Navi Mumbai International Airport will get a free hourly shuttle to Mumbai’s Sahar-Parle airport, while MSRTC electric buses from October 7 will connect the new airport to Dadar, Borivli and Pune at fares starting from Rs 170, according to an announcement by Adani Airport Holding Ltd (AAHL).
The complimentary shuttle will be operated by Cityflo, Aarya and Chalo, linking Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) directly with Mumbai’s main airport. The service is intended to provide a lower-cost connection for passengers travelling between the two airports, particularly those whose journeys require an airport transfer.
MSRTC’s e-Shivai electric bus services will begin from NMIA on October 7. The fare will be Rs 170 to Dadar East, Rs 210 to Borivli and Rs 450 to Pune, AAHL said in a press release. The Dadar route will run through Sion and Atal Setu, while the Borivli service will connect NMIA with Mumbai airport’s Terminal 1, Bandra and Atal Setu.
Children below the age of 12 and women travelling with a National Common Mobility Card will be eligible for half-fare on the MSRTC services, according to the announcement. The fare structure places the services alongside other public transport options serving the metropolitan region, while the electric buses add a lower-emission mode to airport access.
Further MSRTC services to Thane and Nashik are planned by mid-November. The announcement did not specify equivalent direct services for Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, apart from the Sion connection, leaving passengers from those areas dependent on transfers or other available modes.
Private bus connectivity is also being expanded. BEST’s Chalo Bus initiative, operated in partnership with a private operator, currently runs 21 daily services connecting NMIA with Marol in Andheri East, Bandra, Dadar and the World Trade Centre in Colaba. These routes add connections between the airport and major employment, commercial and residential areas in Mumbai.
Within Navi Mumbai, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport operates seven dedicated airport routes. These connect Terminal 1 with Kharkopar, Targhar, Belapur, Nerul, Panvel, Khandeshwar and the Airport Project Office, the statement said. The network provides links to nodes across Navi Mumbai and the airport project area, although route coverage and service frequency will determine how useful it is for passengers travelling from different parts of the region.
Taxi options are also scheduled to expand. Bharat Taxi will begin operations on October 10 with a fleet of up to 40 vehicles. Uber Go, Uber Premier and Uber Auto will continue to be available at the airport. The next public transport milestone will be the launch of the MSRTC electric bus services on October 7, followed by Bharat Taxi operations on October 10 and the planned Thane and Nashik services by mid-November.
