On arrival at the international airport in Kathmandu, you will find plenty of taxis waiting to be hired unless your trip operator has arranged a pick up facility for you. If you happen to be an independent traveler and visiting Nepal for the first time, the first thing on your mind will be how to reach your hotel room. As Thamel is known to be a backpacker’s hub, it is most likely that you would want to stay there. Public transportation is not the best and there are no trains or trams here. Traveling from the airport to popular areas in downtown by taking a cab is the easiest option for you. Look out; there are local taxis and pre-paid airport taxis in the parking area.
The pre-paid airport taxis are provided by the airport management committee round the clock. They have a fixed rate and will provide you a receipt, but they are slightly more expensive than a local public taxi. As they are regulated by the government, your safety will be totally ensured. They will normally charge you NPR 750-850 during the day time and at night after 9 or so, there is a surcharge of about NPR 100-200.
Local taxis can be easily spotted when you exit the airport building and walk past the pre-paid taxi counter. Ignore all the travel agents and keep walking past a small roundabout until you are sure that you have come out of the first airport gate. This is where you will find the local taxis, small hatchback cars. They will normally ask you between NPR 700 to 800, but if you bargain for a bit, they will come down up to NPR 500-600. Agree to the rate before stepping into the taxi. Make sure that the driver knows your hotel location properly instead of making rounds later to locate your hotel and then charging you extra money. Don’t worry about your personal safety as Nepalese people are very trustworthy and charming, although remembering the taxi’s registration plate is a good move.
