from Mumbai domestic airport into (maybe) Fort area

Hi folks,
I need the cheapest, easiest and best way for a solo female (just incase gender matters ) to get from the domestic Bombay airport into town maybe fort area? maybe Colba?

And while I'm at it, where's a good location (and hostel/hotel) to be where I can met some new people, do some shopping, relax, find Shah Rukh Khan convince him to divorce his wife and marry me and do some site seeing?

Thanks guys!

Taxi, prepaid or otherwise to the next railway station and then by train(if you know what the local train is like in Mumbai ). Or by the taxi all the way.

Andheri, Juhu, Goregaoen, Santacruz (where the airport is), Bandra,…a few places where decent hotels are located.

Cheapest is the Salvation Army dorm near the Taj Mahal hotel . It's a dorm, but very decent.

Thanks Beach,

It's been 4 years since I've been to Mumbai and i'm not familiar with the train. Is there something like the Delhi EATS bus kicking around the airport? How much will a taxi or auto rickshaw cost from the domestic airport to Colba, Fort area or the places you mentioned

Thanks for your help!

The cheapest(bus) is not the easiest and the easiest(direct taxi) is not the cheapest ! Neither is the fastest!! The fastest(local train) is hardly the easiest !! That's Mumbai for you, where commuting from suburbs to the city is a nightmare!!

If you do not have much baggage and land in Mumbai in the evening hours, then I suggest taking an autorickshaw to Vile Parle station and then boarding a local train to Churchgate.

All the best !!

mag :
I think it must be Rs250.Local train i cant say as new to Mumbai its like adventure thing to do .Yes if u can are at starting point of station then you can try train.

Radz

Thanks Shimla & Radz!!

I'll be arriving from Delhi in the early afternoon with just a small backpack. So you said auto to Vile Parle station then get off at Churchgate? I don't have a map with me - what's Churchgate by? Colba? Fort Area?

Thanks again,

Man, my life is too much into the "planning" now. What ever happened to just letting things happen? I'm turning into my mother!

Any suggestions on places to stay?

Churchgate statin inside fort area.
hotels did u check Indiamike Mumbai hotel listing?

radz

Thumb rules for the Mumbai suburb trains.

In the morning the whole of Mumbai travels towards the Churchgate area. In the evening it flows away from it. So traveling against this direction at the respective times makes it bit easier.

There are fast and slow trains. The slow one stops at all stations as compared to the fast ones. So check with fellow passengers at the platforms.

Usually the trains stop for 30 seconds at a station. Getting in and out is a special skill. Inside the train check with fellow passengers again, if your stations come on left of right. You come close to the door just before the train reaches your station and jump out before the incoming mob push you in.

You can buy a ‘season ticket’ for regular commuting in these trains. It’s cheap and also convenient since you need not have to buy ticket each time. In a month you can travel any number of times you wish in the trains with a season ticket.

There is a route map stuck inside every coach just above the door. Hindi & English maps are stuck on the opposite doors.

Inside the long distance suburban trains you can see people doing all sorts of things (cutting vegetables for the evening dish at home, playing cards, real estate dealings, singing bhajan, teachers evaluating student answer sheets, Money lending, Marriage broking,…. …. )

Suburb trains have the following types of coaches.

Secondclass (majority of the coaches)
Firstclass (1 or 2 coaches/portions)
Ladies Compartment (1 or 2 coaches)
Vendor’s coach (1 or 2 coaches/portions, for vendors with their baskets, bags, etc)
Disabled (part of a coach, usually near the guards’ coach, for handicapped people)

The best mode of travel from mumbai domestic airport to fort area will be by taxi which would cost you approx Rs 400 /- , and by train which is totally chaotic it should not cost you more than Rs 10.(max).if u plan to take a autorickshaw from the airport to fort, think you will have a extremely bad backache by the time u reach fort.

yeah i'd definately go by taxi, especially being female

autorickshaws are not allowed to many part in the city.Only taxies runs.

A few weeks ago, I arrived in Mumbai about 4:00pm.

Caught a rickshaw to SantaCruz station (tourist price of 40Rs, haha). Driver asked whether I wanted to go to Vile Parle or SantaCruz I just said whichever is easier.

Then the train to Churchgate. I bought a First class ticket which was either 41Rs or 91Rs (can't remember exactly). The first class carriage wasn't very full even at that time and I even got a seat after a few stops.

No drama at all.

Don't think it took that long either. Certainly less than what a taxi would have taken.

for gods sake take a taxi. Rs 350 to 500 depending on how good a bargainer you are.

You did absolutely the right thing, considering you arrived in the evening.

Taking a taxi from the airport to Fort area at that hour and in the process wasting precious time and money is not advisable.

Another option I would consider is take a taxi/rickshaw/bus to Andheri station. There are many trains which START from Andheri and end at Churchgate. So if you can get into one of these trains, sit there and wait for 10-20 mins till the departure time! You can sit back and enjoy the greatest attraction of Mumbai - The suburban train (IMHO)..

Beach and other mumbai experts, you may need to qualify this as I have tried this only in early mornings (5-6am) and there can be some unknowns that I am not exposed to.