What to expect from the gate to the car, written for a guest landing in Mumbai for the first time — and how the house makes the last part of the journey the easiest.
I
Terminal 2, international
Most international flights arrive at T2, in Sahar. After immigration, baggage and customs, you come out into arrivals. Your sarathi is there with your name; the car waits in the airport’s parking, a short walk away, and is brought to you.
II
Terminal 1, domestic
Many domestic flights use T1, in Santacruz. The sarathi meets you at the arrivals exit with your name.
III
The wait is on the house
The house follows the flight, not the clock: 90 minutes after a domestic landing and 2 full hours after an international one, counted from the gate. Immigration on a busy night can take that long; nobody is left at the railing.
IV
Where he stands, in a photograph
When your flight shows landed, your sarathi writes to you with a photograph of exactly where he is standing. No searching a crowd.
For a first arrival in Mumbai
MoneyCards work almost everywhere; a little cash in rupees for small things. The fare is settled in advance, never in the car.
A phoneAn eSIM or a local SIM from the arrivals hall; the sarathi can reach you on WhatsApp on your own number meanwhile.
The heatThirty-one degrees most of the year and humid; the cabin is cooled before you step in, with cold water and a cold towel.
The trafficThe airport to South Mumbai is forty-five minutes to an hour and a half; the sarathi chooses the road by the hour you land.
International flights arrive at Terminal 2 in Sahar. Domestic flights use Terminal 2 or Terminal 1 in Santacruz depending on the airline; your boarding pass says which.
How long do you wait if my flight is late or immigration is slow?
The house follows the flight and waits ninety minutes after a domestic landing and two full hours after an international one, counted from the gate, at no charge.
How will I find my driver?
When the flight lands, your sarathi writes to you on WhatsApp with a photograph of exactly where he stands, holding a board with your name.