How to Get from Chitwan to Kathmandu (By Bus, Flight)

Looking for information on how to get from Chitwan to Kathmandu?

I live in Nepal and loved my visit to Chitwan. Chitwan is considered as one of the closest national parks to Kathmandu where you can see wildlife in Nepal. It still takes about 8 hours by bus and here is how you can get back from Chitwan to Kathmandu!

Kathmandu is 165 km from Chitwan and you can either travel by bus or plane to get to Kathmandu. The tourist bus takes around 8 hours to get from Chitwan to Kathmandu and costs Rs. 850-1,200.

As for the flights, the closest airport to Chitwan National Park is the Bharatpur Airport. You can take a local bus from Sauraha to Bharatpur to get the flight. The flight takes 25 minutes from Bharatpur to Kathmandu and costs USD 120 for foreigners.

Chitwan to Kathmandu Distance

Kathmandu is 165 km from Chitwan and can be reached by daily, frequent buses and flights. It takes about 8 hours to get from Chitwan to Kathmandu by bus, while it takes 25 minutes by flight.

How to Get from Chitwan to Kathmandu

The closest town to Chitwan National Park is Sauraha and this is where most tourists stay.

There are regular, daily buses and flights that connect Sauraha (Chitwan) to Kathmandu. The bus takes around 8 hours and the flight takes 25 minutes from Chitwan to Kathmandu.

Chitwan to Kathmandu Bus

Chitwan to Kathmandu Bus Time

The tourist buses leave between 7:30-8:30 am from the Tourist Bus Station in Sauraha (Chitwan) to Kathmandu. It takes around 8 hours to get to Kathmandu and you usually arrive by 2-3 pm in Kathmandu.

The Tourist Bus Station in Sauraha is about 15 minutes from the city centre and it is recommended to arrive at the bus stop 30 minutes before the departure time. This is to make sure that you locate the bus, although to be honest, the Sauraha Bus Station is not so big.

Chitwan to Kathmandu Bus Ticket Price

The bus ticket from Sauraha (Chitwan) to Kathmandu costs between Rs. 850 – 1,200.

Tourist Buses in Nepal

The tourist buses are considered the safest buses in Nepal. Nepal has mountainous roads so when you travel long distances by bus, sometimes it can take up the whole day.

The tourist buses are more comfortable than local buses but as the bus journeys can take long, sometimes, even the tourist buses can feel uncomfortable. This is due to the bumpy roads and long hours on the bus.

Usually, most tourist buses have an AC or fans during the hotter months and a 1L bottled water is always included in the ticket.

For the best tourist buses, check out Swift Holidays and Baba Adventure. They run sofa seat buses and are considered the most comfortable tourist buses.

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How to Buy the Tourist Bus Ticket to Kathmandu

If it’s your first time in Nepal, the easiest way to get a bus ticket is if you buy it at a travel agency or ask your hotel to arrange it for you.

Travel Agency: You can buy the tickets at travel agencies in Sauraha. Whenever you book tourist bus tickets through a travel agency, the ticket prices will be slightly higher as they also add on a commission fee.

At Your Hotel: Most of the hotels in Sauraha are also able to arrange bus tickets. Usually, you can ask about bus tickets at the reception and they will be able to book it for you.

Online on BusSewa: It is also possible to buy bus tickets online on BusSewa.com. The platform is easy to use and you can pay for the ticket with an international bank card. It is usually best to just buy the bus ticket 1-2 days ahead of travel and here you can read my tips and tricks for booking bus tickets online in Nepal.

Browsing Bus Tickets Online in Nepal

If you just want to browse bus tickets online, you can also use BusSewa.com. BusSewa is a great platform and easy to use. You can use it to browse bus schedules, tickets and prices, even if at the end you prefer to buy the bus ticket from a travel agency in person.

Chitwan to Kathmandu Flight

The closest airport to Chitwan is at the Bharatpur Airport. Bharatpur is about 1 hour bus ride away from Sauraha (Chitwan) and there are frequent, local buses that you can take to get to the Bharatpur Airport.

There are daily, regular flights between Bharatpur and Kathmandu so it is easy to take a flight there.

The best option is to book a flight for the morning. Flights often get delayed in Nepal due to bad weather, thus, the earlier flight you book, the sooner you get to Kathmandu even if flights are delayed.

Chitwan to Kathmandu Flight Time

The flight from Bharatpur to Kathmandu takes only 25 minutes. So even though you have to take a local bus from Sauraha to Bharatpur Airport, it will still be faster than taking the bus.

Chitwan to Kathmandu Flight Price

The flight from Bharatpur (Chitwan) to Kathmandu costs USD 120 (approximately Rs. 16,000) for foreigners and Rs. 4,600 for Nepali citizens.

How to Buy Flight Tickets in Nepal

Buddha Air is considered as one of Nepal’s more trusted airlines. Check out Buddha Air’s website for prices and booking tickets.

Hotels in Kathmandu

Looking for a place to stay in Kathmandu? Here are my top recommendations for hotels in Kathmandu for every budget:

Best Things to Do in Kathmandu

There are so many things to do in Kathmandu and here are some of the best activities to do:

• UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Boudha, Swoyambhu, Pashupathinath, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Changunarayan Temple
• Day Trips from Kathmandu: Bhaktapur, Patan, Chandragiri, Godawari, and Manakamana
• 2-3 day trips from Kathmandu: Nagarkot, Dhulikhel, Kakani, Panauti

Nepal Transport Guide

Looking for information on how to get to other destinations in Nepal? Check out my transport guides:

• How to Get from Kathmandu to Pokhara
• How to Get from Pokhara to Kathmandu
• How to Get from Pokhara to Chitwan
• How to Get from Chitwan to Pokhara
• How to Get from Kathmandu to Chitwan
• How to Get to Bardia National Park
• How to Get to Bandipur
• How to Get to Janakpur
• How to Get to Tansen (Palpa)
• How to Get to Lumbini
• How to Get to Gorkha
• How to Get to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve

FAQs: How to Get from Chitwan to Kathmandu

How do I get from Chitwan to Kathmandu?

To get from Chitwan National Park to Kathmandu, you can either go by bus or plane. Both the buses and flights have a frequent, daily schedule.

The buses leave from Sauraha (Chitwan) to Kathmandu. It takes around 8 hours and costs Rs. 850 – 1,200.

The closest airport to Chitwan is at the Bharatpur Airport. It takes about 1 hour by local bus to get from Sauraha to Bharatpur. Once on the flight, it is only 25 minutes to get from Bharatpur to Kathmandu.

How far is Chitwan from Kathmandu by flight?

The flight from Kathmandu to Chitwan takes only a 25 minutes. The closest airport to Chitwan is the Bharatpur Airport and there are frequent, daily flights to Bharatpur.

How far is it from Chitwan to Kathmandu?

Chitwan is 165 km from Kathmandu. It takes 8 hours by bus to Sauraha. The flight takes 25 minutes to Bharatpur, where you can catch a local bus to Sauraha (1 hour bus journey).

How much does it cost to go from Kathmandu to Chitwan?

The bus ticket from Kathmandu to Chitwan costs between Rs. 850-1,200. While the flight ticket from Kathmandu to Bharatpur costs USD 120 (approximately Rs. 16,000) for foreigners and Rs. 4,600 for Nepali citizens.

How much does it cost to fly from Chitwan to Kathmandu?

The price of the flight ticket from Chitwan to Kathmandu costs USD 120 (approximately Rs. 16,000) for foreigners and Rs. 4,600 for Nepali citizens.

How far is Kathmandu from Bharatpur by flight?

The flight takes only 25 minutes from Bharatpur to Kathmandu. Once you are in Bharatpur, you can take a local bus to Sauraha. The local bus takes about 1 hour to get from Bharatpur to Sauraha.

Conclusion

In conclusion, travelling from Chitwan to Kathmandu is fairly easy. You have the option to either travel by bus or plane. Both the buses and planes have a daily, regular schedule.

Kathmandu is 165 km from Chitwan and you can either travel by bus or plane to get to Kathmandu. The tourist buses take around 8 hours to get from Chitwan to Kathmandu and costs Rs. 850-1,200.

As for the flights, the closest airport to Chitwan National Park is the Bharatpur Airport. You can take a local bus from Sauraha to Bharatpur to get the flight. The flight takes 25 minutes from Bharatpur to Kathmandu and costs USD 120 for foreigners.