Hi, we are back today with another interesting article about Mumbai. The feature of this blog is Mumbai Local and its important aspects. Mumbai Local train is often considered the backbone of the city. The local trains of Mumbai have served as a cultural symbol, especially in the entertainment industry. A simple scene of a running train is enough for anyone to identify Mumbai city. These local trains are seen even in black and white Bollywood movies.
In this article the topics we shall be covering are:
The first train in India ran from – Mumbai (then Bombay) to Thane on 16 April 1853. This route is one of the most populous routes in today’s Mumbai Local train route. The train started from Bori Bunder Railway Station to Thane. This run is often considered the first Mumbai Local Train.
Now fast-forwarding to 1867; 14 years after the first train. In 1867, today’s Western Railways began its operations. The first train was from Churchgate in Mumbai to Virar in Thane.
The Harbour Line of Mumbai Local Trains was started in February 1925, when a train started its journey from then Victoria Terminus (now Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus) to Coorla Harbour (now Kurla).
That is more than enough history on Mumbai Local, now coming to the more important aspect, what are the things to know about Mumbai Local Railways?
There are primary lines of Mumbai Local and 2 secondary lines, making Mumbai Local one of the most complex, yet efficient suburban train networks in India.
Western Line is the busiest line in the Mumbai Local Network. It is managed and operated by Western Railways. Please note that the Western Line and Western Railways are two different entities. Western Railways operates all the trains that lie on the western region of the Indian Railway network. Whereas, the Western Line is a route on Mumbai Local’s train network.
The trains start from Churchgate station in Mumbai. The destination varies on schedule. However, Dahanu Road is considered the last stop in this line.
Two types of trains run on this route fast and slow. The slow trains halt at all the stations whereas fast trains halt at selective stations. For further information on the stops of fast trains refer to the map below. 12-Coach and 15-Coach trains operate on the Western Line.
Western Line is the only Mumbai Suburban Division Railway division that operates AC local. This local train operates occasionally throughout the day. See the timetable for timings.
The central line of Mumbai Local suburban division has two lines. Both the lines start from Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and diverge after Kalyan. One route ends at Khopoli; whereas, the other route ends at Kasara. The stations till Kalyan are the same. The two lines diverge and lead towards inner Maharashtra. The line ending at Khopoli then goes towards Pune and the other one ending at Kasara is towards Igatpuri.
Central Line of Mumbai’s Suburban Railways is operated by Central Railway. Both terms are completely different. Central Railway is a governing body that looks after operations. Whereas, Central Line is a route on Mumbai Local.
The Central Line is less busy than the Western Line but covers longer distances. Fast and Slow trains run on this line, with slow trains halting at all the stations and fast trains halting at specific stations. Central Line operates 12-Coach and 15-Coach trains. The frequency of the 15-Coach train is very less. The major function is during the rush hours of Mumbai Local Train.
Harbour Line of Mumbai Local primarily operated on the harbour line of the city. However, with the expansion of the city and difficult commute, this line was extended. Currently, the Harbour Line starts from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) – Platform 1 & 2 only. There are two different routes on the Harbour Line. The first line ends at Panvel in Navi Mumbai and the other line ends at Andheri in Western Line. Seems a bit complex, indeed, it is. Refer to the map below for a better understanding.
Harbour Line is operated and maintained by Central Railways. Only slow trains are functional on this line, meaning all the trains halt at every station. Harbour Line operates only 12-Coach trains. There are multiple intersections on the Harbour Line. Read below to know all of them.
The trans-Harbour line runs from Thane in the Central Line to Vashi on the Harbour Line. This is a relatively important line for people living and working in the areas on the Thane-Belapur Highway. There are many multinational companies located on this route, thus providing public transportation is essential. Alongside, Mumbai biggest IT Park, MBP (Millennium Business Park) in Mahape is nearest to Ghansoli Railway station on this line.
12-Coach trains run on this line and the operations are taken care of by the Central Railways. All the trains on the Trans-Harbour line are slow trains i.e., a halt at every station. For the overlook of this route, see the map below.
Nerul-Uran is the latest addition to the Mumbai Local Train network. The operations started in November 2018, it is maintained and operated by Central Railways. The route starts from Nerul (between Vashi and Panvel) to Uran, beyond Panvel. The extension is on the Konkan rail route. The trains operating on this route are 12-car. The route is 27 km long, consisting of 10 stations. All the trains on this route are slow trains.
Since the Mumbai Local train network is a complex one, it is essential to understand the routes of different lines. If you are new in Mumbai and have difficulty travelling on the local trains, please carry a Mumbai Local train map.
You can print this map, take a screenshot, or simply bookmark this page for quick access.
It is very important to know to read the indicator. All the stations on the Mumbai Local network feature a display in red, white, or yellow LED. This display lets the passenger waiting on the platform (station) know which train is coming next.
The details featured in any Mumbai local train indicator is as follows:
The station codes are important because, the indicators only mention the station code, as above. So, it is important to know two things about the station codes:
A line-wise (Western, Central and Harbour) list of Station Codes is mentioned below. Do memorize it. If you are having any difficulty, you can also print it.
Now that you can figure out the source and destination of your travel. Let us look at the aspect of when to travel on Mumbai Local.
Mumbai Local has a huge rush on weekdays. The specific hours of morning and evening observe the maximum crowd. These couple of hours are Mumbai Local Train’s Rush Hour.
Rush hours as per the day of the week on different lines:
Whether weekend or weekday, avoid travelling in the ever-packed Virar Local. The rush is insane, on average, 1-2 accidents occur alone on this train.
Since Harbour Line has major functionality issues and the frequency is comparatively lower than Central and Western Line, it is always crowded. Though, the crowd travels majorly from 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM in the morning and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM in the evening.
These are less travelled routes but, peak hours rush from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM in the morning and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM in the evening are common.
Another important thing is how to travel on Mumbai local. There are four basic rules for travelling on a Mumbai Local train.
There are several important junctions that allow a passenger to switch their line of travel on Mumbai Local. These junctions are extensively used by Mumbaikars on a daily basis. The list of junctions and the lines on which they are interested are mentioned below:
Mumbai Local train ticket and pass fare defer on distance. The minimum ticket fare is Rs. 5, whereas the maximum fare is Rs. 55 for Dahanu Road from Kasara and vice versa. The minimum fare of a first-class ticket is Rs. 50. Mumbai Local train first-class pass starts from Rs. 165. The ticket fare depends on the distance covered during a journey. Shorter the distance, lower the price, and proportionally for longer distances.
The local train is very important for Mumbaikars. Every day, more than 7.5 million Mumbaikars travel by Mumbai Local. Thus, Mumbai Local has a lot of cultural significance to Mumbai.
As mentioned in the introduction of this guide, Mumbai Local is the identity of Mumbai city. Mumbai Local is often seen in the movies as the style of telling people that the film or that scene is about Mumbai. Another major identity of this city is closely associated with Mumbai Local Railway, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
These suburban local train transportations are the primary method of commute for the working class. The intense rush in the morning and evening defines that Mumbai Local is used by several thousand for the commute to work.
Mumbai Local trains are highly reliable. Even though, the majority of the times trains are running late from their scheduled time; the frequency of the next one showing is still the same. Unless there is major rainfall, resulting in floods, Mumbai Local is always reliable. With Mumbai Local you beat the traffic and reach any place on time. The only thing you need to do is plan your travel.
Mumbai Local is often regarded as the backbone of not only Mumbaikars but also Mumbai Police. It is so popular that Mumbai Mirror editors use this point as a clue in their Crossword.
There are many films either based or revolving around the Mumbai Local. Ek Chaalis Ki Last Local, end sequence of Slumdog Millionaire and Baton Baton Mein are to name a few. These films do not have anything extraordinary, but the fact that Mumbai Local, just makes it relatable. And, once you connect with someone’s heart, there must be something terribly wrong to change their mind.
The local train timetable differs from station to station. The best is to install the m-Indicator mobile app from Google Play Store and App Store. However, the frequency of slow trains on the Western Line is once every 3-minutes. And, on the Central Line, one train is scheduled every 4-minutes.
So yes, that is it. The complete Mumbai Local Guide. Do let us know about your experience with Mumbai Local and its importance for you.
This is the guide on Mumbai Local trains. It is everything you must know, and more. Even then if we have left out any other important aspect, do let us know in the comments below.
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