Getting around Nepal: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights

Nepal has no single best transport mode. The right choice depends on your route, the month and how much a lost day costs you. Use the table to pick a default, then read the detail below.

Start with the map, not the timetable. Nepal's road network radiates from Kathmandu, so almost every long journey begins with a half-day or full-day drive out of the valley. If your trip is under ten days, one domestic flight usually buys back a day you would otherwise spend on the Prithvi Highway.

For Kathmandu–Pokhara, tourist buses leave around 07:00 and take 7–9 hours, with a lunch stop. They are a step above local buses: assigned seats, fewer stops, and a fixed price you pay at a Thamel or Lakeside agency the day before. Local buses and microbuses cost NPR 30–1,000 depending on distance and are the only option on many rural routes, but they are crowded and have a poor safety record. Do not take them overnight.

Domestic flights on the Kathmandu–Pokhara, Bharatpur and Bhairahawa routes take about 25 minutes in the air, roughly 3 hours door to door once you add the airport run and check-in. Foreigners pay dollar fares, so book with your passport and expect US$110–140 one way. Morning departures are more reliable; afternoon cloud and mountain weather cancel flights, so never put a flight on the same day as an international connection.

For Lukla, the gateway to the Everest trek, flights take about 35 minutes and cost roughly US$220–240 one way. In peak trekking months many departures move to Manthali, a 4–5 hour drive from Kathmandu, which means an overnight before your flight. Weather delays of a day or more are normal, so build spare days into both ends of a trek.

Inside cities, use Pathao or InDrive. The apps fix the fare, which matters because street taxis rarely use meters. A cross-town trip in Kathmandu runs NPR 300–800. At the airport, use the fixed-price taxi counter rather than negotiating at the curb. For a full day of sightseeing, hiring a car and driver at US$100–150 is often cheaper than four separate taxi legs, and it lets you reach Bhaktapur, Patan and the valley rim in one loop.

If you want your own vehicle, self-drive rentals exist but are rarely worth it: you need an international permit, the roads demand local knowledge, and a car with a driver costs about the same. Agree fuel, tolls and the driver's return trip in writing before you leave. For trekking legs, a licensed guide is mandatory in national parks and conservation areas, and guides can arrange porters, permits and teahouse bookings along the way.

Monsoon, roughly June to September, is the single biggest variable. Landslides and roadworks on the Prithvi Highway can double journey times, and domestic flights cancel more often. If you travel then, add a buffer day before any international flight and prefer the bus over a tight flight connection.

Strikes, called bandh, can shut roads and businesses at short notice. Ask your hotel the night before a long drive. Saturday is the weekly holiday, so government offices and many businesses close; museums often close Tuesday.

Book long-distance buses and domestic flights a day or two ahead in peak season (October–November and March–April). For treks, permits and guide rules change; check current requirements for your specific route before you commit. Travel insurance that covers trekking altitude and domestic flight disruption is worth arranging before you fly — see our travel insurance guide.