ARRIVAL PLAYBOOK · MAA · TAMIL NADU · REVIEWED JUN 2026
Arriving at Chennai.
Chennai International Airport. Here is what happens in the 30 minutes between you clearing immigration and being in the city — counters, fares, the one scam to avoid, and what to do if you land at 2am.
Official airport site →Arrival hall
Terminal 4 (new international terminal, opened 2023) handles most international arrivals. Terminal 2 handles older international and some domestic. Check your boarding pass for the correct exit.
Prepaid taxi counter
Prepaid taxi counters are immediately outside the arrivals exit. Fare to T Nagar / Egmore / Central Railway Station is ₹500–650; to Marina Beach area ₹600–700. Chennai is notable for honest prepaid counters.
Uber / Ola pickup
Uber, Ola, and Savaari have pickup zones on the forecourt. Fares run ₹450–600 to Central Chennai. Auto-rickshaws are also abundant and metered, which is unusual for a major Indian airport.
Metro / rail / bus
Chennai Metro connects the airport to the city — Airport metro station is linked to the terminals by an elevated walkway. Runs 05:00–23:00, ₹10–70 fare to central stations. Suburban rail stop at Tirusulam is a 10-minute walk from T4.
SIM activation
Airtel and BSNL. Chennai is traditionally BSNL-strong — if you are heading to rural Tamil Nadu, a BSNL SIM is worth considering.
ATM / forex
State Bank of India and Indian Bank ATMs are plentiful. Several accept international cards without fuss.
The scam to watch for
Taxi-driver route-padding is the most common Chennai complaint — insist on the prepaid receipt and refuse any request to 'stop at one more place on the way'. The prepaid receipt includes the address and a fixed fare.
After midnight
Prepaid and app cabs run 24×7. Metro and suburban rail shut at 23:00 and restart at 05:00. The airport 24-hour food court is on the first floor of T4.
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