In which city in Goa is the airport. Goa airports

Goa is a very popular place among tourists from the CIS countries. You can understand this, since this resort has great amount benefits. This is one of the smallest Indian states. By itself, it is a complete coastline washed by the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. Arriving here, tourists get into real paradise, as if descended from postcards: palm trees, White sand, clear sea, exotic temples and resorts. At the same time, rest in India is very cheap, it is considered, perhaps, the most affordable in the world. The only thing that can darken Russian tourists is the presence of a visa.

Since Goa is not a separate island or state, but still a state of India, you need to draw up documents here. However, any traveler will tell you that this country willingly and without any bureaucratic delays gives visas for holidays, without requiring a huge package of papers. Therefore, getting the desired permission to visit the resort is not difficult. In order to get to this state, you need to make a flight from Russia. Naturally, when you travel for the first time, questions arise, which airport of arrival in GOA will you visit and what do you need to know about it in general?

If you have a question, which airport do planes fly to in GOA, then just remember the name - Dabolim. It makes no sense to fly to India to another state and from there already get to the resort. After all, we are talking about a modern air harbor. It is located four kilometers from the small town of Vasco da Gama. It is about 30 kilometers to get to a 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 aircraft;
  • at the same time, quite a few flights also follow from other states, and tourists also arrive on them, who for some reason could not fly on a direct route;
  • 200 thousand foreigners fly to the airport every year, which is an impressive figure for such a small institution.

It is noteworthy that the number of tourists is about 10% of all foreigners who come to India. Most often, this resort is chosen by Russians, other residents of the CIS countries, as well as the British.

A bit of history

The airport began to be built in 1950. Under these needs, lands were allocated from the village of Dabolim. The airport still bears its name, not intending to change it. In the 60s, India gained independence, and by force conquered the 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 troops. 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 came to a normal life, tourists flew into it, paying special attention to Goa. In 1996 it was already a resort, and there was no point in delaying the expansion of the airport any longer. Regular flights started this year civil aviation. Further, Dabolim was only modernized, gradually replenished with modern aircraft.

Dabolim airport

Passenger service and service

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

  1. Before boarding, you will be given special cards. They must be filled out with 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 the column cannot be missed.
  3. Upon arrival, you enter the building or you are brought here by special buses, go through customs and passport control.
  4. Passengers who fly within the country and those who arrive from other countries are processed at different terminals.

Check-in on arrival takes about 20 minutes, and by the way, it also takes place 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 site is quite small, and a queue often forms here. Finding luggage is hard. This is used by local employees who, for a nominal fee, will find and hand over your luggage without waiting in line. Here already decide for yourself whether to pay or not, one way or another, your suitcase will appear on the tape.

Another trick very common in Goa is the porter to the taxi. Such people build their phrases to create an ambiguous impression that they are offering a taxi. Having received consent, they follow to 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 having reached the car, the porter demands money for his services.

You can use the currency exchange office right at the airport. In India, rupees are very common, and in some places they will not take dollars or cards from you, so it is better to have a supply of national cash with you. There is also a place where you can go to the local telephone connection. It is immediately available for purchase new card. To do this, provide the seller:

  • 2 photos;
  • a copy of the visa;
  • photocopy of passport.

The disadvantages of Dabolim include the lack of Wi-Fi, paid luggage storage.

Dabolim Airport is the only airport in the state of Goa. The airport serves regular and charter flights. The bulk of the passengers are foreign tourists, as locals most often travel by train due to lack of money for air tickets. The airport terminal consists of two terminals, one of which accepts international flights.

Tourists often complain that Goa airport not properly equipped. For example, you need to keep in mind that information about departures and arrivals on the scoreboard is often delayed. In addition, you need to keep your eyes open here, as the locals strive to cash in on inexperienced tourists.

The airport is located between North and South Goa, 30 km from the capital - the city of Panaji. You can get to your destination by bus or taxi. Most travelers prefer the latter option.

Goa airport terminal

Previously, there were 2 passenger terminals at the Goa airport: for domestic and international flights. In 2014, a new, modern terminal building was opened, uniting both terminals under one roof. Zones international flights: A, B, C. Domestic flight zones: D, E, F, G, H. The capacity of the new terminal is about 4 million passengers per year.

Terminal scheme

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Services for travelers

  • duty free shops
  • mother and baby room
  • lounge for transit passengers

Goa airport has everything you need for a tourist while waiting for a flight. Many travelers note that prices at the airport are very high. So, for example, it is completely unprofitable to buy local SIM cards here.

Online scoreboard of arrivals and departures

How to get to the airport

  • Taxi

    The “officials” desk is located at the exit from the airport, it works around the clock. You just need to tell where you are going and the staff will issue a receipt. There is also a stand with indication of resorts and distances to them. The approximate cost of the trip is from 425-510 INR. Let's say to get to one of the most beautiful Goa beaches- Palolema, - you will have to pay about 2300 INR (distance 67 km). The prices are rather high, so it is more profitable to go with a group of several people. Prices on the page are for October 2018.

    It is unprofitable to change money at Dabolim Airport. Therefore, if you do not want to pay for a taxi in advance, you need to inform about it. On the way, the driver will stop near the exchange office where you can change money at a better rate, and collect the fare upon arrival at the place.

    When ordering a taxi, it is worth haggling, as sometimes the initial price can be a little high.

  • Bus

    Goa airport connected bus routes with the city of Vasco da Gama and the village of Chikalim, from where you can get to Panaji and then transfer to buses to the resorts. But buses run irregularly and are almost always overcrowded. The cost of a ticket to Panaji will be about 85 INR in total.

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

Believe it or not, but I, like all other tourists, had to go through 5 circles of hell. In fact, registration with all the checks, introscopes, queues dragged on for 3 hours! Nerves, emotions... There were no traces of rest at the time of getting on the plane.

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

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

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

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

This is a rather old airport, it was built in the distant 50s of the last century. In those times Goa was a Portuguese colony, 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, the power of the state, located on east coast the beautiful Arabian Sea, which has an 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 at Goa airport and depart from it 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 time for a peaceful harbor, and the passengers feel uncomfortable.

A few years ago, to unload the airport in Goa, an additional international terminal for tourists and guests of the state, but it did not completely solve the problem of passenger traffic.

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

There is a scoreboard on the official website of the airport, you can use it at any time to find out the flight schedule, what time it takes to check in, etc. Prepare mentally in advance for the prospect of long lines.

Baggage check

At the Goa airport in India, all luggage is subject to a thorough check. It goes through the scanner. All checked things are tied with a plastic ribbon for safety, until baggage is received at another airport, it cannot be opened.