Arrive · Kathmandu
Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM)
KTM to Thamel: a pre-booked hotel pickup or a prepaid airport taxi, 30–60 minutes for about 6 km (3.7 mi); the delay is the visa desk and baggage hall, not the road.KTM to Thamel: a pre-booked hotel pickup or a prepaid airport taxi, 30–60 minutes for about 3.7 mi (6 km); the delay is the visa desk and baggage hall, not the road.
Key facts
- Default ride
- Pre-booked pickup or prepaid taxi to the hotel door
- Ride time
- 30–60 min
- p50–p90
- Fare
- NPR 900
- Late night after
- 22:00
- on demand
Rules in force · 9Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with …
- South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
- South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
- Nepal ↗Get visa information only from the Department of Immigration; visa-service lookalike sites charge extra, and the rules differ by nationality.
- Nepal ↗At stupas walk clockwise; at temples and homes remove shoes where there is a rack or a raised floor; cover shoulders and knees.
- Nepal ↗Carry Nepalese rupees in small notes: many stalls, taxis and tea shops are cash-only, and shops rarely take foreign notes.
- Nepal ↗Strikes (bandh) and protests can close roads without notice: check the news and your hotel the night before any airport or highway day.
- Kathmandu Valley ↗In the dry season (Nov–Apr) the valley fills with haze and dust: viewpoints often show nothing after 09:00, so go at dawn or skip.
- Kathmandu ↗Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with motorbikes: taxis stop at the edge, so large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Kathmandu ↗Dust and smoke haze is worst around Feb–Apr and can linger in winter: carry a mask rated for fine particles on walking days and move long walks to the clearest morning.
More
Map of the airport
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Your landing time, your bags, your bed
Lock your path to bed
Take Pre-booked pickup or prepaid taxi to the hotel door at 23:35. Bed by ~00:43 (+1) (p90).
Sleep area not decided? Check the area first.
On the groundHideSteps from the gate, and what to do if it breaks
On the ground
Step by step from the gate, and what to do if it breaks
Zero-brain vs precision
- Daytime default
- Hotel pickup booked before you fly, or the prepaid taxi counter in the arrivals hall, straight to the hotel door.
- Precision
- The airport is inside the city and the road to Thamel crosses busy junctions; counter positions, night taxi availability and fares are desk estimates (field-verify).
- Late-night threshold
- 22:00
Steps from landing
5 / 10 min
Gate to immigration
all arrivals30 / 75 min
Visa desk and immigration (if not pre-registered online)
only intl checked, intl cabin20 / 45 min
Baggage claim + customs
only intl checked, domestic checked15 / 25 min
SIM/cash, then the pickup or taxi counter
all arrivals30 / 60 min
Pre-booked pickup or prepaid taxi to the hotel door
on demand, any hour · NPR 900
If it breaks
- The visa desk and immigration queue can pass an hour when several flights land together; message the hotel with your flight number before you fly.
- Use the hotel pickup, the prepaid counter or a ride-hailing app; decline touts who approach inside the hall.
- Some guesthouses lock their gate at night: ask for a late-arrival code or a night contact in advance.
Other flights, questions and sourcesHideOther flights
Deep dive
Other flights
Sources
| Field | Value | Source type | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| primary.yen | NPR 700–1,200 | secondary | 40% |
| steps.1 | p50 30 / p90 75 min | secondary | 30% |