How to Go from Kathmandu to Chitwan in 2026

Home to a variety of wildlife and in the sultry hot south of Nepal, down near the India border, Chitwan National Park is a favorite for rhino and tiger aficionados.  It’s a popular place to visit from Pokhara or Kathmandu.  And getting from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park is one of the most common routes in Nepal.  The distance is only around 160 kilometers (100 miles), but this isn’t a quick journey. The road winds its way out of the Kathmandu Valley before dropping down into the lowlands. Traffic is consistent, and the roads are dreadful for a lot of the way (and have been for years).  Here’s my guide on how to go from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park.

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There are several options for getting to Chitwan from Kathmandu, as this is a well-traveled route.  Overland journeys are a little hard, as the road is rough and doesn’t look like getting any better any time soon, but there are also flight options to get you here a little quicker.   I’ll cover the details of where to catch buses from, where they drop you off, and how to get to your hotel, plus details of airport transfers and what’s the best way to get here.

Where is Chitwan Compared to Kathmandu?

Covering an area of 952.63 square kilometers (367.81 square miles), Chitwan National Park is in southern Nepal, close to the Indian border.  It is a completely different landscape from Kathmandu. You’ll leave behind the hills and cooler, albeit smoggier air of the valley and gradually descend into warmer, flatter terrain.  It’s hot, steamy, and sultry here, and it feels strange to have such a difference in climate compared to Nepal’s capital.

While the National Park is called Chitwan, there are no hotels inside the National Park itself.  Tourist accommodation is found in Sauraha, the closest area, and just across the Rapti River from the National Park.  There are budget accommodation options and reasonably priced places to stay, like the Jungle Wildlife Camp, which has two front-line on the river safari tents, and deluxe rooms with balconies overlooking the river.  (We opted for the rooms, as we didn’t fancy a tent when it was 35 degrees, even if it does have A/C!). You can see what the tents and rooms look like here.

There’s only one way to stay inside the National Park, and that’s in one of the wooden watch towers. You’ll spend the night in the tower and have food, drink, and a local guide present.  There’s more on this here.  You can see where the watch tower is here.

How to go from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park

The vast majority of people travel to Chitwan from Kathmandu by tourist bus, and it’s an easy and cost-effective way to get here.  You can also fly, take a private transfer, or take a tour from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park.  Here are all the details.

Take a Tourist Bus from Kathmandu to Chitwan

The tourist bus is the option most travelers end up taking.  It’s cost-effective, generally comfortable, and really easy to organize.  Tourist buses range in comfort, all generally having air conditioning, comfortable seats, and at least two stops for the 6-7 hour journey.

Buses usually leave the Sorkahutte area of Kathmandu (5 minutes walk from the northern part of Thamel) early in the morning, typically around 07:00, and head towards Sauraha, which is the main tourist area for accessing Chitwan National Park. The journey takes around 6 to 7 hours.

You can check the availability of the buses – and for some pick your seat here.

These buses are set up specifically for travelers, so while they’re not luxurious, more like a little faded elegance, they are comfortable enough for the journey. You’ll usually have air conditioning, some have seats you can select when you book, and all provide a bottle of water per passenger.

There are lots of “sofa seat” buses, which basically just look and feel like a comfortable business-class airplane-style seat.  The main difference between the buses tends to be whether they have 2 x 2 seats in the bus or 2 x 1 seats.  The 2 x 1 seats mean you get more individual space.  The buses take the same amount of time to get to Chitwan.

All the buses leave from the “Tourist Bus Stop” in Sorkahutte, near Thamel.  This isn’t a bus station as such, it’s just a road and the buses line up along it in the morning.  It’s easy to find the bus that you’ve booked, just have your ticket handy on your phone or in your hand, and EVERYONE will direct you to the right bus.

You’ll need to get there 20-30 minutes before the scheduled departure time.  Our bus left 3 minutes early, so don’t be late.  If you haven’t bought a ticket, you can chance it and just turn up and ask at each bus if they have available seats. If you do this, then you’ll need cash to pay for your ticket. My guide to currency, payments and ATM fees in Nepal is here.

There are several other bus stops throughout Kathmandu, so seats may have been sold for these later stops.  So get ahead of the game and book your ticket.

What it’s like to use the tourist bus from Kathmandu to Chitwan National Park

Booking the bus is easy.  Ask at your hotel, or book with 12goasia and pick your seat.  You need to arrive at the bus 20-30 minutes before the scheduled departure time.  Larger bags and backpacks go in the cargo compartment under the bus, smaller bags either by your feet, or above your head.

Most buses have A/C, WiFi, and a USB charging point per seat, although neither of our USB charging points worked.   We travelled with Travel Nepal, you can book their comfortable bus here.

We left 3 minutes early at 06:57, along with most of the other buses; there’s a bit of a convoy, as the buses going from Kathmandu to Pokhara leave at around the same time, and follow the same road for some of the way.

There were 3 or 4 stops in Kathmandu, then, at 08:00, we stopped for “toilet and breakfast”.  For 100 NPR, we had a bowl of noodles, potatoes, and chickpeas, and it was amazingly tasty.  The toilets were clean and free.  This stop lasted 30 minutes.

90 minutes later, at 10:00, we stopped for “lunch”.   There was a coffee/tea/soft drinks area and also a dining hall, where you could have a breakfast buffet for 500 NPR.  It looked ok, but we’d already eaten and IMHO the 100 NPR breakfast we’d already had actually looked better!  Toilets at this stop were again clean and free.

The bus dropped a few people at several stops along the way before arriving at the Sauraha Bus Stop. The Sauraha Bus stop is about a 15-minute walk from the center of the accommodation area of Sauraha.  Here’s where the bus stops at.  And yes, you could walk it if you wanted to, but right now in Chitwan it’s 35 degrees. 

Getting from the Sauraha Bus Stop to your Hotel near Chitwan National Park

There’s a tea station and a coffee station here, and along with all the buses that have just pulled in, there are jeep and minivan drivers, all totting signs for various hotels.  You should arrange with your hotel to come and pick you up – it’s standard here.  Our guys from the Jungle Wildlife Camp were waiting for us and quickly got us to check in.

Fly from Kathmandu to Chitwan

If you’re short on time, flying is the quickest way to get to Chitwan from Kathmandu, although you’ll need to factor in all the hassles of check-in times and getting to the airport in Kathmandu.

Flights leave from Tribhuvan International Airport and land at Bharatpur Airport, which is the closest airport to Chitwan National Park.  The flight itself takes only about 20 minutes, and it’s a 28-minute drive from the airport to Chitwan National Park.  Your hotel will likely provide a transfer from the airport, but you’ll need to pay for it.

Flights between Kathmandu and Bharatpur are operated by Buddha Air, and while the schedule may differ slightly between seasons, here are the currently scheduled times.  You can reserve a ticket for a flight from Kathmandu to Bharatpur here.

• 07:20 – 07:45
• 08:40 – 09:05
• 09:45 – 10:10
• 11:15 – 11:40
• 13:05 – 13:30
• 13:30 – 13:55
• 14:50 – 15:15

Check the current schedule of flights to Bharatpur from Kathmandu here.

Take a Private Car or Taxi from Kathmandu to Chitwan

Hiring a private car or taxi is the most flexible way to travel between Kathmandu and Chitwan.  It’s also probably the most comfortable.  The journey time is shorter than the tourist buses, around 5 hours, as you won’t have two 30-45 minute stops, unless you want them.

You’ll also be picked up from your hotel and dropped directly at your accommodation in Chitwan.  Expect to pay about 5 times the rate of the tourist bus cost for a private transfer per person.  You can check the cost here.

Take an Organized Tour to Chitwan National Park from Kathmandu

Another way to save time on your Nepal itinerary is to visit Chitwan on an organized tour.  This doesn’t tend to mean a large group tour; it’s more likely to be private.  Many of the Chitwan hotels, lodges, and operators offer 2–3 day packages that include transport from Kathmandu, accommodation, and safari activities inside the park. The transport is usually by private vehicle, includes your accommodation, some meals, and cultural activities, as well as a selection of activities within the National Park.  This is the easiest option if you don’t want to deal with any logistics. Everything is arranged in advance, and you simply follow the itinerary.

Want to see what’s available? 

• Here are the best options on GetYourguide.com
• Here are the best Chitwan tours on Viator
• Here are the best Chitwan tours on Klook.

Take a Local Bus from Kathmandu to Chitwan

While local buses do run between Kathmandu and Chitwan, they’re not a great option for most travelers.  They stop everywhere.  Take ages.  Have less legroom, and it’s not worth the hassle.

Important Tips when going from Kathmandu to Chitwan

• Book your bus ticket at least a day in advance, earlier if you want to pick a seat.
• Seats on the right of the bus get the most sun, but there are curtains and decent A/C.
• The front seats are a good option as you get slightly more leg room, and no one reclining into you.
• Leave early, most buses depart in the morning (from 60:30 to 07:30), although there is usually a microbus that departs at around lunch time (arriving in Sauraha at about 18:00). Check it out here.
• If flying, allow flexibility for cancellations

Traveling from Kathmandu to Chitwan at a Glance

Here are some helpful tips to consider when planning your journey from Kathmandu to Chitwan.

The quickest way to get from Kathmandu to Chitwan

The quickest way to get from Kathmandu to Chitwan is to fly. With multiple short daily flights, you’ll be in Chitwan in about 2-3 hours, perfect if you’re short of time.  Check flight prices and schedules here.

The easiest way to go to Chitwan from Kathmandu

The easiest way to go to Chitwan from Kathmandu depends on your schedule. The tourist bus is an easy option, but you can make it even easier by opting for a tour from Kathmandu to Chitwan.

The cheapest way to go from Kathmandu to Chitwan

The cheapest way to go from Kathmandu to Chitwan is by tourist bus. Book early to pick your seats.

The best way to go from Kathmandu to Chitwan

The best way to go from Kathmandu to Chitwan depends on the time you have and your travel style.  We opted for the tourist bus, and booked with Travel Nepal. It was comfortable, had decent A/C and we stopped at a fab breakfast spot, but you can save time by taking a tour.

Final Words on Traveling from Kathmandu to Chitwan

This isn’t a difficult journey to take.  The only outstanding question we had was about transport at the other end – i.e., at the Sauraha bus stop, as the idea of hauling our backpacks through 35-degree heat and high humidity wasn’t something we were looking forward to.  Make sure you book a good place to stay (I recommend the Jungle Wildlife Camp), and they’ll be waiting to collect you at the bus stop.

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