Launched recently by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, the ‘Chennai One’ app marks a significant step forward for urban mobility in Chennai. This single-point mobile application is designed to streamline commuting, offering a seamless travel experience across various modes of transportation throughout the city. After extensive trials, the app is now live, aiming to make daily journeys more efficient and convenient for residents.
Acting as a comprehensive journey planner, the ‘Chennai One’ app provides users with a variety of commuting suggestions, encompassing local buses, the Chennai Metro Rail, suburban trains, and even auto-rickshaws. This multi-modal approach ensures that commuters can find the best way to reach their destination.
To begin using the app, download it for free from either Android or iOS app stores. Registration is quick and easy, requiring only your mobile phone number, which is then verified via a one-time password (OTP). Following this, you’ll be prompted to enter basic details such as your full name, email address, and gender.
Once registered, simply input your origin and destination. After granting location access, the app will ask for your preferred mode of transport and whether you prioritize fewer transfers, the best route, or less walking. For example, if you’re traveling from Vadapalani to Thiruvanmiyur, the app might suggest a 13.4 km route, estimated to take 50 minutes and cost around ₹35.
Screengrab of the logo of the mobile application ‘Chennai One’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A typical suggested route might involve walking to the nearest Vadapalani Metro Rail station and taking a train to Ekkatuthangal. For the second leg, the app could offer bus or auto options. Choosing the bus option would provide directions to the nearest bus stop, the specific bus number (e.g., 49), and the estimated walking time to the stop (about half a kilometer). The final segment of the journey would then be by bus to Thiruvanmiyur.
Screengrab of the mobile application ‘Chennai One’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Once you select your preferred route, the app guides you to a payment gateway, offering UPI as an option. Upon successful payment, a single QR code ticket is generated, covering your entire multi-modal journey.
Screengrab of the mobile application ‘Chennai One’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
This integrated approach aims to make public transportation in Chennai more accessible and user-friendly, allowing commuters to plan, pay, and travel effortlessly across the city’s diverse transit network.
Screengrab of the mobile application ‘Chennai One’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement