There was a time when the train journey from Mumbai took nearly twenty-four hours, on the winding route via Miraj and Pune, involving a change of trains too. Today, the high-speed Konkan Railway has a daily train which hardly takes around 8-9 hours for the same journey. Other trains between Mumbai and Panaji take typically around 10-12 hours.
The rail route also has trains which travel past Mumbai to other northern areas of India right upto Delhi as well as down south to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. The Konkan Railway has special reservation facility via the internet for foreigners which allows payment to be made by credit cards. There are also computerized reservation systems in most metros.
As the demand for the rail journey is quite high and most trains run filled to capacity, it is highly advisable to reserve the tickets well in advance of your actual journey to Goa. Goa has two major railway stations — Margao and Vasco-da-Gama, both located in the southern area of the state. The South Central Railway terminus is at Vasco-da-Gama and the Konkan Railway terminus is at Margao. Besides the two main stations, the trains usually halt for a few minutes at a number of other smaller stations in Goa.
The Konkan Railway has trains which ply between Mumbai and Goa and other destinations. The latest updated schedules for these are available on the official Konkan Railway website. The South Central Railway has one train, the Nizamuddin Goa Express coming in daily in the early morning. This train departs from Delhi and comes to Goa via Pune.
The Konkan Railway undoubtedly offers the quickest and cheapest route to Goa from Mumbai. In Mumbai there are two booking offices: one is on the upper floor of the Western Railways booking office in Churchgate Station and the second is at the Central Railway booking office, at the rear of Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus or VT).
A list of major trains to and from Goa
| From Goa to: Ahmedabad . Ernakulam . Gandhidham. Hapa . Howrah . Jaipur . Jodhpur . Karwar . Mangalore . Mumbai . Nagercoil . New Delhi . Okha . Puna . Trivandrum . Vijaywada . Yeshwantpur .
To Goa from: Ahmedabad . Ernakulam . Gandhidham . Hapa . Howrah . Jaipur . Jodhpur . Karwar . Mangalore . Mumbai . Nagercoil . New Delhi . Okha . Puna . Trivandrum . Vijaywada . Yeshwantpur . |
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| Departures (From Goa to other destinations) | |||||||
| Train Name | Train No. | Margao | Karmali | Thivim | Vasco | Arrival | Operation |
| Ernakulam | |||||||
| Ernakulam Poorna Express | 1097 | 1325 | 04205 | Sat | |||
| Marusagar Express | 2978 | 1325 | 0420 | Fri | |||
| Okha Ernakulum Express | 6337 | 0745 | 2250 | Mon, Sat | |||
| Gandhidham | |||||||
| Nagercoil Gandhidham Express | 6336 | 1055 | 1410 | Tue | |||
| Hapa | |||||||
| Okha Express | 6338 | 1055 | 1350 | Wed, Fri | |||
| Howrah | |||||||
| VSG Howrah Express | 2848 | 0750 | 2225 | Tue, Thr, Fri | |||
| Jaipur | |||||||
| Marusagar Express | 2977 | 1035 | 1120 | 1405 | Sun | ||
| Jodhpur | |||||||
| Trivandrum Jodhpur Express | 6312 | 1055 | 1700 | Sat | |||
| Mangalore | |||||||
| Janashatabdi Express | 2071 | 1600 | 2150 | Daily | |||
| Matsyaganda Exp. | 2619 | 0020 | 0615 | Daily | |||
| Mumbai | |||||||
| Netravati Express | 6346 | 0600 | 0633 | 0710 | 1640 | Daily | |
| Mandovi Express | 0104 | 1000 | 1028 | 1045 | 2145 | Daily | |
| Matsyagandha Express | 2620 | 2055 | 0635 | Daily | |||
| Janashatabdi Express | 2052 | 1420 | 1502 | 2255 | Except Wed | ||
| Konkan Kanya Express | 0112 | 1800 | 1832 | 1850 | 0550 | Daily | |
| Nagercoil | |||||||
| Nagercoil Gandhidham Express | 6335 | 0745 | 0440 | Fri | |||
| New Delhi | |||||||
| Ernakulam Nizamuddin Mangala Express | 1097 | 0335 | 0422 | 1320 | Daily | ||
| Sampark Kranti Express | 2653 | 0210 | 1105 | Sat | |||
| Rajdhani Express | 2431 | 1035 | 1235 | Tue & Thr | |||
| Goa Sampark Kranti Expres | 2449 | 1120 | 1150 | 1208 | 1645 | Tue | |
| Okha | |||||||
| Okha Express | 6338 | 1055 | 1143 | 1730 | Wed, Fri | ||
| Puna | |||||||
| Poona Express | 1098 | 1520 | 0505 | Mon | |||
| Trivandrum | |||||||
| Trivandrum Veraval Express | 6333 | 0850 | 0600 | Thr | |||
| Netravati Express | 6345 | 2230 | 1840 | Daily | |||
| Rajdhani Express | 2432 | 1235 | 0525 | Tue, Sun | |||
| Nagercoil Gandhidham Express | 6335 | 0745 | 0310 | Fri | |||
| Bikaner Trivandrum Express | 6311 | 0745 | 0310 | Tue | |||
| Veraval Trivandrum Express | 6333 | 0745 | 0310 | Thr | |||
| Arrivals (From other destinations to Goa) | |||||||
| Train Name | Train No. | Departure | Vasco | Thivim | Karmali | Margao | Operation |
| Ernakulam | |||||||
| Mangala Express | 2617 | 1245 | 0420 | 0325 | Daily | ||
| Ernakulam Pooma Express | 1098 | 2245 | 1500 | Mon | |||
| Ernakulam Hapa Express | 6338 | 1955 | 1045 | Wed, Fri | |||
| Marusagar Express | 2977 | 1955 | 1025 | Sun | |||
| Gandhidham | |||||||
| Gandhidham Nagercoil Express | 6335 | 0520 | 0735 | Fri | |||
| Hapa | |||||||
| Ernakulam Hapa Express | 6337 | 0515 | 0735 | Mon, Sat | |||
| Howrah | |||||||
| Amravati Express | 2847 | 2330 | 1420 | 1900 | Mon, Tue, Thr & | ||
| Jaipur | |||||||
| Jaipur Emakulam Marusagar Expr | 2978 | 1005 | 1150 | 1315 | Fri | ||
| Jodhpur | |||||||
| Trivandrum Jodhpur Express | 6311 | 0045 | 0735 | Tue | |||
| Mangalore | |||||||
| Matsyaganda Exp. | 2620 | 1440 | 2045 | Daily | |||
| Mumbai | |||||||
| Netravati Express | 6345 | 1140 | 2228 | 2154 | 2230 | Daily | |
| Mandovi Express | 0103 | 0655 | 1712 | 1733 | 1845 | Daily | |
| Matsyagandha Express | 2619 | 1405 | 0010 | Daily | |||
| Janashatabdi Express | 2051 | 0530 | 1302 | 1355 | Except Wed | ||
| Konkan Kanya Express | 0111 | 2300 | 0926 | 0948 | 1045 | Daily | |
| Nagercoil | |||||||
| Gandhidham Nagercoil Express | 6336 | 1330 | 1045 | Tue | |||
| New Delhi | |||||||
| Emakulam Nizamuddin Mangala Ex | 2618 | 0920 | 1758 | 1925 | Daily | ||
| Goa Sampark Kranti Express | 2450 | 0730 | 1315 | 1148 | 1358 | 0730 | Sat |
| Rajdhani Express | 2432 | 1105 | 1225 | Tue, Sun | |||
| Kerala Sampark Kranti Express | 2654 | 1400 | 2050 | Wed | |||
| Okha | |||||||
| Okha Ernakulum Express | 6337 | 0150 | 0631 | 0735 | Mon, Sat | ||
| Puna | |||||||
| Emakulam Pooma Express | 1097 | 2310 | 1305 | Sat | |||
| Trivandrum | |||||||
| Trivandrum Jodhpur Express | 6312 | 1515 | 1045 | Sat | |||
| Trivandrum Veraval Express | 6334 | 1515 | 1125 | Mon | |||
| Netravati Express | 6346 | 1000 | 0550 | Daily | |||
| Rajdhani Express | 2431 | 1915 | 1025 | Tue, Thr | |||
| Gandhidham Nagercoil Express | 6336 | 1515 | 1045 | Tue | |||