AIR TRAVEL, Mumbai

The airport is currently in the middle of renovations. It seems to be going along quite well. Duty free shop is almost completely open again. Toilets are greatly improved... in fact I would say at the moment it is better than many european airports.

Mumbai is one of the main international airports in India. Air India is their international carrier and Jet Airways their main domestic carrier although Air India does operate some domestic flights. Mumbai’s airport is call Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport (formerly known as Sahar International Airport), around 30km from downtown. It is the busiest airport in India. The domestic airport is Santacruz airport, around 26kms from downtown.

This was my first experience of Air India and I cannot say I was impressed. The flight was full to Mumbai, the plane old and in parts I thought some of the interior was falling apart. A coat cupboard door flew open during take off and was left swinging along with coathangers and jiggling bags stored there. A passenger actually managed to kick it shut. There was also a loud crash in the galley during take off. The initial drink was pretty much thrown at you whether you wanted it or not and later when asked if you would like an alcoholic drink, you were advised by the attendant to order two because he wasn’t coming back. Fortunately the departing flight from India was a little better. Jet Airways on the other hand was fantastic. The internal flights were short but the attendants were on the go all the time and you were well looked

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Santa Cruz Airport, situated about 29km north from central Mumbai, is one of the busiest domestic airports in India due to the fact that Mumbai is one of the main transport hubs in the country. The Domestic Terminal is divided into Terminals 1A and 1B. Terminal 1A serves Indian Airlines, its subsidiary Alliance Air, Go Air and Kingfisher Airlines. Terminal 1B serves the various private airlines such as Jet Airways, Air Sahara, Spicejet and Air Deccan.

Taxi's are available outside the arrivals terminal. Bargain there prices down and simply walk away if they quote silly prices as plenty are available. Allow plenty of time to get to/from the airport as traffic is bad and the airport is quite far away from the city centre. It took me just over an hour to get from the airport to my hotel on Colaba Causeway Road (Hotel Celeste - see review). Hotel bookings are available in the arrivals terminal. I flew in from Udaipur with a Swiss couple I met up there and we ended up staying in the same hotel after booking it at the bookings counter. I also flew from here return to Aurangabad to see the caves at Ellora and Ajanta before heading on another flight to Goa.

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Mumbai's Chhatrapti Shivaji International Airport is about an hour by the taxi to Colaba if there isn't a traffic jam. The terminal building is rather run down but is currently under a facelift. The domestic airport on the other hand is modern, clean, bright and airey with several cafes and restaurants around. It is about 4km from the main terminal and is connected with free shuttle bus service only if you have a connecting flight although I am pretty sure they won't mind you hopping on it if you are a foreigner. Domestic travelling in India is very affordable particularly from a big city like Mumbai where most airlines fly to. Book online early to get the best prices, although you are required to have an Indian credit card if you are thinking of doing so.
I have listed a couple of domestic budget airlines.
www.airdeccan.net
www.goindigo.in
www.spicejet.com
These other websites may also be useful:
www.yatra.com
www.makemytrip.com

There have been lots of problems with booking internal flights in India for some International tourists, if People in South Africa are having problems there is a booking office in Johannesburg for jet airways, it does have a web site but its only for agents you must register if you an agent,
www.jetairways.co.za
+27 11 622 1363 only problem is if you pay by credit card you must go book your tickets at their office in Bedfordview Johannesburg.

Getting there is easy, Bombay is linked internationally by an Airport and by Sea and within the nation by trains and buses and little ships. Although there are private tourism vehicles too available around nearby cities, that can get you to Bombay.
There are excellent train & Bus services that run throughout Bombay, the only problem being that it is too crowded. I would suggest if travelling by train, do so during the off-peak hours and use travel first class toavoid any crowd. Taxis and available almost everywhere and is a convenient way of travelling, although make sure the taxi driver doesn't take you for a ride. Adjoining pic: Victoria Terminus railway station

Lots of flights available.

If you are coming from Pune (Poona) you might also want to consider travelling by bus. But be careful during monsoons. As the ghats connecting Pune and Bombay often experience traffice jams for hours (even a couple of days once) and landslides.

Then there are a lot of trains too.
Taxis (cabs), rent a car.
New to India? Avoid rickshaws, local buses.

We had planned on taking a flight from Jaipur to Udaipur. However, there is one plane that starts in New Delhi, goes to Jaipur, then Udaipur, then Bombay. Then it turns around and does the same trip backwards. And then it does the whole round-trip one more time that day. Fun, yes?

Well, as it turns out, Udaipur gets a bit foggy some mornings, and there is not an instrument approach. So the morning flight from Jaipur to Udaipur sat on the ground for a few extra hours before finally allowing the passengers to board. Then, after waiting for another hour, the crew had all those bound for Udaipur deplane, and the flight took off for Bombay, skipping the morning Udaipur landing.

Once back inside the terminal, we were told that we could be on the waiting list for the afternoon flight. Well... we knew that, since it would be the same plane in the morning, that it was already several hours behind schedule. Who knew what would happen throughout the course of the day??

Instead, we worked out a deal with the counterperson... we got a car (an Ambassador) and driver. The car would take my boyfriend and I, along with a British couple, to Udaipur. An Ambassador is really not made for 5 people... Plus, the other couple were traveling around before settling down in India, so they had an enormous amount of luggage.

The trip took us over 8 hours... and our bums were numb by the time we got to Udaipur. To top it off, when we arrived at the other couple's hotel, the cab in front of us was unloading people that had stayed behind and taken the afternoon flight! The joke was on us!

I'm glad, numb bum and all, that we drove. Through empty countryside that was beautiful and rural... sights that we wouldn't have seen any other way.

The only stop we made between Jaipur and Udaipur was at a tea stop. Glasses were dipped in dirty water and filled with steaming tea. I looked at the tea suspiciously, but, 'What the heck' and drank it down. I didn't get sick!