The only international airport in Nepal – Tribhuvan National Airport – is located in the Kathmandu Valley, 6 km from the center of the capital. The airport has 2 terminals: one for domestic flights and the other for international flights. There are several cafes and shops, but the choice in them is not rich. In addition, there are 9 airports in Nepal where the runways are paved, and 36 small airports with non-paved runways. Most of them are located in remote mountainous terrain, and flights there are made only in favorable weather, but certainly not during the rainy season.
According to sunglassestracker, domestic airlines are the fastest way to get to the remote points of Nepal. However, during the high tourist season, it is recommended to validate your ticket a day or two before departure and arrive early, as Nepalese tend to sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane.. If you miss your flight, you will most likely leave on the same day, but the wait can take several hours. At small airports, you run the risk of being completely ignorant of the English language, not to mention Russian, which complicates the movement of a “savage”, without guides and conductors. Often, customs officers seize penknives, lighters, plastic bags and other fairly harmless items without any explanation. Local flights are operated by the state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC) and several private airlines: Buddha Air, Mountain Air, Necon Air, Gorkha Airlines, Yeti Airlines, Cosmic Air. Some airlines and travel agencies offer flights to the mountains in the Everest region, where several famous eight-thousanders are located. At an altitude of 8000 m, these peaks make a huge impression, especially at sunrise. In any case, it is better to fly in the morning, because. In the morning in the mountains, the weather is usually clear, but in the evening it can deteriorate, and then the flight will be postponed.
The helicopter is becoming an increasingly popular means of transport when it comes to hard-to-reach places. You can charter a helicopter to any direction in the country, although it cannot rise above 5000 m, but this is also dangerous for an unprepared person. It will naturally cost much more than a regular plane ticket, but freedom of movement will be much less limited. Now in Nepal you can find 2 types of helicopters: MI-17, designed for 22 passengers, and the French five-seater Ecureuil AS35OB.
bus service developed throughout the country. There are public buses, which are used mainly by the local population, and tourist buses, which are run by private companies and travel agencies. Public transport does not involve any service and air conditioning, even if the route lasts more than a day. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the bus station. Usually the buses are overcrowded, go slowly and make stops at every village, however, such trips are not without their own attractiveness, especially for lovers of local color. Tourist buses are usually more comfortable, and their route passes through specially picturesque places with obligatory stops at steep cliffs and high snow-covered peaks. These buses usually go to places most frequently visited by tourists. During the peak tourist season, it is better to book tickets for them 2-3 days in advance. In addition, you can travel on “private traders”. In principle, short distances can also be covered by hitchhiking, for example, on trucks transporting goods throughout the country.
Railways in Nepal are practically non-existent. The only appendix that has climbed from India to Nepal for 59 km connects Janakpur with Jayanagar. The road is designed for passenger and freight traffic in the southeast of the Terai, but it is not of great importance. In addition, foreign tourists are not allowed to enter and leave India by rail.
To move to Kathmandu you can use a wide variety of transport, from cycle rickshaws, motor rickshaws, fixed-route and regular taxis, to public buses and trolleybuses. In other large cities, you will most likely meet only taxis, fixed-route taxis and buses. In remote cities, a rickshaw or cart may be the only means of transportation.
Taxi, perhaps, is the most convenient means of transportation in the Kathmandu valley, although it is more expensive than other modes of transport. When boarding a taxi, you must either strictly stipulate the price of the trip, or say that you will pay according to the meter. At the same time, bargaining is quite appropriate when it comes to the full amount. At the airport, taxi prices are usually somewhat overpriced, and taxi drivers often offer to drop into some hotel at the same time.which they know well. If you do not need to look for accommodation, then the purpose of the trip must be specified in advance and check whether the taxi driver understood you correctly. At night, from 9 pm to 6 am, there is a tariff that will cost 50% more than the daytime one.
In addition to ordinary taxis, motorcycle and cycle rickshaws also go to Kathmandu. A motor rickshaw is a small three-wheeled vehicle, which, although cheaper, will be much less comfortable than a taxi. Cycle rickshaws exist more for the entertainment of tourists than to move around Kathmandu, however, in small remote cities, this mode of transport may be the only one. In Kathmandu, cycle rickshaws are more expensive than taxis and are found mainly in the area where hotels are clustered. and tourist attractions.
The budget option for moving around the city are fixed-route taxis and the so-called “tempo” (tempo), small three-wheeled cars such as auto rickshaws. The route and payment in them are fixed, and you can get to almost anywhere in the Kathmandu Valley. They can stop anywhere on the route, just knock or shout to the driver. Public transport is often crowded and very slow. This is the cheapest, but by no means the most practical way to travel.
You can rent a car in Kathmandu, Pokhara and other major cities of Nepal. Usually, the driver’s services are paid along with the car, and then a large deposit is not required. For self-driving, you must have an international driving license and pay a large deposit. It must be remembered that in Nepal there is left-hand traffic, and traffic rules are observed conditionally. The road network in Nepal is poorly developed, and mountain roads can be difficult for an untrained driver. In addition, you can rent a motorbike or bicycle in the Kathmandu Valley to avoid the hassle of public transport when sightseeing. When renting a bicycle, it is necessary to carefully check its technical condition. repairing it there will be problematic.