Pre-Paid Cabs at Chennai Airport

kwistbeableandco

"*Assuming you happen to be going somewhere on its route, of course."
Except maybe in the middle of the night, it is the fastest way to get to the center of the town (30 minutes to Egmore station). One can get an autorickshaw always at Egmore station.
For people going to Broadlands-Triplicane, you can change track at Ford railway station and take a train to Chepauk station.
By the way, the subway is connected to the subway for the platforms at the Tirusoolam station.

kalbarri

considering the prices the auto drivers are asking, to go


fairly short distances around chennai, makes ne appreciate the 300rps i paid for a taxi to broadlands, from the airport.

nishanthe

As same as Nick, I've been using Chennai Pre-paid taxi twice, as an International and Domestic except rates were not that different. But Drivers didnt know the city, both of the time .
One Driver was taking us through entire Chennai (at least we felt so) when we clearly gave him our hotel address. The funny part was, we were circling around the hotel few times. He also wanted us to call to the hotel and get the address, but we didn't have an Indian Mobile phone. Luckily it was a pre-paid so we went just paying the agreed amount.

Nick-H

To be fair, the driver was taking me to a residential street, off the beaten track, out in the suburbs. I am surprised that, twice, you had a driver who had a problem finding a city hotel --- but I think that these airport taxis are pretty low in the scale of driving jobs. The cars are certainly low in the scale of cars!

I could have said, 'Look, I know where I'm going; I live there!", but, for security, I didn't want to.

ronago

How much will be the cost for a taxi from Chennai airport to Mahabalipuram?
Thanks!!
Which booth is the cheapest!!

Nick-H

Sorry, no idea. Should be around 1,000, I'd say.


I wouldn't want to do the trip in a rickety old black and yellow ambassador anyway.

When I last arrived by plane, there were three booths: you just have to ask them all for prices and see.

shashank.aggarwal

I was there last month, and one booth seemed to be more popular with a long queue, however there were hardly any takers at any other booth.

I guess I paid around Rs.200 for my hotel in T-Nagar. The car was a rickety old Amby, however the driver was quite a nice fellow and reasonable skills in English. However he had a constant smile on his face, which was lovely.

__________________
Spineless

Travelogue - Around India

Nick-H

How about the miserable old sod that took you back to the airport?

Lousy English, and no smiles, I bet!




.

nishanthe

Exactly that is what we got when we were taking around Chennai by that driver.
About cost.. once we took a taxi to Anna Salai, it cost us 220, and to T-Nagar it cost 265. we got our taxis from the booth in front of the Billboard which had Sir Arthur Clake's Face with his quote. (Dont remember the company )

Nick-H

Shashank even had to give his driver lunch!

But, seriously... do not expect great language skills from these guys; generally, only the companies that do a lot of foreign-tourist work will have English-speaking drivers.

Mind you, however bad the English, it's usually better than my Tamil!

shashank.aggarwal

But great knowledge about the city, love for cars, and a Car that is anyday better than half of the cars on Indian roads..

And some Tea and some Biscuits as well, a bloody expensive affair..!!

luckyshibu

Here's the thing. Though everyone writes Govt Approved fares. Its only one stand each in both terminals which is actually run in understanding with chennai GOVT for "best" Fares.

When you are travelling domestic there are three counters. The right most near the exit is the genuine one but you'll be travelling in Blue and yellow taxi. For which after paying and getting reciept you have to come out and proceed straight out of gate and there is long queue of Blue and yellow amabassdors. they'll write you ur cab number on reciept near the entrance of taxi stand and wait for the cab to arrive in front and you can proceed. Try avoiding ppl who insist in helping yuou take ur luggage to taxi stand from nearby exits. they wanna make 10 bucks (in Rs if indian or $ if foreigner) just to take ur luggage by 10m. other Booths in domestic terminal are private run Cabs.there you'll be getting are indicas or SUMOS or Traveras. Here cab ppl will directly take you from counter to ur cab. but usually the fairs are fairly steep in these booths.

For international terminal, you actually have to come out of Exit gate of airport. And while proceeding along you'll see two booths straight ahead. Again here its the the right one which is genuine and cheap. And left one is private. At this terminal once you collect your reciept after paying you have to take a left turn along the steel railing once you come out of that path look straight ahead there are lots of Blue and yellow taxis in parking. near the entrance the person will give you ur cab no and you can proceed with driver.

You don't have to bargain in these genuine booths. The rates are fixed.

like they say "right is always right"

Hope it helps.

luckyshibu

i stand corrected here.. after recent renovations in domestic terminal.. near exit, on left there are three counters and on right side of exit there is one. Now the rightmost one among the three to the left of exit is genuine one..

Firstclass

Just asked a rikshaw (auto) driver how much it'd cost to go from Adyar to Airport and back (to pick up a friend).
It is 400 Rp

luckyshibu

That is costly.. i stay in adyar myself. and it is equivalent to what i pay for cab and not rickshaw! just book a fast track cab it costs 180 bucks a side (360 back and forth). You can add another 40 bucks for making the cab wait i guess!