travel estimates within mumbai

mdchachi

It seems it is very slow to get around within Mumbai. Could somebody give me some travel estimates?

How long do you think it would take to get from Juhu Beach to Colaba/India Gate area on a Friday morning?

How long would it take to get from that area back up to Juhu Beach in the evening?

How long would it take to go to Thane and back (again, on a Friday)?

Are trains an option for any of these routes or is taxi the way to go?

Thanks.

Merchant

By taxi, if I recall, you're looking at over an hour from Juhu to Colaba in traffic. Thane-Colaba, a little more. It's tough to predict. It always takes longer than it should.

tukat

Where are you going in Thane? Traffic across Bombay was very slow, I guestimate 1-2hrs Juhu to Colaba.
I just got back from Bombay, (stayed in town called Dombivilli, in the Thane area) Thane is a big area like a county. We were unable to take a regular taxi from Dombivilli in Thane into Bombay because they (taxis) are not allowed outside their "counties". We rented a car & driver. it seemed to take nearly 3 hrs to get from Bombay to Dombivillii on friday evening. The train is commuter train, totally packed like sardines & totally chaotic. You might not be able to get onto a train. Sorry to be only negative, this is my experience. if you haven't gone yet & still are interested in Thane timings i can ask my inlaws back in India.
Once I took the train in early afternoon (off peak timing)with my husband, Bombay to Thane. It was incredible. We managed to push onto train, but stood packed into corner, my husband in front of me., i was nearly the only female. They have ladies only trains, but I wasn't about to be separated from husband! I didn't know where I was going, can't speak any indian language. however the trip was less than an hr. By car, 2-4 hrs (traffic!)

SHIMLA

To get from Juhu Beach to India Gate, it will probably take you 19 hours if you take the Rajdhani Express, as "India Gate" is in New Delhi !

On the more serious front, from Juhu to the Gateway of India on a weekday morning by Taxi will take you an hour and a half. Same time or a little more in the evening to return. It is recommended you take an autorickshaw from Juhu to Andheri station and then board a "harbour line" local train starting from Andheri, to CST. Travel by first class. It will certainly be crowded, but at least you can get in easily, as Andheri is the starting point.
Follow the same route for return.

Thane is more difficult, for as tukat has pointed out, the Mumbai cabs/autorickshaws ply only upto Mulund, the last suburb in Greater Mumbai before Thane. Thane falls outside Greater Mumbai's municipal limits. A train will be better and faster; I suggest you take an autorickshaw from Juhu to Kurla station on the Central railway. From Kurla you can board a local train for Thane. Follow the same route in the evening for your return.
From Juhu to Kurla should take an hour in the morning, a little more in the evening. Kurla to Thane by a fast train will be 20 min.

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mdchachi

OK ok Gateway to India. You know what I meant.

Thanks for the replies. If it's that bad we probably won't go to Thane. My friend lives there with his family (don't know where, exactly). He was going to put us up but since we are arriving at 2am, I insisted we get a hotel. It will probably make more sense for him to come into town to meet up with us since we will be in Mumbai less than 24 hours.

Man, it must be frustrating to get around in that city. I can't imagine.

absolut

I wouldn't skip the trip to Thane just because of transport problem. Don't let yourself getting scared of by the local trains. it is the best option to go to Thane. Just board it off peak hours at VT and most probably you'll get a seat. Be at VT abt twenty-fifteen minutes before the train is supposed to leave and you'll see it coming in and will get a chance to jump in as one of the first. It IS very crowded but i always travel by local trains and never had problems (i usually stay at Ambarnath, half an hour further than Thane). Just make sure you take a fast local (ask after boarding the train) or at least a semi fast one. with a fast local you'll reach thane within one hour. people on the train are also normally very helpful. just ask them after about 45 minutes which station you reached and how many more stations to go and most probably by the time you reach thane you'll find people coming to you to tell you it's time to get off the train
Don't get scared by the crowd on the local trains it is a part of the mumbai-experience.