Chennai is in the throes of a major Diwali 2025 travel rush, with city roads and transportation hubs seeing unprecedented levels of activity. Thousands of people are heading home to celebrate the festival of lights, leading to peak passenger traffic across all modes of transport. The surge in travel began as early as October 16th, making it one of the most hectic travel weekends of the year.
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has stepped up its operations significantly, introducing 20,378 special bus services from Chennai to facilitate the mass movement of people. Complementing the 2,092 daily buses, these additional services are crucial in connecting residents with their families in the southern and western parts of the state.
Government statistics indicate a massive turnout for bus travel, with over 615,000 passengers journeying from Chennai via state-run buses in the past three days. Saturday alone saw around 256,000 passengers utilize bus services. However, the increased capacity hasn’t fully alleviated the congestion, as bus stands remain packed, and passengers often endure long waits.
Railway stations in Chennai, including Central, Egmore, and Tambaram, are experiencing similar overcrowding. Southbound train services are fully booked. The influx of private vehicles has exacerbated traffic issues, particularly on GST Road, where vehicles are moving at a snail’s pace for considerable distances.
Projections show that an estimated 1.8 million individuals are traveling from Chennai this Diwali. This includes around 950,000 travelers by train, 615,000 by state government buses, 200,000 by omnibuses, and 150,000 in private vehicles, illustrating the widespread desire to celebrate Deepavali with loved ones.