2026 – India – “Mumbai Rails”

Rails in Mumbai

Mumbai’s 435km suburban rail network is Asia’s oldest and carries 7.5 million people a day across seven lines. Meanwhile, the city’s new Metro system is rapidly expanding with four operational lines and several others under construction. Both of these networks are complimented by a single monorail line.

Comparative positions of Railways (Red) Metro (Blue) and Monorail (Orange) in early 2026. Created with openstreetmap.org

Mumbai

Mumbai is India’s economic powerhouse and a key port city. It plays a central role in the country’s finance and trade. The city has a population of around 12–13 million people, while its wider metropolitan area exceeds 20 million.

India’s financial capital is one of the world’s largest and most vibrant cities. It was originally made up of seven islands that were gradually joined together through land reclamation. Today, it sits on a narrow peninsula surrounded by the sea on three sides.

The Plan

I spent six days in the city in early 2026, staying in an apartment in Ville Parle with two friends. I took the opportunity to learn a little bit more about the railway system and to explore parts of the city on foot.

Here is a brief account of how the suburban railway developed and how the Mumbai Metro is now growing to complement it. Here also are details of the five walks we did between some of the stations.

Walks 1-5 – Created with openstreetmap.org

The Origins of the Suburban Railway

The history of Mumbai’s suburban network can be traced to the start of railways in India. The Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) opened the country’s very first line from Bori Bunder (later Victoria and now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) to Thane (34km) in 1853.

The line was extended to Kalyan Junction (54km) in 1854 and then along what is now the south eastern section of the Central Line to reach Karjat and Khopoli in 1856. The main line was then taken from Karjat over the Bohr Ghat towards Pune in 1863. Trains were using this route to link Bombay (Mumbai) with Madras (Chennai) by 1871.

Meanwhile, the line from Kalyan Junction to Kasara (the current north eastern terminus of the Central Suburban Line) was completed in 1861. By 1865 that main line had climbed through the Thal Ghat beyond Kasara and reached Igatpuri. The GIPR began offering services to Calcutta (Kolkata) via this route in the early 1870s.

The GIPR (Red) and BBC&I (Blue) networks. By contrast, the Konkan Railway (Green) only opened in the 1990s. Created with openstreetmap.org

What eventually became the Western Line of the suburban system was created by a separate company, the Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway (BB&CI). It had begun running trains in Gujarat and reached Grant Road, Bombay in 1864. By 1867 services were linking Virar and a short lived terminus, Bombay Back Bay, a little further south than Grant Road.

A station at Churchgate opened in 1870 and in 1873 the line was extended to Colaba. Main line services along this route also began serving Ahmedabad in 1870 and the line via Baroda (Vadodara) Junction eventually became the premier route to Delhi.

1895: The main line of the GIPR is shown in red, that of the BB&CI in blue. Freight lines to the harbours are shown (roughly) in black. Not all stations are shown. Both railways served stations at Dadar but they were not connected. (Adapted from a map in Public Domain)

Walk One

Our first walk began at Dadar (Central Line / Western Line) and took us south through the Dadar textile district. We then headed past Prabhadevi, towards Lower Parel and ended up at the Siddhivinayak Temple. We returned by metro from Siddhivinayak (Aqua Line).

The train to Dadar. Outside of the rush hours services are still crowded but not uncomforably so.

Dadar is the meeting point of the two major lines of the suburban system.

Pav Bhaji is a deliciously thick spiced vegetable curry (bhaji) served with soft, butter-toasted bread rolls (pav).

There are several old buildings housing saree shops along the Dada Saheb Phalke Marg

A political demonstration moving along the street adds to the chaotic atmosphere.

There is also a band with the heavy sound of drumming.

The New Hindmata Cloth Market is the go to place for cotton material.

Despite signs about keeping Mumbai clean and green, the air feels very polluted.

Oranges are cheap, around 10 or 15 rupees each. There are fruit carts selling produce throughout Mumbai.

The old buildings belong to the railway training centre and are in the process of being renovated.

Both the Central Line and the Western Lines pass under this bridge just south of Prabhadevi.

Lower Parel used to be an old mill area, but it has been redeveloped to become one of the city’s most vertical neighbourhoods.

The construction of tall buildings necessitates the placing of green nets to protect pedestrians on the streets below.

Bridge supports for the new ‘Worli Connector’ road. There are several road construction projects throughout the city.

The main draught beer on offer in most places is Kingfisher. Accompanying snacks include various types of nuts, chana and dal.

Small markets still exist in amongst all the new building development.

Some of Mumbai’s tallest towers are being built in the Lower Parel area.

Mobile phone shop: most people are extremely friendly and eager to chat.

Open play space is limited compared to the city’s population.

The Shri Siddhivinayak Ganapati Mandir is one of the most popular Hindu temples in Mumbai.

Siddhivinayak is also the name of the newly opened metro station.

The Suburban Railway Develops

The number of suburban services on both railways grew strongly during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Colaba was the main terminus on the BB&CI whilst Victoria (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or CSMT) replaced Bori Bunder and was officially opened by the GIPR in 1888.

Harbour Line electric train in 1925 (Public Domain)

The first section of the third line serving the central area, the Harbour Line, was opened in 1910 between Kurla and Reay Road. Partly using pre-existing freight lines, it was connected back to Victoria in 1925 and electrified, using the 1.5 kV DC overhead system, to Kurla and Bandra. It was extended to Mankhurd in 1951. By 1930 the main lines to both Igatpuri and Pune had also been electrified.

The Harbour Line (shown in orange) became the first electric railway in India in 1925.

On the BB&CI, the first electric services began running from Colaba to Borivil in 1928. The wires had reached Virar by 1936. As the government needed land at the southern tip of the city for military use, Colaba Terminus was closed in 1930. Suburban services were cut back to Churchgate and main line trains began terminating at the new Mumbai Central station the same year.

DC EMU leaving Churchgate (Public Domain)

In 1951 ownership of the BB&CI lines out of Churchgate and Mumbai Central passed to the Western Railways zone of Indian Railways, whilst the Central Railway zone took over control of the GIPR lines out of Victoria Terminus. The suburban lines themselves gained the names Central and Western at this point.

Ridership grew dramatically. By the 1950s the Central Line had been quadrupled and services expanded through Kalyan and eventually to Kholpuri and Kasara. Meanwhile, the Western Line was four tracked as far as Vivar. Train capacity also expanded with services being formed of 9-car, then 12-car EMUs.

Walk Two

Our second walk began at Churchgate (Western Line) and was mainly concentrated on the Fort area of the city. We included a visit to CSMT station and wandered in search of Persian cafés and bakeries. We ended our stroll at Hutatma Chowk Metro Station (Aqua Line).

The train to Churchgate: Air-conditioned services now run on both lines. The fares to ride these trains are higher.

Churchgate serves as the southern terminus of the Western Line.

Hutatma Chowk, an intersection, is lined on all sides by buildings constructed during the British Raj. Not all of them are in a good state of repair.

Located at the busy Hutatma Chowk intersection itself, Flora Fountain, built in 1864 from Portland Stone imported from England.

The Oriental Building (1896) includes some gothic influences. It was originally a school but then became the Oriental Life Assurance Company.

The J.N. Petit Library is a library founded in 1898 by a group of Parsi students. It is one of the finest examples of Neo-Gothic architecture in Mumbai.

The Persian Lying in Hospital (1895). The Parsis are descendants of Zoroastrians who migrated from Iran to India around 1,000 years ago to escape religious persecution.

The Excelsior Parsi café. There were once hundreds of these establishments all over the city, now there are less than fifty.

Keema Pao is a typical Iranian dish of minced lamb curry with accompanying buttered roll.

The iconic Gothic Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) was completed in 1887 and is one of Mumbai’s most photographed buildings.

Some of the streets in the Fort area seemed to be being dug up.

Mumbai has one of the world’s largest collections of Art Deco buildings, second only to Miami.

Ideal Corner is a another Irani/Parsi café-style restaurant in the Fort area.

The Yazdani is a historic Irani bakery, it was established in the early 1950s.

The Yazdani also used to be a café but is now limited to selling baked goods over the counter

It is famous for its Bun Maska, a buttered tea cake, another Parsi speciality.

The metro station at Hutatma Chowk metro station only opened a few months ago. Some of the construction on the surface is still ongoing.

The Suburban Railway Today

Although the three corridor lines (Central, Western and Harbour) remain unchanged in the central area, there have been extensions in suburban Mumbai. The Harbour Line reached Panvel in June 1998 and the Western Line began serving Dahanu Road in 2013. New lines have also been added on the outskirts: the Vasai Road–Roha line opened in the Mid 80s; the Trans Harbour Line opened in 2004 and the Port Line in 2018.

These changes notwithstanding, in the twenty first century the suburban railway has struggled to keep up with increased demand and suffers from some of the worst overcrowding in the world. Despite increasing train lengths to 15 carriages, over 4,500 passengers are often carried in the peaks, well over double the capacity.

Conversion of the system from 1,500V DC to the new Indian standard of 25 kV AC was completed on the Western Railway in 2012 and the Central by 2016. New EMU sets were provided as part of the changeover with units manufactured by the Integrated Coach Factory (ICF) using equipment supplied by Siemens, Bombardier and others.

Famously, the trains have open doors, to facilitate short station stops and provide ventilation, and windows with wired grills on them to prevent theft. Passengers often end up hanging off the edge of the footboard and can easily fall to their deaths. The statistics are truly horrendous.

Walk Three

Our third walk began at Mumbai Central (Western Line). We walked west to the coast and then from there we went north to Bandra (with the help of a taxi). After a stroll around that cosmopolitan area, we ended up at Kahr Road (Western Line).

The train to Mumbai Central. The generous Indian loading gauge allows for six across seating and plenty of standing room.

Mumbai Central was opened in 1930. Whilst it cannot match the iconic CSMT architecturally, it is more functional and modern.

It serves as departure point for long-distance trains heading to Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi.

The Vande Bharat Express to Ahmedabad also departs from the station.

It is far less common these days to see cows on the streets of central Mumbai.

Haji Ali is one of Mumbai’s most iconic fast-food spots, It is known for its fresh juices and milkshakes.

Poor visibility: Mumbai faces high air pollution in winter. The causes are traffic, construction, industrial activity, and coastal weather patterns.

Haji Ali Dargah mosque is located on a tiny islet. It is connected to the city by a narrow causeway.

It is a revered Sufi shrine and mausoleum of Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari, a 15th-century saint and wealthy merchant.

Its white domes and marble courtyards are typical of Indo-Islamic architecture.

The Bandra–Worli Sea Link is an 8-lane, cable-stayed bridge that connects Bandra to Worli. Its total length is 5.6 km

Bandra has a relaxed vibe with many trendy bars.

Bandra is home to Bollywood personalities and creative professionals, but it also has quiet walkable lanes and is still very much “Mumbai”.

Whilst Bandra West is one of Mumbai’s main hubs for craft beer, this bar, the independence brewing company, is in Versova.

Khar Road station has recently undergone a major upgrade. It has a modern elevated concourse and wider platforms to ease overcrowding.

The Metro Arrives

By the early 2000s the population of Mumbai was growing rapidly but due to geographical constraints suburban rail infrastructure had not been able to keep pace. The Mumbai Metro was planned to reduce road congestion and supplement the railway.

Construction of the system has been phased. By 2024 only three lines were in operation, but when it is completed, the network will comprise of sixteen lines and 523 kilometres of route. Like the Indian rail system, the Metro uses 25kV AC overhead electrification, but it utilises standard gauge track.

The first line to be constructed was the Blue Line. All 11.40 km is elevated and runs from Versova to Ghatkopar. The line, with its 12 stations, connects the eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai. It started operations on 8 June 2014.

Opened in April 2022, after a gap of almost eight years, the Red Line was the second part of the system. It currently runs from Dahisar East to Gundavali but is due to be extended to the airport. Also opening at the same time, the Yellow line currently connects Dahisar with Andheri but is due to be extended towards Mankhurd.

Metro Lines operational as of January 2026

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Monorail was launched in 2014. The full route is 20 km. It uses elevated tracks, making it particularly useful in dense urban areas where space for rail expansion is limited. Unfortunately, it has suffered many service interruptions due to technical issues and was not operating in early 2026.

Mumbai Monorail / Omkar1234 / Creative Commons 3.0

Walk Four

Our fourth walk began at the Masijd railway station (Central Line / Harbour Line). We walked through the historic Muslim neighbourhood to the west of the station and then headed south to the famous Crawford Market. Our walk ended near CSMT Terminus.

Masijd station opened in 1875 and is actually named after the Shaar Harahamim (Gate of Mercy) Synagogue, which is located close by.

The area to the west of the station and around the JJ Flyover is a densely populated Muslim-majority neighbourhood

With centuries-old settlement patterns, it feels chaotic and is very much “Old Bombay”.

The maze-like lanes host a vibrant mix of residences, businesses and religious institutions.

The locality grew organically over centuries, initially shaped by migrants from Gujarat and North India.

They were joined later by distinct sub-communities such as Bohras and Konkani Muslims. The area also has strong connections with Ismaili families with links to East Africa.

The Darkhana Jamatkhana is one of the oldest and most significant Ismaili prayer halls in India. It was completed in 1925 with the clock tower added in 1935.

Layers of pre-colonial, colonial, and early modern architecture still coexist in the area.

The very narrow lanes are known as gullies and are often only a few feet wide.

The narrow lanes mean limited access for waste pickup and garbage accumulates quickly.

There are several halal butcher stalls in the streets.

Dongri contains many early–20th-century chawls—multi-storey tenements

Jama Mosque is the main mosque in the area but there are numerous smaller mosques along Mohammad Ali Road.

Crawford Market was completed in 1869. It was originally named after Arthur Crawford, the first municipal commissioner of Mumbai.

Designed in Gothic style, the structure has a prominent clocktower feature and is one of the city’s most recognisable heritage buildings.

Although officially renamed Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Mandai in honour of a social reformer, It is still commonly known as Crawford Market.

The market is famous for its beautiful 19th-century ornamental fountains.

It sells a wide array of goods, including fruits, vegetables, poultry, toys, cosmetics, and household items

Metro Aqua Line

The Aqua Line is one of India’s most ambitious urban rail projects. Opened in phases between October 2024 and October 2025, the 33.5 km railway is the Mumbai Metro’s first true underground line. Only one of the twenty seven stations is on the surface. The line runs from Cuffe Parade in Colaba to Aarey JVLR north of the airport.

The line runs roughly north–south through Mumbai, passing through business and residential areas including Bandra, Worli, Dadar, Terminals 1 and 2 of the airport, Mumbai Central, Grant Road, Churchgate, and others. It has an interchange with the Blue Line (Line 1) at Marol Naka.

The system uses smart cards and paper QR tickets. Fares are set a little higher than the equivalents on the railway. Security is tight with x-ray scanners and plenty of safety personnel on the platforms. Photography is also officially prohibited, but given the novelty of the system, there are plenty of people taking selfies.

The stations and trains (built locally by Alsthom) are fully air conditioned and all the platforms have safety doors. With everything feeling spacious and clean, the experience is totally different from travelling on the over-crowded suburban lines.

Walk Five

We began our fifth walk near the Hutatma Chowk Metro Station (Aqua Line) and meandered south through Colaba. On the way we passed many colonial-era landmarks. We ended our stroll at Cliffe Parade Metro Station (Aqua Line).

Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan is the large government-run showroom operated under the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

Its service is old fashioned with separate counters to pay and to have purchases wrapped.

Inside the shop there is a statue of Mahatma Ghandi who founded the whole Khadi (home spun) movement

Named after Benjamin Horniman, a British journalist who supported India’s independence movement, Horniman Circle Gardens provides a rare green space in the middle of the city.

Mobile phones are as prevalent in Mumbai as anywhere else. The old telephone distribution pillars and cable boxes are a reminder of the system that went before.

The “Old Asiatic Library” is housed inside the iconic Town Hall. The building was constructed in Greek Revival style and completed in 1833.

The Mumbai University Library is housed in a Gothic Revival style building designed by Sir Gilbert Scott.

Built between 1869 and 1878, it is one of the oldest university libraries in India. Unfortunately, it is not open to the general public.

Sugarcane juice is extremely popular in Mumbai, especially in the hot months. Vendors use a manual or electric crushing machine to squeeze fresh juice on the spot.

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Museum) is Mumbai’s premier art, history and culture museum.

It was founded in 1905 to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales to India and renamed after independence. It was designed by Scottish architect George Wittet, who also designed the Gateway of India

There are sandwich stalls all over the city. The typical sandwich, toasted on a big metal grill, contains layers of potato, beetroot, tomato, onion, capsicum with Green chutney.

Located in Colaba, the Regal Cinema is an iconic art-deco movie theatre. When it first opened in 1933 it was one of the first air-conditioned theatres in the country.

Colaba has a longstanding link with the Indian Navy. There is a large model of INS Vikrant, India’s first aircraft carrier, at Regal Circle.

As we approached the Gateway of India (1924) on the waterfront, the number of foreign tourists increased.

The Taj Hotel, one of India’s most luxurious, was originally completed in 1903.

The area behind the Taj Hotel was filled with tree-lined avenues and high end apartments

Colaba Bus Station and perfume sellers. Shahid Bhagat Singh Road was lined with cheap accommodation and cafes.

We finished our walk at the Cliffe Parade Metro Station. Some of the exits have yet to be into use.

Final Impressions

I found visiting Mumbai again after more than 30 years quite fascinating. Walking around areas like Lower Parel it was easy to see how the skyline had grown upwards, whilst travelling along the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and using the Aqua Line metro brought home to me how much infrastructure had changed.

At the same time, the old city was very much still there. Walking through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, or around Colaba felt much the same, whilst on our stroll through the Masjid district I still experienced the same sort of chaos as on my first visit. Riding the, albeit now more modern, local trains still felt as intense as it did in 1994.

On our visit to areas like Bandra we saw trendy cafés, walked past restaurants offering global cuisine and sampled the latest local craft beer products, At the same time I was still able to enjoy the street food staples like vada pav and pav bhaji.

Whilst I certainly never felt anything approaching the level of culture shock I experienced in 1994, my biggest surprise perhaps was the impact that pollution was having on the city. The air quality index was pretty high throughout my stay and it made walking around quite unpleasant at times.

I would love to go back to Mumbai again, hopefully the expansion of the metro system and other environmentally friendly transport methods will, combined with other factors, eventually succeed in reducing the level of pollution and make the city more pleasant to visit.