How to Travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara (By Bus, Flights)

Looking for information on how to travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara?

You’ve come to the right place! I live in Nepal and have travelled many times between Kathmandu and Pokhara. The bus rides can be long but if you want to save time, there are also many flights that connect the two cities.

Pokhara is a chill holiday town with a lake and known for its hiking and trekking routes. Some of the most popular trekking routes that start from Pokhara are the Annapurna Base Camp, Mardi Himal and Poon Hill.

Pokhara is 200 km from Kathmandu and you can get there either by bus or flight. The bus takes around 8-9 hours and costs Rs. 1,000-2,000. The flight takes 25 minutes from Kathmandu to Pokhara and costs USD 102 for foreigners.

So, here is all the information you need to know about travelling from Kathmandu to Pokhara!

Kathmandu to Pokhara Distance

The distance from Kathmandu to Pokhara is 200 km by road and it takes around 8-9 hours to get there by bus. The highway used to be under construction and at that time, the journey took around 10-12 hours. As the highway is almost completed, the travel time has slightly reduced.

However, there can still be delays due to traffic, so it is usually best to consider that the bus journey will take the whole day and if you get to Pokhara in less than 10 hours then it’s a success. 

Once in Pokhara, the tourist bus usually drops passengers at the Tourist Bus Park in Pokhara.

How to Travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara

To get from Kathmandu to Pokhara, you can either go by bus or flight. Kathmandu and Pokhara are two of the biggest cities in Nepal and are connected by daily buses and flights.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus

There are both morning and night buses that operate between Kathmandu and Pokhara. The morning buses leave around 7 am in the morning and the night buses leave around 8 pm in the evening.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus Time

Mainly there are two types of buses going from Kathmandu to Pokhara: day and night buses.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus (Daytime):

The day buses leave around 7 am from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Depending on the traffic, the bus journey takes around 8-9 hours.

The day buses (“morning buses”) to Pokhara leave from the Tourist Bus Stop in Sorakhutte. Sorakhutte is only a few minutes’ walk from Thamel, so it is easy to get there.

Sorakhutte is not really a proper “bus station”, it is more just like buses parked by the side of the road. Once you get there, you will see a long line of buses along the road. Just show your ticket to one of the bus drivers/helpers and they will point you to your bus.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Night Bus:

The night buses leave around 7-8 pm from opposite the Bhat Bhateni supermarket in Balaju (Kathmandu). The bus journey takes around 10 hours and you usually arrive around 6 am in Pokhara.

Bhat Bhateni is a supermarket chain in Nepal and the night buses to Pokhara leave from opposite Bhat Bhateni in Balaju. The best is to take a taxi there as it is a good 30 minutes walk from Thamel.

Once you get to the opposite side of Bhat Bhateni (Balaju), you will see that there is not really a bus station. You will just have to wait by the side of the road and the night buses will pass by there to pick up passengers.

It is recommended to arrive at the bus stop 30 minutes before the departure time to make sure you are in the right spot.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus Ticket Price

The Kathmandu to Pokhara tourist bus ticket costs between Rs. 1,000 – 2,000.

Some of the bus companies (Baba Adventure, Swift Holidays) run sofa seat buses between Kathmandu and Pokhara and they are considered the most comfortable tourist buses.

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.

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How to Buy the Tourist Bus Ticket to Pokhara

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: There are many travel agencies in Thamel (Kathmandu) selling tourist bus tickets. It is quick and easy to buy bus tickets through an agency. The bus ticket bought from travel agencies is a little bit more expensive as they also add commission to the price but it is generally the most convenient option.

At Your Hotel: Most of the hotels in Thamel can also arrange a bus ticket for you. Just ask at the reception and they will be able to get the bus ticket 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.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus Journey

The Pokhara and Kathmandu road is one of the most frequently travelled route by travellers as it connects two of the biggest and touristy cities of Nepal.

The road connecting the two towns has been under construction for years and it is now almost completed. With the completion of the road, it now takes around 8-9 hours by bus.

Nevertheless, if the traffic is bad, the bus journey can take anywhere between 10-12 hours.

Usually, most tourist buses have an AC or fans working during the hotter months. In addition, there is also a 1 litre bottled water included in the price of the ticket that is distributed to the passengers once the journey starts.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Bus Travel Tips

• Book seats in the front of the bus: The bus ride can get very bumpy especially if you sit in the back, so it is best to sit in the front seats of the bus.
• Take some snacks with you: The bus will stop for lunch and toilet breaks but it is nice to have some snacks with you (you never when the next break will be).
• Book Sofa seat buses for more comfort: Some bus companies (Swift Holidays, Baba Adventure) run sofa seat buses. They are more comfortable than other tourist buses.
• Expect to be on the bus for the whole day: The bus journey now should take around 8-9 hours as the highway between Kathmandu and Pokhara is almost completed. However, there can be bad traffic so it is better to go for the bus trip with the mindset that the trip can take all day.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Flights

There are regular, daily flights between Kathmandu and Pokhara. Taking the flight is a good alternative if you want to save time.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Flight Time

The flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes only 25 minutes. Kathmandu and Pokhara are two of the biggest cities in Nepal and there are many regular, daily flights that connect the two cities.

Kathmandu to Pokhara Flight Ticket Price

The price of a flight ticket from Kathmandu to Pokhara costs USD 102 (Rs. 14,000) for foreigners and Rs. 4,200 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 schedules and prices.

Tips for Taking a Flight in Nepal

Book a Morning Flight

Flights often get delayed or cancelled due to bad weather in Nepal. The earlier your flight is, the most chance you have of flying out that day.

Once the weather clears, they start the flights take off in the order they were supposed to fly.

This means that if you were going to fly on the first flight in the morning, your flight will be the first one to fly out. If you were on a later flight, your flight might get delayed to the next day.

Hotels in Pokhara

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

Things to Do in Pokhara

There are so many great things to do in Pokhara! Here are some of the best activities:

• Boating on Fewa Lake + Hiking to the World Peace Pagoda
• Annapurna Cable Car for the Sarangkot Sunrise
• Paragliding
• Exploring the caves in Pokhara
• Trekking routes from Pokhara: Annapurna Base Camp (7-8 days), Poon Hill (4-5 days), Mardi Himal (5-7 days), Australian Camp (2 days)

Nepal Transport Guide

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

• 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 from Chitwan to Kathmandu
• 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 Travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara

How do I go from Kathmandu to Pokhara?

To travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara, you have two options. You can either take a bus or flight. Both the buses and flights have a frequent, daily schedule.

While the buses are a more affordable option, the trip can take 8-9 hours by bus. While the flight is more expensive than the bus, but it is only a 25-minute flight.

How is the road from Kathmandu to Pokhara?

The road between Kathmandu and Pokhara has been under construction for years. However, the road is now almost ready and the bus ride is better and a little bit faster.

When the road was under construction, the journey between Kathmandu and Pokhara took around 10-12 hours. With the road being almost ready, it is now around 8-9 hours.

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

Bus: The tourists buses typically cost between Rs. 1,200-2,000. The tourist buses with the more comfortable sofa seats (Swift Holidays, Baba Adventure) cost around Rs. 1,600-2,000.

Flight: The price of a one-way flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara cost USD 102 (Rs. 14,000) for foreigners and Rs. 4,200 for Nepali citizens.

How much time does it take to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu by bus?

The bus journey generally takes around 8-9 hours from Kathmandu to Pokhara. The roadworks of the highway is almost completed, and the bus journey has become slightly faster. (It used to take around 10-12 hours!).

What is the price of a deluxe bus ticket in Nepal?

The price of deluxe bus tickets in Nepal is between Rs. 1,000-1,200. The Deluxe buses are an affordable option for travel in Nepal. They are a bit cheaper than the tourist buses in Nepal but there is not that much difference.

How far is Kathmandu from Pokhara by flight?

The flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes 25 minutes. It is a short flight connecting the two cities in Nepal.

Is there a train from Kathmandu to Pokhara?

No, there is no train between Kathmandu and Pokhara. You can only travel by bus or flight.

In general, Nepal does not have an extensive railway network. There is only one railway station in Nepal in Janakpur. It is a short railway line connecting Janakpur to India.

Conclusion

In conclusion, to get from Kathmandu to Pokhara, you can either take a bus or flight. The bus rides can be long but if you want to save time, there are also many flights that connect the two cities.

Pokhara is 200 km from Kathmandu and you can get there either by bus or flight. The bus takes around 8-9 hours and costs Rs. 1,000-2,000. The flight takes 25 minutes from Kathmandu to Pokhara and costs USD 102 for foreigners.