Should a Woman First Timer Arrive in Chennai at Night?

Darcy_A

Hi, I am a 21 year old woman who looks younger. I am in the process of booking a January flight to India and the affordable flights arrive in Chennai at 3:30 in the morning after a plane transfer in Doha. I will be alone, and I have been advised against travel at night in India. Would it be safe for me to arrive in Chennai at this hour? I have no idea what Indian airports are like. Could I camp out in the airport until it is light?(Btw, at what hour does it get light in January in Chennai?)What if I hid in the women's bathroom for a few hours? I could get a flight that arrives at a more reasonable hour but it would be $350 more, and this is a very tight budget trip so I can't easily afford it. If anyone has opinions/advice I would appreciate it. Thanks.

machadinha

I don't know Chennai airport (have never heard anything bad about it either though), but getting out of your plane (assuming it arrives in time) & collecting your bags & clearing customs, you'll be that much closer to dawn (06:30 in Chennai in January -- it tends to hover around a steady 6-7 AM in all of India year long anyway I think).

Of course you could wait around for dawn to break, airports will generally have people around anyway. India moreover tends to rise quite early, so you should find the place come alive at the crack of dawn indeed.

I wouldn't worry about it, at all, and if that flight works out good for you (sounds like it does), I'd just go for it. Another thing you could consider is to see if you can arrange a hotel with an airport pick-up, they'll pick you up at any hour.

(I don't necessarily agree with the don't-travel-at-night thing btw, but it's really a different issue, and having just arrived and if it makes you feel better, then sure, why not hang around the airport some till daybreak. With any luck there'll be a coffee shop open or so.)

Finally, check also this thread on pre-paid taxis there, which might be something: Pre-Paid Cabs at Chennai Airport.

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Darcy_A

Thanks for your reply. If airports are a safe place to hang out then it really is no big deal arriving at that hour. However I have been warned against taking a taxi by two men from India, who say that I should not get in a taxi alone under any circumstance as I'll be at the mercy of the driver.

pravman

By the time you clear immigration and customs and baggage pickup, it could be 5am. If Chennai is your final destination, booking with a hotel brand that you can recognize will alleviate some anxiety, and get them to pick you up. The car will sport the hotel's logo and so will the driver with the placard.

Wouldn't recommend taking a pre-paid taxi, the driver for sure will haggle for more en-route.

nycank

Unless a hotel has complimentary airport pickup it will be expensive much more than a pre-paid taxi. Most recognizable hotel brands that are in India for an american traveler are - marriott,sheraton(starwoods)hy att,intercontinental(priority club), hilton... An airport pickup for a regular guest ranges between 750INR - 1900INR+ tax.

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dillichaat

If you arrange a hotel pickup it will be more expensive but perfectly safe, don't worry. I can personally recommend the Park hotel on Ana Salai for their service and good price/quality but all the usual chains have hotels in Chennai.

Else, take a prepaid cab at the airport (you state your destination at the counter in the building, collect your slip and go outside for the cab, it may look daunting but don't worry, that should be safe also (upon leaving the airport premises, police note down the license plate numbers and the reference of your reservation slip). If you do this, just make sure NO ONE else but you and the driver are in the cab and raise hell if there's a problem. Whatever you do, arrange your hotel reservation for the first night from abroad.

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bsprasad

Darcy,

Welcome to India.

There is nothing to Panic. By the time you finish your Immigration and Customs clerance and collect your baggage it will be easily 5 to 5.30 AM. All you need to do is spend some time in the airport lounge.

Chennai International aiport will always be swarming with people. So you dont have to bother about your safety. Just take care of your luggages.

Take a pre paid taxi to your destination by 6 AM by which the whole of chennai is brighter and awake.

Enjoy your stay in Chennai and in India and do write your experience which will be really helpful to other visitors of this forum.

capt_mahajan

I think an hour for immigration and customs is more like it- that makes it 4.30 or so.

Whatever transport you decide to take, wait at the airport till it is twilight. It is safe even if you exit the aiport and stay near the building, though you might get inundated with touts selling hotels and taxis.

Better to stay inside for that reason.


Btw, Chennai is not particularly unsafe even at night, but it is better to wait till twilight.

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Nick-H

Darcy, this is your first trip to India? So you are full of nervousness about stuff that you have heard and that gets amplified by you imagination --- and most of it was probably baseless to begin with!

Because this is your first trip, and because I believe that hassle reduction after a long-haul flight is a good investment, I would echo the advice to pre-book your hotel, at least for the first night, and get a hotel car sent for you. It is comforting to leave the airport and see your name being waved on a placard . You should still make sure that you have your hotel's name, address and phone number with your travel docs, just in case the pick-up fails. It never happened to me, but I repeat this advice from a travel agent that used to do expensive tours for me, years back; no system is 100% foolproof.

If you are staying somewhere posh, they may even offer a free pick up, but as you say you are staying on a tight budget, I doubt that you will get this. The other "star" hotels charge silly amounts for cars, but lower down the scale, the charges will not be much more than the airport pre-paid charge. We are talking about differences of rupees here; a few dollars!

If you do not get a pick-up, go for the pre-paid. I have never had any trouble with them, but make sure you go to the kiosk; people will start approaching you as soon as you leave the airport door!

First thing, after you pass the customs guys, look for the money change kiosk. I hear their rates are poor, so just aim to get a few thousand ruppees, maybe $50 or $100. Then look for and head to the car kiosks (you have a choice of three).

I guess you will find the place overwhelming. Take time to look around you, move slowly, and keep your luggage in sight. Welcome to India!

Bear in mind... there are plenty of people there who will be looking to make a few bucks out of you from car or hotel bookings; It is seriously unlikely that any of them intend to do you any harm. No need to come here feeling afraid

Darcy_A

Thank you everyone for the info and reassurance! I feel much more relaxed about my arrival in Chennai. Chennai is not my final destination - I'm going to be near Pondicherry just outside of Auroville. I would like to see Chennai, but everyone keeps telling me how dangerous it is to travel alone as an inexperienced woman. I was thinking to try to catch a 6: 30 am train to Pondicherry the morning I arrive in Chennai, though I don't know how far the train station is from the airport yet. Is that a good plan? Or would it be better to stay overnight, get oriented, and then head to Pondicherry at 6:30 am the next morning? (I would like to take the train rather than the bus.)

Darcy_A

I really appreciate your detailed post Nick-H. Where should I go to change the rest of my money?

Nick-H

Actually, it is not a good plan, because the train service to Pondicherry is amazingly slow! I suggest that you search this site for Chennai and Pondicherry; you will find discussions on how to get there and how much it costs. People will go either by car or by bus.
Ignore them. Get sensible advice on this site

You'll find heaps of stuff on appropriate dress and similar worries.

gaurav1441

Well if you are on a real tight budget .You can take the local train from Airport. The railway station is across the road (there is a subway to station if you take a straight road from Domestic arrivals going out of the airport. Domestic arrivals is just next to International arrivals) to Tambaram. You can easily get Pondicherry bound buses from Tambaram or even you can catch the 6.30 train which would arrive tambram at 7.05 am.

Or, you can take a Taxi straight to Auroville.

Digital Drifter

Me. The fact that I'm distantly related to Ponzi should not be that worrying to you. Besides it happened so long ago.

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samvita

Darcy,
Chennai is much safer than many cities up north. I think the day break would be about 6 am or so. January is quite pleasant month there. I think if you want to delay your departure till daybreak you could collect your luggage and relax on a seat closer to that area. Just outside I remember there is a restaurant too. But always take the prepaid taxi voucher from from inside first . I do not trust the auto rickshaws ( three wheelers) who would mob you immediately as you go out of the exit.( My old experience-- things might have changed now).