subject: Pondicherry To Chennai [print this page] Pondicherry is a Union Territory and a quaint little town which has a rich history and has retained its charm. Sandy beaches, clean promenades, heritage villas, spiritual mystique and a lingering French ambience define Pondicherrys unique character.
Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest city in India, is located on the south-eastern coast, popularly known as Coramandel Coast, off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai was previously known as Madras or Madarasapatinam and is a major port city. Madras was renamed as Chennai in 1996.Chennai is known for its beaches. Marina Beach is a 12 km long beach and is the second longest beach in the world. The other main beaches are Edward Elliots Beach and Breezy Beach. The Basilica of the National Shrine of St. Thomas was built over the tomb of Saint Thomas, the Apostle, who came to India in the year 52 AD. St. Thomas Mount is where St. Thomas died.
Some of the main temples in Chennai are the Kundrathur Sivan Temple, Kumaran Kundram, Ashtalakshmi Temple, and Kapaleeswarar Temple which is one of the oldest temples dating back to the 8th century. Valluvar Kottam is the memorial of Thiruvalluvar, a renowned poet and saint who wrote Thirukkural. The other tourist spots are the Government Museum, National Art Gallery, Birla Planetarium, Arinjar Anna Zoological Park and Guindy National Park.
The distance between Pondicherry and Chennai is 162 km. By road it takes less than three hours to reach Chennai from Pondicherry. The east coast road connects Pondicherry with Chennai.
TNSTC buses are available from Pondicherry to Chennai on a regular basis. The ordinary buses cost around Rs. 100 for a seat and Rs. 250 for a deluxe seat.
Buses belonging to private operators provide different types of buses like airbus, AC luxury seater, AC sleeper, semi sleeper, and 2 X 2 coaches that may cost from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 depending on the facilities provided.
The road from Pondicherry to Chennai is well laid and concrete. People travelling with family or in groups can book a cab from Pondicherry to Chennai. Taxis are available from Pondicherry to Bangalore for a fare of Rs 2000 to Rs 3500 for a round trip. If one is travelling with kids and elders hiring a cab from Pondicherry to Chennai is the best option.
If you plan to drive yourself it will be a very rewarding experience as the East Coast Road is known for its smooth roads and excellent views. There are numerous restaurants, petrol bunks and other amenities on the way for your convenience.
Pondicherry is connected by train to Chennai. The Chennai Puducherry Passenger (56037) starts from Puducherry railway station and terminates at Egmore station at Chennai.
