Chennai International Airport is situated at a distance of 7 km towards the south of the city. It is the third largest international and busiest airport in the country, after Delhi and Mumbai. The airport claims the distinction of being one of the first airports in India. The initial terminal was built at Meenambakkam, due to which it was known as the Meenambakkam Airport. The new terminal has been built at Pallavaram, which caters to the passenger traffic. The old terminal is now used for cargo operations by the Indian company, Blue Dart. The passenger terminal complex at Pallavaram consists of two terminals, one of which is domestic, while the other is international. Both the terminals are connected via a link building, which has administrative offices as well as a restaurant. The domestic terminal is known as Kamaraj Terminal while the international is known as Anna Terminal. Madras International Airport has flights running to all the major cities of the country. Also, it connects Chennai with the major cities and countries of the world via a strong air network. The airport is looked after by the Airports Authority of India. There are a number of facilities offered by the airports authority for the convenience of the passengers. Almost all these facilities have been mention in the information provided below.
- Free Telephone in security hold area
- Special Assistance for physically handicapped passengers.
- Reserved parking, rest places, PCOs, Toilets, etc
- Reserved lounge / Executive lounge
- AAI (IAD) assistance counter
- Pre-paid taxi & car rental counter at Kamaraj Domestic Terminal and Anna International Terminal
- Infant lobby
- Free medical facility
- Free passengers trolleys
- Retiring rooms & dormitory accommodation for transit passengers
- Health scan facility at Kamaraj Domestic Terminal
- Auto vending machines for snacks, newspapers, magazines, etc
- Restaurant for passengers & visitors
- Entertainment televisions
- STD/ISD facilities on city side area and terminal
- Vending machines for tea / coffee and cold drinks in city side and terminal
- Airport declared as “No Smoking Zone”
- ICICI/Indian Bank ATM counters at Kamaraj Domestic Terminal
- Foreign exchange counters at departure/arrival/city side
- Communication centre for Internet browsing, Email, Video Phone, Conference, etc
- Video/Phone/Conference facility
- Duty free shop
- Gift shop, travelers requisite shop, book stall, etc
- AMBU-Lift facility
- Tourist Information Counter – Government of India
- Railway reservation counter
- City coach centre
General Information about Chennai:
Location: Chennai
State: Tamil Nadu
Capital: Chennai
Language: Tamil, Hindi, English
Temperature: Max 40˚C, Min 27˚C (summer), Max 29˚C, Min 20˚C (winter)
Best Season: November to March
How to Reach Chennai:
By Air:
Chennai has an international airport which is located at a distance of 7 km from the main city. The airport caters to al the domestic and international passengers coming to the city. There are a number of domestic flights to and from Chennai which connects it to all the major cities within the country. Besides, there are host of international airlines which operate from the international terminal and link it with the important world cities with the city.
By Train:
Primarily, Chennai has two railway stations, Chennai Central and Egmore Station. Chennai Central is the bigger one of the two and runs on broad gauge, connecting with all the major cities and towns of India such as New Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Lucknow, Guwahati . The Egmore Station houses a number of meter gauge and broad gauge trains, which originate from here and ply to different destinations within the state as well as to the neighbouring states. Chennai Central links North and West India, while Egmore links South India.
By Road:
Chennai is also well connected via road. It is linked with all the important places in Tamil Nadu as well as India with the help of a good network of roads. There are even government bus services which operate within Tamil Nadu and other states. These buses operate from Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminal at Jawaharlal Nehru Salai, Koyembedu. It is considered to be the largest bus station in entire Asia.
By Sea:
A cruise is one of the most adventurous ways of getting to Madras. A passenger service connects Chennai with Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

