Getting Around, Mumbai Travel, Transport and Car Rental
(Mumbai / Bombay, Maharashtra, India)
Locals in Mumbai rely heavily on the city's public transport infrastructure, since parking in the city centre is both difficult and often expensive. Many people consider bus transport to be amongst the best travel options in Mumbai, since it is relatively cheap and quite reliable.
Tourists flying into this part of India will arrive at the nearby Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, which is close to the city centre and linked by buses and taxi transport. Within the city centre itself, consider using the nippy, three-wheeler auto rickshaws to travel to your destination, or for those travelling further afield, trains will likely be the best choice.
Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) / Arriving by Air
Address: Airport road, Mumbai 400 099, India
Tel: +91 22 615 6789 / +91 22 615 6793
Sited on the northerly outskirts of the city,
Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is just over 32 km / 20 miles from the city centre. With approximately 30 million travellers each year and upwards of 400 daily flights, Mumbai's airport is always busy. Facilities include duty-free shopping, currency exchange outlets, restaurants, bars, left-luggage, child care and a range of ground transport. Although the airport is not directly linked to the railway network, it is possible to travel to the nearby metro rail station by bus.
Mumbai Airport Guide
Car Rental
Various car rental firms operate within the city and also at Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport. Although for many, driving a rental car is the most convenient way to travel around Mumbai, others prefer to hire a car with its own driver but this can be a little pricey. Hotels and travel agencies will always be happy to arrange car rental within the city, although booking ahead usually results in good savings.
Buses and Coaches
Both single-decker and double-decker bus transport travels around Mumbai and is perfect for short distances. Buses are operated by the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST), with the service being cheap and linking both central locations and suburban areas. The main bus transport depot in Mumbai is sited within the Colaba district. Destinations and also route numbers are always clearly displayed at the front of buses in English.
Trains
Three different train services provide travel around the Mumbai area, named the Suburban Rail Network. Two are especially important for tourists, the Central Railways (Central Main Line) and also the Western Railways services (Western Line). Central Railways handle trains, which travel to both the south and east of Mumbai, together with a few trains travelling to northerly locations, being operated from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), previously known as the Victoria Terminus. Train transport operated by Western Railways generally travel north of Mumbai, including destinations such as
New Delhi and Rajasthan. Western Railways are based at the Mumbai Central (MC) train station, still commonly referred to as Bombay Central.
Taxis
Taxi transport is extremely cheap in Mumbai are you can travel a long way for relatively little outlay. Most of the city's taxis are fairly small in size and many do not feature air conditioning. The best way to hail a taxi in Mumbai is on the street and around the train stations, although steer well clear of the many unofficial taxis, which regularly tout for business.
Auto Rickshaws
A popular and memorable way to travel around Mumbai is aboard one of the city's countless three-wheeled auto rickshaws. Relatively small in size, auto rickshaws have the advantage that they are able to travel around in relatively congested conditions, although this form of transport can be slow and a little bumpy.
Boats and Ferries
It is possible to travel to Mumbai by a range of intra-city ferry transport, with destinations including Elephanta Island, the Esselworld Theme Park and also Gorai. High-speed boats and catamarans are also often available.
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