How to reach 44th International Chess Olympiad venue in Mamallapuram from Chennai

Chennai Chess Olympiad 2022: The guests from other countries, states as well as local residents who want to reach the event area have a variety of transport options in Chennai.

Chess olympiad, chess in chennai, Tamil nadu, mahabalipuram

The sporting event will be held in the nearby Mamallapuram, about 50 km from Chennai. (File photo)

In less than two days, the 44th International Chess Olympiad will commence at Poonjeri village in Mamallapuram/Mahabalipuram near Chennai. Close to 2,000 participants from 187 countries are set to take part in this high profile event. Apart from the players, many foreigners are set to visit the coastal town which is a UNESCO heritage site.

The guests from other countries, states as well as local residents who want to reach the event area have a variety of transport options in Chennai.

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How to reach Mamallapuram from Chennai airport

As soon as you come out from the arrival gate of Chennai international airport, you have a plethora of options to reach the event area. You can hire a pre-paid taxi at the airport or book a cab through any app-cab aggregators. A kiosk is also available at both domestic and international arrival terminals.

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The guests can also check whether their hotel provides a pickup service from the airport.

The distance between the venue of the Chess Olympiad and the airport is approximately 57 kilometre and it takes at least an hour to cover. From the airport, the visitors can also opt for a Metro train facility and can get down at Koyambedu from where they can opt for a bus to reach the venue.

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How to reach Mamallapuram by bus

Plenty of city buses are available to reach the venue at Mamallapuram from Koyambedu, Tiruvanmaiyur, Guindy, Tambaram, etc. Both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses are available from these venues.

Further, in view of the Chess Olympiad event, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department has initiated plans to run five hop-on-hop-off buses for tourists to and from Mamallapuram. The buses would start their services from Madhya Kailash and they will run via Rajiv Gandhi Salai to Sholinganallur junction and from there, they will take the East Coast Road route to reach Mamallapuram. The bus services are free for the tourists and they will be available every one hour.

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Also Read | Chess Olympiad 2022: Tamil Nadu Tourism Department to run five free buses to-and-from Mamallapuram

Tourist friendly auto-rickshaws are also available

The state tourism department has also come up with a ‘Tourist friendly auto’ initiative. A total of 25 auto-rickshaws have been identified, they are decked up in a new design which will allow the guests to easily spot them. The authorities have provided training to drivers on ways of interacting with tourists in a friendly manner, among others.

You can also opt for a rental bike

Guests who wish to explore the city on their own can also opt for a rental bike. They can book a rental bike available on a daily/weekly and monthly basis. Checkout the popular bike rental websites to enjoy a ride through the ECR.

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