Why you should experience Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) is not just a railway station — it’s Mumbai’s beating heart carved in stone and steel, where history thunders through the tracks beneath a cathedral of light.
Every detail of this UNESCO World Heritage Site feels alive: the vaulted ceilings, rose windows, and wrought-iron staircases echo with the rhythm of a million daily departures. As you stand beneath its soaring dome, the noise of trains and footsteps fuses with the scent of rain and chai — the eternal soundtrack of Mumbai. The Gothic spires, stained glass, and domed turrets create a skyline that rivals any European capital, yet the station’s spirit is unmistakably Indian: bustling, bright, and endlessly human. To witness rush hour here is to see the choreography of an entire city — 3 million stories crossing paths in a single breath.
What you didn’t know about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus.
Originally named Victoria Terminus, this monumental structure was completed in 1888 as the crown jewel of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway, symbolizing the British Empire’s industrial prowess and architectural ambition.
Its design — a fusion of High Victorian Gothic Revival and traditional Indian ornamentation — came from British architect Frederick William Stevens, who took over a decade to realize it. The central dome, rising 80 meters, was inspired by London’s St. Pancras but infused with local stone carvings of peacocks, elephants, and palm fronds, blending East and West into one vision. The façade’s gargoyles, turrets, and pointed arches evoke medieval Europe, while the interior mosaics and woodwork celebrate Indian craftsmanship. The station’s name was changed in 1996 to honor Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the 17th-century Maratha warrior-king who defied empire — a reclamation of identity for modern India. Behind its ornate beauty lies one of the most advanced railway networks in the world: 18 platforms, over 1,000 trains daily, and a system that still runs with astonishing precision more than a century later. The stained glass windows depicting the Progress of Railways, the cast-iron columns imported from the UK, and the Italian marble floors all survive from the original design. CSMT is both a museum and a machine — a living artifact that never stops moving.
How to fold Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus into your trip.
No visit to Mumbai is complete without standing beneath the clock tower of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, watching the city pulse around it.
Arrive just before sunrise or after dark — two moments when the station reveals its dual nature. At dawn, soft light filters through the stained glass, bathing the platforms in amber hues as porters haul luggage and commuters sip chai before the day begins. After sunset, the entire façade illuminates in gold and indigo, its Gothic tracery glowing against the night sky — a photographer’s dream. Step inside the Heritage Wing, open to visitors through guided tours, to see the grand staircase, council chambers, and stained-glass domes up close. If time allows, linger on Platform 1, where you can feel the hum of the station’s arteries — locals heading home, vendors shouting, trains rolling in rhythmic intervals. Combine your visit with a walk along DN Road or Crawford Market, both within easy reach, to experience the colonial and commercial soul of Mumbai in one sweep. Allocate at least 45–60 minutes for the full experience, though you could easily lose hours tracing the arches, tiles, and faces that pass through. To stand at CSMT is to witness Mumbai’s identity distilled — relentless motion framed by timeless beauty.
Hear it from the Foresyte community.
“Rush hour here feels like the universe pressed fast-forward. Everyone’s sprinting but somehow it all flows. Add the Gothic spires watching over it and yeah, it’s chaos art.”
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