The Pitfalls Of Traffic In Chennai

The Pitfalls Of Traffic In Chennai

If you’re here then you’re probably interested in visiting Chennai for a vacation or you’re a resident of India looking for some helpful tips on navigating the joys and disappointments of traffic, specifically in Chennai, am I right? Well not to worry, I’ll be sure to share whatever helpful tips and hints and general information I can to make your experience as aggravation-free as I possibly can! I know I have had my share of unpleasant experiences with traffic in all different parts of the world, both as a pedestrian trying to make my way around a complex city on foot, and as a traveller trying to navigate the often unfamiliar and difficult to manage public transportation systems. I’m not naming names for particular cities and countries since I can’t place a negative stigma on an entire nation or city’s transportation system or their staff, but often what can make or break an experience with public transportation is how helpful (and friendly!) the staff can be when assisting you to get to where you’re going. Thankfully for my case (usually), I usually find people are more friendly and patient when helping someone that’s foreign than they are to helping out people from their own city!

traffic-jam

Traffic jams like this are probably a familiar sight for anyone who is used to being in a city, which is probably 90% or more of you that’s reading this, right? I think I’d rather be that guy on the corner than anyone in those cars… © Osbornb.

In a city such as Chennai, located in the most densely populated country on the planet (which also has one of the strongest agriculture and food production industries to back it up), one can expect that the public transportation system is probably insane, right? Well from the information that I’ve gathered, it would seem that Chennai is a step ahead in terms of having a comprehensive system for transportation. Japan’s system actually comes to mind when I think about it, with people often needing to be helped into the packed train cars by the staff on location, though from what I have heard from some Indian friends is that such a thing is far less of an occurrence than other densely populated Asian countries.

chennai-suburban-railway-network

Now this little image is likely to be treated like your bible if you’re traveling to Chennai! Be sure to notice the different bus and subway terminal stations and how much there is the availability of interchanging, should you happen to miss your stop or get off at the wrong one entirely! © PlaneMad.

It’s a bit taxing on your patience if you try to rent a car in a country you’re visiting, but if you do go through the trouble of getting a license to drive there, you may as well try to use it. But for me, I don’t think all that hassle will be worth it honestly, especially when you consider the convenience that comes with public transportation and how you can just circumvent all those troublesome detours and how finicky GPS systems can often be… I’ll just relax and take a nap on the train instead!

indian-railway-network

This is likely to be a significant piece in any traveller’s (whether a native resident of India or a visiting foreigner) arsenal of information in moving about in India. Take particular note of the network of railways in the south eastern corridor around Chennai along the coast, as it will certainly be complicated if you don’t keep a perceptive eye on your surroundings! © PlaneMad.