Trip Scam

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Chennai, India

Getting around Chennai

How to travel around Chennai — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Chennai Metro

Chennai Metro
Photo: KARTY JazZ · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Two lines connecting the airport, the central stations and much of the west of the city.

2. Suburban rail

Suburban rail
Photo: Srini G · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

The MRTS and suburban lines, cheap and useful for the coastal stretch.

3. Auto-rickshaw

Auto-rickshaw
Photo: AHands at English Wikipedia · Public domain · source

Plentiful, and metered by law.

Watch outFixed fares quoted several times the meter rate. Ride apps avoid the negotiation.

4. MTC buses

MTC buses
Photo: w:user:PlaneMad · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

A dense, very cheap network — the way most of the city actually moves.

5. East Coast Road

East Coast Road
Photo: w:user:PlaneMad · CC BY-SA 2.5 · source

The coastal highway south towards Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry, and one of the better drives in India.

Booking apps in India

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Uber

Cars, autos and motorbikes with the fare shown before booking.

Ola

The main Indian ride-hailing operator, covering cars, autos and bikes.

Rapido

Motorbike-taxi first, and usually the fastest way across a congested city.

IRCTC Rail Connect

The official Indian Railways booking app — the only legitimate source for reserved tickets.

Namma Yatri

Zero-commission auto-rickshaw booking run with driver unions, cheaper than the aggregators.

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