Mumbai in General

East is a bad place to be in, poor transit options, lack of green spaces and walkability. Avoid hangouts that lead you to east in a particular suburb. Look before you Leap, observe the area around using the ‘Satellite’ Imagery. Planned layouts are usually better and do not stink. Instagram is not the place you should be looking for inspiration. Most of these highlight really specific parts, assume everything else is just raw sewage in general

Commuting in Mumbai

Well your time is valuable ? But how valuable ? Get your monthy income (in-hand component only, remove Taxation and one-time bonuses) and divide it by 30 * 24 * 60, to get an idea of how valuable your minutes are. Weed out auto rides that can just be walks, helps save a lot.

What apps to use ?

  1. Google Maps Most comprehensive solution out there, except for the intercity - buses which do not make sense. Check this to analyze the best travel mode. Under public - transport tab look for mixed-modes which is probably what the experts / old guys take.

  2. MIndicator Check Train running status, very crucial if you have to choose from a Slow local and a Fast one, as switching platforms is impossible at the last moment. Helps plan well in advance, usually 20-30mins. Also you can check Auto Fares, compare with Rapido / Uber to see if hailing an auto from the streets would be cheaper.

  3. Chalo Observe bus frequency, only works for the Mumbai island. Not integrated with NMMT which is a dud

Travelling by bus ?

Bus routes only make sense if the difference between the Auto Fare and Bus Fare is huge + you are bestowed by a great frequency of < 15mins on that particular route. Check ‘Chalo’ for buses in Mumbai island, although BEST also serves NaviMumbai but NMMT has close to 500buses without any tracking of sorts. So it’s upto to almighty to help you with this.

Travelling by Trains ?

Never travel by the normal class, as fares can be dirt cheap and the crowd ruthless. Most travel without any tickets of sort and just want to deboard at their station of choice (often intersecting with other imp metro/rail lines). Ticket checking is rampant in Mumbai island, but more or less absent in the suburbs.

Super Congested Stations Include : (in order of How Frequently I Visit These)

  1. Kurla, interchange with the Thane - CST line
    2. Has great connectivity due to a large BusStand nearby, which is hard to find. It's like unlocking a special area in the map after you've explored this area enough number of times. Kurla has exits to East and West both from PF1, which is weird and unpleasent for those heading towards East, but no worries that should not be your destination for quite some time.
  2. Ghatkopar, interchange with Line1 metro
  3. Dadar, absolutely brutal interchanges of Thane - CST, CST - Goregaon, Churchgate - Borivali lines. Adding to it long distance trains also serve this station. Close proximity to offices makes Dadar a hellzone 24/7 with station entry premises simly being dirtpaths that disapper in the monsoon.
  4. Parel, at walkable distance to commercial hubs & PSK, but also to another station on the CST - Thane route, which is why many choose to just walk and switch at Parel instead of Dadar. Don't get too happy, even Parel sucks. There are a few ATVM (Automatic Ticket Vending Machines) on the FOB connecting these two, but don't rely on them as if the payment fails / QR isn't visible you'll have to visit the station concourse and get a ticket.

Food Options in Mumbai

Check location and judge very harshly, do not shy away from using all your pre-conceived notions to reject a place.
Socials outlets are good to start with, this gives you 3-4meetups, post which you’ll figure out stuff.
Avoid roadside outlets, especially if that’s around low-density residential layouts as ingredient sourcing and kitchen hygiene is Diarrhea - inducing to say the least.

Avoid leafy vegetables in Monsoon
Assume its sourced from a gutter - nallah nearby for all stalls, unless you know for sure.

Plan for nightouts

Check high tide timings, happens usually around 1AM. Police will drive out everyone from Beaches / Promenades for safety reasons as tide variation can be huge (4m+).
Remember the Police is here to help, not to ruin your day. They’ll move to other areas as the tide reduces and it’s safe to venture out to the sea, usually 2AM.

Do not smoke / drink on the beach, as

  1. Ruins the experience for others
  2. Cigarette butts are hard to remove, adding to it the sea deposits a lot of waste onto the beaches frequently
  3. Punishable offence

Entirety of Juhu - Versova beaches get swallowed.
Monsoons can be risky, and filthy. So avoid at all costs.

Look around for public - washrooms nearby. Try not to catch a UTI, all of these are pay-to-use with neglient cleaning. Hours on google maps may not be correct, most do not stay operational between 2-6 AM.

Keep an eye on your phone battery, plan well in advance for the return commute.
Trains start at 4AM, metros from 6AM but so does the crowd.
Remember you’ll never find empty buses / trains / metros so start early and reach home before 9AM.

Last updated: July 10, 2025