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Writer's pictureLabdhi Vora

How to travel by local trains in Mumbai?


Local Trains are said to be the life lines of Mumbai. The city comes to a standstill if the railway stops. They’re one of the most important, fastest and the cheapest modes of transport considering the traffic in Mumbai which is why, many prefer travelling by Train.

Photo Credits: Mohit Shigvan Photography

The local railway route in Mumbai are divided into 3 lines, which almost covers the whole of city.

  1. Western Line – The most convenient one and the popular one amongst all the tourists.

  2. Central Line

  3. Harbour Line

What you got to do first? Download m-Indicator and the Mumbai Railway Map

The first thing that you need to do is to download the m-Indicator app from the App Store or Play store, in your phone that will give you the entire schedule of all the trains running from each station along with the timing of departure and arrival. Life becomes much easier if you are new to the city and also have to travel by train or even metro and local bus for that matter.

The second thing you do is Save this map to refer to the routes!

Mumbai Railway Map

Guide to travelling in Mumbai:

When you reach the station, these are the things in order, you need to do.

1. Buy a ticket from the ticket counter for where ever you want to go. You can also ask for a return ticket if you’re coming back by the same mode of transport. The cost of the ticket will be anywhere between Rs. 5 to 30 one way. Store the ticket.

2. Check the Indicator. It will give you an update about trains arriving at the station that you’re at. Example of how the indicator is flashed:

*(Time at which the train arrives, the last destination of the train, number of minutes in which the train will arrive, fast or slow, platform number)*

Live Demo

*(12.03 C 03 F 4)*

3. How to decide which train to take? There are 2 types of train. Slow and Fast.

- Slow Train: Slow Train stops at every station. Less crowded than the fast train.

- Fast Train: Fast Trains only stop at main junctions.

Refer to the table below to have a better understanding.

4. Once you’ve decided the train you got to take, go to the platform mentioned on the indicator. If you’re a female, it will be ideal for you to travel by women's compartment. (An image of a lady will be hanging at the top of the platform to indicate you about the ladies compartment). If you’re a male, you will have to board the general compartment (All the other compartments apart from lady and handicapped, is a general one). Ladies can also travel by general compartment.

5. Board the train. You’re good to go.

6. Get down at the station that you have to. If you're lost or confused, please seek help from the locals or the local vendors on the station. Yeye! You’ve reached to your preferred station.

Here is a list of all the railway lines mentioned in a way that you can understand.

*The following chart is especially made for your understanding by Labdhi, the author of the blog. Please refer to the app (m-Indicator) for accuracy while commuting*

The stations marked in Red are all the main Junctions where every train stops. If you want to travel from one main Junction to the other, you can take a fast train. If you want to travel to any station marked in Blue, take a slow train.

Western Line Stations

Western Line Stations

Central Line Stations

There are several stations from where the train starts. It is better for you to refer to the app to decide which train should you take.

Central Line Stations

Harbour Line Stations

There are two routes in the harbour line. Refer to the chart, below.

Harbour Line Stations (CSMT to Andheri or Goregaon)

Harbour Line Stations (CSMT to Panvel)

Hope this helps you to take some wise decisions while you travel in Mumbai. Happy exploring and travelling!

Lots of Love - Explorer's Ecstasy

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