Transportation in Kathmandu

Kathmandu doesn't have a metro, a commuter rail, or any fixed-route system that runs on a schedule you can plan around, accept that upfront and the city gets easier. The workhorses are local microbuses and tempos (three-wheeled electric vehicles on set corridors), both absurdly cheap but cramped and unsigned in English, so you'll need to ask locals which one passes your landmark. Taxis are the practical default for visitors: look for vehicles with working meters and insist the driver starts it before you move, because the "broken meter" line is Kathmandu's oldest hustle. Ride-hailing apps like inDrive and Pathao operate here and are generally the better play, you agree a fare before pickup, which removes the negotiation and the scenic detour, and they typically come in cheaper than a street taxi for the same trip. From Tribhuvan International Airport into Thamel or the city center, pre-paid taxi counters inside the arrivals hall are the safest first move. You pay a fixed rate at the booth and hand the receipt to the driver, which eliminates haggling when you're jet-lagged and outnumbered by touts. Skip the freelance drivers crowding the exit, their opening price is routinely several times the pre-paid rate. If you have a working local SIM or airport Wi-Fi, booking through a ride-hailing app from the terminal can undercut even the pre-paid counter, though pickup logistics at the airport are less smooth than in town. One thing not to do: don't assume you can flag down transport the way you would in a larger Asian capital. Kathmandu's roads are narrow, traffic is chaotic, and during festivals or bandhs (strikes that shut down vehicles) surface transport can vanish entirely. For day trips to Bhaktapur or Patan, tourist buses and shared jeeps leave from specific hubs, ask your accommodation to point you to the right departure spot rather than wandering to a random intersection. Walking is underrated for short distances in the old city core, where a taxi would sit in traffic longer than it takes to cover the ground on foot.