Mumbai is the entertainment and commercial capital of India. Previously known as Bombay, the city is the capital of the western state of Maharashtra. It enjoys a moderate climate through the year, has the Arabian Sea on the western side and houses the ‘Bollywood’, the film industry of India. Being a major entertainment and commercial hub, the city is visited by lakhs of passengers daily. Some of these are daily commuters coming from the suburbs, while the others are coming here to fulfill their dreams. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the railway station of Mumbai is better known as the VT station. Earlier known as the Victoria Terminus, the railway station serves as the Central Railway’s headquarters.

The Mumbai railway station that is the VT station was built in the year 1888, by the Government of India. It was built on the lines of the St. Pancras station in London. Built to honor the Queen Victoria, the railway station was renamed as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in the year 1996. The railway station is a perfect blend of Gothic Revival and traditional architecture of India, displaying ornamental railings, grills and balustrades of brass and iron, woodcarvings and tiles.

The Mumbai railway station serves as the important link between the western part of India and the other parts. Major super fast and express trains originate and end at the Mumbai railway station. These trains connect Mumbai to New Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh. Besides the main Mumbai railway station, there are several other railway stations in Mumbai, which connect it to other parts of India.

Location wise, the major landmarks are some distance away from the railway station. This includes the Gateway of India being at 6.7 kms, Marine Drive at 5.7 kms, International Airport at 19.3 kms, Juhu Beach at 15.6 kms, and Haji Ali Dargah at 2.3 kms, the Film City at 26.5 Kms, Navi Mumbai at 27 Kms and the Mahalaxmi Temple at 16.3 kms besides some other famous places.

Bearing the station code of CSTM, the Mumbai railway station provides excellent passenger and terminal facilities. It has the retiring rooms, waiting rooms, dormitories, refreshment rooms, reservation offices, cloakroom, dining areas and drinking water facilities. Besides these, there are other facilities like the public call booths, ATMs, shopping areas and cafes.

The Mumbai railway station has an historic importance as it was built during the British Raj and named to honor the Queen Victoria. It has been declared a heritage site under the UNESCO world heritage sites. The building of the railway station has some majestic domes, turrets and such grandeur that no one can remain immune to the awe that it creates.

Besides serving as the major link between the western parts with the rest of India, the Mumbai railway station also serves as a link to the suburban areas of Mumbai as well. Mumbai stands joined due to the suburban railways that bring commuters to the main station daily from suburbs like Kalyan, Thane, Panvel, Khapoli, Churchgate and Dhanau etc. The Mumbai railway station is not majestic for its structure, but also for the magnitude of trains and passengers that it handles daily.