Chennai Bus Routes & MTC Timings 2026

Introduction

Chennai’s city buses are run by the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC). Its route-wise search lists 686 route numbers, from Ennore and Minjur in the north to Kelambakkam and Mamallapuram in the south, and for most people in the city an MTC bus is still the cheapest way to get to work, college, hospital or temple.

This guide lists the route numbers people search for most, grouped by number range, with the first and last departures from each end, fares, night and AC services, and the big terminals at Koyambedu, Kilambakkam and Island Ground.

Endpoints and stops in the tables below were checked against MTC’s route-wise information on 25 September 2026. First and last buses come from the MTC bus timing search, which MTC last updated on 11 September 2026. Routes and timings change, so check MTC before a time-sensitive trip.

One change catches many riders out: MTC moved Broadway bus services temporarily to Royapuram and Island Ground from 24 January 2026. Route 102, for example, now starts at Island Ground, not Broadway.

Route Numbers and Suffixes

MTC route numbers combine digits with letter prefixes or suffixes. Three different “102” buses can pass one stop in ten minutes, each going somewhere else, so the letters matter.

Number series (1 to 599): the core network. Lower numbers mostly serve central and north Chennai. Numbers in the 100s to 500s tend to run longer corridors out to Tambaram, Kelambakkam, Avadi, Poonamallee and Mamallapuram.

MTC does not publish a key to its suffixes. Treat the table as a rule of thumb and always check the exact route.

Suffix	Usually means	Example
A	Alternate route or variant	104A, 102A, 19A
C	Via a specific corridor	104C, 23C
CX	Express via a corridor	104CX
F	Fast or limited stop	104F
X	Express service	57X, 202X, 102X
V	Via an alternate road	70V, 55V, 77V
P	Partial route	102P, 570P
T	Via a specific area	104T, 19T
CT	Combined corridor	102CT
TX	Express corridor	170TX
S	Short route	102S

Letter prefixes:

Prefix	Category	Example routes
A	Arterial	A1, A51
C	Circular	C33, C64
M	Medium or metro feeder	M27, M51V
MAA	Airport	MAA1, MAA2
S	Small (mini) bus	S12, S22, S27, S31
T	Trunk	T29C
E	Electric	E18

So 102CT is a Route 102 variant with its own corridor, and 570P is a shorter 570 that ends at Perumbakkam instead of Kelambakkam.

Types of MTC Bus Services

The board colour and service type decide your fare, how comfortable the ride is and how many stops the bus makes. MTC’s fare list has separate stage fares for Ordinary, Express, Deluxe, Small, Night, electric Deluxe and electric AC services.

Ordinary Services (White Board)

The white-board buses stop at every stop on the route and have the lowest fares. MTC’s home page says women travel free on Ordinary-fare city buses. The benefit goes with the service type, not the route number, so check the board before boarding.

Express and Deluxe Services

Express buses skip some intermediate stops between major hubs, and Deluxe buses add better seating on selected corridors. Both cost more than Ordinary for the same distance.

AC Bus Services

MTC runs AC buses, but whether a particular trip is AC can change even when the route number stays the same. Check the service type in MTC’s tools rather than assuming every 570, 102 or airport-corridor departure is air-conditioned.

The official Travel As You Please pass page lists two monthly passes:

Monthly pass	Price	Services included
Gold	₹1,000	Ordinary, Express, Deluxe and Night; AC excluded
Diamond	₹2,000	Ordinary, Express, Deluxe, AC and Night

Both exclude Lift services and charter trips. If most of your travel is on AC buses, the Diamond pass is the one to count your trips against.

Electric Buses

MTC’s fare list now includes electric (E/V) Deluxe and E/V AC services. The first electric routes announced in 2025 included 2B, 18A, 37, 57, 57X, 70V, 170TX, C33, C64 and T29C, with MAA2 from the airport to Siruseri added later.

Mini Buses (Small Buses)

The S-series routes use smaller buses on narrow interior roads that full-size buses cannot use, such as S31 between Vadapalani and Koyambedu or S27 between Porur and Guindy. MTC added a batch of new small-bus routes in 2025.

Night Service Buses

Chennai does have buses after midnight, on selected routes. MTC publishes a separate night general timing schedule, and its timing search lists trips after midnight on A1, 104C, 170TX and 570 (see the timing table below). That does not mean every route runs all night, or that frequency stays high after the evening peak.

The night schedule also lists 51A between Kilambakkam and Chennai Airport. For a late trip:

• Confirm the departure on the MTC timing page on the same day.
• Reach the terminal early, because night services may use a different bay.
• Keep a cab or auto as backup if you have a train, flight or hospital appointment.
• Expect diversions during festivals, heavy rain and roadworks.

Chennai Bus Routes and Numbers

The tables below cover the routes that get the most searches. Origin and destination are MTC’s own, and “via” names two stops from MTC’s stage list for that route. Routes from the earlier version of this page that no longer appear on MTC’s route list have been left out.

Most Searched MTC Routes (Numbered 1 to 99)

Route	From	To	Via / notes
2A	Anna Square	K. Kannadasan Nagar	Via Regal, Vyasarpadi
2B	K. Kannadasan Nagar	K. Kannadasan Nagar	Via Regal. Circular route. Electric bus
3	Thiagaraya Nagar	Thiruvanmiyur	Via Padavattamman School, Velachery
4	Island Ground	Ennore	Via Anna Nagar, Corborundum Universal
8B	Island Ground	Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar	Via Clive Battery, Jamalaya
13	Thiagaraya Nagar	Island Ground	Via Sun Theater, Chepauk
15	Island Ground	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Via Aminjikarai, Naduvankarai
18A	Royapuram B.S.	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via St. Thomas Mount, Tambaram. Electric bus
19	Thiagaraya Nagar	Thiruporur	Via Mootakaran Chavadi, Navalur. IT corridor. Variants: 19A, 19B, 19C, 19D, 19T
21G	Island Ground	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via Kotturpuram, Tambaram
23C	Besant Nagar	Ayanavaram B.S.	Via Concorde, Egmore
25	Anna Square	Poonamallee	Via Trustpuram, Valasaravakkam
26	Royapuram B.S.	Iyyappanthangal	Via Trustpuram, Virugambakkam. Variants: 26B, 26G, 26K, 26M, 26R
27B	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Anna Square	Via Aminjikarai, Periyar Bridge
29C	Perambur	Besant Nagar	Via Shivashanmugapuram, Mandaveli
31G	Tambaram West	Medavakkam Rd.Jn.	Via Convent, Srinivasa Nagar
32A	Tondiarpet	Vivekananda House	Via Vallalar Nagar, Minerva
32B	Korukkupet R.S.	Vivekananda House	Via Vallalar Nagar
34	Ambattur I.E.	Thiruvotriyur	Via Kelleys, Theagaraya College
37	Vallalar Nagar	Poonamallee	Via Vadapalani, Porur. Electric bus
40A	Anna Square	Pattabiram	Via Aminjikarai, Thirumullaivoyal
40H	Anna Square	Pattabiram	Via Thirumangalam, Thirumullaivoyal
40L	Anna Square	J.J.Nagar West	Via Hotel Arun, Anna Nagar Circle
44	Island Ground	Manali	Via Vallalar Nagar, Tondaiayrpet
45A	Vivekananda House	Madipakkam B.S.	Via Saidapet, Gurunanak College
47T	Thyagaraya Nagar	I.C.F	Via Vidyodaya, Sayani
49A	Thiagaraya Nagar	Poonamallee	Via Virugambakkam, Iyyappanthangal
50	Royapuram B.S.	Thiruverkadu	Via Naduvankarai, Maduravoyal
54	Royapuram B.S.	Poonamallee	Via Concorde, Porur
55V	Tambaram	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via Old Perungalathur, Mannivakkam
55D, 55H	Tambaram	Keerapakkam	Via Sadanandapuram, Kolapakkam
57	Vallalar Nagar	Redhills	Via Moolakadai, Cycle Shop. Electric bus. Variant: 57X
66	Tambaram	Poonamallee	Via Anakaputhur, Sikkarayapuram. Variant: 66PX
70V	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via Pallavaram, Irumbuliyur. Electric bus
70C, 70M	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via Cipet, Tambaram
72	Thiagaraya Nagar	Thiruverkadu	Via Nerkundram, Vaanagaram. Variant: 72M
77	Avadi	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Via Dunlop, Thirumangalam. Variants include 77V, 77E
78	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Thiruvanmiyur	Via Cipet, Guindy TVK Estate
91	Kilambakkam B.S.	Thiruvanmiyur	Via Chromepet, Kamatchi Hospital. Variants: 91A, 91R
96	Adyar B.T.	Tambaram West	Via Thoraipakkam Checkpost, Medavakkam Puliyamaram
99	Tambaram West	Adyar B.S.	Via Perumbakkam Limit, Neelankarai. Variants: 99C, 99X

Routes 100 to 599

Route	From	To	Via / notes
101	Thiruvotriyur	Poonamallee	Via Parrys, Nerkundram. Variant: 101X
102	Island Ground	Kelambakkam	Via Kandanchavadi, Kumaran Nagar. Variants: 102A, 102C, 102CT, 102E, 102K, 102M, 102P, 102S, 102X
104	Redhills	Tambaram	Via Kallikuppam, Toll Plaza. Variants: 104A, 104C, 104CX, 104F, 104G, 104K, 104M, 104P, 104T
109	Island Ground	Kovalam	Via Kottivakkam, Panaiyur. AC variant available
111	Thiruverkadu	Tambaram	Via Nerkundram, Cipet
114	Redhills	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Via Cycle Shop, Thirumangalam. Electric bus
118	Tambaram	Maraimalai Nagar I.E.	Via Urapakkam, Thailapuram. Variant: 118N
120	Royapuram B.S.	Avadi	Via Kamabar Arangam, Dunlop. AC variant available
121	Minjur	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Via Echankuzhi, Malligai Nagar Ave. Variant: 121G
142	Perambur	Vinayagapuram	Via Veenus, Kolathur
150	Royapuram B.S.	Avadi	Via Arumbakkam, Velappanchavadi
153	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Poonamallee	Via Maduravoyal, Velappanchavadi
154	Thiagaraya Nagar	Poonamallee	Via Guindy TVK Estate, Porur
166	Iyyappanthangal	Tambaram	Via Periyapanicheri, Pammal
170TX	K. Kannadasan Nagar	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via Koyambedu School, Chromepet. Electric bus
170C	Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar	Guindy TVK Estate	Via Thirumangalam, Jaffarkhan Pet
188C	Royapuram B.S.	Kundrathur B.S.	Via Ramapuram, Kolapakkam
202	Tambaram	Avadi	Via Chembarambakkam, Kannachery. Variants: 202A, 202X
206	Kilambakkam B.S.	Avadi	Via Vazhathalambedu, Karayancahvadi
221	M.G.R. Central	Thiruporur	Via Thorappakkam Tea Shop, Navalur
242	Island Ground	Redhills	Via Veenus, Kathirvedu
266	Avadi	Tambaram	Via Karayancahvadi, Andarkuppam
297	Kilambakkam B.S.	Thiruvallur	Via Nazarathpet, Murukkancheri
500	Tambaram	Chengalpet N.T.	Via Palakka Company, Ford. Variant: 500P
555G	Shozhanganallur	Guduvanchery	Via Samiyar Pannai, Vengambakkam
570	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Kelambakkam	Via SRP Tools, Kumaran Nagar. IT corridor. Variant 570P ends at Perumbakkam
578	Poonamallee	Sunguvarchathiram	Via Chettipedu, Sriperumbudur
579C	Tambaram New Terminus	Walajabad	Via Vanjivanchery, Kunnavakkam
580	Avadi	Arani	Via Kasanoor, Vadamadurai
583K, 583C	Kilambakkam B.S.	Sriperumbudur	Via Vanjivanchery, Vallakkottai
588	Thiruvanmiyur	Mamallapuram	Via Uthandi Village, Thiruvedanthai
591	Poonamallee	Perambakkam	Via Chettipedu, Sowbakkiya Nagar
597	Thiagaraya Nagar	Thiruvallur	Via Kumunanchavadi, Mettukandigai

Alphabetical Series Routes

Route	From	To	Via / notes
A1	M.G.R. Central	Thiruvanmiyur	Via Mandaveli, Adyar Depot
A51	Royapuram B.S.	Tambaram West	Via Kannigapuram, Medavakkam Colony
C33	K. Kannadasan Nagar	K. Kannadasan Nagar	Via Clive Battery, Jamalia. Electric bus
C64	K. Kannadasan Nagar	K. Kannadasan Nagar	Via Jamalia, Clive Battery. Electric bus
E18	Royapuram B.S.	Guduvanchery	Via Pallavaram, Perungalathur. Electric bus
M27	Thiagaraya Nagar	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Via Vadapalani, Virugambakkam
M51V	Thiagaraya Nagar	Kolathur	Via Gurunanak College, Veerabadra Nagar
MAA1	Chennai Airport	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via Chromepet, Irumbuliyur. Airport connector
MAA2	Chennai Airport	Siruseri I.T Park	Via Sunnambu Kolathur, Sholinganallur. IT corridor to the airport. Electric bus
S12	Guindy Race Course	Velachery R.S.	Via Periyar Nagar
S22	Iyyappanthangal	Kumananchavadi	Via Pattur, Mangadu
S27	Porur	Guindy TVK Estate	Via Maxworth Nagar, Cipet
S31	Vadapalani	M.G.R. Koyambedu	Via Happy Shoppy, Lakshmi Appartments
S42	Korattur	Maduravoyal	Via Thai Moogambigai
S43	Villivakkam	Pudur	Via Senthil Nagar, Madanakuppam
S53	Ambattur I.E.	Maduravoyal Erikarai	Via Moovar Statue, Vanagaram
S75	Ambattur O.T.	Lucas Tvs	Via Karukku, Erikarai
S83	Alandur Metro R.S.	Gurunanak College	Via Brindavan Nagar, Velachery
T29C	Perambur	Thiruvanmiyur	Via Shivashanmugapuram, Mandaveli. Electric bus
V51	Thiagaraya Nagar	Kilambakkam B.S.	Via Gurunanak College, Tambaram East

Notes on electric and AC buses come from MTC announcements in 2025. The bus type on a given trip can differ, so check the timing page if it matters to you.

MTC Bus Timings

There is no single start time for Chennai buses. First and last departures differ by route, by direction and by terminal, and a bus may leave one end at 4 a.m. but not start from the other end until 6:30.

Route-Wise First and Last Bus Timings

Departures from each end of the route, as listed in MTC’s timing search (updated 11 September 2026):

Route	From	First and last departure	From	First and last departure
A1	M.G.R. Central	3:00 a.m. to 11:15 p.m., plus 6 trips after midnight	Thiruvanmiyur	3:35 a.m. to 11:55 p.m., plus 5 trips after midnight
23C	Besant Nagar	4:00 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.	Ayanavaram B.S.	3:30 a.m. to 9:35 p.m.
102	Island Ground	6:35 a.m. to 9:40 p.m.	Kelambakkam	4:40 a.m. to 9:55 p.m.
104C	Kilambakkam B.S.	3:25 a.m. to 11:40 p.m., plus 6 trips after midnight	M.G.R. Koyambedu	3:20 a.m. to 11:35 p.m., plus 5 trips after midnight
170TX	K. Kannadasan Nagar	5:20 a.m. to 9:07 p.m.	Kilambakkam B.S.	3:15 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., plus 4 trips after midnight
202X	Kilambakkam B.S.	3:55 a.m. to 9:25 p.m.	Avadi	5:20 a.m. to 10:17 p.m.
570	M.G.R. Koyambedu	3:15 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., plus 6 trips after midnight	Kelambakkam	3:15 a.m. to 9:10 p.m., plus 5 trips after midnight
588	Thiruvanmiyur	4:50 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.	Mamallapuram	6:30 a.m. to 9:40 p.m.
S31	Vadapalani	5:00 a.m. to 9:05 p.m.	M.G.R. Koyambedu	5:55 a.m. to 10:05 p.m.
591	Poonamallee	8:00 a.m. to 7:40 p.m.	Perambakkam	not listed

MTC’s timing search lists every scheduled departure for a route number, including short trips that start from depots along the way. The times above are from the two terminals only. “Not listed” means the timing search showed no departures from that end under that name.

To find a first or last bus for another route:

1. Search the full route number, including its suffix.
2. Choose your actual starting point in MTC’s timing search.
3. Check the reverse direction separately for a return trip.
4. Check the night schedule if the normal timetable ends before you need to travel.

Route 104 and Its Variants

“104 bus timings” has no single answer, because the letters make these different services. The base Route 104 runs between Redhills and Tambaram. Most of the lettered variants run to Kilambakkam Bus Terminus.

Variant	From	To
104	Redhills	Tambaram
104A	Avadi	Kilambakkam B.S.
104C	Kilambakkam B.S.	M.G.R. Koyambedu
104CX	Guduvanchery	M.G.R. Koyambedu
104F	Madhavaram B.S.	Kilambakkam B.S.
104M	M.M.B.T.	Kilambakkam B.S.
104T	Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar	Kilambakkam B.S.

104C has far more departures than 104CX, running from both ends from about 3:20 a.m. to 11:40 p.m. and a few trips after midnight. 104CX runs from Guduvanchery between 5:20 a.m. and 10:25 p.m., and from Koyambedu between 6:20 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

Older route lists (including an earlier version of this page) put 104C on the Guduvanchery corridor. MTC now lists that corridor as 104CX, so check the suffix before you board.

Route 102: Island Ground to Kelambakkam

Route 102 used to start at Broadway. With Broadway services moved, MTC’s route record now starts it at Island Ground and runs it via Chepauk, Adyar, Thoraipakkam, Sholinganallur and Navalur to Kelambakkam, 21 stops in all.

Variant	From	To
102	Island Ground	Kelambakkam
102A	Thiruvanmiyur	Pudupakkam / Vandalur Road Junction
102C	Island Ground	Semmancheri S.C.B.
102CT	Thiruvanmiyur	Siruseri IT Park
102K	Island Ground	Kannagi Nagar S.C.B.
102M	Adyar B.S.	Manamathi
102P	Island Ground	Perumbakkam S.C.B.
102S	Island Ground	Okkiyam Thoraipakkam Secretariat Colony
102X	Island Ground	Thiruporur

102 timings: from Island Ground, 6:35 a.m. to 9:40 p.m.; from Kelambakkam, 4:40 a.m. to 9:55 p.m. The IT corridor between Thoraipakkam and Sholinganallur is served by 102, 102C, 102P and 102X.

Route 570: Koyambedu to Kelambakkam

Route 570 connects M.G.R. Koyambedu with Kelambakkam through Guindy, Velachery and the OMR IT corridor, and it is the main bus for people working in Sholinganallur, Navalur and the tech parks near Siruseri. The 570P variant ends at Perumbakkam.

570 timings: from Koyambedu, 3:15 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., with six more trips after midnight. From Kelambakkam, 3:15 a.m. to 9:10 p.m., plus five trips after midnight. The 570 is one of the few routes where you can reasonably expect a bus at any hour.

Routes 202 and 202X: Avadi to Tambaram and Kilambakkam

Route 202 links Avadi in the north-west with Tambaram in the south without entering central Chennai, via Mudichur, Chembarambakkam and Pattabiram. 202A also runs Tambaram to Avadi. 202X runs from Avadi to Kilambakkam Bus Terminus.

202X timings: from Kilambakkam, 3:55 a.m. to 9:25 p.m.; from Avadi, 5:20 a.m. to 10:17 p.m.

Route 170TX

MTC’s route-wise record lists 170TX between K. Kannadasan Nagar and Kilambakkam Bus Terminus, via Madhavaram, Thirumangalam, the airport, Chromepet and Tambaram, 26 stops. Its night schedule shows the late trips on the Koyambedu to Kilambakkam section.

170TX timings: from Kannadasan Nagar, 5:20 a.m. to 9:07 p.m.; from Kilambakkam, 3:15 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., plus four trips after midnight.

Route A1: Central to Thiruvanmiyur

Route A1 runs from M.G.R. Central to Thiruvanmiyur with only nine stops, via Mandaveli and Adyar Depot. It is one of the most frequent routes on this page, with about 150 departures a day from each end. The first leave around 3:00 a.m. from Central and 3:35 a.m. from Thiruvanmiyur, the day’s service runs past 11 p.m., and a handful of trips run after midnight.

Route 588 and the ECR

Route 588 is often cited as the longest MTC route. It runs from Thiruvanmiyur to Mamallapuram along East Coast Road, 25 stops, via Kovalam and Muttukkadu. Older lists, including an earlier version of this page, gave the start as Adyar.

588 timings: from Thiruvanmiyur, 4:50 a.m. to 8:15 p.m.; from Mamallapuram, 6:30 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. Route 515 also reaches Mamallapuram, from Tambaram.

It is the direct MTC option for a Mahabalipuram day trip, and it passes Muttukkadu, the stop for MGM Dizzee World.

Fares and Monthly Passes

Stage-Wise Fares

MTC charges by stage. These are MTC’s published adult fares (effective 29 January 2018, G.O. (Ms.) No. 48):

Stage	Ordinary (₹)	Express (₹)	Deluxe (₹)
1	5	7	11
2	6	9	13
3	7	10	15
4	8	12	17
5	9	13	19
6	10	15	21
8	12	18	25
10	14	21	29
12	15	22	31
15	17	25	35
20	19	28	39
25	22	33	45
30	24	35	49

Night, Small, electric and Chennai Ula services have their own fare tables on the MTC fares page.

Monthly Passes

The Gold (₹1,000, no AC) and Diamond (₹2,000, includes AC) passes are described under AC bus services above. MTC says digital passes became available through the Chennai One app on 27 November 2025, valid for one month from purchase. Student, senior-citizen and other concession passes are listed on MTC’s site.

Payment Methods

• Cash: accepted on all buses
• Singara Chennai Card: reloadable travel card
• UPI and digital payment: accepted on select services
• Monthly pass: from MTC counters or through the Chennai One app

Major Bus Terminals

Most Chennai bus routes start or end at one of these terminals. The route lists come from MTC’s route records for the routes on this page, so each terminal has more routes than shown.

M.G.R. Koyambedu (CMBT)

Koyambedu is the city’s largest terminus for both long-distance and city buses, with the CMBT metro station on the Green Line next door. Routes on this page that start or end here: 15, 27B, 70C, 70V, 77, 77V, 78, 104C, 104CX, 114, 121, 153, 570, 570P, M27 and S31.

Kilambakkam Bus Terminus (KCBT)

Kilambakkam, beyond Vandalur, is the southern hub for city and intercity buses. Routes on this page that start or end here: 18A, 21G, 55V, 70C, 70M, 70V, 91, 104A, 104C, 104F, 104M, 104T, 170TX, 202X, 206, 297, 583K, MAA1 and V51.

Island Ground and Royapuram (Broadway services)

With Broadway services moved from 24 January 2026, Island Ground and Royapuram carry the old Broadway load. From Island Ground: 4, 8B, 13, 15, 21G, 44, 102, 102C, 102K, 102P, 102S, 102X, 109 and 242. From Royapuram: 18A, 26, 50, 54, 120, 150, 188C, A51 and E18.

Madhavaram Mofussil Bus Terminus

Madhavaram is the northern terminus for intercity buses towards Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu. Route 104F runs from Madhavaram to Kilambakkam.

Other Major Bus Stands

Bus stand	Area	Routes on this page
T. Nagar (Thiagaraya Nagar)	Central-west	3, 13, 19, 19A, 19T, 49A, 72, 154, 597, M27, M51V, V51
Tambaram	South	31G, 55D, 55V, 66, 104, 111, 118, 166, 202, 202A, 500, 515, A51
Avadi	North-west	77, 104A, 120, 150, 202, 202A, 202X, 206, 266, 580
Perambur	North	29C, 142, T29C
Thiruvanmiyur	South-east	3, 78, 91, 102A, 102CT, 588, A1, T29C

How Do You Check MTC Bus Timings and Chennai Bus Routes?

1. Find the exact route number. Use the route finder at the top of this page, and include every letter of the suffix, such as 104C or 57X.
2. Confirm the stops. Open MTC route-wise information and select the route to see whether it serves your boarding stop.
3. Check the scheduled departure. Open the MTC bus timing search, pick the route and starting point, and read the times in 24-hour format.
4. Check where the bus is now. MTC’s live tracking (from its home page) or Google Maps transit shows current movement. A timetable only tells you when a bus is scheduled.
5. Leave a buffer. Traffic, rain, roadworks and short-notice diversions change Chennai bus timings, especially on OMR, GST Road, Anna Salai and around the big terminals.

Apps such as Moovit and Google Maps are useful for planning, but they can lag behind MTC’s own changes. When they disagree, go with MTC. The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority also publishes MTC, Metro and suburban rail data at Transit Data Chennai.

What Are the TNSTC and SETC Bus Routes From Chennai?

MTC runs only the city network. Intercity buses from Chennai are run by two other state corporations:

TNSTC (Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation) runs buses from Kilambakkam, Koyambedu and Madhavaram to towns across Tamil Nadu, including Kanchipuram, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore and Puducherry.

SETC (State Express Transport Corporation) runs long-distance express and AC services to cities such as Madurai, Tiruchi, Coimbatore, Salem, Tirunelveli, Puducherry and Bengaluru.

Route	From	To	Operator	Approx. journey
Chennai to Puducherry	Kilambakkam / Koyambedu	Puducherry	TNSTC / SETC	3.5 hours
Chennai to Tiruvannamalai	Kilambakkam / Koyambedu	Tiruvannamalai	TNSTC	4 hours
Chennai to Kanchipuram	Kilambakkam / Koyambedu	Kanchipuram	TNSTC	2 hours
Chennai to Vellore	Koyambedu / Madhavaram	Vellore	TNSTC	3 hours
Chennai to Coimbatore	Koyambedu	Coimbatore	SETC	8 hours
Chennai to Mysuru	Koyambedu	Mysuru	SETC	8 hours
Madhavaram to Tirupati	Madhavaram	Tirupati	TNSTC	3.5 hours

Departure terminals for intercity buses have shifted since Kilambakkam opened, so confirm yours when you book on the TNSTC booking site. TNSTC and SETC buses can be tracked with the PNR number on your ticket.

Popular Corridors

• Koyambedu to Kelambakkam and the OMR IT parks: Route 570, or 570P if you are going only as far as Perumbakkam.
• Island Ground (old Broadway services) to Kelambakkam: Route 102, or 102X to Thiruporur.
• Avadi to Kilambakkam: Route 202X, without entering the city centre.
• Central to Thiruvanmiyur: Route A1, from M.G.R. Central.
• Koyambedu and Central: Route 15 serves both, on its way between Island Ground and Koyambedu.
• Sholinganallur to Koyambedu: 570 or 570P. To Island Ground: 102, 102C, 102P or 102X.
• Kilambakkam to Island Ground: Route 21G, via Mandaveli, Kotturpuram, Guindy and Tambaram.
• Tambaram or Thiruvanmiyur to Mamallapuram: 515 or 588.

Airport Buses: MAA1 and MAA2

MAA2 runs from Chennai Airport to Siruseri IT Park via Sholinganallur, 19 stops, for people working on OMR. MAA1 runs from the airport to Kilambakkam Bus Terminus. After midnight, the night schedule lists 51A between Kilambakkam and the airport.

For other airport options, see the complete Chennai guide.

Chennai Ula Heritage Bus

MTC also runs the Chennai Ula hop-on hop-off heritage bus, on a circular route past Fort St. George, the Government Museum, Marina Beach, Kapaleeshwarar Temple and Valluvar Kottam, with its own fares on MTC’s fare list. Read the full guide: Chennai Ula Hop-On Hop-Off Heritage Bus.

Recent Route Changes

• Broadway services moved temporarily to Royapuram and Island Ground from 24 January 2026, so Route 102 and other former Broadway routes now start there.
• 104C and 104CX: MTC now lists 104C as Kilambakkam to Koyambedu and gives the Guduvanchery corridor to 104CX.
• Timetable update: MTC’s timing search was last updated on 11 September 2026.
• Digital monthly passes through the Chennai One app since 27 November 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Bus Goes From Koyambedu to Chennai Central?

Route 15 stops at both M.G.R. Koyambedu and M.G.R. Central. For other options, put both places into the route planner tab of the finder above, or use MTC’s route-wise search.

Is MTC the Same as Chennai Metro?

No. MTC runs city buses and Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) runs the metro. Use MTC for bus route numbers, stops, AC buses and night services, and CMRL for metro stations and train timings. The route planner can show a bus-plus-metro trip.

How Can I Find a Bus Stop Near Me?

Use the Bus Stop Near Me tab in the finder and allow location access. The calculation happens on your device. The stop map behind it is older and incomplete, so confirm the boarding point in Google Maps or with the conductor.

Can I Download MTC Bus Routes and Timings as a PDF?

MTC publishes its night schedule as a PDF but not a full timetable. For day services, use MTC’s route-wise and timing search pages.

About the Route Finder Data

The route finder at the top of this page searches 606 reference routes and 8,223 ordered stops from an older copy of MTC’s route-wise data, with official overrides for routes that have changed, such as 102, the 104 family, 170TX and 51A. The nearby-stop tab uses 1,232 stop coordinates from a community map, which is older and partial. The route tables above were checked against MTC directly and are the more current source when the two differ.

MTC Customer Support

• Customer care: +91 94450 30516, customercare.mtc@tn.gov.in
• Toll-free MTC helpline: 149
• Head office: Pallavan Salai, Chennai 600 002. Phone 044-2345 5801, 044-2345 5858, 044-2345 5859
• Official website: mtcbus.tn.gov.in
• Timing search: MTC Bus Timing Search
• Route search: MTC Route-Wise Information
• Fares: MTC Fares
• Monthly passes: Travel As You Please

Found a changed endpoint, a missing stop or a renamed route? Send the route number, direction, boarding stop and date through the contact page.

The routes on this page cross most of the 200 wards and 15 zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation. For how the city grew from a trading post to a metropolis, read our Chennai history guide.