Mumbai Local Trains: Like Going to War?

Fullred

Rahul, Amy, Captain - many thanks to you all. Great info as usual.

Rahul, I'm staying in Dadar because I have family there and will be able to stay with them. I've heard finding one's own place in Mumbai is yet another war in its own right. I'm actually starting to wonder why I even want to do this!

Anyway, you know what, I'm just going to go have a look myself. Funny thing to point out: I actually do not have the sense of smell. I was born without it. I can't smell a thing. I think this in itself will be a huge advantage for me.

Everything else regarding the trains I will just take with good humor and see how it works out. I'm just worried about pushing someone too hard and getting into trouble.

Fullred

capt_mahajan

nobody will object to your pushing. Its nothing personal.

For the same reasons, pushing back may be considered rude. :-)

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kalumama

Hey Fullred,

I would suggest a couple of points

- If your working in Goregoan or Andheri, then residing in Andheri(West) is a really good option which can be as good as Dadar. That way u avoid the train travel and cut ur probable car or bus travel.

- As mentioned earlier by others, if staying at Dadar you would be travelling in opposite direction of the real rush during your work days which can be bit easier then traveling with the rush.

- Once you get that travelling down to a routine, you normally dont realise that rush so much as compared to watching it as newcomer as you will knowing all the nuances of the Bombay Commuter train. . Used to feel okay when I was doing it regularly but now feel challenged myself when I return to Bombay.
So just a matter of getting ramped up on it.

navinkurian2002

I notice you are going from dadar to Goregaon. It all depends on what time you are going to work. In the morning the rush is in the opposite direction goregaon to dadar most of the guys go to work in town .So the train should be pretty empty .

In the evening the rush is from dadar to goregaon and you would be again going in the opposite direction ie goregaon to dadar so again your train should be pretty empty.

The trick is to skip a crowded train and take the one after that (It requires you to be at the station early and patience)

Going to war scenarios are in fast trains in the evening from dadar to virar for eg. Study the flow and then make plans. Its all about beating the system .The chaos in mumbai has a system all you need to do is figure out how it works.

Tip:- The flow into all the compartments are not alike. You need to get into the compartments which is not near the stairs coming down from the over bridge.

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Fullred

Kalumama and Navin - Thanks! Your posts are more upbeat and have given me some hope. It should be an interesting experience to come up with a way to figure out the madness and work around it.

Shiver me Timbers

AvidTrekker

That was a good video on Youtube.

Fullred, assuming that you are gonna be doing Dadar to Goregaon at 08:30 morning by First Class, it will be empty [almost] at that time. Most of the other passengers will be railway employees and railway cops [off duty commuting to or fro].

Evenings assuming you will take the train at 19:00 from Goregaon to Dadar, it will be moderately full.... nothing at all like the Youtube video shown above.

I have been born and brought up here, but I have travelled with the rush at rush hour just about 15 times in my life. Even today the thought makes me shudder ....brrr

You go ahead.... [or rather come over ]. I don't see anything negative in your proposal. A three month First Class pass from Goregaon to Dadar costs around 1000 rupees [hardly anything] It would be wiser to buy a Pass from Borivali to Churchgate for around 1300 rupees in case you have to travel more occassionally... the extra fare isn't much.... It saves you the hassle of spending time in queues for buying tickets at stations.

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Fullred

AvidTrekker, my main man, you just made my day.

Thank you for that info and that doesn't sound bad at all! I feel quite a lot better after reading your post.

I don't know where in Mumbai you live, but we should meet up at some point when I'm there so I can buy you a beer.

Fullred

amyl

Avid does not drink beer, I know....so get that bottle to me. Even I helped you give u a real picture of Mumbai trains, aint I?


Man o man... those guys in the that video are having a big fun!

"on time, full of grime, no crime.... actually they are the best people to get crowded with... lots of fun! "

one of the guys comment on it......what I enjoy most on the trains are the friendly ppl on it. I never miss a chance to strike a conversation with the fellow passenger. Its fun!!!

Loved that video! Thanks Conor! Got to hear those announcements! Aaha! Mumbai!

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Fullred

Come to Mumbai sometime and I will definitely buy you a beer my man! Thanks for your great input on this thread.

mani

Hi Fullred,

Welcome to mumbai.

Here a two rs worth from the mumbai girl.

I am from mumbai. Lived at andheri before marriage and now stay at colaba.

During college I travelled from Andheri to Vasai (7:30 am - 3 PM)

Now our factory is at Vasai so I travel everyday from Churchgate to Vasai. (8:30 am - 6:30pm)

Although mornings are Non peak hrs for this direction dont expect to have the entire compartment to yourself. the worst it gets is 4 people sitting in place of 3 and a few standing in the passage way.

There is a churchgate Goregaon fast train at 8:09 from churchgate ie about 8:30 at dadar. this train stops at Bandra and then direct to goregaon. Getting down at goregaon is a task as the northbound passangers will clamber on before the train stops. You need to flatten yourself against the doorway. allow them to get on and then calmly just getoff and get going. alternative take any borivali slow train. In the evening any churchgate bound train will bo. please so yourself a favor and dont get on the Dadar local in the evening.

You will get used to it. First class three month pass for churchgate to vasai is RS. 3000.

Best of Luck
Mani

navinkurian2002

In the youtube video .The guys caught a the first fast train coming from borivali(probably) going towards churchgate platform no 5 andheri .And got off at bandra .

There were two different flows the guys getting off at andheri and the guys getting in at andheri .The system is to know how long it takes for the 3rd last guy to get off. And which compartment and which side is the best to get in from(left when going towards churchgate). And also its important to know after how many people you need to get into the compartment. The fist few guys would usually go straight in and stand at the other entrance getting off at dadar.The last few guys would be the guys getting off at bandra. If you were going to churchgate you would get in 5th or 6th so you reach the middle of the compartment where there is the entrance to the seating area.Just a preview into the system .

amyl

yea sure, dude! Will look out for you whenever am in that beautiful city

Man!! This thread is keeping me engaged in the thoughts of Virar Fast - my every weekend journey to Virar when in Mumbai. Damn! Am getting local-sick now!
Wanting to read more about locals I came across this article. And indeed I could feel whatever Jasmine had to say here.


When we used to carry our paragliders on one of such trains to the city.....a hell lot of fun!! With those overly bulky bags on the back everyone were like "awwww...what the hell?" and the real fun was when one female pilot and a guy used to get down at Dahisar...we would go behind them and push our as hard as we can to see that they land at the platform and do not get stuck....and in doing this of course the bag did carry some lean souls along

Virar Fast = Fun!

Fullred

Hi Mani,

Thanks for the inside info. It's really insightful to hear straight from the Mumbai folks on this board.

I'm sure I wouldn't last long during rush hour, but I'm just crossing my fingers that my specific route will be more bearable.

wp7713

To help you make up your mind, Full red, I've just posted a photo to the gallery.
It shows a Mumbai bound suburban train at Dadar. It has just departing from Dadar, where a large crowd alighted. The time is 12.48 on a weekday, so definitely very off peak.

http://www.indiamike.com/photopost/s...hp?photo=13950