In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · India
Chennai
சென்னை
Give Chennai 2 nights as a Tamil Nadu staging point: Marina and Mylapore one day, Mamallapuram the next. May–Jun heat and Oct–Dec rain are the months to work around, not to skip the city.
Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the main gateway to the south: a coastal city of temples, colonial Fort St George, long beaches and Carnatic music, with the airport 19 km south-west of the centre. Most travellers use it for two nights before heading to Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram or Pondicherry. The city is hot and humid all year, wettest from October to December.
- Country
- India
- Local name
- சென்னை
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- May–Jun (35–42°C), Oct–Dec (northeast monsoon rain)May–Jun (95–108°F), Oct–Dec (northeast monsoon rain)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid ₹2,500–5,000 excl. bed · High ₹5,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- All services 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Filter coffee | ₹20–60 |
| Dosa or idli breakfast | ₹60–150 |
| Thali or Chettinad meal | ₹200–500 |
| Auto across the centre | ₹150–350 |
| Metro ride | ₹10–50 |
| Museum or temple entry | ₹50–500 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MAA · Chennai International
- About 19 km south-west of the centre; metro Blue Line and suburban rail from Tirusulam, or prepaid taxi/Ola/Uber.About 12 mi south-west of the centre; metro Blue Line and suburban rail from Tirusulam, or prepaid taxi/Ola/Uber.
Typical fares
- MAA airport → centre, prepaid taxi
- about ₹560, 45–60 min
- MAA airport → centre, metro Blue Line
- about ₹50, 40 min
- Chennai → Mamallapuram, car
- about ₹1,500–2,000, 1.5 h
Get around
Chennai Metro (Blue and Green lines) links the airport, Alandur and MGR Chennai Central; suburban rail is cheap but packed at peak. Autos and taxis run on Ola and Uber — agree the fare or use the app meter. Traffic is heavy from 08:00; mornings start early.Chennai Metro (Blue and Green lines) links the airport, Alandur and MGR Chennai Central; suburban rail is cheap but packed at peak. Autos and taxis run on Ola and Uber — agree the fare or use the app meter. Traffic is heavy from 8:00 AM; mornings start early.
See and do
Known for
- Marina Beach
- Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore
- Fort St George and the Egmore museums
- Filter coffee, dosa and Chettinad food
- Chennai Music Festival (mid-Dec to mid-Jan)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) | Car or bus on the East Coast Road | About 1.5–2 h |
| Kanchipuram | Train or car | About 2.5 h |
| Pondicherry | Car or bus on the East Coast Road, about 3 h | About 3.5 h |
| Vellore | Train or car | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Central Chennai (Mylapore, T. Nagar, Egmore)
- Temples, museums and Marina Beach within reach; best first base.
- South Chennai (Adyar, Guindy, airport side)
- Quieter, close to the airport and Mamallapuram road; weaker on sights.
- North Chennai (George Town, near Central)
- Oldest quarter, Fort St George and both main rail stations; rougher streets at night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Vanakkam | வணக்கம்vanakkam |
| Thank you | நன்றிnandri |
| How much is it? | எவ்வளவு?evvalavu |
| Please use the meter | மீட்டர் போடுங்கள்meter podungal |
| Where is the toilet? | கழிப்பறை எங்கே?kazhipparai enge |
| No chilli, please | காரம் வேண்டாம்kaaram vendaam |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- May–Jun heat is dangerous for walking tours; shift sightseeing to early morning.
- October–December northeast monsoon can flood roads and delay flights: check forecasts.
- Auto drivers near stations and Marina often refuse the meter: use the app or fix the price first.
- Only the official e-visa portal is valid; ignore agent sites.
No official safety rating exists for Chennai. The documented practical risks are heat and monsoon flooding, heavy traffic, and auto or taxi drivers who refuse the meter: use Ola/Uber or agree the fare first.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Chennai yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Marina Beach
- Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore
- Fort St George and the Egmore museums
- Filter coffee, dosa and Chettinad food
- Chennai Music Festival (mid-Dec to mid-Jan)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Chennai tourism (official): chennai.nic.in/tourism/
- Greater Chennai Corporation: chennaicorporation.gov.in/
- Chennai International Airport (AAI): www.aai.aero/en/airports/chennai
- Wikivoyage: Chennai, revision 5335662 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5335662
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Chennaiசென்னை
இந்த முகவரிக்கு போங்கள்
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- All services112
The US has a consulate-general in Chennai; most other countries: consulates in Chennai or embassies in New Delhi (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/chennai). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.