Flights from Melbourne to Mumbai

The best time to visit Mumbai

Mumbai gets hot and humid. Really hot. And unless you relish the sticky weather, the best time to travel to Mumbai is during the city’s winter months – between November and February. Thanks to Mumbai’s proximity to the water, the city benefits from cooling sea breezes that result in mild days and comfortable evenings. December tends to see the largest number of tourist crowds, followed by August and February. Time your travel to Mumbai outside of these times to avoid the hordes and potentially snap up cheap flights from MEL to BOM. The spring (from March to May) is another shoulder period for tourists, as is the beginning of autumn. Summer is the low season for travellers heading to Mumbai and rewards with cheaper flights and great-value accommodation options.

Departing From Melbourne

Flights to Mumbai from Melbourne typically depart from Melbourne Airport (MEL), which is also referred to as Tullamarine Airport. Airlines that offer cheap flights from Melbourne to Mumbai include Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Thai Airways, Virgin Australia and Cathay Pacific. There are currently no direct flights to Mumbai and all routes require one or two stopovers in cities such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

Getting to Melbourne Airport

There are limited public transport links from Melbourne’s CBD to Melbourne Airport. The primary option is the SkyBus, a service that departs from various points around the city and then travels directly to MEL. The express SkyBus services leave from Southern Cross Railway Station, St Kilda, Southbank and even the regional Mornington Peninsula. The City Express is the only service that operates 24/7. Depending on the route, fares begin from $19 AUD one-way per adult. Another method of reaching MEL for cheap flights to Mumbai is taxi or ride-share service. There are no train connections to the airport. 

Parking at Melbourne Airport

Prefer to drive yourself to Melbourne Airport? Leave your car in one of the great parking options, ranging from long-term spaces to premium areas.

Where to Park at Melbourne Airport

Melbourne Airport’s parking options cater for all travellers heading to India on holiday. Travellers can book a car space online and there are also various rate types available.

• Long Term Car Park: This is a go-to option for travellers heading away for an extended period of team. It is MEL’s cheapest parking space and, although located a distance from the terminals, there is a free shuttle bus that takes you from the car to the check-in counters.
• At Terminal Car Park: If it’s convenience a traveller seeks, then the At Terminal options at Melbourne Airport deliver. These spaces are best suited to shorter trips and rates will be lower the further in advance you book. International travellers will park at the At Terminal T123.
• Premium: This space sits on the second storey of the At Terminal T123 car park and puts travellers only a hop, skip and a jump from the check-in counter.
• Valet: Forget about booking online or scouring for a car park yourself; at the Valet spaces, you can have someone do it for you. This luxury does come at a cost.

Arriving in Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM) is the primary airport that links Mumbai with international flight routes. It is also where travellers on cheap airfares from Melbourne will land. Australian passport holders should have their e-tourist visa documents ready to be processed through immigration.

How to Get from Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport to Your Mumbai Hotel or Accommodation

Mumbai’s BOM airport has a plentiful range of taxis (fleet or pre-paid) and ride-share options that service international travellers. Jumping into a taxi is the most convenient option for travelling to your Mumbai accommodation. Pre-paid taxis can be arranged at the counters within the arrivals terminal. Fares vary, and may increase if you opt for an air-conditioned taxi, however a starting point may be around ₹500 (about $10 AUD). Travel time via taxi from the airport into the city runs from 25 minutes up to 2 hours. You might also use an auto rickshaw, though this option is really best suited to hotels located closer to the airport. There are train stations close to the airport however these have to be reached via bus, auto rickshaw, or taxi. Bus 321 to Vile Parle East travels from the BOM international terminal to Andheri (East) Railway Station.

Things to do in Mumbai

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

Even if trains and railways aren’t your thing, it is hard not to admire the incredible design of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, formerly known as Victoria Station. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an iconic symbol of Mumbai’s cityscape, and the epic Mumbai railway network uses this station as its beating heart.

Channel Bollywood

Mumbai is the home base of Bollywood, India’s powerhouse film industry. Tap into your all-singing, all-dancing Bollywood spirit with a guided tour. There are a handful operating across the city, and many include visits to film studios, cinemas and even the outside of the home of Amitabh Bachchan.

Elephanta Island

Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri, lies just off the coast of Mumbai’s main shoreline. The isle is an UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its incredible collection of rock-cut temples, most dedicated to Shiva. Travel to the island via an hour-long launch trip from the Gateway of India. There are plenty of guides available once you arrive on the island however many quote a steep price and the island is easily self-navigable.

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Take a trip to one of the most visited parks in the world, and one of only a handful to sit within a major city’s limits. Highlights of the park include the Kanheri caves, more than 1000 plant species and a rich collection of resident wildlife, such as porcupine, striped hyena, sambar deer, crocodile and macaques.

Gateway of India

As one of Mumbai’s most striking landmarks, the Gateway of India is just as unique in person as it is on postcards. The mammoth archway sits with a prime perch overlooking the Mumbai harbour. Its construction was intended to represent the majesty of the British Raj in India, and it was also the location of a ceremony that marked the departure of British troops once India claimed independence.