Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport (KTM) Flights & Flight Status

Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) is located in Kathmandu, Nepal. It has an iconic and incredibly thrilling runway that is called a tabletop as it is perched on a plateau surrounded by deep valleys and gorges. This is the main airport of Nepal and thus connects the country to the world. This airport is also where you’ll fly into if you want to do a Mount Everest climb, and you can do scenic Everest flights from this airport, too.

Getting to the airport

The airport is located just under 4 miles from Kathmandu City, right in the heart of the famed Kathmandu Valley. There are two easy ways reach the city from KTM.

First, there is a bus, which picks up right outside the terminal building (follow the signs, which include English) and will take you to the centre of Kathmandu City for very little money. But this service is not always operational and will take up to 45 minutes when it is.

My preferred method is taxi service. Either way, keep in mind that the traffic on the only road to the airport is intense so it could take you anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes to reach town (the main area is called Thamel).

If you plan to grab a cab to get on your way, just walk right outside the airport. There are taxis always waiting here, and there are typically more just across from the car park. It can be rather confusing to find a cab on the spot and understand exactly what to do, so I recommend getting a prepaid taxi and the details will be handled for you, leaving you with no confusion or stress.

For these, exit the airport after clearing customs and look to your right. Here you’ll see a taxi sign for prepaid service. The rates to all areas are clear, and you can simply follow an agent right to a specific taxi without any hassles once you’ve paid and arranged your ride.

Many hotels in Kathmandu will offer to arrange shuttle service for you, and this is another great option to avoid confusion at the airport.

If your hotel is picking you up, walk out of the terminal building and cross the road. This is where hotels and travel companies stand with your name on a sign. You will get asked by multiple people along the way if you need assistance, but don’t accept. Most are trying to divert you to their own service. Just walk across the street and your pick-up will be there as arranged.

Checking in

The airport has two terminals – one is domestic and the other is international. They are not connected so you cannot walk from one to the other inside. For most airlines, you cannot do self- check-in here, so you’ll need to see a desk agent in person and should save time for this.

Information desk

There is a very friendly information desk right outside the terminal. Because it’s outside, KTM refers to this as the canopy area. Here you can get help with any services the airport furnishes, from medical assistance to queries about airlines or gates. The airport is busy and sometimes can appear frantic, but people are friendly, so my advice is to take a deep breath and just ask for what you need.

Airlines at KTM

This little airport is a hub for two international airlines – the country’s flag carrier, Nepal Airlines, and Himalaya Airlines. Still, there are also several other domestic carriers that operate from KTM. With a small airport that experiences heavy congestion and a strong winter fog, I’ve found flights diverted or cancelled several times when flying through KTM, so you’ll want a laid-back attitude when flying here.

Wi-Fi at the airport

There is free Wi-Fi at the international terminal building and it usually has good signal from arrivals through departures. It does not require a password. Once you go through immigration, there is an even stronger Wi-Fi connection that I recommend swapping to.

Note that this is an airport at high altitude, so the internet service sometimes does not work perfectly. Also, remember that this is not a secure network, so be mindful of inputting sensitive data while using your devices on this network.

Lounge access

There is a CIP Lounge at the domestic terminal and it is available only by reservation. The reservation offers you access to a room that is charged per hour. You can use Priority Pass in the international terminal and have your choice of two lounges here. Thai Airways offers a Royal Silk Lounge, too, and it’s available to the airline’s premium ticket holders and some Star Alliance members, but it’s outside of security.

Luggage trolleys

There are free luggage trolleys available at KTM, both on the upper and lower curbside areas right outside the terminal. There are more trolleys available at baggage claim for use on arrival, too.

Special services

If you bought delicate souvenirs or other breakable goods, take advantage of the wrapping facility at KTM to protect your luggage. You’ll find it in the departure hall in front of check in counter A. I highly recommend this if you’re planning to check a bag with valuable or breakable items.

Also in the departure hall is a private breastfeeding area, as breastfeeding in public is slightly frowned upon in Nepal. It is open whenever the airport is open.

ATMs and banking

I highly recommend taking cash with you around Nepal. There are places in Nepal happy to take your bank card, but people light up when you have cash as they can avoid costly fees. The airport has international and local banks on both the domestic and international sides, both before and after security.

Banks here will exchange money to local currency for you. Note that the exchange rate fluctuates a lot, so it will certainly not be the same each time you do this. If you find a good rate, take advantage of it.

Eating and drinking at the airport

It’s a small airport and does not have too much to feast on. The Radisson Hotel is your best bet, as it has a sit-down restaurant. It’s on the first floor of the departure hall of the international terminal building.

Both terminals do have coffee shops and tea shops where you can have a local snack like my favourite, a pani puri – it’s a deep fried and delicious dough you’ll want to try if you can. Nepal is known for its incredible coffee climate so you won’t find a bad cup here. My favourite cup of tea is found at the aptly named Tea & Confectionery Shop in the departure area.

Visa on arrival

Note that Nepal is rather serious about the visa on arrival policy. You will need to know the exact address of where you are staying when filling out your form, so have this information handy offline. There is an online form you can complete for your visa, but I recommend the paper form because the online version isn’t always functional.

There is a mandatory fee for this, and you can pay this upon arrival, too. US dollars are preferable, but they also accept sterling, so don't worry about exchanging first. They do sometimes accept card, but not always, so I advise everyone to be prepared for this with cash.

Baggage collection on arrival

Customs can take a really long time at KTM. The queues are long and the process is slow, so your baggage will likely sit on the conveyor belt for a long time. Employees often ask to see your baggage claim tag when you collect your luggage as multiple flights arrive on the same conveyor belt. It seems convoluted, but it works, so just follow the employees’ instructions and you’ll be fine.

Unique design

Besides the beautifully scenic landing with views of valleys and mountains, this airport is designed in the shape of an aeroplane. The runway makes up the image of the plane’s body from nose to tail, so you can see this unmistakable aeroplane shape from the sky on takeoff or landing.