Many travelers visiting India are combining their tours to Nepal. Taking that into account, let’s look at the best ways to travel from Delhi to Kathmandu in Nepal? Depending on your budget and the time you have to spare; there are several options, ranging from an adventurous and very long bus ride, to direct flights, to train-and-local transport combinations.
Here, we cover the more popular and quicker options from Delhi to Kathmandu – by air and by road.
By Air
You can get on a direct flight from Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, which takes approximately one and a half hours. You have a choice of about five airlines with six flights including both government-owned and private operators. There are 7 flights per day.
As value for money options, Indigo Airlines and SpiceJet offer cheap airfares and decent flight times. You can also choose the more up-market private airlines, Jet Airways. The Indian government-owned Air India and Nepal’s flag carrier, Royal Nepal Airlines are also frequently used. Most airlines have economy and business class flights. The air routes from Delhi to Kathmandu are quite frequently packed as many tourists choose this travel option, so is a good idea to make your booking in advance.
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By Train
This is a popular option for those who want to avoid the expenses of flying, and would like to explore travelling by train. The route goes via Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Several overnight trains run from Delhi to Gorakhpur, and the journey takes approximately 12-14 hours. Try to reach Gorakhpur as early in the morning as you can, to make the most of your time.
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From Gorakhpur, get on a bus or a shared jeep to travel economically to Sunauli, which is the Indian side of the border. You can also hire a private taxi to get to Sunauli. Take a walk across, from Sunauli to Bhairawa, the Nepalese side of the border. Don’t be surprised if you hear the Bhairawa side called Sunauli too – it is often called thus, locally, and is just one of the many fun and unexpected sides of travelling this route.
The quickest option to get to Kathmandu from here is to have a flight pre-booked from Bhairahawa Airport (Gautam Buddha Airport) to Tribhuvan International Airport. A popular and economic option is to break up your journey. From Bhairahawa bus stop, many buses and shared jeeps go to Kathmandu, a journey of about 9 to 12 hours. If you arrive at Bhairahawa in the morning, you can get on one of the many daytime buses bound to Kathmandu and enjoy the gorgeous scenery along the 183 km route. Alternatively, arrive fresh at Kathmandu in the morning by getting on an overnight bus from Bhairahawa. Most overnight buses depart Bhairahawa in the early evening, between 4 and 7 PM.
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By Road/Bus
One of the cheapest options to get to Kathmandu from Delhi, this journey covers about 601 km. You have many buses travelling this route, but try to choose one which is operated by a reliable agency. Usually, if you book a bus ticket via a reputed agency, it should take about 10 hours to get to Kathmandu. Most buses travelling this route do not have toilets and are non-air conditioned.
For some of these services, like trains and flights, you can make your bookings online via many sites. It is advisable to pre-book and enjoy a convenient and safe trip from Delhi to Kathmandu.