Victoria Terminus, Mumbai: How To Reach, Best Time & Tips

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Victoria Terminus Overview

Formerly known as Victoria Terminus, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is Mumbai’s outstanding railway station. Although this is a railways station and not primarily counted among places to visit in Mumbai, this building, designed by British architect FW Stevens, sports excellent Victorian Gothic Revival architectural style.

The designs are based on medieval Italian models, known as High Victorian Gothic Design, is remarkable. The domes, corridors, arches, and turrets are therefore distinct and prominently archaic. The construction of the building began in 1878, taking up to a decade to complete. Numerous British architects and Indian craftsmen worked day and night to give the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus the definition of what it is today.

This is why the architectural style doesn’t just boast of Victorian style, there’s a distinctive feature of Indian architecture in the building as well, making it one of the attractions in Mumbai for history lovers and architects who love to study the significance of various architectural styles in the building.

Location: Opposite BMC Building, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Fort/P D'Mello Road (PF-18), Mumbai, Maharashtra

Best Time to visit: Any time of the year

Entry fee: No entry fee

Timings: Not applicable

Distance from Mumbai Bus Stand: 5 km from MSRTC Mumbai Central

Standing tall on the shore of the Arabian Sea, the Victoria Terminus now called Maharaja Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is the first functional railway station of the Indian subcontinent and one of the finest examples of 19th-century railway architecture in the country.

The terminus building was designed by F.W. Stevens exhibiting the strong influence of Victorian Gothic Revival and traditional Indian architecture in its edifice. The construction of Victoria Terminus started in 1878 and it took 10 years for its completion by the British and Indian architects whose main objective was to build something unique on the soil of Mumbai.

Over the years, Victoria Terminus became a commercial hub and an insignia of the economic growth of India. The Maharaja Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus building spreads over a whopping 2.85 hectares area which is maintained by the Indian Railways.

It is one of the busiest railway stations of Mumbai commuting more than 3 million passengers every day. There is a protected buffer zone covering an area of 90 hectares in the terminus premises. Apart from its initial 4 railway tracks, Victoria Terminus has 7 suburban and 11 out-station tracks to handle the growing traffic over the years.

The property had been declared as Heritage Grade I on April 21, 1997, under the Maharashtra State Government Act resolution and retains the major part of its original architectural integrity even today.

How To Reach

From Mumbai airport -

The cheapest mode of conveyance from the Mumbai Airport to the Victoria Terminus is by an auto-rickshaw that will drop you at the Andheri Station costing you approximately Rs (50-100). From Andheri station, you will have to get a train and reach Churchgate. From there you can walk up to the Victoria Terminus or take a taxi that will cost you around Rs. 40.

However, if you want a comfortable journey, you can book a prepaid taxi from the airport and reach Victoria Terminus in about 20 minutes. It will cost you about Rs. 550.

Other Essential Information

Location: Dhobi Talao, Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Area, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra-400001

Timing: All the days of the week 12:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Price: No entry fees