Trucks, shift buses and shared autos pour across the Narmada bridges at dawn, while the old iron Golden Bridge carries the town's lighter traffic over to Bharuch. Express trains stop at the junction on the Mumbai line, and a branch track peels off inland toward Rajpipla and the green hills of the east.
Away from the highway, Station Road fills with shop counters and tea stalls, and Piraman keeps a village feel at the edge of town. Winters are dry and mild, and monsoon rain from June to September swells the river. A Local Friend keeps the plan loose, so a quiet morning by the water can turn into an afternoon drive to the Statue of Unity.
