Air Chennai is an international arrival point for India as well as an important domestic airport. There are flights from Singapore (Singapore Airlines and Air India), Penang (MAS) and Colombo (Air Lanka and Indian Airlines). There are frequent domestic connections between Chennai and Bombay Rs 740, Calcutta Rs 930 and Delhi Rs 1100. Other Indian Airlines connections include Bangalore Rs 220, Cochin Rjs 465, Coimbatore Rs 355, Hyderabad Rs 385, Madurai Rs 305, Nagpur Rs 605, Trichy Rs 225 and Trivandrum Rs 435.

Rail The rail journey to Delhi is 2188 km in length, taking from 40 hours and costing Rs 340 in 1st class, Rs 83 in 2nd. Calcutta is 1662 km away and takes from 33 hours at a cost of Rs 280 in 1st, Rs 68 in 2nd. Bombay trains take from 26 hours to cover the 1279 km at a cost of Rs 229 in 1st, Rs 56 in 2nd. The Bombay, Calcutta and Delhi trains all depart from Chennai Central Station.

There are daily trains from Central to Emakulam /Cochin a 700 km trip taking 12 hours and costing Rs 142 in 1st, Rs 34 in 2nd. This train continues on to Quilon and Trivandrum. The daily Yercaud Express, also from Central, takes 10½ hours to make the 530 km trip to Mettuppalaiyam from where you continue by the rack train up to Ooty. Fares are Rs 110 in 1st, Rs 26 in 2nd.

Bangalore, 356 km away, is connected by frequent trains from Central. The fast Brindavan Express and Bangalore Mail take just seven hours at a fare of Rs 83 in 1st, Rs 19 in 2nd. Also from Central the daily Hyderabad Express whisks you to Hyderabad, a 794 km journey, in 16 hours for Rs 155 in 1st, Rs 38in 2nd. From Egmore there are a number of daily trains to Trichy 337 km direct, eight hours, Rs 80 in 1st, Rs 18 in 2nd. They continue on to Madurai 492 km, 11 hours, Rs 106 in 1st, Rs 25 in 2nd. Starting from Chennai Beach Station on some days and Egmore Station on others, the Ganga Kaveri takes 18 hours to make the 666 km trip to Rameswarum at a fare of Rs 137 in 1st, Rs 33 in 2nd. There are also trains from Egmore to Pondicherry (a five hour trip costing Rs 52 in 1st, Rs 12 in 2nd), Chidambaram and Tanjore.

Apart from the two main railway stations there is also a Southern Railway Booking Office on Mount Rd which is open 10 am to 6 pm but can only reserve 2nd class. If you want tourist quota sleeping berths it's best to check first with the Southern Railway booking office next to Central Station. The booking hours at Egmore and Central are 8.30 am to 1 pm and 1.30 to 4.30 pm for both classes.

Bus Both the Tamil Nadu State Transport and the privately run Tiruvalluvar Transport Corporation have their terminals off Esplanade Rd. The schedule at the State Transport depot is entirely in Tamil (as elsewhere in the state) except for the Mhabalipuram buses. This does not present any real difficulties since an army of young boys attach themselves to every foreigner who enters the terminal and for 10-20 paise (though, naturally, they try for more) find you your bus. Services to most large towns in the state are frequent. The Tiruvalluvar schedule is in English.

There are 11 daily State Transport buses (19A) to Mahabalipuram from 6.20 am to 8.15 pm. There are also 11 number 19C buses from 6 am to 8.30 pm and five number 68 buses from 9.30 am to 7.40 pm. The 2 1/2 hour journey costs Rs 3.20 or 4.10 depending on whether the bus takes the snorter coast route or goes via Chingleput.

Tiruvalluvar buses include:

To Bangalore: five ordinary buses via Kanchipuram, Vellore, Ambur and Hosur from 7 am to 11 pm. Two air-con buses at 8.30 am and 8 pm via Kanchipuram and Chitoor.

To Coirnbatore: five buses between 4 and 8.25 pm, the trip takes 12 hours.

To Madurai: two buses at 8.15 and 10.30 pm, they go via Trichy.

To Mysore: one bus at 9 am, the trip takes about nine hours.

To Nagarcoil: nine buses via Trichy and Madurai between 5.30 am and 11 pm. It's a 15 hour trip.

To Pondicherry: six buses between 6.30 am and 11.30 pm.

To Rameswarum: four buses at 9 am and 5.45, 7 and 7.45 pm.

To Tanjore: two buses at 6 am and 11 pm.
To Trichy: 10 buses from 4 am to 11.30 pm.

To Trivandrum: two buses at 4 pm (air-con) and 9 pm. The trip takes about 16 hours.

 ۞ Boat
The Shipping Corporation India have two interesting services out of Chennai. Their agents are K P V Shaikh Mohammed Rowther & Co, 202 Linghi Chetty St. Note that Linghi Chetty St has been re-numbered several times and their address is sometimes quoted as 41. The services are:

To Malaysia & Singapore: the usual route is Chennai - Nagappattinam - Penang - Singapore - Port Kelang - Penang - Nagappattinam - Chennai but some sailings also include Trinconalee in SriLanka.

The ship is the mv Chidanbaram and the journey takes 4 ½ days to Penang and 6 ½ to Singapore including a one-day stop at Penang. Singapore passengers can disembark while tie ship is in Penang. On the return jouney Penang-Chennai takes 3 ½ days. There is a sailing about every 21 days. Classes of accommodation range down from deluxe three cabins with attached silting room, bathroom and a TV; A grade 2-3 berth cabin with attached bathroom; B grade similar to A; dormitory 1 4, 6 or 8 berth cabins, some wih attached bathrooms others with shared facilities; dormitory 2 10-berth compartments with attached shower only; bunk large compartments with shared bathroom and toilet facilities.

Bedding is not provided for bunk class passengers. There is a choice of Indian or western food for cabin class passengers, Indian only for dormitory and bunk class although there is a choice of vegetarian or non-vegetarian food which is served in a separate dining room. Westerners are not allowed in either dormitory 1 or bunk class. Fares include all surcharges and port taxes but there is an extra charge for staying on board in Penang if you are bound for Singapore. Student concessions are allowed only for nationals of Malaysia, India and Singapore. In rupees fares from Chennai are: