Vandavasi, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai |
| Temporary stand, Maraimalai Nagar | Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam |
| Koyambedu (CMBT) | Regular services, plus ECR, Kancheepuram, Vellore, Bengaluru, Tiruttani |
| Madhavaram | Andhra Pradesh via Ponneri and Uthukottai |
Free MTC shuttle buses and mini-buses will run between Kilambakkam and Maraimalai Nagar, and Koyambedu to Kilambakkam services will run round the clock. The department is setting up 14 advance booking counters, ten at Kilambakkam and two each at Koyambedu and Maraimalai Nagar, and a 24-hour control room at Kilambakkam.
The arrangement was first used for the Ayudha Pooja rush from 15 to 18 October, when 6,199 special services were added. Not everyone is happy: commuters told News Today that reaching Maraimalai Nagar from north and west Chennai with children and luggage is hard, and asked for boarding points at places such as Tambaram, KK Nagar and Poonamallee, which were used in earlier years.
Before you leave home, check the boarding point printed on your ticket. A Kumbakonam bus will not be at Kilambakkam’s main bays.
Booking a government bus
- Book on the TNSTC online reservation system, which covers SETC and the other state corporations. The site also lists WhatsApp booking: send “Hi” to 94440 18898.
- TNSTC allows booking 60 days ahead, and DT Next worked out that sales for 8 November travel opened on 9 September. Popular overnight services to Madurai, Tirunelveli and Nagercoil may already be full, but special services are added to the system as they are approved, so keep checking.
- Book your return at the same time. The Monday and Tuesday after Deepavali are the planned peak days for buses back to Chennai.
- Online reservation helplines listed by TNSTC: 78258 12626 and 95139 48001. Complaints and suggestions on WhatsApp: 94450 14448.
The department has also met omnibus owners’ associations to cap festival fares. Special RTO teams are checking private buses, and operators caught overcharging face fines and seizure of the vehicle. If an operator demands far above the posted fare, note the bus number and complain to the transport department.
Trains: what is confirmed and what is not
Regular train tickets for Deepavali week went on sale 60 days ahead, in early September, and many trains to the south filled quickly. As of 18 October, a full list of Southern Railway’s Deepavali special trains for 2026 could not be confirmed from an official source, so check the IRCTC app and Southern Railway’s official social media handles for train numbers and booking dates. Specials are often announced at short notice.
The state government has asked Southern Railway for unreserved special trains to Madurai, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam, according to the 13 October announcement.
Getting to Kilambakkam
The new Kilambakkam railway station on the Beach to Chengalpattu suburban line, close to the bus terminus, was still being finished in August. At a briefing on 14 August, Chennai Divisional Railway Manager Shailendra Singh said platform 1 was complete and the remaining railway works were due by October, with the CMDA-built skywalk to the bus terminus the main dependency, ETV Bharat reported. Check whether trains are stopping there before you rely on it. Otherwise Guduvanchery and Vandalur are the nearest working stations, with buses and autos for the last stretch. Allow at least an extra hour on the evenings of 6 and 7 November.
Tips for a smoother trip
- Leave on Thursday 5 November if you can. Friday and Saturday evenings will be the most crowded.
- Carry water and snacks; traffic on GST Road and the Outer Ring Road slows sharply in the evening.
- Monsoon showers are likely, so keep luggage in waterproof covers and check IMD alerts before night travel.
- Keep a digital and a printed copy of your ticket.
Quick answers
How many special buses will run from Chennai for Deepavali 2026?
9,086 special services from 5 to 7 November, on top of 6,573 regular trips.
Where do buses to Kumbakonam and Thanjavur leave from?
From the temporary stand at Maraimalai Nagar, with free shuttles from Kilambakkam.
Are there return buses?
Yes. 6,815 special services are planned towards Chennai on 9 and 10 November.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Almost 15,000 buses to ply from Chennai for 4 days from October 15 (DT Next, 14 Oct 2026)
- Tamil Nadu announces temporary bus terminals, special services for Ayudha Pooja, Deepavali rush (DT Next, 13 Oct 2026)
- TNSTC online reservation (Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation)
- TNSTC Deepavali 2026 bus booking explainer (DT Next)
- Festival specials: commuters against temporary bus terminus at MM Nagar (News Today, 14 Oct 2026)
- Kilambakkam railway station: what’s new and when will it be fully ready (ETV Bharat, 14 Aug 2026)
