India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [264]
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE & AWAY By Air There are daily flights to Chennai’s International Anna Airport (Airport Information Centre; 044/2256-1818) and the Kamaraj Domestic Airport (a minute’s walk from each other) from all major destinations in India; note that both Madurai and Tiruchirappalli can be reached by flight from here. If you want to utilize the train while here, the Southern Railways computerized ticket reservation counter is just outside the domestic terminal exit. The airports are situated just over 12km (7 1⁄2 miles) southwest from the center but the ride to downtown Mount Road/Anna Salai can take 30 to 40 minutes; costs start at Rs 350 for a non-A/C taxi. You can also catch the train into town (Park, Egmore, and Beach stops) if you’re willing to lug your luggage 500m (1,640 ft.) down the road to Trisulam Station.
By Train Chennai has two major railway stations. Chennai Central (in George Town) connects Chennai with most major destinations throughout India, while the second-largest, Egmore ( 131), is usually the point of arrival and departure for trains within Tamil Nadu or Kerala. Some trains from within the state now also pull in at Tambaram Station; not ideal as this is an hour from Chennai. You can get recorded train information by dialing the computerized 1361 (remember to have your train number); alternatively call information at 133 for arrivals and departures. Express trains take 6 hours from Chennai to Tiruchirappalli and 71⁄2 hours from Chennai to Madurai; book a seat on an A/C chair car. To plan train travel, we suggest you go online to www.indianrail.gov.in or www.southernrailway.org. Or book your train at your hotel, at a travel agency (see below), or at the Rajaji Bhavan Complex (ground floor) in Besant Nagar.
By Road You may not realize it by glancing at a map, but Tamil Nadu is a fairly massive chunk of India, and it will take more than 15 hours to drive from Chennai to Kanyakumari in the far southwest of the state. Nevertheless, getting around is best done in the relative comfort of a rented car, with the wonderful rural landscape unfurling mile after mile (keep the window open to smell the freshness of turned earth and roasting cashews), and a driver who knows the way. Kerala Adventures ( 0484/231-3744;www.keralaadventure.com; comvoyge@vsnl.net) is our top pick in the south; its Chennai office is headed by Sharon Thomas 999-437-7402. There are set tours offered on their website; alternatively Sharon will prepare a quote based on a personalized itinerary, taking in the best of Tamil Nadu before moving across the mountains into Kerala’s Cardamom Hills and west to the coast, or over to Mysore and Karnataka. Kerala Adventures tariff structure is not only transparent (their website includes tariffs for set tours), but offers excellent value, and drivers are excellent. For tours solely within Tamil Nadu, you can use GRT Tours & Travels ( 044/6550-0000), but they will try to push you to stay in their hotels and resorts, all of which are comfortable but not necessarily the best in each class. Also reliable, and worth getting alternative quotes from, are: Sita World Travel (www.sitaindia.com), Travel House (www.travelhouseindia.com), or Madura Travel Service (www.maduratravel.com). Regular buses are available for travel to almost any point in the state, as well as Bangalore, and Tirupati; contact the State Express Transport Corporation Bus Stand ( 044/2479-4707; daily 7am–9pm). Note that there