Travel and transport agencies Maharashtra

Better known as Victoria Terminus, Mumbai Main Station is a masterpiece of Indo-Setacenic architecture. It is also classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Renamed in 1998 the name of the founder of the Marian Empire, the Mumbaikars continue to use his old name, much shorter and easy to remember. The station is one of the most popular in the world and the chaos inside it is a spectacle in itself. If you have a train to take, come a little ahead, time to find the departure dock.

It has a computerized reservation office and, above all, a desk reserved for foreigners. From here you will be able to enjoy tickets on the "tourist" quota and will be more likely to get a ticket on the desired train. The tourist booking office is located outside the station in an annex court on the first floor. It's a little hard to find. So don't believe the people who tell you that he's closed… keep looking. To book a ticket at the foreign tourist window, you will need to have your passport, as well as the foreign currency exchange receipt or withdrawal ticket. As in the other booking offices, you will need to fill out a form in advance, which is obtained at the desk.

The French Consulate General in Bombay and the Mumbai Economic Mission are located in the same building. This office is also an embassy.

Since 2014, Mumbai has had a world-class airport. 26 km north of the city, it takes an hour to an hour and a half to get there by taxi. Terminal 1 is dedicated to domestic flights. On site, exchange offices, ATM distributors, prepaid taxis. There is also a train booking desk at the airport, which can save you time if you plan to travel by rail. Try to book accommodation for your arrival, as most flights land late at night and hotels are usually full.

To leave the airport, several prepaid taxi stands are located in the corridor just before the exit, the most economical being the least attractive, the last on the right of the exit. The former domestic airport is in Santacruz, 26 km north of the city centre: it is now part of the international airport, it corresponds to Terminal 1. To leave, prefer Meru or Easycab taxis with a line 100 metres to the left of the exit. The wait is a little longer, but the service and cost are not commensurate with what is practiced by the cool blue cabs that grab travellers as they leave (count about 800 Rs to reach Colaba). If you are a low-budget traveller with little luggage, one of the alternative solutions is to take a pre-paid taxi to Vile Parle station, then take a local train to C.S.T. Station or Churchgate.

Remember to reconfirm your flight at least 72 hours before departure and arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before the scheduled departure time for domestic flights, 3 hours before for international flights. Be aware that Mumbai traffic is very dense in the evening (when international flights depart), so leave early to arrive on time.