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The guides · edition twenty-four

Everything nobody tells you first.

Mumbai is easy once you know four things: which line to take, when not to travel, what a fair fare looks like and how the rain changes all three. Twenty-four guides, written to be read before you land.

24 guides in this edition 7.5 m local train trips a day 16.9 km/h average road speed 2,200 mm monsoon rain a year
Start here

Your first 48 hours in Mumbai

Landing at T2 at 3am, getting a SIM that works, the first taxi fare, what to do on a jet-lagged morning, and the one route across the city you should walk before you do anything else. Written as a timeline, hour by hour, from the aerobridge to the second evening.

48 h covered 14 min read Hour by hour format
Read the guide

Contents

Four groups · tap a line to open it
Arrive The first hours, and the admin nobody warns you about. 2 guides

An hour-by-hour timeline from landing to the second evening: the prepaid taxi counter versus the app pick-up level at T2, getting a working SIM on arrival, why you should not attempt anything the first afternoon except Marine Drive, and the walking route through Fort and Kala Ghoda that teaches you the city in three hours.

Open the full guide →
Inside Airport arrival at 3am, step by step SIM, cash and the first fare The jet-lag walk: Colaba to Churchgate What to skip on day one
Move Trains, metro, rickshaws and what a fair fare looks like. 3 guides
Time it right The monsoon, the festival, and the two hours a day to avoid. 3 guides
Eat & spend What to eat in what order, and what a day actually costs. 3 guides
Plan the days Itineraries, day trips, children, and where to sleep. 13 guides
Practical basics

Twenty-four answers before you land

Currency Indian rupee (₹) UPI is everywhere; cards are fine; markets want cash.
Best months November–February 20–32°C, dry, and every hotel at peak rate.
Monsoon June–September About 2,200 mm falls. Green city, cheap rooms, wet feet.
Languages Marathi, Hindi, English English signage everywhere; a little Hindi goes far.
Emergency 112 Single national number for police, fire and ambulance.
Tap water Filtered or bottled Restaurants serve filtered water; ask if unsure.
Tipping ~10% Not required, widely appreciated. Round up taxi fares.
Airports BOM (T2) + the new one T2 in Andheri East; the Navi Mumbai airport is east across the bridge.
Rickshaws North of Bandra only South Mumbai is taxis, metro and train.
Power 230V, type C/D/M Bring a universal adapter; hotels usually stock them.
Dress Cover for temples Shoulders and knees at religious sites; anything goes in Bandra.
Peak traffic 5.30–8.30pm City-wide average speed sits near 17 km/h. Take the train.

When the city is too much, leave it for a day

All things to do →
Ferry · 1 hour

Elephanta Island

Rock-cut Shiva caves from the 5th to 8th centuries, a UNESCO site, reached by an hour on the harbour from the Gateway.

Full day · closed Mondays
Toy train · 3 hours

Matheran

A hill station where motor vehicles are banned outright. Red earth paths, horses, and cool air 800 metres up.

Overnight is better
Speedboat · 20 min

Alibaug

Across the harbour from the Gateway to beaches, a sea fort at low tide, and the weekend houses of half of south Mumbai.

Full day or a night
Train · 2 hours

Lonavala & Karla

Up the Western Ghats to waterfalls in the monsoon and the Karla and Bhaja rock-cut caves, quieter than Elephanta and older.

Full day