Nepal Transportation Tips by SumTingWong

'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bus
Getting TO/AROUND: Buses are a popular and cheap way to travel around Nepal. Public buses, which are widely available at every cities and town's major bus stop or hub, can basically take you across the country at incredible prices. There are a bunch of bus services running from various cities in northern India to Kathmandu. "Tour companies also run services from Kathmandu to Lhasa, in Tibet. Buses from Kathmandu's main station, on the Ring Road, travel to Pokhara and the Terai, while those for the Kathmandu Valley and Arniko Highway run from the City Bus Station. There are also more expensive tourist minibuses, mainly to Pokhara and Chitwan." (from LP). Buses are the cheapest way to travel around Nepal, but there is always a down side to traveling by Nepali bus. One is that they are very crowded, so crowded that many people are even crammed onto the roof (as a little man on the bus makes his way through the aisles and room, collecting the fare). They can also break down very easily. If you are a fan on Nepali and Hindi music (the modern kind: Punjabi MC and the latest from Bollywood), than the bus should be a lot of fun, if not, you may be listening to it for hours.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Tempos are taxi-like vehicles, normally 3-wheeled, sometimes 4-wheeled, which are very popular means of transportation in Kathmandu and Patan, especially. Tempos are cheaper than closed taxis, and the drivers work in clusters, sometimes that is good and other times that is bad. If there is no meter you have to work out a price before you take off in one, so always shoot lower than what the guy says, but do not get into the tempo before a price is established (or else they've got you). However, try to use the meter at all costs, and if they say it is broken threaten to go in a different tempo. Try to only use electric tempos if possible, they are new and now becoming popular in Kathmandu and Patan. Rather than running on disgusting diesel, they run purely on electric and the government will give you a better deal for riding in one (better prices from the driver). Also remember to keep small bills (Rs 10, 20 and 50) because drivers are notorious for not having any change.

KET WORDS:
How much is the fare: bhaadaa kati parchha?
Drive slowly: Bistaarai haanknus!
Hurry: Chito chito garnus.
Stop: roknus!
Be careful: hos garnus!!
Please wait here: Yahaan parkhanus.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Bicycle
Getting TO/AROUND: Rickshaws are popular in many of the tourist areas of the cities throughout Nepal. There are tons of them in Thamel, and the drivers are very persistent. You can ride in them, and although they are more expensive than a tempo for example, they can be more relaxing. They are not for me, but feel free to give them a try if you want. Also remember to keep small bills (Rs 10, 20 and 50) because drivers are notorious for not having any change.

KET WORDS:
How much is the fare: bhaadaa kati parchha?
Drive slowly: Bistaarai haanknus!
Hurry: Chito chito garnus.
Stop: roknus!
Be careful: hos garnus!!
Please wait here: Yahaan parkhanus.

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'Mode': AROUND
Category: Car/Motor Home
Getting TO/AROUND: Taxis are all over Kathmandu, Patan, Dhulikhel, Pokhara, and every city in Nepal. Taxi drivers work in clusters, sometimes that is good and other times that is bad. If there is no meter you have to work out a price before you take off in one, so always shoot lower than what the guy says, but do not get into the taxi before a price is established (or else they've got you). However, try to use the meter at all costs, and just about every taxi really does have a working meter, and if they say it is broken threaten to go in a different taxi. During high tourist seasons they may try to get you to concede in doubling the meter price, don’t go for it; bargain hard. Also remember to keep small bills (Rs 10, 20 and 50) because drivers are notorious for not having any change.

KET WORDS:
How much is the fare: bhaadaa kati parchha?
Drive slowly: Bistaarai haanknus!
Hurry: Chito chito garnus.
Stop: roknus!
Be careful: hos garnus!!
Please wait here: Yahaan parkhanus.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Several European and Asian airlines have Kathmandu on their destination lists. I flew Thai from Bangkok and found it to be one of the most interesting flights in my life, right over the Himalayas! On that flight make sure to get seat "K" going to Kathmandu and Seat "A" returning to Bangkok from Kathmandu to get the best views of Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, and Kanchenjunga. Other foreign airlines that serve Kathmandu include: Qatar Airways, Indian Airways, Austrian, PIA, Biman Bangladesh (I think), Royan Air Bhutan, China Southwest (I think Southwest), Dragon Air, Kuwait (I think), and Emirates (I think). Nepal's National International Airline is Royal Air Nepal, which connects Kathmandu with India, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Japan, Germany, France (VIA Germany) and the UK (VIA Germany). See their website at http://www.royalnepal.com/ . NOTE that tourist visas ARE available at KTM Tribhuvan International Airport fro US$30 in cash.

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'Mode': TO
Category: Airplane
Getting TO/AROUND: Nepal's only international airport is Tribhuvan Intl Airport in Kathmandu. The airport is linked directly with Frankfurt, Vienna, Bangkok, Delhi, Varanasi, Kolcata, Lhasa, Thimpu, Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Dhaka, Osaka, Karachi, Doha...and thanks to the US Air force Kabul, Afghanistan (a joke, but it is true, I did see a US military plane at the airport probably heading to Afghanistan). Tribhuvan Intl Airport is also a huge domestic port that connects Kathmandu with the rest of the country. Buddha Air is the most respected domestic airline.

Tribhuvan Intl Airport itself is quite small, a nice little red brick building on the outskirts of Kathmandu city, and In fact the Boudhanath Stupa can be seen right from the runway.

The security procedures can be horrible at the airport when checking in, it took me 4 hours to get through when I was heading back to Bangkok, but only twenty minutes getting out of the airport (with immigration and all). Ever since that Air India flight was hijacked from Kathmandu, the security has been really tight. I was told that my 4-hour wait was due to a hijack threat, but I don't know if the airport is always that way. If you are leaving during the day you will have to deal with the huge lines for the flights to India, and a ton of pushing and shoving. There was not really a line but a mass push through four separate levels of security. Anyway, get to the airport early so you don't miss your flight. Also note that there is an AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX of 1100 N.Rs. (about US$14.00) that you pay at the Airport bank, Nabil Bank, and get a receipt for - stapled to your ticket. Also, if you bought any statue (specifically a Buddha statue) larger than 1 foot you need a proof or purchase permit (stamped) which you must ask for when you buy the statue. If you don't have that (like me), you have to be ready to argue for a while, sometimes to no success (I eventually pulled out a government stamped certificate of volunteer work and because I also spoke Nepali the guard let me go).

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