Finding the right week
Both ends of this route share the same rainy season. The northeast monsoon, roughly October to December, brings heavy rain to Trichy and Chennai alike, and Chennai's low-lying roads can flood for days after a big spell, so a move then needs plastic over every mattress, sofa and wooden piece and slack in the arrival date. From about March to June, both cities are fiercely hot.
January to February is usually the kindest window, but check the dates of Vaikunta Ekadasi and Pongal if you live in Srirangam, when the island and the roads out of it are crowded.
Clearing a Trichy home
If you're leaving the BHEL township, the ordnance estate, railway quarters or a campus, fix the vacating notice, handover date and inspection with the estate office before booking, and ask whether the truck needs a gate pass. Show the crew which fittings belong to the quarter so they stay behind.
Homes near the bazaars below the Rock Fort or in Srirangam's temple streets may need a smaller vehicle and an early start. Thillai Nagar, KK Nagar and the Cantonment are usually easier for a truck.
North on the highway
The road leaves Trichy past Samayapuram and runs north through Perambalur and Ulundurpet to Villupuram, then on through Tindivanam and Chengalpattu into Chennai's southern suburbs. It's a wide, busy highway with heavy freight and bus traffic, and the approach through Chengalpattu and Tambaram is usually the slowest part.
At about 328 km, goods usually arrive the morning after dispatch. Ask whether your goods travel alone or in a shared truck, and agree the arrival time in writing.
Into Chennai from the south
Because the highway enters from the south-west, moves to Tambaram, Guduvanchery, Vandalur and the southern OMR are usually quicker than those to north or central Chennai. Many Chennai buildings have stilt parking with low clearance, so a truck may not get inside the compound. Ask the association or owner which hours moving is allowed and whether the lift needs booking.
Share the building's rules with the mover before loading day.
From a township to a metro
Families leaving a Trichy township often notice the change most in water and power. Ask how your Chennai building gets its water, whether it relies on tanker supply in the dry months, and whether there's backup power for lifts and lights. Arrange cooling for at least one room before the first night.
If your employer is paying, ask what documents they need. Every mover we work with provides a GST invoice.
Packing for the coast
Chennai is humid for much of the year, and teak, rosewood, leather and books that were fine in Trichy can react to the coastal damp. Ask for polished furniture to be wrapped in blankets, keep it away from walls that get damp, open cartons early and use silica gel in drawers. Pooja items and brass should be wrapped separately and packed upright.
Settling in
Register with your building association for parking and visitors on the first day, and book internet as soon as you have the address. Tamil is spoken at both ends, so the change in daily life is mostly the city's size and traffic. Our guide to moving to Chennai covers the city in more detail.