Send this to whoever you're travelling with →
- 01
Mumbai local trains have women-only coaches — use them; the general coaches during peak hour are not safe.
- 02
Mumbai is India's safest major city for solo women at night, but marine drive after midnight is still solo-avoid.
- 03
Taxis (black-and-yellow) are metered and honest here; Uber/Ola also fully operational.
- 04
Colaba Causeway is pick-pocket central — use a crossbody bag with the clasp facing inward.
- 05
Dharavi is a thriving urban township, not a tragedy — the Reality Tours guided visit is genuinely excellent.
Where to stay
Scam watch
Reported and verified for Mumbai. Read before you arrive.
📍 8 scam reports — see them on the map
Exact locations, community warnings, and how to avoid each one
Getting around
Launched December 2024 in Bengaluru. Uber confirmed expansion to 5 more major Indian cities. Book via standard Uber app — filter for women-only ride.
Book via Uber app. Women-only ride with women drivers. Launched Dec 2024, expanding across major cities.
Launched December 2024 in Bengaluru. Uber confirmed expansion to 5 more major Indian cities. Book via standard Uber app — filter for women-only ride.
Book via Uber app. Women-only ride with women drivers. Launched Dec 2024, expanding across major cities.
Launched December 2024 in Bengaluru. Uber confirmed expansion to 5 more major Indian cities. Book via standard Uber app — filter for women-only ride.
Hidden gems
Places most travel guides miss. Verified by our contributors.
Locomo OG (Andheri East)
Highest-rated Mumbai hostel for solo female travelers; women-only dorm option, secure 24/7 reception, on-site café. Digital nomad friendly.
Roopam (Crawford Market — sari shopping)
Women-friendly fixed-price sari/textile shop near Crawford. Skip the haggling. Solo female shoppers consistently recommend over the chaos of Mangaldas.
Reality Tours — Dharavi walking tour
Most ethically-run Dharavi tour. 80% of profits to local NGO. Female guides available. Strict no-photo policy respects residents.
Salt Water Cafe (Bandra) + Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum
Before you go
Tick these off. Progress saves automatically.
Daily budget
Per person, per day. Includes stay, food, and local transport.
Backpacker
Dorm or budget guesthouse, street food, local buses
₹2,500
≈ $30
Mid-range
Private room, sit-down meals, occasional Uber
₹5,000
≈ $60
Comfortable
Boutique hotel, restaurant dining, app taxis
₹15,000
≈ $179
Do
- ✓Use the women's coach on all local train journeys — it is safe and air-conditioned on newer trains
- ✓Eat at Britannia & Co in Ballard Estate — 100-year-old Irani café, unmissable berry pulao
- ✓Walk Marine Drive at sunrise for the best crowd-free Gateway view
- ✓Take the Reality Tours Dharavi visit — context changes everything
Don't
Emergency contacts
Tap any number to call. Screenshot this section before you travel.
Forward this to mum, your partner, or whoever's tracking you.
Booking.com
Browse stays in Mumbai →
World Nomads
Travel insurance for India →
About the contributor
Ananya Iyer
Mumbai · 9 solo trips
I quit advertising in 2019 and have spent the last six years living out of two backpacks across India. Spiti is my one true love — three winters there now, two on a Royal Enfield I do not recommend renting. I write because the intel that kept me safe was buried in old TripAdvisor threads and women-only Facebook groups, and that is not a good system.
23
cards written
41
community answers
9
solo trips