210 KM west from Kathmandu, the Pokhara city is known as the City of Paradise. A complete destination surrounded by full nature of Himalaya, and with a lake in the middle of the city, some waterfalls, gorges, etc. Pokhara is also the gateway to many popular trekking routes, like Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill Trek and some village hikes.

In this article we are giving you some idea on how to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu , there are a few options to get to Pokhara from Kathmandu:

1. By Flight2. By Tourist Bus3. By Local Bus 4. By Private Car5. By Train

1 . Kathmandu to Pokhara by Flight

Every day in the morning from 08 :00 AM to until 03: 30 PM, different airlines fly to Pokhara. As one of the most popular touristic city in Nepal. Buddha Air, Yeti Air and other companies operate more than 10 flights a day. The duration is roughly 25 minutes flying time from Kathmandu. This is by far the fastest and easiest way to the city. If you wish, Pokhara City Tour can then be done in even one day from Kathmandu if you chose the flight option.

2. Tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara

If you are travelling to Pokhara from Kathmandu, probably the Tourist bus is the best option economically speaking without compromising comfort, especially if your hotel is somewhere near Thamel. More or less 50 different companies everyday operates the Kathmandu Pokhara bus service. Here are some general facts you should know about this option

A. Where is the Tourist Bus station in Kathmandu?

If you live in Thamel or somewhere nearby, the tourist bus station is within walking distance. This is on a road called Kantipath, which is only 5-10 minutes by walk from Kathmandu Guest House (Central Thamel). If the street name confuses you, you can ask your guesthouse to provide a free city map, which might be easier for you.

B. What time the Tourist Bus departs from Kathmandu?

If you chose the tourist bus option to go to Pokhara from Kathmandu, the very important thing you shouldn’t forget is time. Although there are a number of companies operating the tourist buses, they all depart at the same time. The bus leaves at 07:00 AM but you are required to be in the tourist bus station 30 minutes before departure time. If you miss this time, you may have to travel by private car or local bus, or perhaps wait until the following day if you still prefer this option.

C. How much is the bus fare from Kathmandu to Pokhara?

This might be the first question you may want to know. There are different fares for different buses. The cost depends on the service the bus provides to tourists. For example, a standard tourist bus costs approximately US$8 – US$12. Note that this has only natural air condition (i.e. open your window if you want some fresh air). Deluxe bus costs US$15- US$25, which includes lunch, WiFi, real air condition this time and may be a bottle of water and bag of crisps as well. If I were you, I would go with the standard bus fare to save some money.

Here is the list of companies for your reference (note that prices are subject to change):

Standard tourist bus company (8USD- 12USD)

Blue Sky Travel & Tours Global Vacation Tours and Travel Loyal Travel Holiday Nepal

Deluxe Tourist Bus Company (15USD – 25 USD)

Baba Adventure

2. Green line Travel & Tours 3. Mountain Heart Tours 4. Golden Travel & Tours

D. How to book the bus ticket or with whom?

It is not difficult to book a tourist bus. You will find many options upon arrival. It is also not necessary to book in advance either. There are many travel companies selling bus tickets especially in Thamel where you will likely stay as it is the backpackers’ haven in Kathmandu. You can also ask with your hotel to arrange your bus ticket if you wish. Or if you can’t find any one else, feel free to email us at info@nestadventure.com and we will be more than happy to help arrange this for you.

E. How long is travelling time to Pokhara from Kathmandu?

Pokhara city is only 210km far from Kathmandu by distance, but due to the hilly road condition, it will take more time than you expected. Travel time is about 6 to 7 hours. However, it is worth noting that the view is simply breathtaking and you get to experience the road of Nepal and drive around the mountain area for scenic view.

3. Local Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara

Local buses to Pokhara also depart every hour from New Bus Park station or Kalanki Bus Stop in Kathmandu. It will be a different experience for you to try local bus in Kathmandu as it does it allow you to mingle with friendly local Nepalese (and some chickens and goats if you are lucky!). Again, some facts about local buses to Pokhara:

A. Where is the Local bus station in Kathmandu?

Gonggabu “New Bus Park ” is the local station to Pokhara. If you are staying in Thamel, Gongabu New Bus Park is not very far; by taxi is about 10-15 minutes, or by another local bus is approximately 20-30

minutes. The taxi ride will cost around 200 – 250 Rs and by local bus 15 Rs only. If you insist on walking, it might be difficult to find your way and be prepared to walk for roughly 30 minutes (so yes, it is possible to walk it!).

B. What is the departure time schedule of Local bus?

Generally, buses leave every 30 minutes. This is a good option if you miss the Tourist bus in the morning! Or if you are like me who prefer to sleep as much as possible and leave Kathmandu whenever I want. But make sure you get there before 5PM.

C. How much is local bus fare to Pokhara?

The cost of local bus to Pokhara is 500 Rs to 600 Rs which is slightly cheaper then the tourist bus. But of course, it is not as comfortable as a tourist bus and sometimes safety could be an issue too for tourists. For example, they generally drive faster or less safer than a tourist bus. It is also smaller and has less space. But it still worth to experience – you will be mostly joined by locals, so expect to listen to local music and stop by more authentic local places for lunch and this ride in itself will give you a different taste of Nepal. I would highly recommend if you are up for adventure and would like to experience real Nepali way of travelling.

D. How long is the drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara using Local bus?

That’s difficult to answer as the road conditions and the number of stopovers will vary. The bus can stop anywhere to allow local passengers to get off.. Also as the road condition is not very smooth, it is slightly longer. You may want allot about 8-10 hours for sure.

E. Where is your last stop when you reach to Pokhara?

It really depends which bus you took. The easiest way is to stop at Prithivi Chok (you may want to ask the driver to let you off on this stop) and get a taxi or another local bus to Pokhara lakeside or wherever is your destination. Lakeside is about 20-minute walking distance from Prithivi Chok or 150 – 200 Rs by taxi (or 15 Rs by local bus).

F. What is the difference between Tourist Bus and Local Bus

The answer is simple. Tourist bus is generally for tourists so more expensive and more comfortable than a local bus. But to help you decide, we are sharing below our experience:

In Tourist Bus:1. Departure is on time (always around 7AM). Passengers are not

allowed to get off anywhere in the middle of the journey. 2. There are stopovers for lunch and breakfast only, in tourist

restaurants, so costs are higher than local places.3. The seat is more comfortable and has more leg room4. As a tourist bus, it is mostly (if not all) tourists. 5. The last stop is Pokhara tourist bus station very near Lakeside.6. More expensive than a local bus, but faster and hassle free

travel.7. Wi-Fi and air condition also available in some buses.

In Local Bus1. Departure and arrival time are not certain as it has several

stops throughout the journey either to pick up passenger or to let them off.

2. They also have stopovers for food and toilet breaks. 3. Local bus seat is very small and probably not enough leg room

if you are tall. 4. You can taste real local food and can mingle with local people. 5. You will have to get off in a local area called “Prithivi Chok” and

have to travel again by bus/taxi or by foot if you wish to get to “Lakeside”.

6. Cheaper than the Tourist Bus, but could take about 1-3 hours longer

7. Don’t expect Wi-Fi or air condition.

4. Kathmandu to Pokhara by Private Car

This is probably the next easiest way to get to Pokhara if you decide not to fly. You can simply find a car rental company. The cost depends on car model and capacity. If you are travelling with your family and need to get back Kathmandu just in couple of days, renting a car might be a good idea. Typically, a drop off from Kathmandu to Pokhara will cost around US$90 to US$120. Note that companies

generally charge a two-way fare as the car would need to drive back to Kathmandu on the same day after drop off. If you are looking for a one-day tour only of Pokhara and return the same day to Kathmandu, this should be the full trip cost. It is also possible to request the car to stay overnight in Pokhara but this will require an overnight surcharge – this is still a cheaper option if you are returning to Kathmandu the following day instead of hiring a different car.

If you travel by car to Pokhara, it is much faster than tourist bus; approximately in 5-hour time, you will reach Pokhara.

5. Train from Kathmandu to Pokhara

A number of travellers in Nepal usually try to find ways on how to get train from Kathmandu to Pokhara. One thing to note in Nepal is that there is no longer train service anywhere in the country based on my knowledge.

The capital Kathmandu or any other major city like Pokhara has no railway connection at all. A couple of years ago, there was a 59km railway service from Janakpur to Jayanagar, a village near Indian border. This section is currently under construction but is believed to be open again in 2017. Nepal, India and China have serious proposals to also build train link from Lhasa (capital of Tibet) to Nepal and potentially also connect to India. Hopefully in the future, tourist can travel all over Nepal by train and can feel the Switzerland of the Asia.