subject: Roadways Better Pondicherry To Chennai [print this page] Pondicherry is a Union Territory located along the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Pondicherry is now known as Puducherry. Puducherry means New Village in Tamil language. According to mythology, Pondicherry, also called Pondy, was earlier known as Vedapuri. It was believed to be the abode of Sage Agasthya.
Pondicherry is famous for its serene beaches. Hotel de Vile, French War Memorial, Puducherry Museum, Aayi Mandapam, Shri Aurobindo Ashram, Promenade, Chunnambar Resort, Old Light house and Romaine Rolland Library are some of the major tourist attractions in Pondicherry.
The distance from Pondicherry to Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu, is about 155 km. Chennai or Chennaipattinam got its name from Chenna Kesava Perumal Temple. Located on the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal, Chennai has a history dating back to first century AD. Chennai is famous for its temples and churches. They are considered to be the fine examples of craftsmanship and architecture.
Among the prominent tourist destinations in Chennai include Santhome Cathedral Basilica, St. Thomas Mount, Thousand Lights Mosque, Parthasarathy Temple, Kaapaleshwar temple, Ashtalakshmi temple, Adeeswar Temple, Theosophical Society, Senate House, Freemasons Hall, National Art Gallery, Guindy Snake Park, Valluvar Kottam, MGR Memorial, Kamaraj Memorial House, Government Museum, and Marina, Elliots and Covelong Beaches.
Travel by air is out of question because Chennai is situated only around 155 km from Pondicherry. Both the cities are well connected by rail and road. There are two direct express trains from Pondicherry to Chennai. Pondicherry-Chennai Egmore Express No.16116 leaves 5.35 in the morning. This is a daily train. Puducherry-Bhubaneswar Express No.12897 runs only on Wednesdays. The train journey takes about four hours to reach the destination.
In the absence of enough trains, the better option to travel from Pondicherry to Chennai is by road. Buses are plied in the route at regular intervals both by the State Transport and private bus operators. The bus fare for the trip ranges from Rs.125 to Rs.300 depending on the type of vehicle. Bus journey is economical as compared to the travel by taxi. The bus journey takes about three hours to reach the destination from Pondicherry.
Hiring a taxi is a good option, particularly for families travelling with kids and senior citizens. Cabs are available in plenty in this route. Taxis charge a fare ranging from Rs.12 to Rs.24 per kilometre depending on the type of vehicle. Taxi takes less than three hours to travel from Pondicherry to Chennai. Shared taxis are also available in this route.
The road route passes through (with the distance from Pondicherry in brackets) Marakkanam (34 km), Edakalinadu (52 km), Mamallapuram (94 km) and Chennai (154 km). Edakalinadu is a good stopover between the two places since it has restaurants and petrol pumps.
