Here's Everything You Need to Know About Mumbai's International Airport
If you visit India, it’s very likely that you will land up in Chhatrapati Shivaji Internatinonal Airport Mumbai. It is the second busiest airport in the country after Delhi and a huge one at that. So, before you make the journey to the famous and beautiful ‘T2’ (terminal), read everything you need to know about Mumbai’s international airport so you can navigate better!
The international airport is located at Terminal 2 (colloquially called T2) of the huge hub in Andheri East. It depends on where you’re headed to after getting out of the airport, but it normally takes an hour-and-a-half to reach Colaba, the south part of Mumbai. There are four levels in Terminal 2 – level 1 is for transport options like taxis, pre-paid cars and hotel reservations, level 2 has the arrival section, level 3 has some domestic departures and level 4 takes care of the international departures. The security check at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Mumbai happens before immigration so that passengers have the time to put prohibited items in their check-in luggage.
One of the most beautiful things about the international airport is the museum that shows Indian art on the walls. The walk could be quite long but they’ve made sure you have enough to gape at and the roof is inspired by dancing peacocks and is also a beautiful sight. There’s free wireless internet for everyone in the airport and attendants are always available on call or in sight to help passengers with special needs. The airport is equipped with wheelchairs, slots, ramps and lifts.
Terminal 1C is a holding area for passengers and the link between Terminal 1B (Domestic) and Terminal 2. It has a food court with a number of eating options. There is a free shuttle service for people who want to switch from domestic to international or vice versa, while buses run every 20 minutes each day. Parking is not free anywhere in the airport and you will be charged by time – visitors could pay Rs. 130 for 30 minutes and Rs. 1,100 for an entire day.
The international airport gets quite busy at night so plan your journey to it well. Once there, you are bound to encounter many mosquitoes. So, carrying some ointments to prevent them from biting the daylights out of you will be a good idea. While there are many hotels in the airport vicinity there are no retiring rooms inside the airport. However, for transit passengers there are some lounges that are pretty cozy if you want to catch a nap and not worry about your luggage. These lounge areas offer a bevy of services such as a library, spa, buffet, alcoholic beverages and baby care rooms.
T2 is ‘X’ shaped if seen from upon high and it has 2,300 CCTV cameras and 4,100 announcement speakers! The multi-level car parking area has capacity for 5,000 vehicles at a time. Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Mumbai tackles about 45 million passengers annually and everything still runs as smooth as butter.
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