Arrive · Kathmandu
Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM)
KTM to Thamel: a pre-booked hotel pickup or a prepaid airport taxi, 30–60 minutes for about 6 km; the delay is the visa desk and baggage hall, not the road.
Not field-verified
Rules in force · 7Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with …
- Nepal ↗Get visa information only from the Department of Immigration; visa-service lookalike sites charge extra, and the rules differ by nationality.
- Nepal ↗At stupas walk clockwise; at temples and homes remove shoes where there is a rack or a raised floor; cover shoulders and knees.
- Nepal ↗Carry Nepalese rupees in small notes: many stalls, taxis and tea shops are cash-only, and shops rarely take foreign notes.
- Nepal ↗Strikes (bandh) and protests can close roads without notice: check the news and your hotel the night before any airport or highway day.
- Kathmandu Valley ↗In the dry season (Nov–Apr) the valley fills with haze and dust: viewpoints often show nothing after 09:00, so go at dawn or skip.
- Kathmandu ↗Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with motorbikes: taxis stop at the edge, so large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Kathmandu ↗Dust and smoke haze is worst around Feb–Apr and can linger in winter: carry a mask rated for fine particles on walking days and move long walks to the clearest morning.
Lock your path to bed
feasibledesk 24hlandside ready ~23:35 (p90)
Take Pre-booked pickup or prepaid taxi to the hotel door at 23:35. Bed by ~00:43 (+1) (p90).
Last viable for this bed: 06:00 (+1) (land by 03:25 (+1))
Sleep area not decided? Check the area first.
Zero-brain vs precision
- Daytime default
- Hotel pickup booked before you fly, or the prepaid taxi counter in the arrivals hall, straight to the hotel door.
- Precision
- The airport is inside the city and the road to Thamel crosses busy junctions; counter positions, night taxi availability and fares are desk estimates (field-verify).
- Late-night threshold
- 22:00
Steps from landing (p50 / p90 minutes)
| Gate to immigration | 5 / 10 | all arrivals |
| Visa desk and immigration (if not pre-registered online) | 30 / 75 | only intl checked, intl cabin |
| Baggage claim + customs | 20 / 45 | only intl checked, domestic checked |
| SIM/cash, then the pickup or taxi counter | 15 / 25 | all arrivals |
| Pre-booked pickup or prepaid taxi to the hotel door | 30 / 60 | on demand, any hour · NPR 900 |
If it breaks
- The visa desk and immigration queue can pass an hour when several flights land together; message the hotel with your flight number before you fly.
- Use the hotel pickup, the prepaid counter or a ride-hailing app; decline touts who approach inside the hall.
- Some guesthouses lock their gate at night: ask for a late-arrival code or a night contact in advance.
Other flights
Still choosing flights? Compare inbound options before you lock this path.
Sources
| Field | Value | Source type | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary.yen | NPR 700–1,200 | secondary | 40% |
| steps.1 | p50 30 / p90 75 min | secondary | 30% |
- Tribhuvan International Airport (official) (official)
- Department of Immigration, Nepal (official)