Three MTC routes run the full Velachery corridor from Saidapet through Guindy’s Race Course Road junction and Velachery to Medavakkam and Tambaram East: A51, 51D and 51H. A51, which starts at the High Court, is by far the most frequent, at an average of one bus every 20 minutes in MTC route data. The other two run about every 1.2 hours (51H) and every 4.1 hours (51D).
The corridor also gained a rail link in 2026, when the Velachery to St Thomas Mount MRTS section opened. This guide sets out the bus routes, the stops they share and the metro and MRTS connections. 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.
Saidapet to Velachery
All the through routes enter the corridor at Saidapet and Concorde. Their stop lists then name the junction with Race Course Road (on A51, the Guindy Race Course office stop), Guru Nanak College and Velachery. 23V from Villivakkam uses exactly this sequence and ends at Velachery. 570 crosses the corridor rather than following it: it runs from Guindy Race Course to the Velachery Checkpost and Guru Nanak College, then turns east along Dhandeeswaram towards Taramani and OMR.
Velachery to Tambaram East
South of Velachery the three 51-series routes share Madipakkam Road junction, Narayanapuram, Medavakkam Colony and the junction of the Velachery-Tambaram Road with the road to Mambakkam. A51 and 51H then run S.I.V.E.T, Mahalakshmi Nagar and Convent to Tambaram East. 51D takes a longer path through Vengaivasal, Noothancheri, Madambakkam and Camp Road before Convent, which is why it is the longest route here at 38.6 km. T151 joins at the Medavakkam junction, coming from the OMR side.
| Route | Ends | Length | Average gap | Corridor section |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A51 | High Court to Tambaram East | 34.3 km | 20 min | Saidapet to Tambaram East |
| 51H | Saidapet to Tambaram East | 22.9 km | 1.2 hrs | Saidapet to Tambaram East |
| 23V | Villivakkam to Velachery | 26.8 km | 2.9 hrs | Saidapet to Velachery |
| T151 | Tambaram East to Kovalam | 32.7 km | 3.5 hrs | Medavakkam junction to Tambaram East |
| 51D | High Court to Tambaram East | 38.6 km | 4.1 hrs | Saidapet to Tambaram East, via Vengaivasal |
Source: MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route pages, opened 19 October 2026. Gaps are averages and may be dated.
The A51 page lists a 5 a.m. first bus from both the High Court and Tambaram East; the 51D, 51H and 23V pages give no first or last bus times. Because the three 51-series routes share every stop from Saidapet to Medavakkam, the practical rule is to take whichever comes first, unless you need Vengaivasal or Madambakkam, which only 51D serves. 51D and A51 also start further north, at the High Court, and run down Anna Salai, so they double as a direct link from Central to Velachery without changing at Saidapet.
Average gap on route A51, the most frequent through bus from Saidapet to Velachery and Tambaram East, in MTC route data.
Metro and MRTS connections
The Velachery to St Thomas Mount MRTS section was thrown open to the public on 14 March 2026, UNI reported, linking Velachery’s rail station with St Thomas Mount, where the CMRL station list places the end of the Green Line. On the bus side, CMRL’s Metro Connect list names two small-bus feeders into Velachery: S97 from Guindy Metro via Chellammal College, Guindy Race Course, Phoenix Mall and Guru Nanak College to Velachery Vijayanagar bus stand, and S83 from Alandur Metro via Adambakkam and Velachery MRTS to Guru Nanak College.
When AC electric buses were flagged off on 25 August 2026, the Alandur depot list included D70 from Ambattur Industrial Estate to Velachery, DT Next reported.
- Saidapet to Velachery: any of A51, 51H, 51D or 23V; A51 comes most often.
- Velachery to Medavakkam or Tambaram East: A51 first, 51H as back-up.
- Guindy Metro to Velachery: small bus S97, or S83 from Alandur Metro.
- Velachery to St Thomas Mount: the MRTS section opened in March 2026.
Quick answers
Which bus goes from Saidapet to Velachery?
A51, 51H, 51D and 23V all run Saidapet, Concorde, Race Course Road junction, Guru Nanak College and Velachery, per MTC route data.
Which bus goes from Velachery to Tambaram?
A51, 51H and 51D run to Tambaram East via Medavakkam. A51 averages a bus every 20 minutes.
Is there a metro feeder to Velachery?
Yes. CMRL lists small bus S97 from Guindy Metro and S83 from Alandur Metro.
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.
Sources
- Route A51: High Court to Tambaram East (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Route 51D: High Court to Tambaram East (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Route 51H: Saidapet to Tambaram East (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Route 23V: Villivakkam to Velachery (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Route 570: CMBT to Kelambakkam (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Route T151: Tambaram East to Kovalam (MTC route data via Spirit of Chennai route page)
- Chennai Metro Rail: operational lines and stations (CMRL)
- Metro Connect feeder services and MTC small buses (CMRL)
- Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Chennai (Government of Tamil Nadu)
- Velachery-St Thomas Mount Phase-II MRTS rail service opens for commuters (UNI)
- CM Vijay flags off 130 new AC electric and 120 regular buses in Chennai (DT Next)
- TN launches Chennai One app for travel on public transport with a single QR ticket (PTI via The Week)
