Mumbai To Goa 'Car-Ferry' That Will Let You Drive On, And Off: Launch Date Announced
The road trip from Mumbai to Goa is a dream for many. But anyone who has actually done the drive, especially during holiday season, knows it can quickly turn into a test of patience. Long hours, never-ending traffic jams, and narrow highways make it less of a joyride and more of a slog. Now, a new solution promises to keep the fun of a road trip while skipping the tiring part.
Konkan Railway has announced that its new car-ferry train, India’s first dedicated motorail service, will begin operations from 23rd August. This isn’t your usual train journey. Here, your car comes along for the ride.
The service will run between Kolad in Maharashtra and Verna in Goa, cutting the door-to-door travel time from nearly 20 hours during peak season to just 12 hours. More importantly, it allows travellers to stretch out in an air-conditioned coach while their own car travels safely beside them.
How It Will Work
The setup is simple. Every day at 5 pm, the train leaves Kolad and reaches Verna at 5 am. To load the cars onto the custom-built wagons, travellers must check in by 2 pm. Each train carries 40 cars, strapped securely on 20 wagons using belts and handbrakes.
For safety, no one is allowed to sit inside their vehicle once it’s loaded. Instead, passengers get two 3AC seats priced at ₹935 each and an optional third seat in the guard coach for ₹190. The car’s ride costs ₹7,875 one way.
There's A Catch
But there’s a catch. The train only runs if at least 16 cars are booked for that trip. Booking can be done online or at select stations. The pilot phase will run through the Ganesh Chaturthi period, when holiday traffic hits its peak.
While this sounds new, Konkan Railway is no stranger to transporting vehicles. For over twenty years, it has moved trucks on its Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) trains, reducing both road traffic and fuel usage. Encouraged by these results and rising demand, the railway decided to test the idea for private cars.
This is not the first time Indian Railways has tried motorail. A similar service ran between Delhi and Bangalore in the 1990s but was discontinued due to low demand. This time, things might be different. Kolad is just two hours from Mumbai’s suburbs, and Goa’s popularity never seems to fade.
Of course, some might still prefer to drive the full stretch. On a clear day, with an early start and a light foot on the pedal, it’s possible to reach Goa from Mumbai in about 10 hours. But most people take 12, and even that comes with tolls, roadwork, and the exhaustion of driving.
Flying is quicker, around 90 minutes in the air, but holiday airfares are unpredictable, and once you land, you're stuck with rental cars. Long-distance trains are reliable, but they don’t help when you need your own car in Goa, whether it’s for a baby seat or a pet crate.
This is where the car-ferry finds its sweet spot. It’s not trying to be the fastest. It’s trying to be the most comfortable. You relax. Your car comes with you. And you arrive in Goa fresh enough to enjoy the day, not recover from it.
Already, different groups are showing interest. Senior citizens who can’t handle winding roads. Classic car owners who want to avoid damage. EV owners who worry about chargers along the route. And weekenders who need to head straight to work after a beach break. Tour operators are even planning special packages combining train rides, car slots, and homestays.
Still, it’s not without its challenges. Kolad station isn’t as large as a city terminal, so queues might spill onto the road on busy days. At Verna, passengers arrive before sunrise, which suits early risers but not families with young kids. Also, if you miss the 2 pm deadline for check-in, your slot is gone with no refund.
But if the trial succeeds, there’s talk of expanding. New routes could link to Kundapura, Mangaluru or even Panvel. And when the new six-lane Konkan Expressway opens next year, taking four hours off the drive, this train could work even better as part of a mix-and-match journey - train one way, drive the other.
There’s also an environmental upside. Moving more holidaymakers from road to rail means fewer emissions, safer travel, and less pressure on Goa’s coastal roads.
At its heart, this service appeals to something very Indian: the love of driving one’s own car, without the struggle of the actual drive. Whether you're carrying kids, pets or scuba gear, there’s a joy in knowing you’ll reach Goa rested, with your car waiting at the platform.
The train opens for bookings soon. And if you’re planning to be in Goa this Ganesh Chaturthi, now might be the right time to secure a spot before traffic piles up and your car ends up stuck in a highway jam that the train calmly rolls past.