Mumbai Local Trains: Like Going to War?

navinkurian2002 · Jan 17th, 2008, 14:03

Great pic amyl . I wanna see a pic of those daredevils who sit on the top of the train really close to the high tension electric wires

amyl · Jan 18th, 2008, 11:47

Youtube and google video is blocked here so cannot upload the video I shot at Dadar station on a 'usual' weekday morning. Will do so whenever I get a chance. I liked it.

piran_e · Jan 21st, 2008, 14:50

People over here seem to have quiet a negative image of the Mumbai locals. As a person who has travelled by the local trains all my life on a daily basis, I don't think that it is so bad. I do agree that the crowds would overwhelm a person coming from abroad or for that matter from a small town in India. But it' still better then being frustrated in the perpetual traffic and chocking yourself on the gas fumes.

If you travel from Dadar to Goregaon then you will be travelling against the traffic and so the trains would not be all the crowded. And if you take a first class pass then you will get a place to sit too. So don't worry too much and enjoy the ride.

You can check out some more nice pictures of Mumbai locals over here http://flickr.com/photos/wormtongue/...7594300063733/

MoritzK · Jan 26th, 2008, 14:14

I agree, I think you should give it a shot. I've been taking the train from bandra to churchgate for a year - every day during rush hour. if you know the system you will be fine, and it beats sitting in traffic for hours!

If you are going against rush hour, even better. It also helps if you leave early in the morning, since most offices open at 9:30, the real rush starts around 8:30-8:45 (this may be different on different routes, you will figure out what time is best on your route).

Most importantly, people on the train will ALWAYS help you, especially if you are a foreigner. The rush may seem brutal at first, but I've experienced and witnessed the most kind acts on Bombay locals - if you're in trouble there will be 10 hands reaching out to you. It's the great spirit of this city.

Shiver me Timbers · Apr 8th, 2008, 22:45

Found another good youtube video on this.....

Mumbai Railways Train Human Compression Efficiency

thamonindew · Apr 9th, 2008, 14:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by capt_mahajan

Warning: Do not visualise empty compartments off peak times. Not true.

Has it gotten that much worse in 3 years? Or was it the route I took? I used to take the #1 bus down from Bandra to Colaba in the morning, then the train churchgate back to Bandra at about 2pm. I always got a seat at that time and usually could stretch out a bit too.

navinkurian2002 · Apr 9th, 2008, 15:14

thamonindew it was the train you caught to your destination

train churchgate back to Bandra at about 2pm
Trains starting from churchgate will always have place to sit. And if it was the a 2pm bandra local there would be even more space.

The rush is for the fast trains (F) usually at stations in the middle like dadar , the push and the shove can be seen in the Virar fast trains at stations from andheri to virar in the evenings and from virar till mumbai central in the mornings.

Familyonthemove · Apr 9th, 2008, 15:50

There's a first hand report of my experience of traveling on the Mumbai local in my IM Journal. I've only used the local 5 or 6 times at peak periods - but this was still enough to make me a local celebrity as the gora admi who rides the Local.

But 35 mins by train beats 2 hours in car any day. And if you've ever been in a rugby scrum the local will make you feel at home .... except people tend not to grab you by the nuts on the local

capt_mahajan · Apr 9th, 2008, 18:40

brownboy66 · Apr 9th, 2008, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Familyonthemove

And if you've ever been in a rugby scrum the local will make you feel at home .... except people tend not to grab you by the nuts on the local

I have been in a rugby scrum....and the problem is not so much where you put your hands - its where you put your head!

(which also explains why I preferred to play out on the wing)

edwardseco · Apr 9th, 2008, 20:22

Tend not to but not always. There is always the rare perv..

capt_mahajan · Apr 9th, 2008, 22:13

thank god for that

Reminds me of the old Hoffer quote "But I hang on to my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind"

brownboy66 · Apr 10th, 2008, 10:25

must have been a prop.....

navinkurian2002 · Apr 10th, 2008, 12:44

Quote:

And if you've ever been in a rugby scrum the local will make you feel at home .... except people tend not to grab you by the nuts on the local

lol!! There is a modified version of self defence -mumbai local train kung fu hehe . Where it is all about the placement of your knapsack/bag and elbow.I hate it when there is a sweaty guy behind me ,so i just place my hands in my pockets and elbows close to my side so every thing he lurches forward (due to the 10 other people behind him) he gets an elbow jab in his tummy

snonymous · Apr 18th, 2008, 16:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fullred

I'd really love to hear the opinion of the IndiaMike Mumbai folks on this issue:

My idea is to take the local train to work. According to my family, Dadar to Goregaon takes about 45 minutes by train.

So OK guys, is it really that bad? I mean, say I buy a monthly train pass for 1st class. Is that still as bad as they say? Please don't hesitate to be brutally honest.

Fullred

What happened. Did you get a first class pass and try it out or have you opted for a different mode of transport?

Jan 17th, 2008, 14:03	#76
navinkurian2002 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai,India Posts: 733	Great pic amyl . I wanna see a pic of those daredevils who sit on the top of the train really close to the high tension electric wires __________________ It doesn't interest me what you do for a living. I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare dream of meeting your heart's longing. Budget Hotels ]

Jan 18th, 2008, 11:47	#77
amyl 21st Century Freak Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Singapura.......in Babenhausen, DE for a while Posts: 1,850	Youtube and google video is blocked here so cannot upload the video I shot at Dadar station on a 'usual' weekday morning. Will do so whenever I get a chance. I liked it. __________________ a'mar kono chinta nei

Jan 26th, 2008, 14:14	#79
MoritzK Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Posts: 80	I agree, I think you should give it a shot. I've been taking the train from bandra to churchgate for a year - every day during rush hour. if you know the system you will be fine, and it beats sitting in traffic for hours! If you are going against rush hour, even better. It also helps if you leave early in the morning, since most offices open at 9:30, the real rush starts around 8:30-8:45 (this may be different on different routes, you will figure out what time is best on your route). Most importantly, people on the train will ALWAYS help you, especially if you are a foreigner. The rush may seem brutal at first, but I've experienced and witnessed the most kind acts on Bombay locals - if you're in trouble there will be 10 hands reaching out to you. It's the great spirit of this city. __________________ Tham Dee Dai Dee - Do Good and You Will Receive Good

Apr 8th, 2008, 22:45	#80
Shiver me Timbers Dreaming of Palm Trees Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Dublin Posts: 1,497	Found another good youtube video on this..... Mumbai Railways Train Human Compression Efficiency __________________ Europe to India Overland Andaman's Tips Pakistan Tips Flickr Photos

Apr 9th, 2008, 15:50	#83
Familyonthemove Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 274	There's a first hand report of my experience of traveling on the Mumbai local in my IM Journal. I've only used the local 5 or 6 times at peak periods - but this was still enough to make me a local celebrity as the gora admi who rides the Local. But 35 mins by train beats 2 hours in car any day. And if you've ever been in a rugby scrum the local will make you feel at home .... except people tend not to grab you by the nuts on the local __________________ My Journal My Photos

Jan 21st, 2008, 14:50	#78
piran_e Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 136	People over here seem to have quiet a negative image of the Mumbai locals. As a person who has travelled by the local trains all my life on a daily basis, I don't think that it is so bad. I do agree that the crowds would overwhelm a person coming from abroad or for that matter from a small town in India. But it' still better then being frustrated in the perpetual traffic and chocking yourself on the gas fumes. If you travel from Dadar to Goregaon then you will be travelling against the traffic and so the trains would not be all the crowded. And if you take a first class pass then you will get a place to sit too. So don't worry too much and enjoy the ride. You can check out some more nice pictures of Mumbai locals over here http://flickr.com/photos/wormtongue/...7594300063733/

Apr 9th, 2008, 15:14	#82
navinkurian2002 Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai,India Posts: 733	thamonindew it was the train you caught to your destination train churchgate back to Bandra at about 2pm Trains starting from churchgate will always have place to sit. And if it was the a 2pm bandra local there would be even more space. The rush is for the fast trains (F) usually at stations in the middle like dadar , the push and the shove can be seen in the Virar fast trains at stations from andheri to virar in the evenings and from virar till mumbai central in the mornings.

Apr 9th, 2008, 18:40	#84
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,100

Apr 9th, 2008, 20:22	#86
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 3,911	Tend not to but not always. There is always the rare perv..

Apr 9th, 2008, 22:13	#87
capt_mahajan (in charge of navel affairs) Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: India Posts: 10,100	thank god for that Reminds me of the old Hoffer quote "But I hang on to my prejudices, they are the testicles of my mind"

Apr 10th, 2008, 10:25	#88
brownboy66 Chicken 65 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 2,258	must have been a prop.....

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