Mumbai Business Travel Guide

International flights use Terminal 2 at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (BOM), in the northern suburbs. Bandra Kurla Complex is typically 20–45 minutes away by car; Nariman Point and Colaba in south Mumbai take 45–90 minutes, with the Bandra–Worli Sea Link and the newer Coastal Road cutting the worst of the drive.

Many long-haul arrivals land late at night, the easiest time to cross the city. Book a hotel car or pre-arranged driver; prepaid taxis and app rides from the official pickup zones are reliable alternatives. Mumbai’s first underground metro, Line 3 (Aqua Line), fully open since October 2025, has a station at Terminal 2 and runs to BKC, Worli and Cuffe Parade in south Mumbai, which helps on congested afternoons if you’re traveling light.

Navi Mumbai International (NMI), across the harbor, opened for domestic flights in December 2025 and began its first international services in mid-2026. Check which airport your onward flight uses, as the two are far apart.

Mumbai is long and narrow, and traffic decides everything. Choose your base by where you’ll spend most working hours.

Keep a car and driver for the day. It’s common practice and the only way to make a tight schedule work: your driver waits during meetings and knows which roads flood or jam. Empyrean can arrange one for each day of the trip; app rides are a good backup for one-off journeys.

Plan two or three in-person meetings a day, not five. A BKC-to-Nariman Point run can take an hour at peak, so cluster meetings by area and keep calls for the gaps. The suburban trains are famously crowded at rush hour and not suited to business travel.

Greet with a handshake or a namaste; with women, let them initiate a handshake. Use titles and surnames until invited otherwise, and present your business card with your right hand or both hands. Hierarchy matters: decisions often sit with the most senior person, who may say little in a first meeting.

Relationship-building and hospitality are part of the work, so accept the chai. A polite yes can mean “I hear you” rather than agreement, so confirm next steps in writing. Many colleagues are vegetarian and some avoid beef or pork; when hosting, choose restaurants with strong vegetarian menus. Our etiquette guide covers broader norms.

October through March is the most comfortable and productive window: dry, warm and full of conferences. Offices typically work Monday to Friday, and some also work Saturdays. India’s fiscal year ends March 31, so finance teams are stretched that month.

Pack and plan for these Mumbai specifics.