Bus

There are several bus routes from various cities, but most traffic is from mainly Mumbai and Pune. However, due to increasing demand from the south, there has been an increase in buses and trains from Mangalore, Bangalore and New Delhi. Overnight buses from Mumbai to Goa are an alternative to trains and flying.

Train

Indian Railways connects Goa with direct train services from Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Mangalore, Kochi, Kolkata, Thiruvanantapuram, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad. The destination station is usually Madgaon in South Goa. Travelling to Goa by train is a real pleasure as the route passes through greenery and many tunnels. Goa is also connected to Pune via the Belgaum Miraj line. A railway station most tourists tend to miss is Thivim, which is served by most trains and is just 20 minutes away from Calangute beach by taxi. For budget travellers, this is the cheapest option, along with being faster and much more comfortable than travelling by road. It is advisable for tourists to make reservations well in advance as the major trains (Konkan Kanya, Nethravati Express, etc.) are usually heavily booked.

Trains from Mumbai and most other places have a quota of seats set aside for tourists. Quota tickets must be purchased in person at the rail station by the tourist and cannot be booked via a travel agent. Note that quota tickets are only sold at the station of origin. Tickets can also be booked online (but only if you hold an Indian credit card or bank account). Note: As of January 2010, you can book online with a foreign credit card, but when you are asked to choose your payment option, you must use the payment option "AXIS."

Unless traveling on a shoestring budget, it is advisable to travel in air conditioned sleeper coaches. These are relatively quieter and much more comfortable. Each bunk is provided with two freshly laundered sheets, a blanket, and a pillow. You can also have a hand towel on request.

Most travel agents will book tickets for a small fee (Rs200), but be aware that trains do get busy and you need to book in advance. Do not leave booking your ticket to the last moment as you may be disappointed.

Travelling by train can be quite an experience as you are more likely to interact with fellow Indian travellers visiting Goa from different parts of the country, under more relaxed conditions.

Air

Goa has one airport at Dabolim in Vasco.

Some airlines fly directly to Goa, but most international flights arrive via Mumbai.

Many domestic airlines have daily flights to and from Bangalore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Kozhikode (Calicut).

Domestic Airlines flying into Goa include Kingfisher Airlines , SpiceJet , Jet Airways , Indian Airlines , Air Deccan , Indigo , GoAir , Paramount Airways and MDLR Airways.

Air India has international flights to Kuwait and UAE twice a week. Air Arabia has discount flights to Sharjah. Qatar Airways has flights to Doha, along with convenient connections to Western Europe, Africa and USA.

Flights can be chartered to the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and Switzerland.

On arrival, pre-paid taxis from Dabolim Airport are preferred. A yellow pre-paid taxi booth can be found 30 metres on the left when you exit the main building. There is also a pre-paid taxi stand in the international arrival area. Rates are slightly cheaper than the yellow cabs .

Normally most resorts pick up guests from the airport for free, so make sure you ask your resort for free pick-up.

Ferry

Occasional cruise services used to sail from Mumbai to Goa. This was run in past years, but is currently discontinued.