Mini-Guide, vol. 1: Public transport in Mumbai promised. But as I chceee nooo ...
Well, I'm starting to work. It may fairly systematically, starting with transport. Places worth visiting time will come soon:)
to Mumbai can be reached by land, air and water. The latter odpuśćmy, and let's get the first two.
There are two airports in the city, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, serving international and local calls, and Juhu Airport. Both are located in the center of the metropolis, the first on the border between Andheri and Vile Parle, and secondly, as the name suggests, in the district Juhu. Juhu Airport does not support the commercial flights, at least from what I know. You can safely focus on the CSIA.
Everyone who arrives here for the first time, you may feel overwhelmed at the sight of a crowd of screaming drivers who are just waiting for passengers. For those who were already in India, this is nothing new. Best place to go to the window 'pre-paid taxi' and overpay a little bit, but not to risk unfairness of the driver, which can lead to greater loss of material and moral:) seasoned in battle can use a normal rickshaw, bearing in mind that in Mumbai the use of force counters.
As for rail, This usually comes at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus railway station in the tourist center of the city (that is, far to the south), although if someone fits, it can also get off at the earlier stations - it is mostly Dadar, perhaps Kurl, Thane. Tourists need not worry about it, because I would look for in these neighborhoods, and that the CST is the last stop (then there is the sea:)), it can safely wait without the stress that I missed the moment of alighting.
the buses do not have too much experience, I rode them only a few times and it's always getting on and getting out already on the road, closer to my apartment, so do not even know where he is or what is called the main bus station. Somewhere near Churchgate or CST is probably ...
Local transport is organized fairly well. Here also is a good choice.
1) Rickshaws
cheapest and most accurate way to travel (apart from walking, of course). You can reach as everywhere, but you better be limited to short distances. Despite the low price per kilometer, in the long run it does not pay in this way to travel, and the distances are big in Mumbai. I prefer not to think about how much płaciłabym for daily commuting 25 km each way:)
should be noted that, unlike most of India, here without asking drivers usually include a counter and by. it is billed. For beginners, my advice is always at the end to ask about the 'card', because the question is how much is due, smart driver may give far too high price, guessing that you are not from here. You can also find the current list on the internet, for example, a TU . The best attempt to give the impression of a self to avoid being obwożonym around the city in order to 'conquer' the counter. It also happens that the meter is not working or something is concealed - it is best not to discuss, only to find another vehicle, this will always be. Often, unfortunately, the driver has no idea where our goal. Well, there are two outputs - or find another, who knows (but it might take, especially if you are looking for something small or individual, private house), or shrug their shoulders and go with him, allowing him to ask passers-by every 3 minutes, where has to go. Such a solution, in turn, has the disadvantage that the Indians often show a better direction, first, because 'so they think. " The message is simple: when someone starts to scratch his head and looks uncertainly left and right, then suddenly decides to complete firmness that is THERE, it's better to ask someone else next:)
Generally I can say that for me rickshaws in Mumbai are a blessing, especially after the Jaipur, where you had to argue about everything, even going daily on the same route with the same driver. There are problems, but it must also be tolerant: in most cases are not riksiarze educated, often do not speak English, and sometimes that catches up on the street by chance a passing rickshaw from another district (eg, after blowing up a client who was riding on a long trasie), więc facet nie ma pojęcia, gdzie jest ani gdzie my chcemy dojechać. Najlepiej posługiwać się prostym językiem i w miarę możliwości im pomóc i nakierować na odpowiednią drogę. Szkoda, że GPSów nie mają...
2) Taksówki
Sprawa wygląda podobnie jak z rikszami, tylko że ‘fare card’ podaje nieco wyższe ceny. Kwota wyjściowa to 16 rupii, a nie 11, jak w przypadku riksz. Uwaga, w południowej części miasta (aż do Bandry, spory kawał) riksze maja zakaz poruszania się ! Probably positively affect the discharge stops, but no price increases to move to where the tourists probably do not wyściubią nose. I prefer rickshaws, but what you do ... It is very important, for example at the exit of the airport if you plan to travel to the south (eg for a hotel in this part of town), then you should pass on that look for a rickshaw and take a taxi.
general remark to the point. 1 and 2:
In the south, in Colabie area, so where there is a lot of foreigners, may be a problem finding someone who would agree to go to the 'meter'. But it is worth trying, because cwaniaki good money scrape. Of course you can negotiate and sometimes after several persistent repetition of the word 'meter' but in the end agree.
3) Buses
my opinion, poor output. They are crowded, dirty, stuffy, often get stuck in traffic jams. Buses are air-conditioned, in turn, completely cold and too horribly expensive, and often no place to sit. I recommend Only those who really do not how else to commute to work. Tourists should not be very useful.
4) Trains
Subject-river. The cheapest and most reliable way to travel around the city (and surroundings). There are 3 lines: Western Line, the most useful, Central Line, commuting to the CST (nice tourism), linking with the WL at several stations, and the Harbour Line, this combination of two previous and extended in the direction of the New Mumbai and other districts, where the only foreigners are people like me, or who work here.
can buy a ticket (a few) months, which of course comes out cheapest. Besides, unless you want every time to stand in line for a single ticket, you can buy a ticket for 30-40-50-60-80 rupees (coupon), maybe more, where foo is a ticket that can be reset at every station. It is also possible to buy the ticket automatically, I've forgotten his name, recharge it, for example, for 100 rupees, and then before each journey in a special unit be buying using this card you need a ticket. I most closely matches the combination of a monthly pass (for those places where it does not meet my monthly).
Trains arrive at almost any place in Mumbai, of course, then you have to change to the taxi / rickshaw and get to the point of destination, but often this connection is the fastest way out, bypassing the traffic jams.
you most comfortable ... Hm:) I just I was lucky enough to travel a very popular route, but I often see trains towards the opposite direction, piled to the brim with people, and even the roof. For those looking for comfort, there is first class, but it is not always a guarantee of comfort, because despite the higher price but a lot of Indians, or other such business, may be quietly at the expense jerk and sometimes just the first class is more crowded, as it is much less of these compartments.
Girls can not worry about it, theirs is a special range of 'ladies only', although these women are able to push niegorzej than the guys. In this case, however, first class is a good way out.
Trains run all day, usually every 3-5 minutes (for further routes, even at 20), since probably 4 or 4:30 am until about 1 o'clock. It must be assumed that the last train pulls off at this time to the depot, so in many parts of passes in advance, up to an hour or two.
It's probably as much on transport. The railways have already mentioned it many times and to whom little information, can decipher in previous posts.
