Koyambedu or Kilambakkam comes down to the road your bus takes. Government buses heading south via Chengalpattu and Tindivanam, including those to Trichy, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Salem, Coimbatore and Puducherry, leave from Kilambakkam (KCBT); ECR, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Hosur, Bengaluru and Tiruttani services stay at Koyambedu (CMBT); and Andhra-bound buses via Ponneri use Madhavaram.
The numbers
Chennai has three permanent mofussil bus termini, and picking the wrong one can cost you two hours across the city. Koyambedu, officially Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MGR Bus Terminus, was the single hub until January 2024. On 30 January 2024 all 710 buses running via Chengalpattu and Tindivanam moved to the Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus at Kilambakkam, and 160 services moved to Madhavaram, DT Next reported.
The most recent official list of which buses leave from where came from Transport Minister A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban on 13 October 2026, ahead of the Ayudha Pooja and Deepavali rush, DT Next reported. The lookup table below follows that list and the route names on tnstc.in.
Koyambedu or Kilambakkam: the rule of thumb
Think of the highway out of the city. If your bus leaves on GST Road towards Chengalpattu, it starts at Kilambakkam. That covers every southern district, the Salem and Coimbatore belt (reached via Ulundurpet) and Puducherry and Cuddalore by the Tindivanam road. If it leaves west on the Poonamallee road (Kanchipuram, Vellore, Hosur, Bengaluru) or north-west to Tiruttani and Tirupati, or runs down the East Coast Road, it stays at Koyambedu. North towards Andhra Pradesh via Ponneri, it starts at Madhavaram.
Lookup table: which terminus for which district
| Destinations | Chennai terminus | Road out |
|---|---|---|
| Trichy, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Nagercoil, Sengottai | Kilambakkam (KCBT) | GST Road via Tindivanam |
| Salem, Coimbatore, Tiruppur | Kilambakkam (KCBT) | GST Road, then via Ulundurpet |
| Puducherry, Cuddalore, Chidambaram (via Tindivanam) | Kilambakkam (KCBT) | GST Road via Tindivanam |
| Thanjavur, Kumbakonam, Nagapattinam | Kilambakkam; Maraimalai Nagar temporary stand in festival rush | GST Road |
| Tiruvannamalai, Vandavasi, Vellore (festival specials) | Temporary stand at CMDA Climate Park near Kilambakkam | GST Road |
| Puducherry, Cuddalore and beyond via ECR | Koyambedu (CMBT) | East Coast Road |
| Kanchipuram, Vellore, Hosur, Tirupattur, Bengaluru, Tiruttani | Koyambedu (CMBT) | Poonamallee road / Tiruttani road |
| Andhra Pradesh via Ponneri and Uthukottai | Madhavaram (MBT) | North via Ponneri |
Source: Transport Minister’s list, DT Next, 13 Oct 2026; DT Next, Jan 2024; tnstc.in popular routes. Regular Vellore buses stay at Koyambedu; the Climate Park stand serves festival specials.
It’s often said that every government bus has left Koyambedu.
The record shows Only the routes via Chengalpattu and Tindivanam moved. Koyambedu still runs ECR services and the western and north-western routes, and tnstc.in still lists Chennai Dr PT MGR Bus Stand to Bengaluru among its popular SETC routes.
Mofussil buses a day that Koyambedu was built to handle on its 36-acre site, with three bus fingers for about 180 buses at a time, according to CMDA.
Festival weeks add temporary stands
In big travel weeks the state splits loads further. For Ayudha Pooja and Deepavali 2026, the minister listed an open space at the CMDA Climate Park near Kilambakkam for Vandavasi, Vellore and Tiruvannamalai specials, and a temporary stand at Maraimalai Nagar for Kumbakonam, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam, with free MTC shuttles linking it to Kilambakkam. The passenger rules warn that boarding points may change on peak days and at Pongal and Deepavali, so check the point printed on your ticket the day before.
Getting to each terminus
Koyambedu (CMBT). The easiest of the three. The Metro Green Line has a station named for the terminus (Puratchi Thalaivi Dr J. Jayalalithaa CMBT) between Koyambedu and Arumbakkam, on the line from Central to St Thomas Mount. MTC route 170ACT runs from Madhavaram to CMBT over 17.7 km, about every 30 minutes.
Kilambakkam (KCBT). It sits on GST Road beyond Vandalur, with an MTC terminal alongside for city buses. The government’s January 2024 review added a shuttle to Vandalur railway junction for suburban train users. Route 170A links Madhavaram, Koyambedu, the airport, Tambaram and Vandalur Zoo over 43.7 km, roughly every 55 minutes, which covers all three termini on one ticket in a long ride.
Madhavaram (MBT). In the north, reached by 170ACT from Koyambedu. Frequencies on route pages are averages from MTC route data and may be dated; check live timings on the MTC app before you travel.
What this means for you
- Going south or to Salem, Coimbatore or Puducherry via Tindivanam: head for Kilambakkam.
- Going to Bengaluru, Vellore, Hosur, Kanchipuram, Tiruttani or down the ECR: Koyambedu.
- Going to Andhra Pradesh via Ponneri: Madhavaram.
- In festival weeks, read the boarding point on the ticket; temporary stands at Maraimalai Nagar and near Kilambakkam come into use.
- For a Koyambedu enquiry, the SETC bus stand number listed on tnstc.in is 9445014450.
Quick answers
Which buses go from Kilambakkam bus stand?
Government buses via Chengalpattu and Tindivanam: Trichy, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Nagercoil, Sengottai, Salem, Coimbatore, Puducherry, Cuddalore and Chidambaram, per the minister’s October 2026 list.
Which buses still run from Koyambedu?
ECR buses, and services to Kanchipuram, Vellore, Hosur, Bengaluru and Tiruttani, plus regular city-side routes.
Do buses to Bangalore leave from Koyambedu or Kilambakkam?
Koyambedu. SETC lists Chennai Dr PT MGR Bus Stand (Koyambedu) to Bengaluru among its popular routes.
Which buses leave from Madhavaram bus terminus?
Services to Andhra Pradesh via Ponneri and Uthukottai, according to the October 2026 announcement.
How do I get from Koyambedu to Kilambakkam?
MTC buses run between the two along the airport and Tambaram route; 170A from Koyambedu ends at Vandalur Zoo near the terminus. Allow over an hour at peak times.
What to watch
Deepavali, 8 November
Temporary stands at Maraimalai Nagar and the CMDA Climate Park are due to be used for the Deepavali rush, alongside the three permanent termini.
Pending: Kilambakkam railway station
A suburban station and skywalk next to the terminus have been under construction; once open, it will give KCBT a direct train link. Confirm the opening on Southern Railway’s site.
Checked against official sources on 31 October 2026. Timings and fares change; confirm on the operator’s booking site before you travel.
Sources
- TNSTC/SETC online reservation home page: popular routes from Kilambakkam and Dr PT MGR Bus Stand (tnstc.in)
- Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT) (CMDA)
- Press release No. 69: review of Kilambakkam bus terminus operations (Government of Tamil Nadu, 9 January 2024)
- Information: branch and Koyambedu bus stand contacts (tnstc.in)
- Chennai Metro Rail: Green Line stations (CMRL)
- Route 170ACT Madhavaram B.S. to C.M.B.T. (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Route 170A Madhavaram B.S. to Vandaloor Zoo (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)
- All south-bound bus operations to shift to Kilambakkam from today (DT Next, January 2024)
