Dabolim airport on the map of India. Goa international airports - how to get to the Indian coast from Russia? Services, service, information at Goa airport

The only airport of the famous world resort near the town of Vasco da Gama in the state of Goa (India) is Goa Dabolim International Airport. Tourists from Russia know it from one of the two terminals operating on international flights. The second terminal is adapted to receive passengers domestic destinations. In total, the airport works with more than two dozen different airline carriers.

From here there are flights to different countries the world and their cities, including:

  • domestic to India: Delhi, Bombay, Agra, Mumbai, Nakpur, Lucknow, etc.;
  • international: to Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk), Ukraine (Kyiv), Great Britain (London), Kazakhstan (Almaty), etc.

The flight display mainly includes charter flights; regular flights cover domestic destinations.

History of development

The history of the emergence of the airport near the small Indian village of Dabolim, located in the central part of the Indian Goa State, has been going on since the late fifties of the last century. The convenient location of this area near administrative center state - the city of Panaji attracted the attention of the then Portuguese-colonial leadership. The authorities decided to build an airport here for TAIP airline planes, which served destinations to Mozambique, Karachi, etc. At the same time, the airport was used to receive flights from the Portuguese metropolis.

With India gaining independence from Great Britain, Indians began to gradually annex other territories that had previously belonged to other states due to colonial affiliation to their state. Among such objects recaptured by the Indian Air Force was the airport in Dabolim, which finally passed into the hands of the Indian authorities in early 1962.

The airport, which suffered air bombing, did not carry out any civilian flights for a long time, becoming a military airfield for the Indian Air Force. Today, decades later, it is still operated by the military, including for military aircraft.

However, thanks to the persistence of the Goan authorities, they still manage to find a common language with the military, because, in addition to this, there is no longer any airport in Goa, a popular Indian resort. Meanwhile, for the development of tourism, the main economic sector of this territory, an airport is essential. After all, it is by air that the main movements of tourists to these places are carried out, and it is the tourism industry that is the pillar of the development of the entire state and India as a whole.

Features of air traffic in Goa

In general, Dabolim Airport is a complex located on 101 hectares of land. It has two terminals, or rather there were two until 2014, when a new air terminal was built and inaugurated, connected to both terminals at once. So all the services a modern airport needs are provided here.

The airport mainly specializes in charter flights and hosts approximately 90 percent of all charter flights in India. They form the basis of the Goa airport display: the majority of all flights are charters, by the way, every third flight of them is departing from Russia. Dabolim Airport is indeed extremely popular among Russians, and it has gained just as much popularity among residents of Great Britain.

Indians themselves rarely use the services air traffic– the country is poor, and the prices for air travel are exorbitant in the understanding of the average local resident. So the bulk of flights here are international charter flights, while domestic ones complement the overall picture. In general, the airport handles a tenth of all foreign passengers traveling to India for tourism purposes.

Services, service, information at Goa airport

In general, the airport provides fairly decent services for such a small facility. There is:

  • free Internet,
  • Duty Free shops and souvenir shops,
  • luggage packing;
  • cafe, etc.

As for the information security of passengers, for this purpose the airport operates help desk, where you can find out everything about air tickets and flights. There are a number of information stands with updated information. There is a voice notification system about flight status. However, according to reviews from tourists, constant noise at the airport and unclear notifications cause inconvenience, so passengers receive the most accurate and understandable information at Goa airport from online scoreboard arrival and departure of aircraft. Flight delays at the airport can also be reported using inscriptions on simple boards such as chalk price tags.

Goa airport online display

The online charter flight board can tell you how Dabolim Airport works. This board provides information about which aircraft are delayed, which aircraft are expected to arrive, and the departure time of those prepared for flight. aircraft etc. The latest, most current and accurate information on aircraft departure and arrival times is collected here. Like other similar information systems in different points world, the information board operates in local time, which must be taken into account when applying for information.

Current information is also posted on the official website of the airport in Goa at the link https://translate.google.ru/translate?hl=ru&sl=en&tl=ru&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.goanairport.com%2F&anno=2 can be found home page site (it is in English, but the text is automatically translated), from the main page you can also find the online arrival and departure board of aircraft, respectively, links https://translate.google.ru/translate?hl=ru&sl=en&tl=ru&u=http%3A %2F%2Fwww.goanairport.com%2F and https://translate.google.ru/translate?hl=ru&sl=en&tl=ru&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.goanairport.com%2F .

Thus, passengers have the opportunity not only to track the location of the aircraft directly using information at the airport, but also to find it out via the Internet.

You can check all flight departures and arrivals at Goa Dabolim Airport, which serves the Goa region of India, using these links. The list contains all the data on the status of the departing or arriving flight.

Video

international Airport Dabolim is the only air transport hub in the state of Goa. For many tourists who want to go to this resort, the question arises: “Where is Dabolim Airport?” The air transport hub is located near the village of Dabolim, Goa. The airport terminal welcomes tourists from all over the world 24/7.

Most often, guests of the airport are foreign tourists than the locals. This is explained by the fact that the cost of air tickets is unaffordable for the population of Goa. The activities of the air transport hub are aimed at providing tourist charter flights to various countries in Europe and Asia.

GOA Dabolim Airport

The airport terminal building was built in 1950. The area allocated for construction was 101 hectares. And at that time the airline TAIP was based there. Until 1961, she carried out regular transportation to the nearest regions:

  • Daman;
  • Mozambique.

At the end of 1961, air force bombing began on Indian territory, as a result of which some of the buildings of the air transport hub were destroyed. At the beginning of 1962, three aircraft civil aviation made an emergency flight to the neighboring region - Karachi. By 1962, the airfield was occupied by Indian Navy aircraft. As a result, the airfield completely became the property of the Indians.

The first passengers of Dabolim Airport

The first tourists to the airport in the early 1960s were Indian hippies.

The first route they took was from Bombay. Regular civil aviation flights were launched only in 1966. The airline used to carry out the flights was Indian Airlines.

A little later, the air hub was fully adapted to receive aircraft with high jet thrust. However, it is worth noting that both in the 60s and now, for the majority of the local population, air travel is too expensive. Therefore, the basis of the airfield’s activities is either charter flights, or international destination.

Information about Dabolim Airport Terminal

In one year Goa airport On average, it receives about 90% of charter tourist flights. The airport's passenger turnover on international routes is about 150-200 thousand tourists. However, if we consider the passenger turnover of this airfield against the background of the total number of tourists visiting India, the number is 5-10%. The main focus on the work of the international flights terminal is during night and morning operating hours. During this interval they arrive passenger aircraft from the following countries:

  • Russian Federation;
  • Great Britain.

The total number of tourists visiting the Goa resort in one year is estimated at 101,000 tourists from the UK and 42,000 from Russia. On average, the total number of charter flights from Moscow reaches 240 flights per year.

Terminal diagram and infrastructure description

GOA Airport consists of one modern terminal equipped with several levels.

One of these levels caters exclusively to flights to international destinations. In addition, flights operate from the hub to the following domestic destinations:

  • Delhi;
  • Mumbai;
  • Lucknow;
  • Nakpur and other major cities of India.

Currently, more than 700 different flights operate from the air transport hub. If you look at GOA Dabolim Airport on the map , then we can determine that it is located 26 kilometers from the state capital of Panaji. About 2/3 of flights have “charter” status. The new terminal building was opened in 2014. There are 12 baggage escalators and about 15 elevators on site to move around the different levels of the terminal. From 2014 to the present, approximately 4 million people a year have passed through the new terminal. The terminal consists of three levels:

  1. The first level or Ground floor is located on the ground floor. Registration for domestic and foreign destinations is carried out there. The baggage drop-off point is also located on the lower level.
  2. The ground floor includes the arrivals hall for domestic and international flights. Airport security point, check-in counters international destinations and a customs post.
  3. The second floor houses various cafes and souvenir shops, as well as a security point for domestic and international destinations.

Terminal diagram

Services provided at the airport

Unfortunately, despite the developed infrastructure of the airport, the quantity and quality of services provided is sharply worse than in European air terminals. Very often we hear from tourists negative reviews that the airport is not properly equipped.

  1. The Dabolim Airport website (online scoreboard) does not always display flight status information in real time. Link to website: https://rasp.yandex.ru/station/9624933/?start=2018-02-6T22%3A34%3A35&from=wraspstatus&event=departure.
  2. The baggage packing counter is located on the ground level, in the baggage check-in area. Please note that the administration is not responsible for the safety of items left at the airport. The cost of packing one piece of luggage will cost 300 rupees, which is about 5 dollars. Do not leave any easily flammable items (prohibited for transportation) in your luggage. During security screening, the airport employee will ask you to take them out of your bag.
  3. The mother and child room is open 24 hours a day and is ready to accommodate passengers with children under 2 years old. It is fully equipped with everything a young mother and baby might need.
  4. You can exchange currency at the exchange office located on the first level of the airport terminal.
  5. You can have a snack while waiting for your flight in a specially designated cafe. It is located next to the international waiting room. In addition, throughout the entire air complex there are small vending machines with various snacks.
  6. Unfortunately, free Wi-Fi is not available at the airport. However, you can connect to the Internet for a fee. Internet provider – TataIndicom.

There are no luggage storage services for passengers in the VIP service area at this airport. In addition, most experienced tourists advise to beware of the local service offered, since most local residents They are trying to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary people. Some airport services are overpriced.

Parking at the airport

The airport has a parking lot with capacity for 500 parking spaces; the building is located on several levels. The cost of parking for 2 hours or more will cost you 85 rupees – that’s about 1.5 dollars. There is a bus stop for public transport in front of the parking building.

Hotels near the airport

There are no hotels located on the territory of the air transport hub, but within a radius of several kilometers you can find a place to stay for the night:

  1. 9 kilometers from the airport is located Hotel Village Club Goa. In addition to cozy rooms, guests can enjoy a Turkish hammam and a spa center. Each room has Wi-Fi, minibar and TV. The hotel managers are happy to offer you an excursion program. Restaurants and bars are located throughout the hotel.
  2. The Coconut Creek resort area is located five kilometers from the airport. Guests have access to: a swimming area, a swimming pool, Internet and TV, restaurants, cafes serving Indian, Chinese and Italian cuisine, and a spa. Each room has a personal hygiene kit and a minibar.
  3. The Grand Hyatt is a 25-minute drive from the airport. The hotel territory occupies more than 28 hectares. Rooms with a gorgeous view of the beach. Each room has a minimum set of personal accessories and a minibar.

Hotel Village Club Goa

How to get from the city to GOA Dabolim airport

Since the location of the airport is 26 kilometers from the capital of Goa, most tourists get to their destination by fast and comfortable means of transport - a transfer or taxi.

  1. The journey by taxi will take about 30-40 minutes. The cost of the trip will cost you from 700 rupees. The price is high, but the trip will be made with maximum comfort. Remember that it is better not to use the services of street taxi drivers. Their prices are greatly overpriced. There is an official taxi stand at the airport. Place an order at Taxi GOA» call: + 91 832 222 89 89.
  2. The official website of GOA Dabolim Airport has information about the transfer. This type of transportation is the fastest. In addition, customers have the opportunity to pre-order a transport class suitable for the number of passengers. When booking a car, you can find out the cost of the trip. The advantage of the transfer is that the driver will personally meet you near the car with a sign.
  3. Another great opportunity to get from the capital to the airport is to take suburban train. The fact is that, despite the great distance from Panaji, Goa airport is connected by railway lines. So, to get from Panaji to the airport you need to take high-speed train to Mumbai. It will take 1 hour to get to the airport. The ticket costs 20 cents.
  4. You can get there by bus for those tourists who don’t have large quantity luggage The fact is that public transport in Goa is not designed for carrying luggage. You can get from Panaji to Dabolim with a transfer to Vasco Da Gama. The total price for the road will cost you 45 rupees.

Official site

Goa is a very popular place among tourists from the CIS countries. This can be understood, since this resort has a huge number of advantages. 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 a 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.

Since Goa is not a separate island or state, but still a state of India, you need to submit 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 civil aviation flights began this year. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. It is necessary to think about housing in advance, since this column cannot be missed.
  3. Upon arrival, you enter the building or are brought here by special buses, go through customs and passport control.
  4. 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 mixed impression that they offer taxis. 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 change to local telephone communication. 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.

I had long dreamed of flying to Goa... Arriving at Dabolim airport, I was even a little surprised: control and baggage collection took a minimum amount of time. Especially when compared to the registration that was waiting for me on the way back.

Believe it or not, I, like all the other tourists, was forced to go through 5 circles of hell. In reality, registration with all the checks, introscopes, and queues lasted for 3 hours! Nerves, worries... There were no traces of rest at the time of getting on the plane.

Since the airport is military, security checks are strict here. I only went through a similar check at Sharma airport. Just imagine, to enter the airport you must present a ticket. Here it is, the first stage. Otherwise, there is no way to enter the territory. The next, seemingly familiar procedure: luggage scanning. Well, there is only one device at the entrance. I had to stand in a kilometer-long line to get a special sticker for things. Without it, I assure you, your luggage will not be accepted! As for registration, this is more or less the case. Visa control did not go through noticeably at all. At this stage I exhaled, but in vain. It turns out that dessert was waiting for me - inspection hand luggage and me. Friends, I stood in line for over an hour. This is something! I didn't like it at the airport:

  • work organization;
  • the need to arrive at the airport in advance;
  • not separated queues;
  • lack of signs.

And finally, if you suddenly decide to have a snack at the airport, be prepared to pay a 10% service charge.

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 on how to get to Goa from Russia and other Indian cities, as well as from Goa Dabolim airport to the very cool beaches and resort towns of 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 railway station, Thivim at North Goa and Margao (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. Most sold - sleeping car sleepper, where it’s full of Indians, and where I wouldn’t 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 cars 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 berth 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

  • Buses from Mumbai to Goa are very frequent. 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 railway station (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 how 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 the airport is sometimes chaotic, it used to be even worse, so we are happy with what we have.

This is what the old Dabolim airport terminal looked like.

And 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 railroad station Vasco da Gama, 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%!