Air:
Mumbai is well connected by air with the rest of India
as well as the world. All the major airlines from Europe,
the Far East and the Middle East fly to Mumbai. The two
airports of Mumbai are among the busiest airports, if
not the most, of India. The offices of most of the international
and domestic airlines are situated around Nariman Point
in South Mumbai. Prepaid taxis are available from the
airports into town.
International Airport- Chhatrapati Shivaji International
Airport, Sahar, which is about 30 km north of the city
center at Nariman Point & Churchgate.
The Domestic Airport at Santa Cruz is just 4 km away from
Sahar airport. It has two terminals. Terminal 1A serves
Indian Airlines & Alliance Air. Terminal 1B caters
to Jet Airways & Sahara India. Rail:
Mumbai is connected to the rest of India by the Western
& Central Railways. The Western Railway debarking
station is Mumbai Central, close to the city center
and intermediate stations are Dadar and Borivali. The
Central Railway disembarking stations are Kurla, Dadar
and Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal C. S. T (formerly
called the Victoria Terminus).
The Rajdhani Express that connects Mumbai with Delhi
completes the over night journey in 17 hours. Other
cities like Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Bangalore,
Madras, Cochin, Delhi, Gwalior, Jhansi, Calcutta, Trivandrum,
Varanasi are connected with Mumbai through express and
super fast trains. Mumbai is the headquarters for the
Central and the western zones of railways.
Local trains:
Local trains are one of the fastest, cheapest and most
common modes of travelling in Mumbai. First timers to
the city might want to experience a ride in them since
it's possible to travel more than 25 Km from one end
of the city to the other end by the local trains, avoiding
the chaotic traffic on the roads. First class compartments
/ coach marked with green stripes & ‘ladies
only’ coaches are an option too. But travel in
the trains during peak hours is not advisable. There
is a stampede to get off and one can be trampted by
the crowd. Please beware of pickpockets in local trains
and BEST buses. Also always purchase a ticket from the
Ticket Counter at the station on the starting point
of your journey. Inspectors, both in the trains &
on stations, conduct frequent checks.
Areas covered by the local trains-
Western Railway- Churchgate to Borivali/Virar.
Central Railway-Mumbai C. S. T. to Karjat/Kasara.
Harbour Route-Mumbai C. S. T. to Andheri.
New Bombay Route-Mumbai C. S. T to Vashi/Panvel.
Buses: The BEST buses are one of the most efficient
modes of travel in terms of service and reliability
for shorter and long distances. The only drawback is
that it may take more time compared to a local train
for long distances due to the heavy road traffic. The
buses are generally red in color with the number &
route details of the bus mentioned on its front and
side in the Marathi language. Bus numbers are written
on the respective bus stops too. In case of a problem
in locating a bus or route, please check with other
persons waiting for the bus at the bus stop. Most will
help decide the right bus for you. The minimum fare
in the bus is Rs. 2/- & varies according to the
distance travelled by the passenger. The bus conductor
moves up & down the aisles of the bus selling the
tickets. Always buy a ticket. Inspectors, both in the
bus & on bus stops, conduct frequent checks.
Taxis & Auto rickshaws:
Autorickshaws ply between Bandra-Borivali and Sion-Mulund.
Since the meters are set on old fares,one has to pay
the cost as per the card carried by the taxi/auto driver
as approved by the R.T.O. Authority. The card can be
demanded by the passenger to check the rates payable.
Tariff cards are freely available for purchase at most
places in Mumbai. Air-Conditioned Taxis called Cool
Cabs, which provide a more comfortable way of travel,
are an option too. |
