How to Travel to Nepal from India?

Both India and Nepal have ancient civilizations and cultures and the two countries have a close connection in geography, history and religion. For Indian nations, Nepal is a popular place to travel for its own remarkable charisma. There are the majestic Himalayas, including Mount Everest - the highest peak in the world, as well as many Hindu monasteries, temples and vibrant cities such as Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bhaktapur, and Biratnagar. Nepal is also one of the closest neighboring countries to India, so travel expenses are not high. Furthermore, Indian nations don't need a visa to enter Nepal except for some required documents which are issued by the Indian government.

Below is the detailed travel guide for Indians to Nepal, including the means of transportation and required documents.

India to Nepal by Flight

Traveling to Nepal from India by flight is fast and convenient, especially from major cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, and Varanasi. There are many India to Nepal direct flights, while some with a stopover in various Indian cities. The most popular airlines operating India to Nepal flights are Air India, Royal Nepal Airlines, IndiGo, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Go First, United Airlines, etc. Currently, you can only fly to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

Delhi to Kathmandu(DEL to KTM)

There are approximately 7 flights taking off from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, among which only 2 are direct flights. The flight distance is 507 miles / 817 kilometers. And the estimated flight time is 1 hour 27 minutes. The minimum airfare for a Delhi to Kathmandu flight would be INR 6,390, which would go up to INR 16,546.

Mumbai to Kathmandu(BOM to KTM)

There are approximately 5 connecting flights taking off from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The flight distance is 987 miles / 1,590 kilometers. And the estimated flight time is 2 hours 30 minutes. All Mumbai to Kathmandu flights have at least one layover or transit. The minimum airfare for a Mumbai to Kathmandu flight would be INR 11,400, which would go up to Rs.29,997.

Bangalore to Kathmandu(BLR to KTM)

There are approximately 6 connecting flights taking off from Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The flight distance is 1,114 miles / 1,794 kilometers. And the estimated flight time is 3 hours. There's a layover in New Delhi for most Bangalore to Kathmandu flights. The minimum airfare for a Bangalore to Kathmandu flight would be INR 11,688, which would go up to INR 36,502.

Kolkata to Kathmandu(CCU to KTM)

There are approximately 9 connecting flights taking off from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The flight distance is  1,318 miles / 2,122 kilometers as there's a detour to Delhi. And the estimated flight time is about 4 hours. There's a 3hr 15min layover in Delhi for the fastest flight. The minimum airfare for a Kolkata to Kathmandu flight would be INR 11,263, which would go up to INR 21,751.

India to Nepal by Road

Traveling to Nepal from India by road is a way to save money as well as enjoy the scenery along the route. There are six border-crossings between India and Nepal, among which the most popular one is Sunauli/ Bhairahawa.

Reach Nepal via Sunauli/ Bhairahawa

The largest and busiest crossing point is Sunauli/ Bhairahawa, from which you can reach central Nepal. Most people traveling overland from northern India such as Varanasi and Delhi would pass through here. It is the largest and busiest port of entry between India and Nepal with convenient transportation to Pokhara(185km), Kathmandu(267km), Lumbini(32.2km) and Chitwan(140km). You may opt for a flight or bus when reaching Pokhara Kathmandu.

Delhi to Sunauli: There's a direct bus service from Delhi to Kathmandu. Air-conditioned Volvo buses depart from Dr. Ambedkar Stadium Bus Terminal and transport passengers to Sunauli via Agra and Kanpur. The one-way fare is approximately INR 2,300.

Varanasi to Sunauli:  There is a direct air-conditioned bus from Varanasi to Kathmandu. You can book tickets online or at the Varanasi bus stand. The bus departs at 10 pm and it takes approximately 21 hours to reach Kathmandu.

Reach Nepal via Raxaul /Birganj

Another popular crossing point is Raxaul /Birganj, from which you can reach south-central Nepal. It is most convenient for travelers from Bodh Gaya or Kolkata. People from West Bengal or Bihar can also choose this entrance. From here it takes 6 or 7 hours by bus to get to Kathmandu and 8 hours to Pokhara. If you take a jeep, it will shorten this travel time to 4-5 hours to arrive in Kathmandu.

Bodh Gaya to Raxaul: From Bodh Gaya, you are advised to travel by bus or car to the border crossing as it only takes 9 hours. There's no direct train so you have to take a bus from Gaya airport to Patna then transfer to Sonpur finally take a train to Raxual. The whole process takes 13 hours.

Kolkata to Raxaul: From Kolkata, there's a direct train to Raxaul and it takes 16 hours.

Reach Nepal via Panitanki/ Kakarbhitta

This crossing point is accessible by people coming from Darjeeling, Sikkim, Kolkata and other parts of northeastern India. You can reach far eastern Nepal via Kakarbhitta. There are regular buses from Kakarbhitta to Kathmandu (14-16 hours) and Pokhara (15 hours), stopping at Chitwan National Park on the way.

Darjeeling to Panitanki: The distance is only 70km by road. You can travel here either by bus or by car.

Sikkim to Panitanki: The distance is about 180km by road. You can travel here either by bus or by car.

Kolkata to Panitanki: From Kolkata, you can take a train to Gorakhpur then get into Nepal via Panitanki.

Reach Nepal via Banbasa/ Bhimdatta

This is the westernmost border crossing point from India to Nepal. Banbasa is a small border town in Uttarakhand state. It's the fastest and most rural route from Delhi to Kathmandu. To reach Banbasa, you must first reach Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. According to where you are traveling from, your best option is to get to Delhi then take a train to Bareilly. After arriving in Bareilly, you can take an auto-rickshaw ride to the Satellite bus station then look for a bus to Tanakpur, or any other bus that will stop at Banbasa. Please let the conductor know that you will get off at Banbasa.

After crossing the India – Nepal border, you can take a bus to Pokhara(600km) and Kathmandu(700km) from Bhimdatta. Alternatively, you can also drive to then fly to Pokhara or Kathmandu.

India to Nepal by Railway

The main rail line that runs between India and Nepal comes from the town of Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, and ends the route across the Sunauli border at Janakpur. Taking a train from a local city in India to Gorakhpur is quite easy because there are many options such as Chauri Chaura Express, Kashi Express, Sapt Kranti Superfast Express. Once you arrive in Sunauli, you can take a public bus and some taxis to Kathmandu, the journey takes 6 hours.

Required Travel Permits

Although Indians can travel to Nepal without applying for a visa, they need to bring a passport or other applicable documents mentioned below to enter the country.

For Indian Citizens Going to Nepal by Air

For Indian citizens entering Nepal by flight/train/bus, either of the following documents is required.

* Valid National Passport.
* A voter ID card issued by the Election Commission of India.

For Indian Citizens Going to Nepal by Road

For Indian citizens entering Nepal by driving their own vehicles, the following documents are required along with their citizenship certificates at the Nepal border:

• Registration certificate of the vehicle
• Driving license
• A Yaatayaat Anumati or vehicle permit
• A Bhansar or customs permit