Chennai Central railway station

첸나이 센트럴역

Chennai's main railway station, opened in 1873 and given its present Gothic and Romanesque Revival form by Robert Fellowes Chisholm in 1900. Its maroon walls with white trim are topped by a 41 m clock tower with four faces.

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At a glance

Country: India
Location: Chennai, India
Built: 1900
Height: 41 m
Type: Infrastructure

Quick answers

Where is Chennai Central railway station?

Chennai Central railway station is in Chennai, India.

When was Chennai Central railway station built?

Chennai Central railway station was built in 1900.

How tall is Chennai Central railway station?

Chennai Central railway station is about 41 m tall.

Chennai Central is the main railway station of Chennai, India, formerly known as Madras Central. It is one of the busiest railway stations in South India and a major hub, with its main entrance on Poonamallee High Road in the Periamet neighbourhood. The station was built in 1873 and designed by George Harding, then changed by Robert Chisholm in 1900.

The building is a mix of Gothic Revival and Romanesque styles, with maroon walls, white trim and a 41-metre clock tower, and it is one of the best-known landmarks of the city. The station is officially named Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M.G. Ramachandran Central Railway Station, after a former chief minister, since 5 April 2019.

Why a second station?

The first railway line in India became operational in Madras in 1837, and the Madras Railway was established in 1845. A second station was needed when the line was extended to Vyasarpadi. In 1873 Madras Central opened as a second terminus to relieve crowding at Royapuram station. It had four platforms and stood on open land at Park Town that once belonged to Joao Pereira, a Portuguese merchant. In 1907 it became the main terminus of the railway.

Growing and renaming

In 1951 the station became part of Southern Railway. It was expanded in 1959, and tracks at its seven platforms were electrified on 29 December 1979. After a fire destroyed Moore Market in 1985, the land was given to the railways, and a 13-storey Moore Market Complex opened in 1986 for suburban trains and ticket offices. In 1998 a new building on the west side, in a similar style, increased the platforms to 12. It was renamed Chennai Central after the city changed its name from Madras in 1996.

Colour and records

In 2005 the buildings were painted light brown, but after a public campaign they were quickly repainted in their original brick-red colour. As of 2024, it is the third highest revenue-earning station of the Indian Railways. A 2007 Indian Railways report rated it one of the cleanest stations in South India. After its 2019 renaming it has the second-longest station name in the world, after the one at Llanfair in Wales.

Fun facts

The station was rebuilt after a public campaign to bring back its brick-red colour in 2005.
It has 12 platforms today.
The clock tower is 41 metres tall.
Its official name is the second-longest of any railway station in the world.