Getting around by train South India

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.

Also known as Ernakulam North, this station is located in the north of the city.

It is located on Willingdon Island and is the main station of Cochin's port for freight transport.

The train station is located in the center of the city. It is served by the majority of trains along the coast.

For Ernakulam Junction (Kochi): about thirty trains a day, between 3 a. m. and 4 a. m., count between Rs 200 and 350 Rs depending on the category chosen.

This railway line was inaugurated in 1899 and classified by Unesco in 2005. This toy train covers a distance of 46 km between Ooty, Coonoor and Mettupalayam. Between Mettupalayam and Coonoor, the train is pushed by a steam locomotive using a rack and pinion system and from Coonoor to Ooty it is pulled by a diesel locomotive. The entire journey takes about 5 hours uphill and about 3.5 hours downhill. The Nilgiri Mountain traverses the beautiful landscape of the Western Ghats. Book your trip in advance!

The train station is 5 km from the city center, 100 meters from the sea. The computerized reservation office is located in the building before the entrance to the station, on the^first floor. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 6pm and from 8am to 2pm on Sundays.

Ernakulam Junction (Kochi). Many trains connect the two cities, count between one and two hours depending on the train.

Trivandrum. Regular trains, but often late... Allow about three hours for the trip.

The most important railway station in Kochi is also known as Ernakulam South. It is the most convenient station: it is located in the center of the city, close to the main boat jetty for ferrying to Fort Kochi. It is also a very popular destination and located on the busy lines, so it is advisable to book your ticket in advance to avoid any mishap. Make sure you check your ticket in order to get to the right station.