Republic Day Long Weekend: Special Buses and Trains Operated from Chennai
To manage the surge in passenger travel during the Republic Day long weekend (January 23–26, 2026), the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has announced the operation of special buses from Chennai and other key cities across Tamil Nadu.
With continuous holidays due to Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Republic Day on Monday, heavy passenger movement is expected statewide. Along with regular services, additional special buses have been scheduled to avoid overcrowding.
Special Bus Services from Chennai
From Kilambakkam Bus Terminus
- Jan 23 (Friday): 550 special buses
- Jan 24 (Saturday): 405 special buses
- Destinations include Tiruvannamalai, Trichy, Kumbakonam, Madurai, Tirunelveli, Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Erode, and Tiruppur
From CMBT (Koyambedu)
- Jan 23: 100 special buses
- Jan 24: 90 special buses
- Services to Tiruvannamalai, Nagapattinam, Velankanni, Hosur, and Bengaluru
Additional Operations
- 200 special buses from Bengaluru, Tiruppur, Erode, and Coimbatore to various destinations
- 24 special buses from Madhavaram on Jan 23 and 24
- 800 special buses on Jan 26 (Monday) from native places back to Chennai
- 250 special buses on Jan 26 towards Tiruppur, Bengaluru, and Coimbatore
Advance Booking Update
So far, advance reservations show:
Friday: 20,254 passengers
Saturday: 12,811 passengers
Sunday: 8,566 passengers
Monday: 19,353 passengers
Passengers are advised to book tickets in advance via www.tnstc.in
or the TNSTC Mobile App to avoid last-minute rush. Adequate staff have been deployed at all bus terminals to monitor operations.
Special Trains for Republic Day Rush
To further ease travel demand, Southern Railway has announced special train services between Chennai and Kanyakumari:
Train No. 06135:
- Chennai Egmore - Kanyakumari
- Departs Jan 23 at 11:45 PM, arrives Jan 24 at 1:00 PM
Train No. 06136:
- Kanyakumari - Chennai Beach
- Departs Jan 26 at 9:35 PM, arrives Jan 27 at 10:15 AM
These arrarangements aim to ensure smooth, safe, and comfortable travel for passengers during the Republic Day holiday season.
