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A quick taxi from the airport takes you straight to the Five Rathas in about 30 minutes. If you prefer public transport, you can catch a city bus from the airport to Chennai Central, then transfer to a bus heading to Mahabalipuram. Those buses run roughly every 30 45 minutes in the late afternoon, so you’ll still get there in about 90 minutes. Chengalpattu station is farther; the last Chennai to Chengalpattu trains leave around 6 pm, so a taxi is the safest bet if you want to get there after 4 pm.