Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

छत्रपती शिवाजी महाराज टर्मिनस

A Victorian Gothic railway station completed in 1888 (formerly Victoria Terminus), a World Heritage Site where some 3 million people pass through every day.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT, formerly Victoria Terminus or VT) was designed by British architect F.W. Stevens. Construction began in 1878 and the station was completed in 1888. It served as the headquarters of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway. The Victorian Gothic Revival style blends Indian traditional elements: stone carvings of peacocks, monkeys and lions, stained glass, pointed arches and an octagonal dome. Atop the dome stands a 4-metre statue of the goddess of 'Progress'. It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 2004, and in 2018 it was listed again as a core part of the 'Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensemble' of South Mumbai. It remains Mumbai's busiest station, with suburban and long-distance services carrying more than 3 million passengers a day. The closing song-and-dance number of the film Slumdog Millionaire was filmed here. The exterior is free to view at any time, with the best angle from in front of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) building across the road, which is lit from 19:00 to 22:00. The Railway Heritage Museum (Monday to Friday, 15:00–17:00, 200 rupees entry) lets visitors enter the former administrative building to see its staircases, stained glass and railway history; photo ID is required. Gothic buildings within walking distance include the clock tower of Mumbai University, the High Court, the Flora Fountain and the Oval Maidan (where cricket is played in the evening). Further south are Art Deco cinemas and apartment buildings, forming a 1–2 hour architectural walk. Note that the station is extremely crowded, so avoid entering the platforms at peak times (08:00–11:00 and 17:00–20:00). When crossing the road in front of the station, use the underground passage.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus

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