Western India

By far the most convenient way to enter the region. There are many international airports and Mumbai is the busiest in the country.

• Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai is the gateway to India and serves over 40 international carriers. You can fly in from a number of important cities, including Paris, Frankfurt, London, New York, Singapore, Tokyo and Hong Kong.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad from Doha, Kuwait, Dubai, Sharjah, Bangkok and Singapore.
• Pune Airport is quite small and it is a rather inconvenient option for entering India. Nonetheless, it is served by Air India to Singapore and Dubai.
• Jaipur International Airport has limited international flights to the Gulf and Southeast Asia.
• Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport, Nagpur is another small international airport.
• Dabolim Airport in Vasco da Gama is Goa's only airport.

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (AMD ^IATA): You can reach here from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Bhopal, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata and Pune.
• Surat Airport (STV ^IATA): You can reach here from Mumbai and Delhi.
• Civil Airport Harni (BDQ ^IATA): You can reach here from Mumbai and Delhi.
• Rajkot Airport (RAJ ^IATA): You can reach here from Mumbai.
• Bhavnagar Airport (BHU ^IATA): You can reach here from Mumbai.
• Porbandar Airport (PBD ^IATA): Only connected to Diu.
• Bhuj Airport (BHJ ^IATA): You can reach here from Mumbai.
• Jamnagar Airport (JGA ^IATA): You can reach here from Mumbai.

International options are terribly limited given the length of the Rajasthan–Sindh border and there are no trains between India and Pakistan since 2019.

Indian Railways trains connect Western India to many important cities in other parts of the country. Mumbai Central, Mumbai CSMT, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Pune City, Jaipur and Chhatrapati Sahu Maharaj Terminus are important junctions.

The Delhi Cantonment–Ajmer Vande Bharat Express is the fastest train to Western India. The Delhi–Mumbai Rajdhani Express connects the capital to Mumbai in 18 hours. The Delhi–Thiruvananthapuram Rajdhani Express also passes through Western India and is the fastest way of travelling through some parts of Gujarat.

Cruises from the Mediterranean ports can be organized and are generally very expensive, amounting to well over €500 one-way. Mumbai is the busiest port in the country. Unless you have a lot of time to spare and a deep pocket, this option is not recommended. There are cheaper boats that ferry passengers from the UAE and Yemen to Mumbai.

There are good connections available by train. Mumbai is a hub for trains to all major cities. The Konkan Railway provides a picturesque route through the Western Ghats.

The national highway network is quite well maintained in Western India. The Mumbai–Delhi leg of the Golden Quadrilateral provides excellent connectivity between Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Bus services are very frequent, particularly in Maharashtra and Gujarat. Online booking is possible, and there is no surcharge. They serve cities in Western India including Ahmedabad, Goa, Kolhapur, Mumbai, Nashik, Pune, Shirdi, Surat and Vadodara.

Oneway cab is a cab service available in the western region.

Western India is a large region, so you might want to fly long distances. Even within Western India, flights may well be over an hour long, the Pune-Ahmedabad flight takes one and a half hours. You have to check in an hour and a half in advance. There are numerous airlines serving Western India, for a comprehensive list see India#Get Around. The following airports are used for commercial purposes, there are numerous other small airfields that serve as training centers.

• Maharashtra — Mumbai, Pune, Kolhapur, Nashik, Aurangabad and Nagpur
• Gujarat — Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Rajkot,Surat, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Bhuj, Bhavnagar and Diu
• Goa — Vasco da Gama
• Rajasthan — Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer

The spectacular forts of Rajasthan were built as unforgiving defensive citadels, but by the mid-16th century luxurious palaces, pleasure pavilions and gardens were added, displaying Mughal-inspired features. In the early 20th century there was another spate of palace buildings in Rajasthan and Gujarat. As a result of increasing contact with the British Raj, a marked European influence in both architecture and décor is clearly visible in these palaces.

Hill forts such as the ones in Chittorgarh and Jodhpur are the most impregnable examples of Rajasthani forts. The forts at Jaisalmer, on the other hand, lie amidst the sand dunes of the Thar Desert. Bharatpur's Lohagarh fort used thick mud walls for protection. The Neemrana Fort Palace, now a hotel is another architectural wonder with brilliantly designed balconies and lush green patches.

Lalgarh Palace in Bikaner was built in 1902 and is a wonderful example of Indo-European architecture. The unique blend of both styles is reflected in the banquet halls and old-fashioned billiard rooms. The Wankaner Palace is crowned with Italianate pillars and Gothic arches. The cities of Jaipur and Udaipur have the best palaces.

Western India has a variety of geography, ranging from the deserts of Rajasthan and Kutch-Gujarat to the long coast of Gujarat, Maharastra and Goa. There are some of the oldest forests of the Western Ghats and grasslands in Saurashtra-Gujarat and part of Maharashtra.

Sariska National Park and Ranthambore National Park are both home to tigers. However, the chances of spotting them are low (especially at Sariska since there are barely a handful left), unless you decide to spend a week or more at these places. The Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary on the outskirts of Bharatpur is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to over 275 species of migrant birds. Don't expect miles and miles of forest green in these sanctuaries, most of the landscape is dry and slightly rocky scrubland.

Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat is the only place where you can find Asiatic Lions and their population is on the rise. Some other attractions for wildlife enthusiasts are Blackbuck National Park, Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary, Wild Ass National Park in Kutch and Koyna Wildlife Sanctuary. There are many wildlife sanctuaries where approved campsites are available. Facilities at these campsites can vary widely and lesser-known sanctuaries have very basic camping facilities.

Mumbai, Jaipur and Pune house a number of good museums. See the city pages for more information. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya and the National War Museum are perhaps the most well-known.

If you order a thali (lit: "platter"), you will get a complete meal arranged on your plate, with a roti or chappati, rice and many different varieties of curries and curd. Ordering a thali is a popular option when you are hungry and in a hurry as it will usually be served blazingly fast. Most mid-level restaurants will have a thali on the menu, at least during lunch hours. Occasionally, they will be "unlimited", which means that some of the items are all-you-can-eat. The waiters will actually serve them at your table. Try the Gujarati thali, with its unlimited range of vegetarian dishes, or the spicier Rajasthani thali. The Rajdhani chain of retsurants serve the best thalis for a mere ₹124. They have numerous locations throughout Mumbai, Vadodara and Pune.