Mumbai · How to Reach

As India's commercial capital and its principal western port, Mumbai is one of the best-connected cities in the country by every mode of transport. Whether you are arriving from within India or from abroad, the volume of flights, trains and buses converging on the city means getting here is rarely the hard part — the challenge is navigating the metropolis once you land.

By air. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in Andheri is the country's second-busiest airport and the main international gateway to western India, with two terminals — Terminal 2 handling international and many domestic flights, Terminal 1 (Santacruz) handling other domestic services. It connects to the whole subcontinent and to hubs across the Gulf, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa and beyond. From the airport, prepaid taxis, app-based cabs and the Mumbai Metro give you options into town; expect a longer transfer to South Mumbai during peak hours, as the airport sits in the northern suburbs roughly 20–30 km from the Colaba–Fort tourist core. Confirm current terminal assignments and transfer options before you fly.

By train. Mumbai is a terminus of two great railway zones and has several major long-distance stations, which can confuse first-timers. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (station code CSMT) — the UNESCO-listed Victorian Gothic landmark, formerly Victoria Terminus — is the headquarters of Central Railway and the arrival point for many trains from central, southern and eastern India. Mumbai Central (MMCT) is the main Western Railway terminus for trains to and from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi, including the fast Rajdhani and Tejas services. Other important stations include Lokmanya Tilak Terminus (LTT) in Kurla, Dadar, and Bandra Terminus. Because different trains use different stations, always check exactly which Mumbai terminus your service arrives at when booking. Live timetables and seat availability change constantly, so check current trains and fares in the search box on this page rather than relying on a fixed schedule.

By road. Mumbai is linked to the rest of Maharashtra and neighbouring states by a strong highway network. The Mumbai–Pune Expressway, India's first access-controlled motorway, runs southeast to Pune in around three hours and passes the hill stations of Lonavala and Khandala. National highways connect north to Gujarat and south down the Konkan coast toward Goa. Long-distance state and private buses — including sleeper and Volvo coaches — serve destinations across the region from terminals at Dadar, Borivali and elsewhere. Note that traffic entering the island city can be heavy, so build in buffer time on arrival.

Getting around once you arrive. Mumbai's lifeline is the suburban local train — the Western, Central and Harbour lines that carry the working city up and down the peninsula. They are astonishingly cheap, frequent and fast, but famously crowded at rush hour; ride outside peak times when you can, use the designated ladies' compartments if you are a woman travelling alone, and mind your belongings. The expanding Mumbai Metro offers an air-conditioned, less crushing alternative on several corridors. Above ground, the city's ubiquitous black-and-yellow taxis and auto-rickshaws (autos run only in the suburbs, not in the island city south of Bandra/Sion) run on meters, and app-based cabs are widely available. For the heritage core of Colaba, Fort and Kala Ghoda, walking is by far the best way to see the city — the distances are short and the streetscape is the attraction.