Getting There By Air:Tribhuvan International Airport Tel: (01) 4472256.
Website:
www.tiairport.com Located around 5km (3 miles) east of the city center, this is the only international airport in the country. It serves several cities in Asia and a few in Europe, with regular flights to India, Bangkok and Doha.
Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, tourist information, hotel reservation desk, post office and Internet, gift shop, café and duty-free shops. There is also a
CIP Lounge for business travelers.
Transport to the city center: Taxis wait outside the arrivals hall and prices are fixed when paying at the Airport Queue Taxi Service Management desk where you receive a coupon to present to the driver. Many buses stop just outside the airport and most go to central Kathmandu, to Ratna Park and the Old Bus Park. Always check the destination with the driver or his assistant, as most do not advertise their route, or if they do have the destination on the front, it is written in Nepali.
Getting There By Road:The road network in Nepal is very undeveloped and few major roads are sealed. These roads are given names, such as the Tribhuvan and Arniko highways, but other roads are unlisted. Maintenance is rather hit and miss and the monsoon rains regularly damage the road surface. Nepali roads are chaotic and the use of the horn is an integral part of driving in Nepal. Observance of traffic signals is scant at the best of times and traffic entering a roundabout has priority over vehicles already on it. As self-driven car hire for visitors is non-existent, visitors to the country have to hire a car with a driver.
Emergency breakdown service: None
Coach services: Long distance bus services operate from Gangabu Bus Station near Balaju Ring Road (tel: (01) 4353030). There are also long distance tourist buses, provided by private bus companies, which are more comfortable, air-conditioned, fast and uncrowded, that go to destinations such as Pokhara and Chitwan. Try
Greenline (tel: (01) 4257544; website:
www.catmando.com/greenline),
Sunny Deluxe (tel: (01) 4432190; website:
www.sunnytravel.com.np) or
Blue Sky Tours and Travel (tel: (01) 4411322; website:
www.blue-sky-tours.com). The
Sajha Yatayat Bus Company (tel: (01) 5527681) operates a bus service from Kathmandu to Lhasa.
Getting There By Rail:There are no railway services to Kathmandu.
Getting Around:Public TransportThe public
bus system in Kathmandu is very cheap but incredibly crowded and very few short-term visitors will attempt it. Services are frequent and there are around 40 bus routes around Kathmandu and Kathmandu Valley, but there is no timetable, with buses starting their journey from the Old Bus Park at eastern side of Tundikhel Parade Ground when the bus is full. Always check the destination with the driver or his assistant as most do not advertise their route, or if they do have the destination on the front, it is written in Nepali. The buses operate from approximately 0530 to 2100. In fact, the best way to get round the city to see the major sights is on foot.
TaxisA large number of taxi companies operate throughout Kathmandu, many with only one or two cars in their fleet, so can be easily found outside major hotels, along Durbar Marg or hailed on the street. They are easy to recognize as they have a taxi sign and black number plates. Taxis are metered, but visitors are advised to make sure that the meter is switched on, as the drivers are often reluctant to use them.
Car HireIt is not possible to hire a car but you can hire one with a driver, although this is very expensive. It is cheaper to negotiate the services of a taxi for a day. A car and driver can be hired from
Four Season Travel & Tours (tel: (01) 5526894; website:
www.go-nepal.com) and
Blue Sky Tours & Travel (tel: (01) 4411322; website:
www.blue-sky-tours.com).
Bicycle HireCycling is a possibility but traffic and pollution make it a rather unpleasant experience. Bicycles can be hired from
Dawn Till Dusk (tel: (01) 4700286), located in the courtyard of the
Kathmandu Guest House in the Thamel area. Motorbikes can be rented from any number of outlets in the Thamel area, but they tend to be old and polluting and it is much better to hire a bicycle. You will need an international driving permit, although they don’t always ask to see it, and either leave a large deposit or your passport.
Tempos & Rickshaws Metered electric, environmentally friendly
tempos (auto rickshaws) ply the streets and those on fixed routes have a fixed price. The old, smelly two-stroke tempos were banned by the government. Pedal
rickshaws also ply the streets but only use these for short journeys and fix a price before departing. Tipping is much appreciated for good service, usually around 10% of the fare.
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Related Kathmandu Content
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Related Nepal Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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