KATHMANDU: Tourism entrepreneurs have raised concerns over the absence of a dedicated bus park for tourist buses in the federal capital, saying the situation is causing inconvenience to both operators and travelers.
Although the new bus park at Gongabu has come into operation for public transport, there is still no separate facility for tourist buses operating to major destinations across the country.
Despite the government repeatedly identifying tourism as a key pillar of the national economy, tourists continue to face hardship due to the lack of a dedicated bus terminal in Kathmandu.
Thousands of domestic and international tourists are compelled to travel through Sohrakhutte Road daily, as there is no systematic bus park to manage tourist transport services.
Tourist buses, which operated from Kantipath for nearly three decades, have been using Sohrakhutte Road for parking and operations since 2018.
According to Bhishma Neupane, the Tourist Bus Association of Nepal has long been advocating for a separate tourist bus park, but authorities have yet to respond.
“We have already informed various concerned bodies about potential locations for a tourist bus park, but due to lack of interest, the project has not materialized,” he said.
In the absence of a proper terminal, tourist buses are forced to park and operate in a scattered manner across the city, creating a negative impression among visitors.
Neupane also pointed out that tourists face difficulties due to unorganized parking practices, particularly for buses operating on routes such as Pokhara. He added that unclear identification and functional categorization of tourist vehicles have further complicated the situation.
Stakeholders say inconsistencies between existing transport and tourism laws have created policy confusion regarding the regulation of tourist transport services.
The association has stressed the need for secure, modern, and reliable tourism transport infrastructure to support a more organized and transparent tourism sector.
Meanwhile, Kathmandu Metropolitan City has recently decided to manage public transportation from the New Bus Park area. However, entrepreneurs argue that the development of a tourist bus park has not been prioritized by the state.
Neupane said the absence of a dedicated pick-and-drop system for tourist buses has added to passenger inconvenience.
Similarly, Kumar Mani Thapaliya, representing the Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents, said that repeated calls for a modern and well-equipped tourist bus park have gone unheard.
At present, around 100 tourist buses operate daily from Kathmandu to destinations such as Pokhara, Sauraha in Chitwan, Lumbini, and Janakpur, carrying an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 passengers.
In Sohrakhutte, buses pick up and drop passengers along the roadside from 5:00 am to 7:00 pm, while at night, they are parked in private garages for a fee.
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