Location: Mumbai lies by the Arabian Sea, at the Western Coast of India. Initially a group of seven islands, all of them were brought together by massive land reclamation to form the island of Mumbai. It lies at the mouth of the Ulhas River.
Climate: The city has a tropical climate making the weather hot (temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius) and unbearably humid most of the year, except for the months of December and January, which are warm but not so humid. Between June and September strong monsoon rains lash the city.
Altitude: 8 mts above sea level
Local languages: Marathi, Hindi and English
Phone Code: 022
Local Transport
Local trains remain the arteries of Mumbai, connecting the city. But be prepared to be pushed, shoved and jostled by the crowds, and to dangle outside the train, holding on with only one arm. The rush hours are a downright stampede. The first class compartments promise cushioned seats, and cleaner, if not less crowded, surroundings. There are separate ladies compartments. Ladies Special trains run at peak hours.
Another option is to travel by taxis and auto rickshaws that always run by the metre. The only downside is the horrible Mumbai traffic that can leave you stranded for hours in jams, especially during rush hours. Mumbai is divided into taxi and auto rickshaw zones. Auto rickshaws have been primarily banished to the suburbs though. Starting from South Mumbai, on the central side, auto-rickshaws are not allowed until Sion and on the western side until Bandra. These are taxi-only zones.
Mumbai also has an extensive network of BEST buses, connecting downtown Mumbai with the suburbs and everything in between.
Tourist Office
Government of India Tourist Office
123 Maharishi Karve Road,
Churchgate, Mumbai
Tel: 022 - 2207 4333 / 4334
