Kathmandu is the central hub of tourism in Nepal. But for trekking in the Annapurna Region, you need to get yourself to Pokhara. There is a daily domestic flight. Or you can take the Tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
This is what we did and here is everything you need to know (and wanted to ask) about it. It doesn’t have the greatest reputation. And it seems suspiciously like hotels and agents in Kathmandu lie to you about the time it takes for the journey…
Here is our honest report about it. (And without too much of a spoiler this early on in the story I can tell you that we even did it more than once). It isn’t as bad as you might have heard. So here’s everything we wanted to know about the Tourist Bus to get ready for the ride.
Options for travel between Kathmandu and Pokhara
There are two options for travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara:
- By air: a 25 minute flight
- By road: the ‘Tourist Bus’
Or if you have the funds you can book a private flight between Kathmandu and Pokhara.
We found the easiest (or at least the most economical / cheapest) way to travel by road was the Kathmandu to Pokhara Tourist Bus service.
How long does the journey take by road from Kathmandu to Pokhara?
Ah ha. This is definitely the infamous questions about travel between Kathmandu and Pokhara.
A quick search on Google Maps will tell you 7 hours.
And your guesthouse or hotel (or anyone you ask in Thamel) will tell you 6 – 7 hours.
WRONG.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the journey to Pokhara by road is LONG. The roads in Nepal are notoriously shit bad. There is no need to sugarcoat that.
The bus takes the best part of a day. But don’t stop reading yet! The journey does have pros going for it. It’s cheaper and more relaxing than a flight. And it kind of eases you into rural Nepal with glimpses from the comfort (the seats are comfortable) of your reclining seat.
At best I would say that including 4x stops (for breakfast, lunch and toilet breaks) you’re in for an 8-hour journey. On average, expect a travel time of at least 8 – 10 hours.
I’ll tell you a bit more about it and why despite the timeframe we still recommend taking the Tourist Bus Kathmandu to Pokhara.
Where does the bus depart from in Kathmandu?
It’s more like a road lined with buses than an actual central bus terminal in Kathmandu. But the Bus Station you need to get to for the Tourist Bus to Pokhara is located at Nayabazar. It is only about 900 metres from Thamel in Kathmandu. We put our packs on and walked from our hotel to the bus terminal. It takes about 12 – 15 minutes on foot to reach.
Check with your hotel which bus company you are booked with and confirm the departure location is correct.
Are there different bus companies? Which one do you recommend?
We didn’t specifically choose our bus company. Our hotel in Kathmandu booked our bus tickets and we ended up on a bus sign written with ‘MNS’. If I was to compare the bus based on the suspension (truly) with the SWIFT Tourist Bus, we got return; I’d rate MNS’s suspension as more comfortable.
There are many different Tourist Bus companies to choose from.
What time does the tourist bus to Pokhara depart Kathmandu?
Kathmandu to Pokhara Tourist Bus leaves at 7AM in the morning every day.
What time do you need to be at the tourist bus terminal in Kathmandu?
It is recommended to arrive 30 minutes before departure. There isn’t much to do but you can make sure you find your bus (there are a lot of different bus companies) and load your bags underneath.
About the Tourist Bus ‘terminal’ in Kathmandu
It really isn’t a bus terminal (not as we know it). More like a street with all of the different Tourist Buses lined up ready for departure.
There are kiosks and small cafes where you can buy breakfast or a coffee. And plenty of small stands and convenience stores if you need snacks for the journey. There are public toilets just a few steps up the hill. It is well signposted.
About the journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara by bus
The drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara by bus IS BUMPY. The roads are very uneven. And in what must be a majority of the time; the roads aren’t even sealed. There are stops for road works. And vehicles that overtake in strange places. But the reason it takes so long is because the bus barely gets above 30 km/ph.
I’m not going to lie. We were worried about getting sick. Motion sickness, I mean. And we worried especially about whether the kids would be sick on the bus.
But it’s not like that. Albeit you may need to prepare in advance with a high-tech sports bra. (Trust me; brace yourself for bumpy). But due to how bad the roads are the bus travels very slowly and it wasn’t the kind of speed or turns and curves that made any of us feel sick.
Perhaps the state of the roads in a blessing in disguise?
Does the bus stop between Kathmandu and Pokhara?
Yes. The bus stops 3 – 4 times during the journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara. (It stopped four times on the way back).
The first stop is only about 1 hour after departure and is a quick stop for the toilet. There are small kiosks and a basic café you can grab a drink. But at this stop the bus only stops for 5 minutes.
The second stop is around 10:00 – 10:30am. The attendant will call out to let you know how long you are stopping here for. (In our case, the ‘breakfast’ stop was for 20 minutes). There is a buffet option here for 500 NPR with fried rice and vegetables.
The third stop is officially for lunch. The break here is for 30 minutes.
There are toilets available at each stop.
How much does it cost?
Current (2023) tickets for the Tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara (and Pokhara to Kathmandu) cost between $9 – $20 USD. There are two options for ticket pricing.
- Standard Tourist Bus: 1000 – 1200 NPR ($8 – $9 USD)
- Sofa-Seat Tourist Bus: 1600 – 2600 NPR ($12 – $20 USD)
We did the journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara on the Standard Tourist Bus. Our tickets cost 1200 NPR each.
And for the return journey we booked through a third-party agency and paid $20 USD for the *Sofa-Seat Tourist Bus from Pokhara to Kathmandu. (Actually, this is expensive).
*When I asked at Pokhara Bus Terminal directly to the Sofa-Seat bus company (Swift) they sell tickets from Pokhara to Kathmandu for 1600 NPR.
How to buy a ticket for the Tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara
You can buy tickets for the Tourist Bus from your hotel. Literally every guesthouse and hotel in Kathmandu has a sign or board up advertising bus tickets. They will book the bus and give you a paper ticket with your allocated seat and departure time. You can pay them directly.
Otherwise in Kathmandu (especially Thamel) there are literally hundreds of travel agencies and booking agencies lining the streets. Each of them has a standardized price and can book the bus for you and give you a paper ticket.
- Tip: It was convenient booking through our hotel in Kathmandu and the manager even booked us four tickets on the right-hand side of the bus. We didn’t know but on the way from Kathmandu to Pokhara this means you are on the river side of the bus and have views the entire way.
Arriving in Pokhara
Arriving at the bus terminal in Pokhara (yes it has a bus terminal) felt exciting. You can see peaks of the Annapurna Range in the distance. And it really does feel like both an accomplishment (you made it by bus) and an exciting new start (get ready for your trekking adventures).
There are plenty of taxi drivers waiting at the bus terminal in Pokhara. You won’t need to worry about finding a driver. It is only a few kilometres to the Pokhara lakeside where all the hotels and guesthouses are centered. And a taxi ride should cost you no more than 500 NPR.
Do we recommend the Tourist Bus to Pokhara? And would we do it again?
Yes! And we did. We also took the Tourist Bus back from Pokhara to Kathmandu. It is a long journey (don’t expect a few hours of highway travel). And it is bumpy and slow. But if you aren’t in a rush and want to stretch your budget in Nepal then we can recommend the journey. And it could even be an option to bus one way and fly the other. Pokhara does also has an international airport.
So, happy travels and sit back and make the most of Nepal’s luxury buses!
Where we stayed in Kathmandu and Pokhara
We arrived in Kathmandu and we were picked up from the airport by our hotel.
- Kathmandu: Magnificent Hotel
Spacious, clean rooms with great WIFI and very friendly staff. They are very helpful booking tickets and can advise on travel anywhere in Nepal. Great buffet breakfast with fresh fruit and eggs cooked to order. We would recommend staying here. - Pokhara: Hotel Trip
Cheap, central accommodation in Pokhara. Friendly welcome by hotel staff and a great breakfast. - Pokhara: Hotel Orchid
Central to Pokhara lakeside with a simple breakfast. Rooms have a balcony with a nice view over Pokhara.
More about travel planning for Nepal and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love the flexible cancellation policy!).
- Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).
Read more from travel in South Asia
- Taking an overnight train in Pakistan from Islamabad to Karachi.
- How to apply for a Pakistan e-Visa: And can you use it at the Wagah Border?
- Crossing the Wagah Border from India to Pakistan.
- Pakistan with kids: A complete guide to travel in Pakistan.
- Money in India: Using ATM’s, withdrawing and carrying your money safely.
- How to use a squat toilet: Everything you didn’t want to ask…
- Our complete packing list for travel in India.
1 thought on “How to get the Tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara (and the honest truth about it). ”
Road to Pokhara is in renovation and under construction. And this continues about 1 years from now..