Almost everyone who visits Nepal makes the trip from Kathmandu to Pokhara at some point. Pokhara is the starting point for the Annapurna treks, the place to paraglide or row on Phewa Lake, and a welcome break from the noise of the capital. The two cities are only about 200 km apart, but the journey can take anywhere from 25 minutes to nine hours depending on how you travel.
We arrange this transfer for our trekkers every week of the season, so here is our honest take on the options: the tourist bus, the flight and a private vehicle, with times, rough costs and the things nobody tells you until you are sitting in traffic at Naubise.
Quick answer: the tourist bus is the cheapest way (roughly US$10–30 depending on the company) and takes 7–9 hours, leaving Kathmandu around 7 am. The flight takes about 25 minutes and costs roughly US$100–130 one way for foreigners. A private car or jeep takes 6–8 hours and lets you stop where you like. For most travellers on a budget the bus is fine; if you are short of time, or travelling straight after a long trek, fly.
The options at a glance
| Option | Time | Rough cost (one way) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard tourist bus | 7–9 hours | US$10–15 | Budget travellers |
| Deluxe tourist bus (e.g. Greenline) | 7–8 hours | US$25–30, lunch included | More comfort on a budget |
| Flight | About 25 minutes (plus airport time) | US$100–130 | Short trips, families, after a trek |
| Private car | 6–8 hours | US$120–160 per vehicle | Groups of 2–3, stops along the way |
| Private jeep or van | 6–8 hours | US$150–220 per vehicle | Families, groups with luggage |
Prices change with fuel costs and season, so treat these as a guide rather than a quote.
The road: Prithvi Highway
All road options use the Prithvi Highway. It climbs out of the Kathmandu Valley over the rim at Nagdhunga, drops down a series of switchbacks to Naubise, then follows the Trishuli River west to Mugling, where the road to Chitwan branches south. From Mugling it runs up the Marsyangdi valley through Dumre and Damauli to Pokhara.
The scenery is good once you are out of the valley: terraced hillsides, suspension bridges, river beaches and rafters on the Trishuli. The road itself is the problem. It carries most of the freight traffic between Kathmandu and western Nepal, and long stretches have been under widening works for years. The section between Naubise and Mugling in particular can mean dust, single-lane traffic and long waits behind trucks. The Nagdhunga tunnel being built under the valley rim should eventually help with the worst bottleneck. Meanwhile, the Mugling to Pokhara stretch has been widened and is much smoother than it used to be.
Monsoon (June–September) adds landslides to the list. Most are cleared within hours, but delays of half a day are not unusual in July and August.
Option 1: the tourist bus
Tourist buses are the standard way to travel between the two cities. They are not the same as local buses: they have reserved seats, luggage space underneath, and they don't stop to pick up passengers along the way.
Where and when
Most tourist buses leave Kathmandu at around 7 am from the roadside along Kantipath, a few minutes' walk from Thamel. It looks chaotic, with dozens of buses lined up and touts calling destinations, but your ticket has the bus number and someone will point you to it. In Pokhara they arrive at the tourist bus park near Lakeside, a short taxi ride from most hotels. Going the other way, buses leave Pokhara at about the same time.
What it's like
The bus stops for breakfast an hour or two after leaving, for lunch around Kurintar or Mugling, and once or twice for a toilet break. Seats are reasonably comfortable on most companies, though legroom is tight if you are tall, and the air conditioning is optimistic. Bring water, snacks, a light jacket for the morning and something to read. If you are prone to motion sickness, take something for it and sit near the front.
Deluxe buses
Companies like Greenline and a few others run "deluxe" services with better seats, reliable air conditioning, a lunch buffet included and generally newer vehicles. They cost two or three times as much as a standard tourist bus, and many travellers think the extra comfort is worth it for an eight-hour day.
Booking
Book through your hotel, any travel agency in Thamel, or online the day before. In peak season (October–November and March–April), book a couple of days ahead. If you are trekking with us, we book the bus for you.
Option 2: the flight
Several domestic airlines, including Buddha Air and Yeti Airlines, fly between Kathmandu and Pokhara many times a day. The flight itself takes about 25 minutes in a turboprop, and if you sit on the right-hand side flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara (the left side coming back), you get a fine view of the Himalaya on a clear morning: Ganesh Himal, Manaslu and the Annapurnas.
Pokhara International Airport
Since January 2023, flights land at the new Pokhara International Airport on the eastern side of the city, rather than the old airport near Lakeside, which has closed. It is about a 20–30 minute drive to Lakeside. Despite the name, it handles very few international flights for now; almost all traffic is domestic.
Delays and baggage
Mornings are usually the most reliable time to fly. Afternoon flights are more often delayed by cloud or by knock-on delays at Kathmandu, where the domestic terminal is busy and the airport sometimes closes briefly for weather. Allow plenty of time. The baggage allowance is usually 20 kg checked plus a small cabin bag, more generous than the Lukla flights.
Is flying worth it?
Once you add the trip to the airport, check-in time and the drive from the new Pokhara airport, the door-to-door journey is about three to four hours, still much less than the road. We recommend flying if you have a short trip, if you are travelling with children or older relatives, or if you are coming back from a long trek and the thought of eight hours on a bus is too much. Ask us to add the flight to your package.
Option 3: private car or jeep
A private vehicle with a driver costs more than the bus, but for two or more people it is often worth it. You leave when you want, stop where you want, and the driver deals with the traffic. A car is fine for two or three people with normal luggage; a jeep or van is better for a family or a trekking group with duffel bags.
With your own vehicle you can break up the journey with a few stops along the way:
- Manakamana Temple: a cable car from Kurintar takes you up to this hilltop Hindu temple, believed to grant wishes. Allow about two hours including the ride up and down.
- Bandipur: a beautifully preserved Newar hill town about 30 minutes off the highway from Dumre, with no cars on the main street and views of the Himalaya. It is worth a night in its own right. See our Bandipur guide.
- River stops: the highway runs past plenty of riverside restaurants, and the Trishuli is where most rafting trips start. A Trishuli rafting day can be built into the transfer.
- Gorkha: the hilltop palace where Prithvi Narayan Shah began the unification of Nepal, about an hour off the highway from Abu Khaireni.
What about local buses and microbuses?
Local buses and microbuses do run between Kathmandu and Pokhara, and they are cheap. But they stop constantly, are packed with people and parcels, and have a poor safety record compared with the tourist buses. For a first visit, we would not recommend them.
Combining Pokhara with Chitwan
Many travellers do a triangle: Kathmandu to Pokhara, Pokhara to Chitwan, then Chitwan back to Kathmandu. Tourist buses run on both of these routes too, typically 5–7 hours from Pokhara to Sauraha (Chitwan) and 5–7 hours from Chitwan to Kathmandu. Bharatpur airport near Chitwan has flights to Kathmandu if you would rather fly back. Our Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan tour includes all the transfers.
Tips for a comfortable journey
- Start early. The earlier you leave Kathmandu, the less traffic you meet at Nagdhunga and Naubise.
- Sit towards the front. The ride is smoother over the bumps, and it helps if you get travel sick on the bends.
- Carry a scarf or buff. Dust on the road works can be heavy in the dry season.
- Keep valuables with you. Passport, money and electronics go in your daypack on your lap, not in the luggage hold.
- Use the toilet when you can. Stops are fairly regular, but don't count on a clean toilet between them.
- Check the date. Avoid travelling on the busiest days just before and after Dashain and Tihar, when half of Kathmandu heads home to the villages.
- Allow a buffer. If you have a trek starting the next day, travel at least a day before your trek begins, not the same morning.
Which option should you choose?
| Your situation | Our recommendation |
|---|---|
| Backpacker on a budget | Standard tourist bus |
| Couple wanting some comfort | Deluxe bus, or private car if you want stops |
| Short holiday (under 10 days) | Fly at least one way |
| Family with children | Flight, or private jeep with stops |
| Coming back from a long trek | Fly |
| Want to see Bandipur or Manakamana | Private car |
Many people take the bus one way to see the countryside and fly the other. Our Pokhara travel guide covers what to do when you arrive, and our itinerary guide shows how to fit it all together.
Getting it sorted
If you trek or tour with us, the Kathmandu–Pokhara transfer is arranged as part of your trip, by bus, flight or private vehicle, whichever you prefer. If you are travelling independently and just need a private car or a bus ticket, get in touch and we'll be happy to help.