Finally, you’ve made the decision to visit Mumbai and explore all it has to offer!
We’ve put together a summary to help you decide how to get into the city upon arrival at Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport:
1) Taxi
This is a straightforward method to get into the city. There are two types of taxis you can take: pre-paid or normal metered taxis. Normal taxis be distinguished by their black and yellow exteriors, whereas the pre-paid taxis are equipped with air conditioning (sometimes referred to as “cool cabs”).
We recommend taking pre-paid taxis over metered taxis to ensure you get a fair rate into the city, irrespective of traffic conditions/travel time.
- Cost: The average rate is around INR 500 – 600 for pre-paid, INR 625-700 for metered taxis
- Travel time: 25 minutes to 2 hours
*Note that the time of day you arrive/depart and traffic will affect the length of time it takes for you to get in or out of town.
2) Ridesharing apps: Uber and Ola Cabs
Oh the wonders of technology and ride-sharing apps! Travelling via this option is seemingly effortless: the airport has designated pick-up points for Uber and Ola riders, as well as signage to direct you to these pick-up points.
Ask for the Uber or Ola Cabs counter upon exiting any terminal premises and you’ll be directed accordingly. In case you don’t have either application downloaded on your phone, Uber or OLA representatives at these information counters can help you book a ride. Rates are fair, fixed, and you can rest assured that you’ll be dropped off exactly where you need to be.
- Cost: The average rate is around INR 250-500
- Travel time: 25 minutes to 2 hours
3) Auto Rickshaws
These are the beloved black and yellow, compact three-wheelers that roam Mumbai’s streets. We daresay that autos are the most popular and cost effective means of travel around the city. Moreover, Mumbai’s auto-rickshaws are always metered, so there is no need to fret about price negotiations.
Auto rickshaws in Mumbai, however, only operate in the suburbs and cannot enter South Bombay (Colaba, Fort area). The only terminal where you can catch an auto to reach the suburbs of Mumbai is from Terminal 1B, domestic departures. If you’re thinking of catching an auto from Terminal 2, the only way you’d be able to get one is to get to a nearby train station first.
4) Bus
This would be a difficult to navigate if you aren’t familiar with train travel in Mumbai; however, there are bus services that connect both international and domestic terminals to train stations nearby—making it a cost effective means of getting into town.
BEST- Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport
- Bus Route number 312: stops at Vile Parle (East) and Andheri (East) railway stations
– Opening hours: 04:50 am to 22:50 pm. - To Vile Parle Railway Station include: Bus route 2, 35, 39, 322, 330, 374 and 384
- To Andheri (East) railway station: Bus route 308
– Opening hours: 05:10 am to 22:10 pm. - Vile Parle East: Bus route 321
*Note that buses do not run overnight. So, if you arrive at odd hours in the morning/night, you’ll have to take a cab/Uber/Ola.
5) Train
Unfortunately, Mumbai’s airport isn’t directly connected to any train station. But if you’re adventurous and would like to make your way into the city centre via Mumbai’s local train system, you can do so by travelling to the nearest station via auto/taxi first. Train travel is the fastest way to get into the city centre during peak traffic hours.
Here are some helpful points of reference:
FROM TERMINAL 1
- Vile Parle Railway Station: only 2.1 kilometers from Terminal 1, which is about 20 minutes away
- Other stations include: Asalpha Railway Station (8 km), Sakinaka Metro Station (12 km), Marol Naka Station (6.4 km), Airport Road Metro Station (6.2 km)
FROM TERMINAL 2
- Andheri East Railway Station: 6 kilometers from Terminal 2, which is about 30 minutes away
- Other nearby stations: Santa Cruz Railway Station (6 km), Khar Road Railway Station (8 km), Karla Junction Railway Station (13 km)
Happy travels, and hope to see you soon in Mumbai.
