Means of transport Kathmandu

The airport is less than 10 km from the city centre.

Getting the visa

Upon arrival, you will have to go to one of the electronic visa machines (expect some waiting time): these will issue a visa number to be presented to the visa service for payment (just before the immigration counters), with a passport photo and the necessary amount in cash (15 days: 25 US$; 30 days: 40 US$; 45 days: 70 US$). To avoid waiting and queuing, we advise you to apply for a visa in advance at: online.nepalimmigration.gov.np, and print the receipt with the barcode. You will then just have to go directly to the visa payment counter. Attention: you must fill in this form only 15 days before your arrival in Nepal (the form is no longer valid afterwards, and you have to fill in a new one).

A currency exchange service is available next to the visa applications, as well as at the exit level. Visas are payable in all listed currencies (i.e. from the Euro to the Hong Kong dollar via the Japanese yen). The tourist visa allows a maximum stay of 3 months. An extension is possible (more info on nepalimmigration.gov.np). It allows you to travel everywhere. Nevertheless some areas will ask you to pay an access fee (Mustang) and a trek permit.

From the airport to the city centre (arrival)

Bus: Although there is a public bus service that connects the airport to the city, frequencies are irregular and inconvenient. We do not recommend it.

Taxi: Taxi is the most convenient way to reach the city centre. Depending on the traffic, it will take between 20 and 40 min to reach Thamel. At the exit of the airport, you will be accosted by taxi drivers and hotel drivers. We therefore advise you to go (exiting immediately on the right) to the counter of the prepaid taxis at a fixed price, which is safer: a round trip to Thamel will cost you Rs 700, for Patan Rs 800, and Rs 1,200 for Bhaktapur. Be aware that if you have booked your hotel from Europe, a driver will come and pick you up on request (and even if this service is not free, think about using it because it really changes your life...).

Hotel shuttle: Most hotels in the capital offer a shuttle service included (or not) depending on the price range of the establishment. It's easier on arrival because it saves you from having to negotiate hard, but it is a few dollars more expensive than a taxi.

At the time of departure, advice:

Come at least three hours before the departure of your return flight! Checks are long (interminable, one could say) and be prepared to undergo rather thorough searches! As much as possible, travel light with your carry-on baggage: no souvenirs too bulky or too precious (or remember to present the bills), no tea or incense or organic products. Also avoid bulky bottles of alcohol..

Kathmandu International Airport looks more like a huge train station than an airport... There aren't really any duty-free shops. So plan to do your shopping and gifts beforehand!

Airport taxes are no longer applicable, except for domestic flights (Rs 200).

To get there, take a taxi (even if you negotiate, it is difficult to find a route under Rs 600) and it should take at least 30 to 40 minutes (outside rush hour).

Daily flights from New Delhi.

It's very easy to hail a cab on the street, when it's not honking at you! They're easily recognizable, white with a yellow roof, and there's no risk of taking just any taxi. You can hop on with complete peace of mind, having negotiated the fare and made sure you've got the change nonetheless. Simpler and much cheaper, the Pathao cab app - a kind of local Uber, but with ordinary cars that are not always in perfect condition - allows you to find a cab in just a few minutes, provided you have a local sim card.

It is the best Nepalese airline, offering the most flights to domestic airports throughout the country, both in terms of frequency and number of destinations, at least for tourists. Buddha Air is also the safest to travel with, and slightly more expensive than its competitor Yeri Airlines. Nevertheless, here the baggage allowance is fixed and does not vary according to the price of the ticket: 25 kg in the hold and 5 kg in hand baggage. From Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bharatpur (Chitwan) and Nepalganj (Bardia) are well served.

It is the bus station from where buses leave for all destinations in the Kathmandu valley with sometimes connections via Patan or Bhaktapur. Here you will come across a lot of old buses (and a lot of pollution at the same time) and a merry bazaar. Buses are cheap, but often slow and crowded. When you arrive at the station, buy your ticket at a ticket office, and shout out your destination so that you are directed to the right bus. Be aware, however, that buses only leave once they are full: bring a good book!

It is located to the north of the city center. It is from here, from the Kathmandu bus terminal, that all long-distance buses leave for Pokhara and Chitwan, for example. We advise you to book the day before to be sure of your departure, but above all because you may feel a little disoriented in this crowded station where the signs are not necessarily very clear (and generally in Nepali). You can book at a ticket office or through an agency in Thamel (for a fee). Some bus companies also leave from Thamel.

It is one of Nepal's two main airlines, along with Buddha Air. Yeti Airlines serves all domestic airports of interest at competitive prices, particularly Pokhara, Bharatpur for Chitwan National Park and Nepalganj for Bardia National Park, though with less frequent flights than its competitor. Prices may be cheaper, depending on checked baggage allowance. Interesting if you're going away for a few days without much luggage, to get a small discount on your plane ticket.

Qatar Airways offers at least one daily flight to Kathmandu from Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airport, with a connection in Doha. It is the only airline currently serving Kathmandu from France, and an excellent one at that. On board, Qatar Airways is renowned for its high level of service and comfort. Choose a connecting flight with a stopover of more than 1h30 to be sure of catching the flight. There are no connections with provincial cities, so you'll need to coordinate a TGV arriving at Charles de Gaulle Terminal 1.

Druk Air is Bhutan's state-owned national airline. Its commercial name is Royal Bhutan Airlines. Based at Paro airport near the capital Thimphu, it is recognized by the majestic dragon(Druk in Bhutanese) adorning the wings of its aircraft. The airline serves a number of Southeast Asian cities (New Delhi, Singapore and Bangkok). There are daily flights between Kathmandu and Paro, but schedules vary according to the weather.

Shree Airlines is Nepal's third-largest airline and, unlike its competitors Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines, offers only a few low-frequency routes at very competitive prices. All routes depart from and arrive in Kathmandu. Shree Airlines offers flights to Pokhara, Bhadrapur, Bhairahawa, Janakpur or Nepalganj and many other cities, which can be interesting off the beaten track. To be compared with the other two if you have to take a domestic flight.

It's the largest airline in the country. It serves more than thirty destinations, most of them in Nepal and about ten abroad. The company is managed by the Nepalese government and has a relatively high level of security. Nepal Airlines serves Pokhara, Dolpo, Lukla, Phaplu, Manang, Bhojpur, Suketar, Nepalganj and Biratnagar among others. Internationally, Nepal Airlines offers flights to Delhi, Bangkok and Hong Kong. A good option to travel around Nepal.