Getting There By Air:Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji) International Airport (BOM)Tel: (022) 2682 9000
or 2615 6000.
Website:
www.csia.inMumbai International Airport is located 30km (19 miles) north of the city center at Sahar and is a major gateway for India, handling over a third of the country’s international passenger traffic, more than any other airport in India. Mumbai handles flights from 46 international airlines, which fly to the major cities in Asia, the Far and Middle
East, some destinations in Europe (such as London and Paris) as well as New York and Chicago.
Airport facilities: At terminals 1A and 1B, services include hotel reservation counters, bureaux de change and an ATM, first aid and medical facilities, tourist information, Internet cafes, shopping and bars. At 1B there is also a childcare room. There is a free coach transfer service between terminals.
Transport to the city: Taxis are readily available at the airport; the journey time to the city center takes about 90 minutes. There are also several prepaid 24-hour taxi services available in the arrival hall. Public transport buses operate from the airport, but taxis are the most reliable, easy and comfortable way for visitors to get to the city center.
Mumbai Domestic AirportTel: (022) 2615 6600
or 2627 6738.
Website:
www.csia.inThe domestic airport is 26km (16 miles) north of the city center, at Santa Cruz. It provides connections to 39 cities in India. Together with the international airport, over 20 million passengers use the airports every year.
Airport facilities: An ATM, tourist information and bars are available.
Transport to the city: Taxis are readily available. Journey times and fares to the central and southern parts of the city are slightly less than to the international airport.
Approximate flight times to Mumbai: From London is 9 hours; from New York is 16 hours; from Los Angeles is 21 hours 30 minutes; from Sydney is 12 hours 45 minutes; from Toronto is 16 hours; from Tokyo is 12 hours and from Singapore is 8 hours 30 minutes. Within India, from Delhi is 2 hours; from Bangalore is 1 hour 30 minutes, from Chennai (Madras) is 1 hour 50 minutes and from Calcutta is 2 hours 20 minutes.
Getting There By Road:Driving in India can be extremely hazardous and is not recommended to tourists, especially considering that there is no speed limit for drivers of passenger cars - motorcycles, taxis, trucks and buses are constrained to a certain velocity, depending on the vehicle type. The surfaces are often in poor condition and adherence to rules is patchy, so accidents are numerous.
Mumbai is an important junction on the National Highway network of India, which links it to all major towns and cities in the country. National Highways are numbered. Traffic drives on the left. Drivers must be over 18 years and foreigners require an International Driving Permit. The legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.03%. Those intending to take their own car to India must obtain a carnet from one of the international motoring associations (such as the RAC or AA) before entering the country. This document represents an undertaking that the car will not remain in India for more than six months. Most European motor insurance policies do not extend to India and motorists are advised to seek cover from an Indian insurer, as insurance is compulsory.
Western India Automobile Association (tel: (022) 2204 1085; website:
www.wiaaindia.com) provides information.
Emergency breakdown service: Western India Automobile Association (see above) provides a limited breakdown service within the city for members.
Routes to the city: National Highways 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 17 provide connecting routes between Mumbai and the rest of India. In particular, route 3 goes to Indore and Gwalior, 4 to Pune, and 8 to Ahmedabad and Delhi. Visitors should bear in mind that the distances in India are colossal. Pune is the nearest city, 170km (111 miles) away. Delhi, however, is 1,460km (913 miles) and Calcutta 1,987 km (1,235 miles) away. Flying is usually preferable to driving.
Driving times to Mumbai: From Pune - 3 hours. Because the distances are so vast and the quality of the roads so variable, trying to estimate driving times to other Indian cities would be pure guess work, which is why we have omitted them here.
Coach services: The
Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (tel: (022) 2369 6109/10; website:
www.msrdc.org) operates coach services from Mumbai to other towns and cities within the same and adjoining states. Private bus companies also operate buses to most major cities and tend to have faster and more comfortable services (by tickets from kiosks at the bus station). The main government and private bus terminal is located opposite Central Station, on Bellasis Road (tel: (022) 2307 4272). Destinations include Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Goa, Indore, Pune and Surat.c
Getting There By Rail:Mumbai is very well served by its railways, both for suburban and national routes.
Western Railway (tel: (022) 2262 5959; website:
www.wr.indianrail.gov.in) and
Central Railway (tel: (022) 2262 0079) are the two main companies that operate rail services from Mumbai. A computerised enquiry system for arrivals and departure information is available (tel: 131
or 134). During the rush hour (0700-1100 and 1600-2100), trains are extremely crowded and best avoided. Western Railway services depart from Mumbai Central Station, Boman Behram Road, while Central Railway services depart from the magnificent CST
building (formerly Victoria Terminus), on Dr D Navroji Road, at the corner of St George’s Road. Both stations offer basic facilities.
Rail services: Central Railway operates over 1,000 services per day, while Western Railway handles more than 900 services daily; together they have over 6 million passengers every day. Destinations include Central Railway services to Agra ( journey time - 22 hours), Bangalore (25 hours), Lucknow (26 hours), Goa (12 hours), Hyderabad (15 hours), and Pune (3 hours 25 minutes); and Western Railway services to Jaipur (journey time - 17 hours 30 minutes), Delhi (17 hours) and Ahmedabad (7 hours).
Getting Around:Public TransportThere is no underground system in Mumbai but the city is well served by its suburban
rail network (see
Getting There By Rail). There are also a large number of
bus routes run by
BEST (
Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport) (tel: (022) 2414 3611, for 24-hour enquiries; website:
www.bestundertaking.com), which provides transport within the city and suburbs. The buses are extremely cheap but it is difficult to determine where the buses go, since the route maps (available at newspaper stands) are virtually indecipherable. Buses are often very crowded and seats hard to come by. Some routes (Bus 1, 65, 66 and 202) operate a round-the-clock service. A small minority of the buses are fitted with air conditioning. Tickets are best purchased from the conductor and although concessionary fares are offered, no passes are currently available.
TaxisMumbai has plenty of delightfully dated taxis (in a black and yellow livery) plying for trade on the streets. For the foreign visitor, they represent the best way of getting around the city, especially as auto-rickshaws (a staple form of urban travel elsewhere in India) are banned from the center of Mumbai. Taxis can be hailed on the street and drivers are reasonably knowledgeable of the geography of the city, though it’s best to give directions by landmarks rather than street names. All taxis have a meter, but these are out of date, so each driver carries a conversion table to compute the correct fare. Ensure that the meter is zeroed before starting the journey. Fares are inexpensive: a journey in the center of the city will rarely cost more than Rs100. Taxis can also be hired for the day. This is a good way for tourists to see the city. For those who prefer a higher degree of luxury,
Cool Cabs (tel: (022) 2216 4466) provides more modern, air-conditioned taxis, which can only be booked by telephone.
Tipping etiquette in Mumbai’s taxis can be somewhat confusing for the tourist. Some drivers demand a tip quite openly, while others are content with the metered or negotiated fare. A 10% tip is generally acceptable.
Driving in the CityDriving in Mumbai is not recommended to tourists. The streets are chaotic and poorly signposted with cows and trucks jostling for space. The road surface in many streets is in a state of disrepair and large potholes are commonplace. The horn is the most commonly used aid to driving. There do not seem to be any rules (although red lights are respected) and would-be drivers should be warned that many Indian motorists regard the use of headlights at night as wholly optional; this is potentially very dangerous. Some speed limits have been imposed in parts of India, but few people seem to obey them.
Parking is a problem on Mumbai’s streets and an increase in underground parking lots, around such areas as Shivaji Park, Nare Park and Oval Maidan, has been proposed to accommodate shopping, offices and parking plazas. Many hotels provide indoor parking for their patrons.
Car HireDrivers in India must be over 18 years, although many car hire companies will insist on a higher minimum age. To hire a car, drivers will need to present an International Driving Permit and insurance must be arranged at the time of hiring.
Avis at the Oberoi Hotel (tel: (022) 2232 6418; website:
www.avis.com) provides self-drive hire cars.
Royal Cars (tel: (022) 2283 2928) supplies mid-range cars.
Bicycle HireBicycles are popular forms of transport on the crowded streets of Mumbai and there is no requirement for cyclists to wear helmets. Motorbikes, including Enfields, are available for long-term buy-back (you purchase the bike and the shop guarantees to buy it back from you at a discount when you’re done) from Allibhai Premji Tyrewalla 205/207 Dr D Bhadkamkar Road, Opera House (tel: (022) 2309 9313;
www.premjis.com). There are also various places, usually small, which hire out bicycles cheaply and visitors keen to do so should enquire at a bicycle repair shop.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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