Mono- and multiple TiN(/Ti) coatings deposited on Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy substrates by the filtered arc deposition system were examined using scratch testing and depth-sensing indentation in terms of the relationship between the coating adhesion, deformation mechanism, and microstructure, and mechanical properties at the film/substrate interface. The results show that multilayer TiN/Ti coatings offer a greater resistance to cracking and delamination than monolithic TIN coatings under the same conditions on the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloys substrates. And increasing the number of layers for TiN multilayer coating improves the coatings adhesion. In contrast, for the coatings on the Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloys substrates that were heat-treated to a higher hardness, the limited deformation in the substrates improved remarkably the coating adhesion indiscriminately. The substrate mechanical properties play the major roles in controlling the coating adhesion, and increasing thickness and layers of the TiN multilayer have a limited improvement to the adhesion of coating. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.