Gate-side last-minute grab in T4: WHSmith
Right in Chennai’s T4 departures area, WHSmith works as the quick stop for books, snacks, and basic travel gear before boarding. You’ll see it on the main concourse walk to the international gates, past security, so it’s easy to duck in even with a 20–30 minute buffer.
Stock runs from paperback novels and local magazines to biscuits, chocolate bars, and small packs of nuts, useful if you skipped the food court in T1/T2 and came straight to T4. Prices sit above city shops but still in the normal airport range, with most snacks under ₹200 and bottled water under ₹60.
The shop also carries simple travel accessories: neck pillows, USB cables, basic headphones, padlocks, and power adapters that work for India’s 230V Type C/D/M sockets. If your checked bag tag is peeling by the time you reach T4, you can usually find tape or small stationery items here for under ₹150.
Staff trade quickly in peak evening bank times when several international flights leave from T4 between 9 pm and 2 am, so bring small notes or UPI ready to speed payment. Card acceptance is standard, but machines occasionally hang during those late-night banks.
Practical tip: if you need reading material for a long overnight to Europe or Southeast Asia, buy in WHSmith at T4 before you head to the gate cluster, where options shrink to vending machines and trolley carts.