Arriving at 2am into mumbai airport. Dangerous?

Hi

I am a female travelling alone and i will be arriving into Mumbai airport at 2am. Will i be able to remain inside the airport until daylight? is there any safe travelling options at that time to mumbai down town?

Please advise, thanks in advance.

This is my opinion, other people may think otherwise. I feel that India has a reputation as a dangerous country - especially for Western females - when, in fact, it is quite safe. You can get a pre-paid taxi to your hotel from Mumbai airport, and I believe that you will not be in any way more unsafe than if you took a cab in London at the same time of the night. Of course, people can, and do, get attacked both in London and in Mumbai, but I do not believe that the latter is any more dangerous (in fact, most of the minicab drivers in my part of London are from India and I am not afraid of them attacking me).

Hello

Agreed, I dont believe the danger is specific to india. I just believe that certairn precautions should be taken just as i would take them in the UK or any other country.

Which is why i would prefer to remain in a public place over night than take a taxi. Does someone know if it is possible to stay in the international arrivals terminal overnight?

thanks

Obviously, you should not do something you consider unsafe, but I am wondering - would you really not take a taxi in the UK at 2am; would you rather stay at Heathrow overnight because it is too dangerous to take a taxi? Unfortunately, I have no idea whether you can stay in the arrivals hall in Mumbai, but I cannot imagine any reason why you could not if you wish. (If you are staying in a hotel, can they not send a taxi to the airport to pick you up? Maybe that would make you feel safer.)

Till Feb '12 there was no arrivals waiting area in BOM international airport. After Customs there was a narrow corridor and out to the exit. Where you would be greeted by throngs of humanity waiting to receive their kith and kin.

You have not indicated what hotel you will be staying at downtown, if by that you meant the backpacker gulch - Colaba/Fort area. If you have concerns, then ask the hotel to arrange a pickup. It will not be cheap, in fact far more expensive than a prepaid taxi.

if you have a hotel booked then a pre paid cab to the hotel should be fine. Giving the impression of bravado and confidence wouldn't hurt either. First time I flew to Mumbai in 1997 we sat in the airport for a few hours not because we thought it unsafe but rather as we thought no where would be open. We could have stayed as long as we wanted. In the end, having arrived at 00:50 we went into the city around 3am. We had nowhere booked and just hammered on the door of a hotel in Colaba. They gave us a room and ripped us blind but that was my first ever trip.

It is true that pick-up arranged by the hotel would be (perhaps a lot) more expensive than pre-paid from the airport, but it might be money well spent if it makes the OP more safe. Now that you mentioned, I do vaguely recall that there was not much at the airport after customs - I have not been to Mumbai international airport since, let me think, 2009. There must be somewhere inside, or immediately outside, though, where she can sit around if she really wants to. I know I would not want to spend hours sitting there after an international flight, in fact, I would be happy to avoid Mumbai daytime traffic and get to my hotel as soon as possible... But I understand that someone might not feel so safe in a new country alone in the middle of the night.

I'll just say there was do difference in price in Kochi. Which is not to say that holds true in Mumbai.

If you have a booking in a place then take a prepaid taxi, but do remember ONLY ONE MAN THE DRIVER, do not allow two men. Then it becomes unsafe. And be firm your hotel only.
gypsie

you're arriving in Bombay at 'rush hour' for International flights with all flights from Europe (and elsewhere as far as i know) arriving in the middle of the night.
you won't be the only female arriving at that time of night into Bombay.

Then it mean hotels in kochi take a loss, or pre-paid taxi in Kochi really really inflated.

theres the pre paid taxis at the Airport or there's other taxis companies including a couple of women only companies.
someone posted this on a previous post.

"Viira Cabs Tried out Viira cab service last Friday - it's a startup in Mumbai, just came out this January (2011). Cabs for women, driven by women. Was very reliable. Shama showed up on time. Cab was clean. She drove safely. Overall, very positive reviews and wanted to share as I don't think it's so well known. Rate is competitive with Meru Cabs, Cool Cabs, and that whole tier of private call-ahead cabs.

CNN did a feature article on it too. If nothing else, makes a good read.

Viira Website: http://www.viiracabs.com/
CNN Article: http://www.cnngo.com/mumbai/life/vii...n-drive-592108"

If still in operations, they should be patronized. So what if they cost more ! Remember ! your prepaid cash/travel card from Bankers to the world whacks you more monies than people here make as a profit in a day.

OpEd
If the women cant support their sisterhood over economics, dont be shocked when the romneys and camaroons of the world take away your fundamental right !!!

you can remain inside the airport, but there is nothing much to do except watch some boring news channels. by the time you are done with taxiing, immigration, baggage claim & customs, it should be around 3am or more.
if you have a hotel booking, you can ask them to send a cab - there is a huge comfort in seeing someone with your name on a placard when you land in a new country. but this service is quite pricey (as they charge two way fare, parking, waiting, etc.)
if your hotel is a well known one, you can go to the meru counter, pay 80rs 'convenience charge' (in fact this is the airport parking charge), & take a cab to go by the meter. make sure you call the hotel to inform them you are on the way. if the driver is not sure of the directions, you can ask him to speak to the hotel desk on your phone to confirm the same.
there are some women-only cab service run by women drivers that might give some more peace of mind, don't expect their english or route knowledge to be impeccable though... i think priyadarshini cabs is one such option.
basic safety norms you would follow in any other big city would apply here.

I suppose it wont be a bad idea to book a room near the airport for the first night. Sitting in the airport lounge, jet-lagged, can be difficult. If you wish to go downtown, for that is where the budget accomodations are, then it would be better if you were to book a room in advance. Knocking on the door at 3 AM may have worked for some, but I wouldnt take a chance - specially after a long flight.