Beautiful city of Pokhara situated at the Phewa Lake is usually an essential stopover on the way to the Himalayas. If you plan the Annapurna or Mustang trek, it will most probably start from/end here. This blog post contains all practical information on how to get to Pokhara from Kathmandu. It is based on my personal experience of multiple trips to Pokhara as well as most recent feedback from other travellers and important news regarding the road condition and airlines safety. It has it all 🙂
What's in this blog post?
How to get from Kathmandu to Pokhara?
Pokhara, located 200 km west of Kathmandu, can be reached by land or by plane. Taking the tourist bus is the most popular way to reach Pokhara. Those who travel on a budget or want to experience a real adventure can try a local bus instead. For those looking for a more comfortable travel experience, renting a private car with a driver is the best option. And if you value your time and are not afraid of the bad reputation of Nepali airlines, you should definitely consider a spectacular flight offered by several domestic carriers, which is the fastest way to get to Pokhara. Each of these options has its own pros and cons, which are thoroughly explained below.
Getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara by land
Even though 200 km is a relatively short distance, the roads in Nepal are in poor condition, so travelling by a tourist bus should take from 7 to 10 hours. However, due to ongoing road construction, recently it can take even longer, 11-12 hours.
Unfortunately, there isn’t too much hope for smoother travel in the near future, as the Pokhara-Mugling road expansion has progressed only 20% in 2,5 years*. The initial completion target of April 2024 will surely not be reached.
* as of Aug 2023 – source: Muglin-Pokhara Road Project Update
Since the main culprit for long journeys is the road, not the vehicle, travelling by car is only a little faster.
I. Getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara by tourist bus (THE MOST POPULAR WAY)
There are two types of buses: tourist buses and premium tourist buses. Apart from the price, there is not much difference between them. In the premium tourist bus, a simple lunch, a small snack, and a water bottle are provided, and the sofa seats are larger and more comfortable. Regardless of the class, Wi-Fi usually might work or not, and the travel time is more or less the same. Air conditioning should work in both types of buses, but it is also not always guaranteed, at least from my experience.
Most tourist buses run by all companies depart daily around 7:00 AM not far from Thamel.
Traveling by a tourist bus is the most popular solution to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu.
Travelling by tourist bus - my experience
I have travelled with both types of buses, and my experiences were similar. The travel time at that time was around 8 hours, and the road quality was, of course, the same in both cases – terrible. I took a premium bus when I travelled with my mum. Even though the bus had very comfortable fold-out seats, due to the endless, tiring, and bumpy road, we decided to travel by plane on the way back from Pokhara.
Of course, bus travel has its advantages, it is cheap and you can see more off-the beaten-path Nepal. For the best views sit on the right side on the way to Pokhara, and on the left, when coming to Kathmandu. If the weather is clear you might even see the Annapurna Range.
How much does the tourist bus to Pokhara cost?
Travelling by bus is much cheaper compared to air travel. The tourist bus ticket price depends on the company and ranges between 800-1800 NPR (6-15 USD). Surprisingly, buying tickets at your hotel or travel agency might be cheaper. Most of the companies offer similar standards. If you like, and more importantly, know how to bargain well, you can get your ticket at the bus station before your departure. Due to the large number of departing buses, tickets to Pokhara are hardly ever sold out. So, if you want to save some money, try negotiating the price at the bus station.
The best tourist bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara
I admit that I haven’t travelled by bus lately. However, after some thorough research, I can definitely recommend the Swift Holidays bus company. I have come across many good reviews about their services on various forums and groups related to Nepal. They are not the cheapest, but the buses have comfortable seats, the air conditioning apparently works, and the drivers drive safely.
Swift Holidays has two types of buses:
- Larger Premium Sofa Seat, both morning & evening departing times
- Smaller, slightly cheaper VIP Toyota Coaster departing in the morning
Name | Seat Number | Price | Departure Time |
VIP Toyota Coaster | 17 | 1600 NPR | 6:45 AM |
Premium Sofa Seat* | 30 | 1700 NPR | 6:45 AM |
Premium Sofa Seat | 30 | 1700 NPR | 9:00 AM |
Premium Sofa Seat (night) | 30 | 1700 NPR | 6:00 PM |
*departs from Boudha not Thamel according to the official website Swift Holidays
Although the Swift Holidays website is relatively nice, it doesn’t work very well, which is quite normal in Nepal, so don’t worry. To buy a ticket, go to any travel agency in Kathmandu or ask at the hotel. Also, note that the departure times and prices listed above are from the Swift Holidays website and may no longer be accurate by the time you read this article. Things change quickly in Nepal.
II. Travelling to Pokhara by a local bus (THE CHEAPEST WAY)
This is the cheapest and undoubtedly the most exciting option. And do not think that older and battered local buses are slower. Actually, the journey time is often shorter as their drivers do not respect the speed limits, overtake everyone on the road and there are less toilet breaks. Travelling by a local bus is much less comfortable. There is no air conditioning, the old seats are worn-out and the loud music is coming from the speakers. Both passengers and luggage are packed like sardines. In short, Nepal in a nutshell.
However, if you want to travel like a local, have a tight budget, or do not like the morning departure times of the tourist buses, the local bus might be for you. One-way ticket costs about 500 NPR. Local buses and minibuses depart throughout the day, roughly every half hour, from Gongabu Bus Station, located on the outskirts of the city about 4 km from Thamel. You can buy the ticket at the bus station.
III. Renting a private car with the driver (THE MOST EXPENSIVE WAY)
Hiring a 4-seat car with a driver costs about 150 USD one way. Make sure if the car has air-conditioning as this is not guaranteed. Often you need to pay extra. Travelling by car is more comfortable than by bus, but not necessarily faster. In Nepal, it depends on the driver rather than the vehicle. 🙂
However if you leave Kathmandu before 6 AM, before the worst traffic starts, your travel time will be significantly shorter.
IV. Flights to Pokhara (THE FASTEST WAY)
Flying is the fastest and most convenient way to get from Kathmandu to Pokhara, especially when your time is limited. The flight takes only around 30 minutes. If you sit on the right side of the plane, it will be an unforgettable half an hour of your life. The bird’s eye view of the snow-capped Himalayas is truly amazing!
even though the glass was not the clearest the views were epic!
There are many flights during the day. The first one is scheduled at 7 AM while the last is around 2:30 PM. The ticket price depends on the season, the airline company and on the purchasing method. A one-way ticket bought online costs between 90-125 USD.
Frequent delays due to unstable weather conditions are the main disadvantage of flying. If possible, it is better to book the earliest flight as the morning weather is usually best, so the risk of delays and cancellations is the lowest.
Is flying in Nepal safe?
I don’t recommend reading too much about Nepalese airlines safety. Their reputation is quite bad due to a fairly long history of accidents. But remember, statistically, flight is the safest way to travel, even in Nepal.
Flying in Nepal does carry more risk than it does in your country, but it remains statistically very unlikely that you would be involved in an accident. Given the time savings and road conditions in Nepal, it is still the best way to travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara if you have no budget constraints.
Flying to Pokhara - my experience
When travelling for the first time, I decided to fly with Buddha Air airlines, because their fleet is said to be in a slightly better condition. The prices of Buddha Air compared to the popular Yeti Airlines are a little bit higher. However, I preferred to put my fate in the Buddha’s hands rather than Yeti’s. 🙂
I recently flew “Buddha” again and “Yeti” for the first time. And honestly, there wasn’t much of a difference. In both cases the flights were slightly late, but this is quite normal. I reached Pokhara safely and quickly and that’s all that matters.
How to buy a ticket for a domestic flight in Nepal?
Theoretically, you can buy a flight ticket online. However, when trying to make a purchase, errors are common, mainly because a Nepal-issued card is required. To tell the truth, I have never succeeded myself. Of course, this might not be your case, and things hopefully will improve in the future. As of now, I recommend buying a ticket at a travel agency in Kathmandu. I always bought my flight tickets the night before the flight with no issues. Some things in Nepal are easier than you think. There are plenty of good travel agency in both Kathmandu and Pokhara where you will get help arranging your transportation and purchasing the tickets.
Exploring Nature Adventure agency is my go-to place in Pokhara.
Getting to Besisahar from Kathmandu
If your plan is to trek the Annapurna Circuit, you might want to travel directly from Kathmandu to Besisahar. Read about my unforgettable travel experience here:
Just Do It 🙂
And if you need more information about trekking in Nepal, check out my blog. There are plenty of resources, here are some examples:
I hope you enjoyed reading this post, and more importantly, I hope you found it useful. I have done my best to share everything you should know about travelling from Kathmandu to Pokhara. However, if you have any more questions or want to share your travel experience, feel free to leave a comment.
