Taxi fare from airport to Thamel
Replies: 14 - Last Post: Oct 29, 2012 2:46 AM Last Post By: cherveny
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3
I doubt you can get it for 150 NR cause that's slightly under what the meter would show if they'd put it on.It's commonly accepted when going to or from the airport that it goes without meter, and it's long not the only place in the world where the fare from the airport is higher than another ride in the city. 200 - 250 is ok. I've seen Nepalese going for 300 many times.
6
From memory it is about a twenty or thirty minute trip from the airport to Thamel. When you consider that the Nepalese pay close to what everyone else does for petrol and that they need to actually earn some cash to support themselves and their families, then 500 rps or roughly 5 or 6 dollars is not too bad is it?When I get back to Australia and sometimes don't bother to take my 50 cents or so change from a shopkeeper, I feel bad about how I haggled in Nepal for 50 rps.
Hoofer
8
HiIn spring this year the pre-paid taxi counter was 550 rupees to Thamel, the first price offered by the driverswas 500 rupees (so is the starting point for negotiation) and locals were paying 250. I made several trips chasing lost luggage.
If you want the least hassle option after long flight use the pre-paid counter to avoid the throng of drivers' touts and bag carriers. For the cheapest, leave the airport for a taxi from the road; they are usually cheaper because they do not have to pay to access the airport. Cheaper still is a bus.
scoodly
9
I also paid 500NPR this Spring – I had a free upgrade to business class on my flight and the journey had went well – I walked up to the 1st taxi on the car park and asked the taxi driver how must to Thamel and he said 500NPR – I said “Your Price” – OK – Lets Go !!Sure, I could have bartered him down by 100 or even 150 – But that money means more to a Nepal taxi driver than it does to me – So he was happy and I was happy and everyone won
Good Luck
Rob
11
Cost of fuel are rising so forget about 200rps,12 days ago I decided upon arrival to bargain down as much as I could just for the fun of it.I wasn't in a rush, so there asking price was 600rps and they would go down to 500 rps without too much bargaining.
Took me 30 mins to find one who would take 400 rps.
So if you don't want to waste time,and haggle too long I figure that 500 rps is quite acceptable.
Now 1$ is 84 rps,do the maths it ain't worth it to haggle for a $ or so.
12
I always arrange a pick up by my hotel - so far this has worked very well - see if it works again next month. This takes out a lot of the hassle etc.Also for first time visitors, especially if people have not done much independent travelling in developing countries, it might well be a bit of a shock to suddenly be confronted by and have to deal with all the touts, bag carriers etc the second you leave the sanctuary that is the airport building, whereas if you have a lft arranged, it helps ease that, a bit.
