Mumbai Airport : no taxi, other mode of transport

http://www.bestundertaking.com/transport/index.htm]

For the benefit of passengers arriving in Mumbai City during the nighttime, the BEST has introduced Air-Conditioned, and Limited bus services, from Chhatrapati Shivaji International (Sahar) Airport to Nariman Point / Backbay Depot in South Mumbai. Considering the peak activity at the airports during night hours theses bus services will be operated from 23.00hrs to 5.00hrs.

Both Air-Conditioned as well as Limited bus services would be provided by the BEST on this route at an interval of every half an hour. The frequency of the buses will be further improved on the basis of response from the passengers.

These bus routes are connecting four prime hotels of the Mumbai city. They are ITC Grand Maratha Sheraton (Parel), Taj Palace (Apollo Bunder), Hilton Tower (Nariman Point), and Hotel President (Cuffe Parade), on its itinerary.

The detailed itineraries of these services are:



Chhatrapati Shivaji International (Sahar) Airport, Domestic Airport Santacruz, Kala Nagar, Mahim, Shivaji Park, Khodadad Circle, Parel, Lalbaug, Byculla, Bhendi Bazar, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Museum, Mantralaya.


Chhatrapati Shivaji International (Sahar) Airport, Domestic Airport Santacruz, Kala Nagar, Mahim, Shivaji Park, Worli, Mumbai Central, Thakurdwar, Metro, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST).


These services are also available in the return journey towards Airport.


This service is a joint initiative between BEST, Airport Authority of India, and Mumbai Traffic Police.

Take out the underline and your post might be readable...

Indeed. Can't read the message without straining my eyes.

I and someone else both posted announcements about this service here on IM a while back, but it's good to have a reminder, especially since I'm going to be there in two weeks. I'd appreciate it if anyone using this service between now and then could comment for the rest of us about their experience. I'd especially like to know how much space they provide for luggage; one would hope they'd provide a couple of nice big luggage shelves.

hi mahascribe, that sounds interesting.
does this bus service go to colaba? and how much does it cost?
do you think it is a better option than a taxi (price, journey time etc.) ?
thanks again.

The Museum stop mentioned in the article is at the north end of Colaba.
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their 2 routes suit me just fine but unfortunately my flight will touch down earlier at 9 something pm.

Has anyone tried this service from Sahar Airport? Is it up and running and how does one find the bus upon leaving the airport?

If its in the suburbs and you dont have lot of luggage and says just a backpack you can walk out of the airport (5 minutes ) and catch a rickshaw (never catch on directly outside the airport ). Or if you have the bus guide take a bus (remember to be sure you are not catching the bus during the rush hours and not in a direction where the busses are jam packed).Rush hours and jam packed buses are hell to travel in .

Just to let you know that this service no longer exists and the BEST has no bus service from the airport to the city though there are a few regular buses that run during the day (no full night services) to some of the closeby railway stations and a couple of other destinations. Don't know why this has been made a sticky since it is no longer of any use to travellers.

Cheers,
Aadil.

And rickshaws aren't allowed in Colaba. Only taxis. They stop the rickshaws short of the city center. You might as well start out with a taxi. In fact, most Mumbaikar rickshaw wallahs would laugh at you and drive on if you asked them for a lift into the city. They might take you to an airport hotel near by, if allowed, but that's it.

As for walking five minutes from the airport to find a rickshaw....(!) Your flight probably will arrive in the middle of the night, and although the area immediately around the airport is well-lit, now, the area immediately beyond the airport isn't. The parking lot is full of touts, and sometimes with dodgy airline/airport personnel working in tandem with them. There is signage, but you won't understand it. How good is your sense of direction? How good is your Hindi? Do you know which direction you need to be walking in? Cars and taxis (and lorries) will be zipping along the roads at terrific speed, obeying none of the traffic laws. You will have just completed a very long, dehydrating, exhausting journey, and will be lugging your backpack in heat and humidity such as you may never have experienced in your life....

Does this sound like a good idea?

Taxi, taxi, taxi! Sure, it will cost a little, but cut yourself some slack on your first night and above all play it safe. And if it costs a bit, consider that the driver is going some distance from the airport into the city, and at 1:00 AM he is very unlikely to find a return fare.

I am arring at Mumbai airport (from Sydney) at 11:00 pm. The hotel I am staying in quoted me the following for airport pick up and transfer to the Taj President hotel in Colaba:

Toyota Corolla
Domestic Airport : INR 2482 /-
International Airport : INR 2813/-

Toyota Innova
Domestic Airport : INR 2702 /-
International Airport : INR 2978 /-

Mercedes C Class
Domestic Airport : INR 4412 /-
International Airport : INR 4908 /-

Mercedes E Class
Domestic Airport : INR 4908 /-
International Airport : INR 6067/-

The above rates are for One way transfer only and are inclusive of taxes.

Should I book one of the above cars or travel by taxi (if cheaper)?

Thanks,

Julie

Taxi will be much much cheaper. You may get a Renault for Rs. 15 per KM from www.megacabs.com. It's 100% reliable and very nice radio taxi service. You may book it online also.

These are hotel prices so they are bound to be more expensive than regular taxis. If you take an airconditioned taxi from the prepaid taxi service counter just before exiting the arrivals then it will cost you about Rs425 for going to the Taj President hotel. Much cheaper than the hotel rates but then if you wish to arrive in style then pay the extras for your hotel transfer. Megacabs cannot be booked from the international airport. Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Aadil.

hai could any body tell me about mumbai. i am coming on 19th june by air in noon. after see major sites in mumbai like mahalaxmi, haziali, gate way of india, juhu beach (santacruj), marine drive etc.. in night we move to shirdi by bus. problem is that how we compleate these all sites between in 1 to 9.30 pm. any idea. and also guide me where i took bus service frm mumbai to shirdi, how much they charge ? and any tourist taxi who provide us mumbai to shirdi, how much they cost, we need indica with a/c. how much time it will be take to move us frm mumbai to shirdi. also tell me some idea to go BHIMASHANKAR, GIRKESHWAR, NASHIK triyambakeshwar, panchvati, Shani dham etc... after that we came back to delhi. also suggest me for coming delhi we take train frm mumbai or pune or aurangabaad........ need reply please help me .........