About transport from Chennai to Pondicherry

choropie

Hi! I'm going to Chennai in June.

After staying in Chennai for a few nights,

I wanna go to Pondicherry.

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I've learned by guidebook and web that

a. train / once a day, early morning, takes about 5 hours

b. bus / frequent, takes 3-4 hours, 55rs.

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Then I'd like you to ask the following.

1.Should I make a (train / bus) reservation beforehand

or go direct to station just before getting on?

2. I'd rather take bus than train, because of its frequency,

but I'm worry about its overcrowding.

How can I avoid or ease it? (should I opt for a train?)

3. If I take a bus to Pondicherry, should I go to

CMBT(CHENNAI MOFUSSIL BUS TERMINUS)?

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Please give me some advice.

Reply would be much appreiciated! Thank you.

capt_mahajan

Choropie, have reduced your post font size; it hit me in the face.

Btw, scroll down, and you will get a lot of information under 'Similar threads'. I personally think a bus or a taxi down the East Coast Road is a good idea, and you can stop at Mammalapuram en route too.

choropie

>have reduced your post font size; it hit me in the face.

excuse me, I really didn't know how it went.


>Btw, scroll down, and you will get a lot of information
>under 'Similar threads'.

Before I post my question, I read those.
I understood the outline, but want to know the details, especially reservations,
so forgive me asking similar question.

>I personally think a bus or a taxi down the East Coast Road is
>a good idea, and you can stop at Mammalapuram en route too.

Thanks for the advice! I'd like to go to Mammalapuram when
I return from Auroville.

Nick-H

The train is said to be about the worst way to do the journey; I learnt on this site that it is like a sub-urban train, stopping everywhere and ---well, you know how long it takes.

Bus I think should be ok. A question for others: A while back I read in the newspaper that some of the South-bound routes would have buses starting from Adyar, rather than Koyambedu (CMBT). If this ever happened then the information would be useful to Choropie and anyone else going that way. Of course, how much of a pain CMBT is to get to depends on where you are starting!

Car... simple, pleasant, convenient --- and expensive.

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Radjesh

The bus wud be better option. There is no need to go all the way to CMBT to take bus. There are many stops after CMBT where you can board, like @ Kathipara junction, Guindy, Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur etc...

For every half an hour, there are buses from Chennai to Pondy.

Overcrowding doesnt happen always. Buses @ peak hours, usually evening hours are always crowded. At regular morning hours like between 10AM to 2/3PM, buses are less crowded.

I always board @ Kathipara and manage to get seats.

Nick-H

Sounds just the ticket, if you'll forgive the dreadful pun .

If Choropie tells us where she is starting from, we can recommend where to catch the bus.

atala

In case you have a reservation in an Auroville Guest House, you'd better take a taxi straight from there (other drivers won't know their way around AV), they will pick you up in Chennai wherever you tell them. The best (cheap and best ) service is: uts@auroville.org.in
1500 Rs Chennai to Pondy, everything included. 1400 to AV.

Nick-H

I have a feeling she is budgeting the bus fare!

But any Chennai travels driver should be able to find an address --- that's their job! And many won't, I'm sure, be going to Auroville for the first time.

1400/1500 sounds like a good price, though! Is that recent, Atala?

atala

Yes, it is a new very competitive company with lots of cars. I have used them last in Feb 08. They do not charge any waiting time in case of late arrival at the airport, all the ECR fees are included too. I have to dig for their website.

You know, Auroville does not have any addresses, like street addresses. No driver from Chennai would find his way in the maze of the rural roads there, in the search of the 150 or so communities out in the village land/forest. Even regular Pondy drivers would not know their way, except to the public land-marks.

Picking up a bus from the Airport appears as an unreasonable hassle to me. But then the mere idea of it is giving me unpleasant sensations.

Nick-H

It does to me too, especially after a long flight! In fact even travelling by car for another three hours after the flight would not be welcome to me. There's nothing like a bed, even for a couple of hours, and a shower, before starting the adventure.

Some like to dive right in from the airport door.

choropie

Dear Nick-H,

>Bus I think should be ok. A question for others: A while back I read in the newspaper that
>some of the South-bound routes would have buses starting from Adyar, rather than Koyambedu
>(CMBT). If this ever happened then the information would be useful to Choropie and anyone
>else going that way. Of course, how much of a pain CMBT is to get to depends on where you
>are starting!

Thank you for the advice & information!
I'm not familiar with the neighborhood,
but you mean that taking a bus from"Adyar" is better than from "CMBT", don't you?
I'm going to stay in Paradise Guest House where is in VALLABHA AGRAGARAM STREET, so it's good as close as possible.

Thank you

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Dear Radjesh,

>There is no need to go all the way to CMBT to take bus. There
>are many stops after CMBT where you can board, like @ Kathipara
>junction, Guindy, Adyar, Thiruvanmiyur etc...

well, you suggest I take a bus on the way to Pondicherry?
It's nice idea to save time, however I don' know well about Chennai including bus,
so I may be relieved to go to the station of origin...

>Overcrowding doesnt happen always. Buses @ peak hours, usually
>evening hours are always crowded. At regular morning hours like
>between 10AM to 2/3PM, buses are less crowded.

I'm relieved to hear that!
Thank you for the practical info!

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Dear Nick-H,

>Sounds just the ticket, if you'll forgive the dreadful pun .

"ticket"="nice idea", isn' it!? this is first time I knew it!

>If Choropie tells us where she is starting from, we can
>recommend where to catch the bus.

Thanks for your kindness!
I hope I take a bus on the nearest station from VALLABHA AGRAGARAM STREET, if I can make a hotel reservation.

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Dear atala,
Thanks a lot

>In case you have a reservation in an Auroville Guest House,
>you'd better take a taxi straight from there (other drivers
>won't know their way around AV), they will pick you up in
>Chennai wherever you tell them. The best (cheap and best )
>service is: uts@auroville.org.in
>1500 Rs Chennai to Pondy, everything included. 1400 to AV.

Unfortunately, my flight is arriving at midnight(about 1a.m.),
so I plan to stay in Chennai.

I read there was taxi service on Auroville site,
but thought it was a little expensive...

However, thinking twice, going straight from Chennai to AV by taxi is more reasonable and easier than going to Pondy, staying overnight,
and going to AV by taxi or autorickshaw.
(If I want to walk around Pondy, I could go there from AV at weekend.)

choropie

Dear atala and Nick-H,

I appreiciate your kind replies!

Now I got two plans.
1)Chennai, to Pondy by bus, staying, to AV by taxi or rickshow.
2)Chennai, to AV by taxi

1) may be cheaper, but may be troublesome, because I have to
catch a bus, autorickshow or taxi, and find a hotel in Pondy, too.

2) would be comfortable, because I only sit on the seat to AV ,
but more expensive,and no sightseeing in Pondy.

After all, it depends on whether I want to save time and trouble
or enjoy the journey to AV, dosen' it?

Anyway, I appreciate your kindness very much.
I'm glad to have taken the plunge and posted my question here.
I'd like to be someone's help when he/she comes to my country.

atala

You are welcome. It depends how much time you really have to spend, and in which time-period you want to be in AV. Pondy is close, 7 to 12 kilometers, depending on where in AV you will stay. It is within easy reach for you to explore at your leisure. The AV school bus goes to Pondy 3 times a week, you could just join there, for free with guest-card, if you like and spend a few hours in Pondy.

Details here: http://www.auroville.org/comingtoav/visitingav.htm

There are two types of budget Hotels in Pondy, Ashram guest houses which are cleaner, quieter and less expensive (for instance the nice 'New Guest House'(Rs 100) near Park Guest House (Rs 400 upwards) at the southern end of Goubert Avenue (Pondy Beach road), or then the common Indian hotels, or as a third option some Lodges (not recommended).

Be aware that Pondy is a preferred vacation spot for Indians, and hotels are often full.

Nick-H

So, you are staying in an area called Triplicane, I think. Google maps is quite good on Chennai, among others, then there is Wikimapia and Google Earth --- all good ways to get a feel for the locality and distances.

I think it is ok to Koyambedu from there; Radjesh is probably very used to the journey down to Pondy and he is much better qualified to answer than I, but, if he doesn't get back, I'd say, yes, go to CMBT.

Even if you have to stay on the bus into Pondycherry, there is no point in taking accomodation there: it is only a short distance to AV.

choropie

atala,thanks a lot
I got the info how to go from AV to Pondy,
and good hotels.

I'm going to stay in AV about two months to volunteer.
(If you stay in AV, too, I may be able to see you.)

so I may go to Pondy on my day-off.

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Nick-H, thanks!!

>So, you are staying in an area called Triplicane, I think.

yes, that's right. I looked the map on Lonely Planet today,
and got the location.

>Google maps is quite good on Chennai, among others, then there
>is Wikimapia and Google Earth --- all good ways to get a feel
>for the locality and distances.

Google is very useful! To tell the truth, recently I looked for the hotel
by Google map, but the address by the hotel's site was spelled wrong, therefore I wasn't able to find.

> think it is ok to Koyambedu from there; Radjesh is probably
>ery used to the journey down to Pondy and he is much better
>ualified to answer than I, but, if he doesn't get back, I'd
>sy, yes, go to CMBT.

I have to ask, "Koyambedu" is the name of bus station?
and you recommend me to go to CMBT (the station of origin)?
I wish I had a bus line map!
I searched "route, bus, CMBT...",but wasn't able to find it.

>Even if you have to stay on the bus into Pondycherry, there is
>no point in taking accomodation there: it is only a short
>distance to AV.

yes, so far I'm thinking I take a bus to Pondy, and
take a taxi to AV without staying in Pondy.
it'll need 4-5 hours, but very reasonable (bus fare plus taxi fare to Pondy = maybe Rs.250)

If not in good health, I would take a taxi from Chennai to AV.

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I'd like to thank you guys from the bottom of my heart
I've heard various info about india, and got kind of nervous,
but come to look forward to travel and meet people, because of
you guy's kindness.