People usually travel to Tiruvannamalai by Public transportation bus or hire Taxi service from Chennai (3.5 hours) or from Bangalore( is no direct train service from Bangalore or from chennai. From chennai you can travel to Tindivanam and take up the bus/taxi service from there to Tiruvannamalai. If you are from Bangalore then there is a train station (Run by Indian railway) called katpadi next to Vellore. So you can travel to Katpadi by train from bangalore and go by Taxi (cab) service or the government owned Bus services. Normally bus station located near by train station, you may need just 5 minutes walking. Unlike western countries there wont be any illuminated sign or guide to follow. You need to find yourself, but no worries you can see amble of people everywhere and ask them. Please note if you ask them Bus station it may confuse the people, so ask them where is Bus Stand .
Also boarding gate will be addressed as platform (local pronounce as platparam). Because of British colonial rule everyone understand english so you dont feel alone. For your surprise they encourage you to speak in english than Tamil language. No need to say that people are very friendly to westerners. But it is better in group rather roaming as single. If you are looking for the direction, inquire with government servants like cop (police). People prefer to address Sir to the police (no matter whether constable or Inspector). You can please them calling officer. Any one who is involved in public service wear Khaki uniform (like Police, Cab operator and even sweeper)
Reaching by Road:
Tiruvannamalai is over 100km south of Kanchipuram and 185km southwest of Chennai . It takes about two or three hours to get here by train from Vellore, which is due north. The Tiruvannamalai train station, about half a km from the temple, is on the line between Madurai and Tirupati, and there is also daily train in each direction via Thiruvannamalai. The Madurai-Tirupati Exp #6800 departs from Tiruvannalai train station daily at (10.55 pm, 6 hr) from Madurai towards Tirupati. The Tirupati-Madurai Exp #6799 depart from Tiruvannamalai around (9.25 pm, 13 hr) via Chidambaram, Thanjavur, and Trichy to Madurai.
From chennai to reach tiruvannamalai, you need travel towards Bangalore on the Chengham road. 7.8 km past yogi ramsuratkumar ashram there is a road off to the right. This is just past the Krishnagiri 101 milepost and there is a sign to Anantha Niketan and another sign saying Pariyapaliyapattu 3. Along this road the ashram front gate is 1 km on the left.
The bus stand is about 2km north of the Arunachala temple. There are frequent buses (every 15 minutes) to Gingee and regular buses to Pondicherry (3½ hr) and Chennai (5 hr) from bus stand.
