ARRIVAL PLAYBOOK · BOM · MAHARASHTRA · REVIEWED JUN 2026
Arriving at Mumbai.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. Here is what happens in the 30 minutes between you clearing immigration and being in the city — counters, fares, the one scam to avoid, and what to do if you land at 2am.
Official airport site →Arrival hall
Terminal 2 handles all international arrivals (and some domestic). Terminal 1 is domestic-only; if you have a connecting flight, allow at least 90 minutes for the inter-terminal shuttle (free).
Prepaid taxi counter
Prepaid taxi counters are on the kerbside outside the arrivals exit (both the Cool Cab / government-approved black-and-yellow counters). Typical fare to South Mumbai (Colaba / Churchgate) is ₹700–900, to Bandra ₹400–500.
Uber / Ola pickup
Uber, Ola, and Rapido pickup zones are on the forecourt, signed clearly. Expect ₹600–900 to South Mumbai (UberGo), ₹1,200+ for Premier. During monsoon (June–September) waiting times can stretch to 20+ minutes.
Metro / rail / bus
Mumbai Metro Line 3 is the best public option — the Sahar Road metro station is a 5-minute walk from T2 (use the skywalk). Runs to BKC and eventually Colaba by 2027. The Mumbai suburban rail is not directly airport-linked — the nearest station is Vile Parle, requiring an auto-rickshaw.
SIM activation
Airtel and Jio booths in the arrivals hall. Same passport + arrival stamp process. Jio is generally the fastest activation in Mumbai (under 1 hour).
ATM / forex
HDFC and ICICI ATMs on the forecourt. Some international-card-friendly kiosks are inside the arrivals hall before immigration; domestic ATMs are outside on the kerb.
The scam to watch for
The fake pre-paid taxi desk: touts will approach you with 'prepaid taxi' lanyards and walk you to a non-government car. The real counters are attached to the terminal wall with signage and a printed rate card — if it looks like a folding table, it is not official.
After midnight
Prepaid counters and app cabs run all night. The Metro does not — it shuts at 23:00. For late arrivals, the prepaid black-and-yellow is slightly cheaper than Uber / Ola.
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