Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Airport: What to Expect
Mumbai's CSMIA has two terminals: T1 for domestic flights and T2 for all international services plus several major domestic carriers like Air India and Vistara. The terminals sit a few kilometers apart, connected by a free shuttle bus, so check carefully which terminal you need if you're arriving and departing on separate tickets — there's no walkway between them.
Immigration and customs
Most nationalities need a pre-arranged e-Visa or physical visa before travel; visa-on-arrival options are limited, so don't count on one without checking current eligibility for your passport well ahead of the trip. Immigration queues at T2 can run long, especially around evening banks of international arrivals, so budget extra time and use the e-gates if your passport and visa type qualify. Customs is usually a quick green-channel walk-through unless you're carrying dutiable goods or large amounts of currency.
Getting into the city
The newest and often quickest option is Mumbai Metro Line 3, the Aqua Line, an underground line running directly from a station inside T2 to Bandra Kurla Complex and on toward Colaba — handy if you're headed to the business district or South Mumbai and want to skip surface traffic. For destinations further out, Metro Line 1 connects near the airport via Marol Naka to the northern and eastern suburbs, and BEST buses run frequent routes from both terminals. Suburban rail is close by too: Vile Parle station serves the domestic terminal and Andheri serves T2, though both need a short taxi or auto-rickshaw hop to actually reach the platform. For South Mumbai landmarks like Gateway of India or Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, a prepaid taxi or an app-based cab (Uber/Ola, both available at the curb) is the simplest choice — figure on 45–90 minutes and a fare in the ₹500–1,000 range depending on traffic and time of day; Mumbai's rush-hour traffic is notoriously heavy, so build in buffer if you have a flight to catch on the return leg.
Practical tips
Carry a printed or downloaded copy of your e-Visa approval alongside your passport, as immigration officers sometimes ask for it. SIM cards and currency exchange counters are available in the arrivals hall at T2, but rates are better in the city if you only need a small amount of cash to start. And if your connection is domestic-to-international or vice versa, note that T1 and T2 require you to exit and re-clear security — leave at least 90 minutes for the shuttle transfer alone.