Chennai Travel Guide: Fort St George, Marina Beach, Mahabalipuram, Metro and Flights
Chennai, formerly Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu, on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Tamil Nadu Tourism, the state tourism body, describes it as a major port city and says it is referred to as the cultural capital of the South. The Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India site says the city was officially renamed Chennai in 1996.
Incredible India says history has it that the name comes from Chennappa Nayaka, from whom the British East India Company acquired the town in 1639. Flights land at Chennai International Airport (MAA), and the main direct routes recorded from there are named below. The India travel guide covers the rest of the country.
What to see in Chennai
Fort St George
Incredible India says Fort St George was built in 1644 and houses the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and administrative offices. It says the fort's museum holds colonial artefacts of British, French, Scottish and Indian origin, and it lists ticketed entry for the fort and the museum. Incredible India is not the operator, so check the opening hours with the fort and its museum before you go.
Government Museum
The Government Museum was established in 1851, according to Incredible India, which names its Bronze Gallery. It says the museum also houses the National Art Gallery, the Contemporary Art Gallery and a Children's Museum.
Marina Beach
Marina Beach runs for around 13 km along the Bay of Bengal, according to Incredible India, which says a promenade was laid out there in the 1880s by the Governor, Mountstuart Grant Duff. Statues and memorials line the beach, among them the Triumph of Labour, and the food on offer includes freshly roasted corn on the cob and sundal. Vivekananda House and the Victory War Memorial are nearby.
Places of worship
Tamil Nadu Tourism's lists of top attractions and nearby places name the Kapaleeshwarar Temple, the Sri Parthasarathy Temple, Santhome Cathedral and Basilica and the Thousand Lights Mosque. Incredible India's Chennai page adds the Vadapalani Murugan Temple, the Ashtalakshmi Temple, the Kalikambal Kamadeswarar Temple and St Mary's Church.
Parks, museums and other sights
Tamil Nadu Tourism's lists of top attractions and nearby places name Guindy Nature Park, the Crocodile Park, the Police Museum, the Rail Museum, the Lighthouse, Elliot's Beach, Dakshinachitra and the Arignar Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur. Incredible India's Chennai page adds Valluvar Kottam, the Adyar Eco Park and the Madras War Cemetery.
Music, dance and festivals
Incredible India names Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music in its description of the city's culture. Among its festivals it names Pongal and the Margazhi Festival, a month-long festival of classical music and dance. Check the dates for the year you travel.
When to visit Chennai
Tamil Nadu Tourism names the winter season, November to February, as the ideal time for a leisure visit, when the temperature is moderate. It describes Chennai's climate as tropical and humid year-round, with hot and humid summers. Incredible India gives the same months as the best time for Marina Beach.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) records October to December as the north-east monsoon season, the chief rainy season for the Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal subdivision, in a report by its Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai. IMD describes this monsoon as confined to parts of southern peninsular India. November and December fall in both periods, so check the forecast close to your travel dates.
Flying to Chennai
Chennai's airport is Chennai International Airport, run by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The airport has its own station at the end of the metro's Blue Line, and an AAI release of July 2024 says a covered walkalator links the terminals to it.
Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses, prepaid taxis and app cabs also serve the airport, and the airport page has the details of each.
Main routes recorded from Chennai International Airport
The site's schedule data records direct domestic flights from Chennai to Delhi, Bengaluru (Bangalore), Mumbai (Bombay), Kolkata (Calcutta) and Hyderabad, and also to Pune, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Kochi and Goa (Dabolim). Each name links to its route page, and the airport page lists the other routes recorded from Chennai.
The airlines recorded on these routes include IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air.
Getting around Chennai
Chennai Metro
Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) runs the Blue Line and the Green Line, and a CMRL press release of 10 October 2026 announced regular passenger services on its Yellow Line (Corridor 4), from Poonamallee Bypass to Vadapalani, from 11 October 2026. The Blue Line runs from Wimco Nagar Depot to Chennai International Airport, through stations including Washermenpet, High Court, Government Estate, LIC, Thousand Lights, Teynampet, Saidapet, Guindy and Meenambakkam. The Green Line runs from Central to St. Thomas Mount, through stations including Egmore, Nehru Park, Kilpauk, Koyambedu and Vadapalani.
CMRL's station lists give long names, so the metro station at Chennai Central is known as Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Metro, and Alandur as Arignar Anna Alandur Metro. Both of those stations appear on the Blue Line and Green Line lists. CMRL's website has a travel planner, the timetable and fares.
Suburban trains and railway stations
Tamil Nadu Tourism names Chennai's main railway terminals as Chennai Central (Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station), Chennai Egmore, Chennai Beach and Tambaram, and says the city is the headquarters of the Southern Railway. It describes the suburban network as running from Beach to Chengalpet, from Chennai Central to Arakkonam and from Chennai Central to Gummidipoondi.
A CMRL page of June 2024 lists metro stations with suburban or mainline railway stations nearby, among them Central, Egmore, Guindy, Saidapet and St. Thomas Mount. Check suburban train timings with the Southern Railway.
Buses
MTC, a Government of Tamil Nadu undertaking, runs buses in the city and says it serves the entire Chennai Metropolitan Area. Its website has route information and live bus tracking. Tamil Nadu Tourism names the Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminal (CMBT) at Koyambedu and says the Madhavaram Mofussil Bus Terminus provides outstation and inter-state transport services.
Day trips and weekend getaways from Chennai
Incredible India lists Mamallapuram, Puducherry (Pondicherry), Kanchipuram and the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary among the places that make day trips or weekend getaways from Chennai.
Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscribed the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram as a World Heritage Site in 1984. UNESCO describes a group of sanctuaries founded by the Pallava kings and carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast, and says the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) monitors and maintains the site.
The ASI names the Five Rathas as the most important of the monolithic temples at Mahabalipuram, and describes the Shore Temple as a temple complex. Incredible India's Mamallapuram page also names the beach, the Mahishasuramardini Cave Temple, Arjuna's Penance and the Cholamandal Artists Village.
As of October 2026, the ASI's page for the site gives its opening hours as 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Entry fees apply. Incredible India gives Chengalpattu Junction as the nearest railway station and Chennai International Airport as the nearest airport.
Incredible India says January brings Pongal and February brings Masi Magam at Mamallapuram, and places the Mahabalipuram Dance Festival in December, with Arjuna's Penance as its backdrop.
Questions about visiting Chennai
When is the best time to visit Chennai?
Tamil Nadu Tourism names November to February as the ideal time for a leisure visit. IMD records October to December as the north-east monsoon season, the chief rainy season for the Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal subdivision, so November and December fall in both.
Is Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
UNESCO inscribed the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram as a World Heritage Site in 1984. Incredible India lists Mamallapuram among the day trips and weekend getaways from Chennai.
What are the opening hours of the Mahabalipuram monuments?
As of October 2026, the ASI's page for the site gives its opening hours as 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Does the Chennai Metro go to the airport?
Yes. CMRL's Blue Line runs from Wimco Nagar Depot to its Chennai International Airport station.
What was Chennai's former name?
Chennai was formerly Madras, and Incredible India says the city was officially renamed Chennai in 1996.
Which day trips from Chennai does Incredible India suggest?
Incredible India lists Mamallapuram, Puducherry, Kanchipuram and the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary among the day trips or weekend getaways from Chennai.