India GOHow to reach Auroville
Taxi from Chennai along the ECR
Chennai is the real gateway: 150–160 km down the East Coast Road, and the last few kilometres are unpaved lanes that no map name properly.
Best option
Bus to Puducherry
Hundreds of departures a day leave Chennai's CMBT terminal for Puducherry; from there it is a short hop north. The one state bus that goes into Auroville itself runs once a day and helps nobody.
Puducherry station via Villupuram
The branch line to Puducherry hangs off Villupuram Junction, 35 km away. Four services a day from Chennai Egmore, often slower than simply taking the bus.
Puducherry airport (PNY)
The local airport works, but it is served by turboprops from two cities only. For everyone else it is Chennai and the road.
The lanes inside are red dirt: mud after the October–December rains, and no street lighting once it gets dark.
The full catalogue, hidden spots and districts on the map, plus “nearby” mode.
Open in India GO