Mumbai Transportation:

Public transport systems in Mumbai include the Mumbai Suburban Railway, BEST buses, taxis, auto rickshaws, ferries, and aeroplanes. A metro and monorail are currently under construction.

Mumbai is the headquarters of two railway zones: the Central Railway (CR) headquartered at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, and the Western Railway (WR) headquartered near Churchgate. The backbone of the city's transport, the Mumbai Suburban Railway, is composed of three separate networks running the length of the city, in a north-south direction. The Mumbai Metro, an underground and elevated railway system that is currently under construction, will run from Versova to Andheri to Ghatkopar when the first phase is completed in 2011. The Mumbai Monorail will run from Jacob Circle to Wadala when it is completed. Mumbai is well connected to most parts of India by the Indian Railways. Trains originate from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Dadar, Lokmanya Tilak Terminus, Mumbai Central, Bandra terminus and Andheri. Mumbai's suburban rail systems carry a total of 6.3 million passengers every day.

Public buses run by BEST cover almost all parts of the metropolis, as well as parts of Navi Mumbai and Thane. Buses are used for commuting short to medium distances, while train fares are more economical for long distance commutes. The BEST runs a total of 3,408 buses, ferrying 4.5 million passengers daily over 340 routes. Its fleet consists of single-decker, double-decker, vestibule, low-floor, disabled-friendly, air-conditioned and the Euro III compliant Compressed Natural Gas powered buses. MSRTC buses provide intercity transport and connect Mumbai with other major cities of Maharashtra and India. The Mumbai Darshan is a tourist bus service which explores numerous tourist attractions in Mumbai. Separate BRTS lanes have been planned throughout Mumbai and construction is to begin from January 2009.

Black and yellow-metered, taxis traverse most of the metropolis. Auto rickshaws operate in the suburban areas of Mumbai. Rickshaws, which run on Compressed Natural Gas, are the main form of hired transport. These three-wheeled vehicles are a quick way to get around. They are the cheapest form of hired transport and can accommodate up to three passengers.

Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the main aviation hub in the city and the busiest airport in South Asia. The Juhu aerodrome was India's first airport, and now hosts a flying club and a heliport. The proposed Navi Mumbai International Airport which is to be built in the Kopra-Panvel area, has been sanctioned by the Government and would help relieve the increasing traffic burden on the existing airport. Mumbai handles about 25% of the domestic and 38% of the international air passenger traffic in the country.

With its unique topography, Mumbai has one of the best natural harbours in the world, handling 50% of the country's passenger traffic, and much of India's cargo. It is also an important base for the Indian Navy, being the headquarters of the Western Naval Command. Ferries from Ferry Wharf allow cheap access to islands and beaches in the area.