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ECR Bus Routes: Thiruvanmiyur to Kovalam and Mamallapuram

The MTC buses that run East Coast Road from Thiruvanmiyur to Kovalam and Mamallapuram, the stops they share and how often they come.

21 October 2026

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ECR by bus: Thiruvanmiyur to Mamallapuram

Three MTC routes run down East Coast Road from the Adyar and Thiruvanmiyur end: 109 from Broadway to Kovalam, and 588 and 599, which carry on to Mamallapuram. They are not frequent. Route data puts 109 at about one bus an hour, 588 at one every 1.1 hours and 599 at one every 2 hours, so a day trip down the coast by city bus needs some planning.

This guide lists the ECR stops each route serves, how far each one runs and how to combine them. Frequencies in this guide are averages from the MTC route data on each route page and may be dated; check live timings in the Chennai One app or with MTC before you travel.

57 kmroute 599, T. Nagar to Mamallapuram

51 kmroute 588, Adyar to Mamallapuram

1.1 hrsaverage gap on route 588

1984year Mamallapuram’s monuments joined UNESCO’s list

The shared coastal stretch

From Thiruvanmiyur all three routes share the same run of stops: Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai, Vettuvankeni, Chola Mandal, Injambakkam, Panaiyur, Uthandi village, Kanathur, the Nature Care Hospital stop, Muttukadu, Muttukadu boat yard and Kovalam. 109 ends at the Kovalam depot. 588 and 599 continue through Chemmancheri Kuppam, Thiruvidanthai, Vadanemmeli, Krishnankaranai, Pattipulam and Salavankuppam to the Sculpture Arts College stop and Mamallapuram.

Where they start differs. 109 comes from Broadway along the Marina via the Secretariat, Chepauk, Foreshore Estate and Adyar. 588 starts at the Adyar bus stand. 599 starts at T. Nagar and runs via Saidapet and the Engineering College stop before reaching Adyar.

Grid of four routes against ten ECR stops; 588 and 599 serve all ten from Adyar to Mamallapuram, 109 stops at Kovalam, T151 reaches only Kovalam. — Two city routes reach Mamallapuram.

Route	Ends	Length	Average gap	Reaches
109	Broadway to Kovalam	38.3 km	about 60 min	Kovalam
588	Adyar to Mamallapuram	51 km	1.1 hrs	Mamallapuram
599	T. Nagar to Mamallapuram	57 km	2 hrs	Mamallapuram
T151	Tambaram East to Kovalam	32.7 km	3.5 hrs	Kovalam, via OMR

Source: MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route pages, opened 19 October 2026. Gaps are averages and may be dated.

The 109 route page lists a first bus at 5 a.m. from Broadway and a last bus at 9.40 p.m., with an end-to-end time of 90 to 100 minutes. The 588 and 599 pages do not list first and last buses.

It’s often said that only long-distance state buses go to Mamallapuram from the city.

The figures show Two MTC city routes, 588 from Adyar and 599 from T. Nagar, end at Mamallapuram, and a third, 109, covers the coast as far as Kovalam, per MTC route data.

Schematic of route 588 from Adyar bus stand via Thiruvanmiyur, Neelankarai, Injambakkam, Muttukadu and Kovalam to Mamallapuram, 51 km. — Route 588 follows ECR from Adyar to Mamallapuram.

Combining routes and getting back

Because the gaps are long, a common pattern is to take whichever ECR bus comes first as far as Kovalam and change there. T151 links Kovalam with Kelambakkam on OMR and on to Tambaram East, though its route data shows a bus only about every 3.5 hours. When AC electric buses were flagged off on 25 August 2026, the Alandur depot list also included route 515P from Pallavaram to Mahabalipuram, DT Next reported; its stop list was not on the route pages we checked.

At the far end, the UNESCO listing for the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, inscribed in 1984, covers the rathas, Arjuna’s Penance and the Shore Temple from the 7th and 8th centuries. The Ministry of Tourism’s Incredible India itinerary for the town groups the Shore Temple, Arjuna’s Penance, Krishna’s Butter Ball and the Pancha Rathas as the main sights.

Planning a trip down the coast

Start early. With gaps of one to two hours on all three routes, the first buses of the day give the most room for a return trip.
Pick your starting point by route: Broadway and the Marina for 109, Adyar bus stand for 588, and T. Nagar or Saidapet for 599.
For the beaches and villages between Kottivakkam and Muttukadu, any of the three will do, since they share every stop on that stretch.
For Mamallapuram itself, only 588 and 599 go all the way; a bus marked for Kovalam will leave you about two-thirds of the way there.

57 km

Length of route 599 from T. Nagar to Mamallapuram, the longest of the ECR routes here, with an average gap of 2 hours in MTC route data.

Quick answers

Which MTC bus goes to Mamallapuram on ECR?

Route 588 from Adyar bus stand and route 599 from T. Nagar both end at Mamallapuram, per MTC route data.

Which bus goes from Broadway to Kovalam?

Route 109, 38.3 km, about one bus an hour, from 5 a.m. at Broadway.

Which ECR stops do all routes share?

Thiruvanmiyur, Kottivakkam, Palavakkam, Neelankarai, Injambakkam, Uthandi, Muttukadu and Kovalam.

Can I connect from ECR to OMR by bus?

Yes, at Kovalam: T151 runs Kovalam to Kelambakkam and on to Tambaram East, but infrequently.

Information checked against official sources on 19 October 2026. Routes, timings and fares can change; confirm on the linked official pages or in the Chennai One app before travelling.