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City guide

Madurai, India

Madurai is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai district, which is governed by the Madurai Municipal Corporation established on 1 November 1866.

Type Town

Why go

  • City in Tamil Nadu, India.
  • Served by Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU).

History

Madurai is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai district, which is governed by the Madurai Municipal Corporation established on 1 November 1866. As of the 2011 census, it is the third largest metropolis in Tamil Nadu after Chennai and Coimbatore in terms of population and 27th largest urban agglomeration in India. Located on the banks of Vaigai River, Madurai has been a major settlement for two millennia and has a documented history of more than 2500 years. It is often referred to as "Thoongaa Nagaram", meaning "the city that never sleeps".

Restaurants & places to go

Steak House, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Th 09:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 09:30-22:00; Su 09:30-21:30 · Mauritius · spursteakranches.com
Indoor
Burger, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Th 09:00-22:00, Fr-Su 09:00-23:00 Features: takeaway · Queen Elizabeth Street, Port Louis · mcdonalds.mu
Indoor
Cafe · Opening hours: Mo-Su 09:00-21:00 Features: outdoor seating, delivery · 1 Bocage Road, Bocage, 80803 · ekolodgemokawoods-308305392354.europe-west1.run.app
Indoor
Pizza, Fast Food · Features: takeaway · John Kennedy Street, Port Louis · dominos.mu
Indoor
Chinese, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Sa 11:45-22:00 · 55 Labourdonnais Street, Rose Hill, 71349 · facebook.com
Indoor
Pizza, American, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 18:00-21:00; We off; Sa 11:00-15:00,18:00-21:00 Features: takeaway, delivery · Petite Verger Road, Pointe… · facebook.com
Indoor
Indian, Burger, Sandwich, Fast Food · Opening hours: Mo 10:30-21:30; Tu 10:00-21:30; We 10:00-21:00; Th 10:00-22:00; Fr 10:30-22:00; Sa 16:30-21:30 Features:… · ordermanzer.mu
Indoor
Chinese, Seafood, African, Diner, Noodles, Local, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Su 11:30-14:30, 18:30-22:30 Features: vegetarian options · Royal Road &… · greatdelight.net
Indoor

292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →

Airports

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) 28 km to the centre
Plaine Magnien, GP, MU — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 16 airlines (Air Mauritius, Air France, Air India Limited, Air Austral…) · direct flights to 25 destinations incl. St.-denis, Johannesburg, St.-pierre, Antananarivo, Bangalore… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 16 airlines, 25 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Madurai Airport (IXM)
Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 6 airlines (Spicejet, Air India Limited, Air Sahara, Jet Airways…) · direct flights to 3 destinations incl. Madras, Colombo, Hyderabad (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 6 airlines, 3 direct destinations
  • Spicejet SG (DH8, 737) · 3 routes: Colombo, Hyderabad, Madras
  • Air India Limited AI (A319) · 1 route: Madras
  • Air Sahara S2 (ATR 72) · 1 route: Madras*
  • Jet Airways 9W (ATR 72) · 1 route: Madras*
  • L MJ (A320) · 1 route: Colombo
  • SriLankan Airlines UL (A320) · 1 route: Colombo*

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor | Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Passenger Terminal
Ferry terminal · 8.4 km from the centre
Outdoor
Cruise Piers Port Luis
Ferry terminal · 8.5 km from the centre
Outdoor
Suffren Hotel - La Marina
Ferry route · Le Suffren Hotel
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
October – March

The warmer, longer-day half of the southern-hemisphere year.

Shoulder season
April – May, September

Milder and quieter, with better value.

Worth avoiding
June – August

The southern winter — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU); 1 other airport serves the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: MRU has direct flights to 25 destinations on 16 airlines (incl. St.-denis, Johannesburg, St.-pierre, Antananarivo, Bangalore…). By water: 2 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Passenger Terminal, 8.4 km); routes include Suffren Hotel - La Marina.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Madurai, India. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Trains & rail

National rail

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.
Charter, management, FBO, MRO · Managed fleet worldwide · General Dynamics company: charter, completions and FBOs in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US.

Tours & experiences

Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Adventure
Sightseeing