Trip Scam

DestinationsIndiaMumbaiGetting around

Mumbai, India

Getting around Mumbai

How to travel around Mumbai — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Suburban rail

Suburban rail
Photo: Thomas Leuthard · CC BY 2.0 · source

The lifeline: three lines carrying more passengers than any other network on earth. Fast, cheap and genuinely overcrowded.

Watch outPeak-hour carriages are where bag-slitting and phone snatching happen; the women's coach is safer and less crushed.

2. Mumbai Metro

Mumbai Metro
Photo: Ashwin John · CC BY SA 2.0 · source

Air-conditioned lines gradually replacing road journeys, and far more comfortable than the suburban trains.

3. Kaali-peeli taxi

Kaali-peeli taxi
Photo: lewismd13 · CC BY SA 2.0 · source

The black-and-yellow Padmini taxis, metered by law and steadily disappearing.

Watch outMeters converted to fare cards that drivers 'read' generously. App cabs avoid the argument.

4. Auto-rickshaw

Auto-rickshaw
Photo: markhillary · CC BY 2.0 · source

Not permitted south of Bandra, so they serve the suburbs rather than the tourist core.

5. Ferries from the Gateway

Ferries from the Gateway
Photo: string_bass_dave · CC BY SA 2.0 · source

Boats to Elephanta and the Alibaug coast, and the pleasantest way out of the city.

Booking apps in India

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

Uber

Cars, autos and motorbikes with the fare shown before booking.

Ola

The main Indian ride-hailing operator, covering cars, autos and bikes.

Rapido

Motorbike-taxi first, and usually the fastest way across a congested city.

IRCTC Rail Connect

The official Indian Railways booking app — the only legitimate source for reserved tickets.

Namma Yatri

Zero-commission auto-rickshaw booking run with driver unions, cheaper than the aggregators.

More about Mumbai