Arriving by air
Mumbai is the main international gateway. A second airport serving the region has opened at Navi Mumbai, so check which airport your flight uses before you book onward travel. Pune, Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad) have busy domestic airports, and smaller airports such as Kolhapur and Sindhudurg have limited routes.
Trains
Indian Railways is often the most comfortable way between cities. Book on the official IRCTC website or app, or at station counters.
| Class | What it is |
|---|---|
| 2S | Second class seating, reserved, on day trains |
| CC | Air-conditioned chair car, common on intercity and Vande Bharat trains |
| EC | Executive chair car, wider seats |
| SL | Sleeper class, non-air-conditioned berths |
| 3A, 2A, 1A | Air-conditioned sleepers with three, two or one tier of berths |
- Popular trains fill weeks ahead, especially around holidays. Book as early as you can.
- Waitlisted tickets may not be confirmed. Check status before travel day.
- The Mumbai to Pune line through the Bhor Ghat is one of India's classic rail journeys.
- The Konkan Railway serves the coast; see the Konkan guide.
State buses
The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) runs buses to almost every town and village. Ordinary red buses are cheap and basic. Air-conditioned services such as Shivneri and Shivshahi run on busier routes, including the frequent Mumbai to Pune corridor. Many services can be booked online through MSRTC. Private operators also run overnight sleeper buses between major cities.
By car
Hiring a car with a driver is common and makes sense for forts, hill stations and the coast, where public transport is slow. Self-driving is possible but demanding: traffic is dense, road behaviour is assertive, and ghat roads are narrow and twisting.
- The Mumbai to Pune Expressway is the main link across the ghats. Allow roughly three hours, more on weekends.
- The Samruddhi Mahamarg expressway links the Mumbai region with Nagpur in the east.
- The Atal Setu sea bridge links Mumbai with the mainland near Navi Mumbai, shortening trips toward Alibag and Pune.
- Toll plazas use the FASTag electronic system. Rental and hired cars normally have one.
Rough travel times
| Route | Approx. road distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Mumbai to Pune | 150 km | 3 to 4 hours by road or train |
| Mumbai to Lonavala | 85 km | 2 to 3 hours |
| Pune to Mahabaleshwar | 120 km | 3 to 4 hours |
| Mumbai to Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar | 335 km | 6 to 8 hours by road; similar by train |
| Mumbai to Ratnagiri | 330 km | 7 to 9 hours by road; fewer by train |
| Mumbai to Malvan | 500 km | A long day by road; overnight train plus road |
These are planning guides, not promises. Traffic, roadworks, festivals and the monsoon can add hours.
In towns
- Autorickshaws should run on the meter in cities; agree a fare first if they won't.
- App-based cabs and autos work in Mumbai, Pune and other large cities.
- In smaller towns, shared jeeps and autos run fixed routes; ask locally.