Mumbai Airport Taxi Guide: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Navi Mumbai Airport

Booking a Mumbai airport taxi used to involve one decision: which terminal. Now that the city has two airports, there are two. Your flight may use Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM) in the suburbs or Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMI) across the harbour, and the two are a long way apart by road. This guide covers getting to and from both, and how to time the ride so you are not watching the clock in traffic.

Three things to check on your ticket before you book

1. The airport code. BOM is the airport at Santacruz and Sahar. NMI is the Navi Mumbai airport near Ulwe and Panvel. A drop at the wrong airport cannot be fixed in a hurry.
2. The terminal. At BOM, Terminal 1 is at Santacruz and Terminal 2 is at Sahar in Andheri East. Airlines move flights between terminals from time to time, so go by what your ticket or the airline's latest message says, not by what you used last time.
3. The time. For a departure, note the reporting time your airline asks for, not just the departure time. For an arrival, note the scheduled landing time and the flight number.

How early to leave for the airport

Work backwards from the reporting time. Add the road time from where you are, then add a buffer for traffic that you hope you will not need. Some rough distances, all of which traffic can stretch:

• South Mumbai to BOM: roughly 20–25 km, and in peak traffic it can take over an hour.
• Western suburbs to BOM: the distance is short, but the roads around the airport are among the busiest in the city, so do not cut it fine just because you live close.
• Thane or Navi Mumbai to BOM: a cross-city drive that depends heavily on the time of day. Allow generously at office hours.
• Mumbai to NMI: roughly 35–45 km depending on where you start. From South Mumbai, the Atal Setu sea bridge to the Navi Mumbai side is one option.
• Navi Mumbai or Panvel to NMI: usually the shortest of these rides, though local traffic around Panvel and Kharghar can still slow you down.

Early-morning flights come with emptier roads, but you still need to be up and ready. Set the pickup for when you can actually be downstairs with your bags, and add a note such as "flight at 6:10 from T2" so the timing is clear. For a flight in the evening rush, leave earlier than feels necessary.

Getting picked up after you land

For arrivals, put your flight number and terminal in the booking notes, and set the pickup time to your scheduled landing. Then:

• The driver and car details reach you by SMS before pickup, so you know which car to look for and who to call.
• Once you have your bags, call or message the driver and follow the airport signs to the pickup area for private cars.
• Describe what you can see around you, such as a gate number or a sign, so you find each other quickly.
• If your flight is delayed or diverted, call or WhatsApp us on +91 70965 05911 so we can rework the pickup with the driver.

Navi Mumbai airport cab: who it suits

NMI makes the biggest difference for people who live in Navi Mumbai, Panvel and the surrounding area, and for travellers coming from Pune, because the airport sits near the Mumbai end of the expressway. If you live in the western suburbs, BOM will usually be closer, but the airport printed on your ticket is the one that counts. Our Navi Mumbai airport taxi page covers the NMI routes in more detail.

How much luggage fits

Airport trips are where luggage matters most. As a rough guide, a hatchback suits one traveller with a suitcase and a cabin bag. A sedan suits two travellers with a large suitcase each. An Ertiga carries more people but loses most of its boot when all six seats are in use. An Innova, Marazzo or Innova Crysta is the comfortable choice for a family with several large bags, and a Tempo Traveller works for a group arriving together. Mention the number of bags in the notes, and if you are unsure, go one size up.

Fares and paying

You see a fixed fare for the whole car before you book, and 5% GST is added at checkout. Whether toll and parking are included depends on the route, and the fare breakdown shows it before you pay. For airport trips you can pay online by UPI or choose to pay cash to the driver. To see the cars and fares for your terminal and time, start on the Mumbai airport taxi page.

A short checklist

• Airport code and terminal checked against the ticket.
• Pickup time worked out from the reporting time, the road time and a buffer.
• Flight number and number of bags in the booking notes.
• The phone you booked with is charged, so the SMS with the driver details reaches you.
• For a family with a lot of bags, a car one size bigger than the head count suggests.