Surviving Your First Arrival at Tribhuvan Airport
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu is Nepal's main international gateway, and a first arrival there takes 45 to 90 minutes from plane to taxi in peak season. The sequence is fixed: arrival card, visa on arrival (USD 30 to 125), immigration, baggage, then money and SIM card before the taxi rank. The airport sits only about 5 km from Thamel, the tourist hub, and a taxi there costs roughly NPR 700 to 1,000. TIA is smaller and slower than most international hubs, so knowing the sequence in advance saves real time. Here is what to expect at each step.
What Happens After You Land at Tribhuvan Airport?
The arrival building funnels everyone toward immigration, where separate queues serve foreigners with visas, foreigners without visas, diplomats, and Nepali citizens. If you arranged a visa in advance at an embassy, walk straight to the "foreigners with visa" desk. Everyone else completes the visa on arrival first.
Visa on Arrival
Self-service kiosks near the entrance scan your passport and print a barcode slip, which you take to the payment counter and then to the immigration desk. The fee is USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days, or USD 125 for 90 days; pay in US dollar cash with exact change, because the card machines fail regularly. Filling the official online form at nepaliport.immigration.gov.np within 15 days of arrival lets you skip the kiosk queue entirely; the full procedure is in our guide to visa on arrival and visa extension in Nepal.
Tip: most airlines hand out the arrival card on the plane. Fill it before landing; it is a separate document from the visa form, and you need it even if you already have a visa.
Collecting Your Luggage
Baggage delivery at TIA is slow by international standards, and a wait of 30 to 60 minutes is normal; on bad days it stretches longer. Check the screens but also the neighbouring belts, since bags sometimes appear on a different carousel. The airport trolleys are free, so politely decline anyone offering to "rent" one or carry your bags for a fee. If a bag goes missing, find your airline's representative desk before leaving the hall. Customs is a formality for tourists: hand in the form from the plane and walk through the green channel unless you carry declarable goods.
Money Exchange and ATMs at the Airport
The exchange counters in the arrival hall offer a noticeably worse rate than the money changers in Thamel, so change only what you need for the taxi and the first day. ATMs operate in the arrivals area and accept foreign cards; most charge a fee of around NPR 500 per withdrawal with a limit of NPR 35,000 per transaction, which still usually beats the counter rate for larger amounts.
Buying a SIM Card
Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell, the country's two main networks, run counters in the arrival hall past the money exchange. A tourist SIM with several gigabytes of data costs a few hundred rupees and activates on the spot; you need a passport photocopy and one passport photo. Both networks cover the main trekking valleys patchily, with NTC generally stronger in remote areas. The counters sometimes push larger packages than you need, so name the package you want rather than asking what is available.
Connecting to a Domestic Flight
The domestic terminal stands a five-minute walk west of the international building, and Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, and Shree Airlines operate most trunk routes to Pokhara, Bharatpur, Biratnagar, and Nepalgunj. Leave at least two to three hours between an international arrival and a domestic departure: immigration plus baggage alone can consume 90 minutes. Mountain sectors enforce strict baggage limits, typically 10 kg checked plus 5 kg hand luggage on Lukla and Jomsom flights, with excess charged per kilo, so plan to leave a city bag at your Kathmandu hotel.
One planning fact surprises most Everest trekkers: during the peak seasons (roughly March 15 to May 15 and late September to the end of November), Lukla flights do not leave from Kathmandu at all. The Civil Aviation Authority moves them to Manthali Airport in Ramechhap, a 4 to 5 hour drive east, with hotel pickups leaving Kathmandu between 1 and 2 am. Outside those windows, Lukla flights operate from Tribhuvan's domestic terminal as normal. Factor the Manthali transfer into any peak-season Everest Base Camp itinerary, or ask about flying direct by helicopter.
Departing from Tribhuvan: Three Tips
Arrive three hours before an international departure. Security screens passengers at the terminal entrance (have your ticket or e-ticket and passport ready just to get inside), again after check-in, and often with a manual bag check at the gate, and each layer queues slowly at peak times. Exchange leftover Nepali rupees before passing through immigration, since NPR is hard to change abroad and the airside counters offer poor rates. Finally, reconfirm the terminal situation if you booked a domestic-to-international connection in peak trekking season; a Lukla flight landing at Manthali leaves you a 4 to 5 hour drive from your evening departure at Tribhuvan.
Getting from the Airport to the City
| Option | Typical cost to Thamel | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel transfer | Free – USD 10 | Name board at the exit; easiest after a long flight |
| Prepaid airport taxi | NPR 800–1,000 | Fixed-rate counter inside the arrivals hall; slightly more at night |
| Bargained taxi outside | NPR ~700 | Drivers quote higher; agree the fare before getting in |
| Pathao / inDrive | Roughly half the taxi rate | Pickup point just outside the airport gate |
Tribhuvan Airport FAQ
Is there free Wi-Fi at Kathmandu airport?
Yes, a free network covers the terminals, but it is slow and unreliable. The NTC and Ncell counters in the arrivals hall are the faster fix: a tourist SIM with data costs a few hundred rupees and activates on the spot.
Is visa on arrival available for late-night flights?
Yes. Immigration and the visa counters are staffed for every arriving international flight, whatever the hour. Queues are typically shorter at night.
Can I store luggage at the airport?
There is no reliable left-luggage service at the terminal. Most Thamel hotels store bags free for returning guests, which is the standard solution while trekking.
How early should I arrive for an international departure?
Three hours. Security checks happen at the terminal entrance, after check-in, and often again at the gate, and each layer queues slowly at peak times.
Quick Checklist for a Smooth Arrival
- Fill the online visa form before flying and carry the barcode receipt
- US dollars in cash, exact change for the visa fee
- Several passport photos and passport photocopies (visa, SIM card, and trekking permits all want them)
- Fill the arrival card on the plane
- Book a hotel pickup for your first night if you want the easiest exit
Also read: Best Domestic Airlines in Nepal, All You Need to Know About Nepal Tourist Visa, and Travelling to Nepal from India if you are arriving overland instead.
