Just 9 miles (15 kilometers) from central Kathmandu, Bhaktapur is easily accessible from the central city and other parts of the Kathmandu Valley. Although technically a separate 'city' as well as its own district, Bhaktapur is considered part of greater Kathmandu. Here's how to get there.
By Private Transfer or Taxi
Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour (or more)
Travel specialists and many upmarket hotels can arrange private transfers between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, in comfortable, air-conditioned cars. Or, you can hail your own taxi and negotiate a fare. How long the journey takes will depend entirely on how bad the traffic jams are on the day—but should take between 30 minutes and one hour.
By Local Bus
Duration: 1 hour
Many buses and microbuses travel between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. These are not always easy to navigate unless you read Nepali (bus signs are always written in Devanagari script) but local people are helpful, and if you tell a bystander that you're looking for a bus to Bhaktapur, you'll be pointed in the right direction.
In Kathmandu, Bhaktapur buses leave from the Ratna Park Bus Stand, and in Patan from the Lagankhel Bus Park. Local buses will take longer than a taxi or private car because they stop more often, but they travel the same route and are subject to the same traffic conditions. Expect the journey to take about an hour.
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