Which airport do you fly to in Goa? Goa international airports - how to get to the Indian coast from Russia? How to get to Goa from other cities in India

Reading time: 9 minutes. Views 503 Published 12/22/2016

Dabolim is a small airport in Goa, which is the only one in this state. If you look at the map, you can see that it is located near the village of Dabolim, not far from the town of Vasco da Gama (4 kilometers away).

By the way, this name is given in honor. The location of the airport is more than favorable, since from it you can get to Panaji, which is the administrative center of the state, quite quickly. The distance is relatively short - almost 30 km.

Airport serves both regular and charter flights . The majority of tourists here are foreign, as Indians cannot afford much. The airport has two terminals, one of which receives international aircraft.

Some tourists are wary of the airport located in. And all because there are various rumors and legends about him: supposedly, this is unjustified high prices and the service is not up to par. Is it so? Let's figure it out.

Historical information about the airport: Dabolim before and now

For the fact that Dabolim Airport appeared in Goa, we must thank the Portuguese colonial authorities. It was with their hand that the colossal construction of an important facility for these places began in the 1950s. 101 hectares of land near the village of Dabolim were allocated for its territory.

At a time when India, having received its long-awaited independence, began the painful process of annexing territories, it did not bypass those that belonged to Portugal. In the early 60s, fighting broke out on the territory of Dabolim airport. The situation was so tense that some of its buildings were destroyed. Civil planes were then able to fly only at night.

In 1962, Dabolim was finally recaptured by the Indian authorities and the Indian Air Force settled on the airport grounds. To this day, this object is in the possession of the military forces of the Republic. But despite this, the authorities found a way to cooperate with the military. This turned out to be a matter of great importance, since Dabolim is the only airport in Goa, and the development tourism industry it is a must for the state and India as a whole. After all, foreigners need to be able to somehow get to, and air service– the fastest and most convenient option for this.

Today Dabolim receives about 700 international flights, most of which are charter flights. The third part of charters, which is 240 flights, arrives from Russia. Air services are also provided between Goa and six Indian cities.

If previously there were only two terminals at the airport, then in 2014 a new terminal building was opened, combining both terminals.

Although Dabolim is a fairly small airport, it is able to serve 150-200 thousand foreigners annually. And this is a lot: approximately a tenth of all foreign tourists states. Dabolim is most popular among Russians and British. Zones international departures– A, B, C, internal – D, E, F, G, H .

What services besides air travel can this airport offer?

Although Dabolim is a simple airport, it has everything basic that a tourist who is forced to wait for his flight needs:

duty free shops;
snack bars;
restroom;
medical Center;
mother and child room;
currency exchange point;
local company office mobile communications Airtel.

There are several ways to get from the airport to the hotel:

Bus. This is a very affordable option. However, you will have to spend about four hours and make several transfers in different cities. Please note that buses run irregularly, and after seven o’clock in the evening you shouldn’t expect them at all.
Taxi. As you leave the airport, you may notice a large yellow poster with city names and prices written on it - there will be two of them. The one below indicates the cost of the trip, and the one above indicates an air-conditioned taxi. Choose the option you are willing to pay for. Now go to the ATM where you can withdraw rupees from your card. Pay for taxi services and receive a receipt. After some time, your driver will arrive and literally in an hour, maximum two, you will already be at your hotel.
Transfer. If you book a hotel in advance for a stay of one week or more through travel intermediaries, then most likely you will be offered a free transfer. If this is not provided by the company, you can often pay for this service separately. The intermediaries through whom the order is made usually give you the right to choose based on your wishes: the number of passengers, the availability of things, the level of comfort, etc. Since outsiders are not allowed to enter the airport, the driver will be waiting for you at the entrance, holding the appropriate sign.

Important information

There are still some nuances that you need to know about Dabolim Airport. We have already indicated that You are allowed into its territory only upon presentation of an air ticket.. Know that you will be allowed in no earlier than four hours before departure . This, of course, is not entirely convenient for many, but usually a couple of hours is enough to settle all the formalities.

The infrastructure at Dabolim Airport is rather poorly developed. Although the Indian government is trying to make efforts to improve the situation. For example, food options are too limited. Only the snack machine and cafe are open. However, you can still endure such inconveniences for some time. Besides, they are waiting for you.

Goa is a very popular place among tourists from the CIS countries. This can be understood, since this resort has great amount benefits. We are talking about one of the smallest Indian states. By itself it represents a continuous coastline washed by the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. Arriving here, tourists find themselves in real paradise, as if straight out of a postcard: palm trees, White sand, clear sea, exotic temples and resorts. At the same time, holidays in India are very cheap; it is considered, perhaps, the most affordable in the world. The only thing that can darken Russian tourists– this is the presence of a visa.

Because Goa is not separate island or a state, but still a state of India, you need to fill out documents here. However, any traveler will tell you that this country willingly and without any bureaucratic delays issues holiday visas, without requiring a huge package of paperwork. Therefore, obtaining the desired permission to visit the resort will not be difficult. In order to get to this state, you need to take a flight from Russia. Naturally, when you travel for the first time, questions arise: which GOA arrival airport will you visit and what do you need to know about it in general?

If you have a question about which airport planes fly to in GOA, then just remember the name - “Dabolim”. There is no point in flying to another state in India and then getting to the resort from there. After all, we are talking about a modern air harbor. It is located four kilometers from small town Vasco da Gama. It takes about 30 kilometers to get to the large administrative center.

The statistics that relate to this airport are as follows:

Dabolim receives 700 foreign aircraft per year;
most of the flights are charter;
a third of them are Russian companies and airplanes;
at the same time, quite a lot of flights come from other states, and they also fly tourists who, for some reason, could not fly by direct route;
Every year 200 thousand foreigners fly to the airport, which is an impressive figure for such a small establishment.

It is noteworthy that the number of tourists is approximately 10th of all foreigners who arrive in India. Most often, this resort is chosen by Russians, other residents of the CIS countries, as well as the British.

A little history

Construction of the airport began in 1950. Land from the village of Dabolim was allocated for these needs. The airport still bears its name, with no intention of changing it. In the 60s, India gained independence and by force conquered lands that belonged to other colonies. For example, Portugal, under whose jurisdiction the airport was. In 1961, it was even bombed by the country's Air Force. In 1962, Dabolim became the property of the Indian authorities, in a dilapidated state.

At first, the air harbor was exclusively a military platform for the needs of military aviation. But times, of course, changed, the country returned to normal life, tourists flew in, paying special attention to Goa. In 1996 it was already a resort, and there was no point in delaying the airport expansion any longer. Regular flights began this year civil aviation. Further, Dabolim was only modernized, gradually replenished with modern aircraft.

Dabolim Airport

Passenger handling and service

Most often, planes arrive at the airport at night or early in the morning. This is due to time zones and their changes. You need to mentally prepare for this, since it is unlikely that you will be able to sleep on board, as practice shows. Consider the following nuances:

Before boarding you will be given special cards. They need to be filled out, indicating passport information, visa, and other similar data, which mainly relate to the place and time of residence in the country.
It is necessary to think about housing in advance, since this column cannot be missed.
Upon arrival, you enter the building or are brought here by special buses, go through customs and passport control.
Passengers flying within the country and those arriving from other countries are processed at different terminals.

Registration upon arrival takes approximately 20 minutes, and, by the way, also occurs after departure.

What you need to know about Dabolim Airport?

After you check in, you go to baggage claim. You need to understand that this area is quite small, and there is often a queue. Finding luggage is difficult. This is taken advantage of by local employees who, for a nominal fee, will find and hand over your luggage to you without queuing. Here you decide for yourself whether to pay or not, one way or another, your suitcase will appear on the tape.

Another trick that is very common in Goa is the porter to the taxi. Such people construct their phrases to create an ambiguous impression that they are offering a taxi. Having received consent, they follow to the taxi drivers at the airport, who often also participate in the system and then take you to the right place at an increased rate. But upon reaching the car, the porter demands money for his services.

You can use a currency exchange office right at the airport. Rupees are very common in India, and in some places they won’t accept dollars or cards, so it’s best to have a supply of national cash with you. There is also a place where you can switch to local telephone service. You can immediately purchase it new map. To do this, provide the seller with:

2 photos;
copy of visa;
photocopier of passports.

The disadvantages of Dabolim include the lack of Wi-Fi and paid storage rooms.

Goa's only international airport in India is called Dabolim. This is the gateway to the famous Indian state for tourists and travelers, who fly here from all over the world on charter and scheduled planes for relaxation and entertainment.

This is a rather old airport, it was built in the distant 50s of the last century. At that time, the state of Goa was a Portuguese colony and did not belong to India. A decade later, Dabolim in Goa was occupied by the Indian Armed Forces and is today owned by the military.

For several decades now, the power of the state located on east coast the beautiful Arabian Sea, which has excellent climate And unique beaches, chose the tourism industry as the main direction of its development.

Dabolim on the map of Goa

Technical features of Dabolim Airport in Goa

Civil flights arrive and depart from Goa Airport from 13:00 in the afternoon to 08:00 in the morning. The rest of the time there are exercises at a military airfield. This is too short a period of time for a peaceful harbor, and passengers experience discomfort.

Several years ago, to relieve congestion at the airport in Goa, an additional international terminal for tourists and guests of the state was built on its territory, but it did not completely solve the problem of passenger traffic.

Dabolim Airport has one runway(runway) is almost 3,500 m long. It is built over the Arabian Sea, and such an arrival in fabulous India leaves tourists in complete amazement and delight.

There is a board on the official website of the airport, from which you can find out the flight schedule at any time, how long it takes to check in, etc. Prepare mentally in advance for the prospect of long queues.

Baggage check

At Goa Airport in India, all luggage is subject to thorough screening. It is passed through a scanner. All checked items are tied with a plastic ribbon for safety; until baggage is collected at another airport, it cannot be opened.

Goa Dabolim Airport (IATA code – GOI) is located 30 kilometers from the administrative center of Panaji state in the town of Dabolim. Since this is the only air gate in the state through which you can get to the famous Goa beaches, TOP-trips decided to figure out in detail how to get from Goa Dabolim airport to resorts and hotels.

Goa Dabolim International Airport serves about 8.5 million passengers a year. Most of the flights served are charters, delivering tourists from different countries to the resorts of Goa.

Goa Airport is located 30 kilometers from the town of Dabolim

Goa Airport has a modern terminal, replacing two outdated ones. New terminal serves both international and domestic flights, coping well with increasing passenger traffic.

At first glance, Goa Dabolim Airport seems too simple, however, it has everything to ensure a comfortable stay - rest rooms, a medical center, duty free, a cafe, a baggage wrapping machine, a currency exchange office, a mobile operator office, a multi-level parking lot .

Terminal capacity – 4 million passengers per year

Civil aviation shares the Goa air hub with the Indian Navy, so regular and charter flights arrive mainly in the morning and evening hours, the rest of the time is given to the military.

In addition, you can get to the airport no earlier than 4 hours before departure - this means that you should take care of accommodation in nearby hotels in advance in order to catch your plane on time.

It is worth paying attention to the Coconut Creek and Beach Bay Cottages located nearby and providing transfer from or to the airport. Detailed information about them and other hotels near Goa airport.

Cheap flights to Goa airport

During the season, which lasts from November to May in Goa resorts, many air carriers offer direct flights. Choose the most budget options the easiest way is through a search engine that tracks the best prices for tickets to Goa Dabolim Airport on the official websites of airlines:

Map of Goa Dabolim Airport

Goa airport is small, there should not be any difficulties in navigating it, but the map, nevertheless, will not be superfluous.

Airport on the map

Public transport to Goa resorts

The airport is located directly between South and Northern coasts Goa: any of the resorts in the state can be reached from the airport either by bus or train. But don’t count on a comfortable trip on public transport - Indian buses and trains are often overcrowded.

Bus

There is a bus service between Dabolim airport and the coastal resorts, but the buses do not run regularly, you need to be prepared for traditional Indian chaos - they do not have a clear schedule, but there are breaks for breakfast and lunch.

From Goa Airport to Vasco da Gama you can take a bus

There are no bus numbers; the route must be looked at on the sign on the windshield or asked from the driver or conductor. By bus from Goa airport you can get to the town of Vasco da Gama, and from there you can transfer to transport that goes to the resort or hotel you need. Such a trip, depending on the distance, will cost from 30 to 100 rupees (2019).

Train

The distance to the nearest railway station to Goa airport is Dabolim 1 km, a little further, about 5 km, is the Vasco da Gama station, from where trains go to Margao station in the southern part of Goa and Thivim station in the northern part.

Vasco da Gama railway station is located 5 km from the airport

And from these stations to the resorts you will need to get by bus or taxi. You should purchase train tickets in advance; buying them immediately before the trip is almost impossible.

Taxi from Goa airport

The taxi option is well suited both for those who have packed a lot of things or are flying with a child, as well as for travelers who simply value comfort. You can take a taxi from the terminal to any resort or hotel in Goa. You can find a car near the exit from the airport building or call for your arrival through a specialized website [link].

You can order a taxi to Goa airport for your arrival through a specialized website

The latter method often turns out to be more successful, since in Goa resorts there are often cases of taxi drivers deceiving tourists. The online service, in turn, provides the full cost of the service even before the actual confirmation of the order. As a result, the driver’s temptation to drive you around in circles (India is India) is completely eliminated.

In addition, if necessary, you can additionally order child seats for the meeting car or a car with a large trunk.

Finally, if you order online, you don’t have to worry about delays or cancellations of your flight. The taxi service independently monitors the airport board and sends a car taking into account any changes in the schedule.

You can estimate the current travel costs depending on your final destination or book a taxi from Goa airport to your hotel on this page.

Video from Goa airport

Photos by: Joegoauk Goa, wiki-turizm.ru, All about India, just_drimer – LiveJournal, La Rana Viajero, in-trips.ru, Subtleties of tourism.

Perhaps all travelers thirsting for adventure sooner or later find themselves in the most colorful state of India - Goa. To help tourists, I collected the most useful information about how to get to Goa from Russia and other Indian cities, as well as from Goa Dabolim airport to the coolest beaches and resort towns North and South Goa.

How to get to Goa from Russia?

During the season (from November to May), direct charter flights of airlines fly to Goa Nordwind Airlines, Transaero, UTair and others from Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk. The cost of an air ticket for a direct flight Moscow – Goa is from $290 two ways.
During the off-season, there are no direct flights to Goa from Russia. You can fly from Moscow to Delhi regular flight Aeroflot or Transaero, and then transfer to a train or plane to Goa. The cost of a direct flight from Moscow to Delhi starts from $146. In addition, there is an option to buy a flight from Moscow to Mumbai at a price of $212 roundtrip, from where it is much closer to getting to Goa than from Delhi.

How to get to Goa from other Indian cities?

If you fly to Delhi or Mumbai, then you can get to Goa in the following ways. The distance from Delhi to Goa is 1880 km, from Mumbai to Goa is 604 km.

Train to Goa from Mumbai and Delhi

From Delhi, trains to Goa depart from New Delhi and H.Nizamuddin railway stations. Travel time is 27.5 hours. Ticket price is $28.
From Mumbai, trains to Goa depart from Mumbai Cst railway station. Travel time – 8 hours. Ticket price is $10.

Trains to Goa from Mumbai and Delhi railway stations arrive at Vasco da Gama, Thivim in North Goa and Madgaon in South Goa. From these stations you can take a bus to the city you need or get to the state capital of Panjim and change to another bus.

Train tickets can be purchased for different classes of carriages. The most popular one is the sleepper sleeping car, which is full of Indians, and where I would not advise tourists to go. If you decide to travel by train, you can book your tickets on Cleartrip.com. The names of train passengers must be checked on a special notice board before boarding the train, and then again at the door of the carriage. I would not recommend girls traveling alone in India by train, since in India there are frequent cases of rape of tourists, and the carriages on the trains here are shared, and you never know with whom you will sit, let alone on the next one - on a common shelf (due to the lack of seats people are often sold the same thing sleeping area on trains).

Important! When traveling long distances in India, make sure that the ticket office does not sell you a ticket marked WL (Waiting list). This means that the train is sold out and you are being put on a waiting list in case someone cancels their ticket. With such a ticket you have a chance to leave, but you may end up with nothing.

Bus to Goa from Mumbai and Delhi

From Mumbai to Goa buses sent very often. Travel time to Goa is 15-16 hours. Ticket price – $4.5 – 23. There are many places for passengers to board the bus to Goa in Mumbai (about 222 departure points), all of them are listed on the website.
There is no direct bus to Goa from Delhi. You will need to first fly to Pune and then take a direct bus to Goa. The cost of an air ticket from Delhi to Pune is $137 roundtrip. The bus from Pune to Goa departs from the Pune Railway station or from the Swargate stop. Travel time to Goa is 10-15 hours. Ticket price – $5.3 – 18.

Buses in Goa arrive in the city of Mapsa (Mapusa) - the largest bus hub of the resort. You can check the bus schedule and prices on the Makemytrip website and book your bus ticket there. On the same site it is very convenient to plan travel routes around India by bus, train, plane in the Route Planner tab. If you do not buy your ticket online, you can purchase it from a Travel agency near the bus station.

Plane to Goa from Mumbai and Delhi

It is most convenient if you arrive in Big City India, get to Goa by plane. An air ticket from Delhi to Goa will cost you from $148 two ways; Mumbai – Goa – from $68 two ways.

We have figured out how to get to Goa, and now we will get acquainted with Goa airport and how to get from Goa airport to the resort towns of the state.

Brief information about Goa Airport

There is only one airport in Goa, it is located in the city of Dabolim, which is why it got its name - Dabolim Airport. The nearest city from the airport is Vasco da Gama, located 5 km away. The state capital, Panaji, is located 30 km from the airport. The airport's passenger turnover is more than 4.5 million passengers per year. The airport is actually located on the border of North and South Goa. For your convenience, I have attached below a map of the state of Goa with the main attractions and hotels.

Previously, Goa airport was a pitiful sight, and the reconstruction of its international terminal was constantly pushed back. However, since March 2014, the airport opened a new modern terminal with three levels instead of the old two terminals. The new terminal serves both domestic and international flights. Despite the fact that chaos reigns at the airport at times, it used to be even worse, so we are happy with what we have.

This is what the old Dabolim airport terminal looked like.

This is what the new modern terminal looks like.

Bus + train from Dabolim airport to railway station in North and South Goa

There are 3 railway stations in the airport area: Vasco da Gama, Sankval and Dabolim. To get to these train stations, you need to take a local bus from the airport. Buses do not have numbers, and their route is indicated on a sign on the windshield. The ticket is purchased directly from the driver. The fare is $0.15-0.23.

The largest of the listed stations is Vasco da Gama railway station, located 5 km from the airport. From the railway stations you can reach Thivim railway station in North Goa and Madgaon railway station in South Goa. Already there you will need to change to a bus to your city/beach. This is an extremely uncomfortable way to travel, as you already understand.

The distance from Dabolim Airport to Margao is 26 km, from Dabolim Airport to Thivim is 46 km.

I want to warn you right away that trains and buses in India are almost always jam-packed. You've probably seen pictures on the Internet where people are literally sitting on top of each other on a train. So, in India this is exactly how it is. You can only get on the train if you buy a ticket in advance. You are unlikely to be able to buy a train ticket at the ticket office before departure. Trains in India are almost always late and are hardly a reliable mode of transport. Therefore, I would not recommend using them if time is running out and you need to reach your destination by a certain time.

Shuttle bus from Goa airport to resorts

This option is available to you if you stay in Goa at one of the hotels that provide free airport transfers. The following hotels provide this service: The Leela Goa (from $113 per night) in South Goa, Cidade de Goa (from $79 per night) in North Goa or Sandray Luxury Apartments and Villa (from $45 per night) in South Goa.

Taxi from Goa airport to resorts

I strongly recommend that you use a taxi service to quickly and comfortably get from Goa airport to your destination in both North and South Goa: Karwar, Anjuna, Ponda, Mapusa, Betalbatim, Calangute, Candolim, Vagator, Panaji. A Russian taxi, which is available, will take you at a fixed price to almost anywhere in the state of Goa and to other cities in India if necessary.

Taxi is inexpensive and, in my opinion, is a great alternative to the unstable Indian public transport. You don't have to shake in the heat among a crowd of Hindus in unsanitary conditions, or risk taking a bus in the evening or at night: the crime rate in India is very high. If you go with a group, a taxi ride will cost you even less.

If you get into a taxi with locals, you will be ready to bargain, because... their first reaction to a foreigner is to inflate the price of the trip significantly.

Plan your trip in advance and save up to 40%!

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