View source for Transport in Nepal

{{Short description|none}}
[[Nepal]] is a landlocked country where transportation is difficult due to the mountainous terrain. Modern transportation in Nepal has just started in the 20th century.

Railways were the first type of transport introduced in Nepal by the [[Nepal Railway Company Limited|Nepal Railway Company]]. The first railway line began in 1927 with the length of {{convert|48|km}} between [[Amlekhganj]] and [[Raxaul]] (India).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dorw.gov.np/content/74/2020/57467245/ |title=Introduction |date=20 Jan 2020 |website= |publisher=Department of railway|access-date=10 Jul 2024 |trans-title = |language = }}</ref>

The Government of Nepal also established many organisations and offices in 1950 to construct and maintain the roads inside and outside Kathmandu valley.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dor.gov.np/home/publication/statistics-of-strategic-road-network-2-17-18/force/part-11-ssrn-2-17-18  |title=Historical background and events|date=2018 |website= |publisher=Department of roads|access-date=10 Jul 2024 |trans-title = |language = }}</ref>


{| class="wikitable"
|+ 
|-
! Office !! Work
|-
| Batokaj Goswara || Construction and maintenance of roads inside Kathmandu 
|-
| Banaune Adda || Construction and maintenance of roads outside Kathmandu 
|-
| Samajung Company || Repairs of roads inside Kathmandu valley 
|-
| Naya Batokaj Adda  || Construction of New road outside Kathmandu 
|}

The first highway, the [[Tribhuvan Highway]] was constructed in November 1952 between [[Kathmandu]] and [[Amlekhganj]]. The first vehicles ([[Jeep|jeeps]]) were run on this road by [[Queen Kanti of Nepal|Queen Kanti Rajyalaxmi]] in December 1953, on the fifth day of her marriage. [[Trucks]] could only pass through this road 2 years later, after 1955.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ghatanarabichar.com/266861 |title=नेपालको पहिलो राजमार्ग : सत्तरी वर्षमा ‘त्रिभुवन राजपथ’ |date=31 Dec 2022  |website= |publisher=Ghatna ra Bichar|access-date=10 Jul 2024 |trans-title =First Highway of Nepal: Tribhuvan Highway in 70 years|language =Nepali }}</ref>

==Road==
{{main|List of roads in Nepal}}
'''Statistics of National Highway SNH-2020/21''' and '''Provincial Transport Master Plan (PTMP) guidelines''' clears that the authority of the '''National Highway of Nepal''' resides with central government and the other roads has been handed over to provincial governments and local governments.<ref name="pmpt">{{cite web |url=https://doli.gov.np/doligov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE-PTMP-Guidelines.pdf |title=Provincial Transport Guidelines |date= Jun 2023 |website= |publisher=MoPID (Nepal)|access-date=8 Jul 2024|trans-title = |language = }}</ref><ref name="snh">{{cite web |url=https://dor.gov.np/home/publication/statistics-of-national-highway-snh |title=Statistics of National Highway [SNH 2020-21] |date= |website= |publisher=Department of Roads, Nepal |access-date=24 March 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Administration of roads in Nepal 
|-
! # !! Government !! Administrative body !! Coordination with !! Type
|-
| 1 || Federal government || [[Department of Roads (Nepal)|Department of Roads]] (under [[Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (Nepal)|MoPIT]]) || || [[National Highway System (Nepal)|National Highway]]
|-
|2 || Provincial government ||TID or IDD or IDO (under MoPID) || [[Department of Local Infrastructure|DoLI]] || [[Provincial highways in Nepal|Provincial Highway]] 
|-
|3||Local government|| Municipal government ||[[Department of Local Infrastructure|DoLI]] || Urban/rural road
|}

Road transport is the country's primary transportation mode. The Economic Survey 2022-23 released by the [[Ministry of Finance (Nepal)]], shows that the country had a total road network of national road length of 34,100&nbsp;km that only included roads constructed and maintained by the Department of Roads (DoR). This only included the [[National Highway System (Nepal)|national highway system]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mof.gov.np/uploads/document/file/1710323031_Economic%20Survey%20Engslish%202022-23%20Eng%20Final%20for%20WEB.pdf|title = Economy Survey 2022-23|date = 13 March 2024}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Road System Classification<ref name="pmpt"/><ref name="snh"/>
!Type
!Description
!Average<br>speed limit
|-
! scope = "row" | NH
| National Highways are the major highways connecting Eastern Nepal with Western Nepal, and Southern Nepal with Northern. They are designated by the letters 'NH' followed by a two-digit number.
| 80 kmph
|-
! scope = "row" | PH
| Provincial Highways are the highways under provincial governments that run inside the respective provinces. They are designated by the letters 'PH' followed by two letters to designate the Province and then a three-digit number.
| 60 kmph
|-
! scope = "row" | U/R
| Urban/Rural roads are roads that reside within the municipality or rural municipality intended to serve within a specific metro, sub-metro, municipality or rural-municipality.
| 40 kmph
|}

===National Highways===
{{Further|National Highway System (Nepal)}}
*Total:  11,178.92&nbsp;km
*Paved:   6,836.45&nbsp;km
*Gravel: 1,116.36&nbsp;km
*Unpaved: 3,226.12&nbsp;km (2021 est.)

==Rail==
{{ see |Nepal Railways |
India–Nepal border#Rail| l2=8 different India–Nepal cross-border rail lines }}

The [[Nepal Government Railway]] had operated a short narrow gauge railway from 1927 to 1965. As of 2022, there are two operational [[Rail transport|railway]] lines in the country, both of which connect Nepal with India: the [[Raxaul]]–[[Sirsiya]] and the [[Jaynagar railway station|Jainagar]]–[[Janakpur, Nepal|Janakpur]]. The former is a {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} line from Raxaul, India to Sirsiya Inland Container Depot (or [[dry port]]) near [[Birgunj]], Nepal, and is primarily used for [[freight]] transport.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://dlca.logcluster.org/plugins/servlet/mobile#content/view/852152 |title= Nepal Railway Assessment |access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref> It allows container traffic to be imported to Nepal through the Sirsiya dry port container depot.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.customs.gov.np/district/en/dryport/homepage.html |title=Introduction |website=customs.gov.np |publisher=Department of Customs dryport office, Government of Nepal |access-date=3 December 2017}}</ref> The latter is a {{convert|51|km|mi|abbr=on}} line from [[Jainagar, Bihar|Jaynagar]], India to Janakpur, Nepal, and is used primarily for passenger transport.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-08-10/indian-goods-train-from-jayanagar-arrives-in-janakpur.html| title = Indian goods train from Jayanagar arrives in Janakpur}}</ref>

[[Nepal]] and [[India]] agreed to construct [[India–Nepal border#Rail|8 different India–Nepal cross-border rail lines]], this includes linking [[Raxaul]] with [[Kathmandu]], during Prime Minister [[Khadga Prasad Oli|K.P. Oli]]'s visit to India.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-and-nepal-to-speed-up-raxaul-kathmandu-rail-project-1881617 |title= India And Nepal To Speed Up Raxaul-Kathmandu Rail Project |date=11 July 2018 |access-date=4 August 2018}}</ref> A team of technical officers visited [[Kathmandu]] to study the proposed railway from [[Raxaul]] to [[Kathmandu]] and have stated that a feasibility study of the project would begin. They have already identified [[Chobhar, Nepal|Chobhar]] as the terminus of the 113&nbsp;km-long line. <ref>{{cite web |url= http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-07-24/dor-says-land-acquisition-a-major-hurdle.html |title= DoR says land acquisition a major hurdle |date=24 July 2018 |website=www.kathmandupost.ekantipur.com |publisher= [[Kantipur Publications]] |access-date=16 August 2018}}</ref>

The [[China–Nepal railway]] is a planned line through Kathmandu, linking India with [[Lhasa]] in [[Tibet]]. It was proposed by the K.P. Oli government and in November 2017, Chinese media reported the arrival of a delegation of Chinese railway experts in Nepal. They discussed the possibility of a rail connection between China and Nepal.<ref>[http://news.huochepiao.com/2017-11/20171114430147.htm 中方铁路代表团赴尼泊尔开展铁路调研] (A team of Chinese railway representatives visit Nepal to initiate a railway study), 2017-11-14</ref> In August 2018, the two sides reached an agreement on construction details of the railway.<ref name="KP">{{cite news |last1=Giri |first1=A |last2=Giri |first2=S |title=Nepal, China agree on rail study |url=http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/news/2018-08-24/nepal-china-agree-on-rail-study.html |access-date=22 September 2018 |publisher=The Kathmandu Post |date=24 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/nepal-in-talks-with-china-to-build-8-bn-cross-border-rail-link/articleshow/58671740.cms|title=Nepal in talks with China to build $8 bn cross-border rail link|date=May 14, 2017|website=Times of India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170901140653/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/nepal-in-talks-with-china-to-build-8-bn-cross-border-rail-link/articleshow/58671740.cms|archive-date=2017-09-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Air==
{{see also|List of airports in Nepal}}
There are 53 airports in Nepal as of 2020 out of which 34 are in operation. There are three [[international airport]]s that serve as aviation hubs: The [[Tribhuvan International Airport]] in [[Kathmandu]], The [[Gautam Buddha Airport|Gautam Buddha International Airport]] in [[Lumbini]], and The [[Pokhara International Airport]] in [[Pokhara]].

{|class=wikitable
!colspan=2|Type!!Paved<br>runways!!Unpaved<br>runways
|-
|Under 914 m||(3000 feet)||31||1
|-
|914–1,523 m||(3000–5000 feet)||7||1
|-
|1,524–2,437 m||(5000–8000 feet)||1||0
|-
||2,437–3,047 m||(8000–10,000 feet)||0||0
|-
|Over 3,047 m||(over 10,000 feet)||1||0
|-
!colspan=2|Total!!40!!2
|}

===Airports redundant and not in operation===
*Total: 12

==Ropeways==
{{main|Ropeways in Nepal}}

The first ropeway to carry cargo was ''Halchowk-Lainchour'' ropeway which was used to transport stones from the quarry to build palaces.<ref name="fly2020"/> The famous,  Dhorsing-chisapnai-Chandragiri ropeway passing into [[Kathmandu]] was built by [[Chandra Shumsher Jang Bahadur Rana|Chandra Shamser Rana]] in 1922. It was upgraded in 1964 to reach to Hetauda with a total length of 42&nbsp;km with technical and financial assistance from [[USAID]].<ref name="ropewayList"/>
Following are the types of ropeways based on the operation mechanism and types of transport.

===''Tar pul or Ghirling'' ===
Also known as ''twin'', these are rudimentary ropeways used in lieu of bridges to cross rivers. These are generally installed by the local community based on necessity. As of May 2004, there are 25 ''Tar Pul'' in Kavre, Gorkha, Myagdi, Udaypur, Chitwan and Lamjung <ref name="ropewayList"/>
[[File:Aerial ropeways Nepal Tuin.jpg|thumb|Tar pul or Ghirling or Tuin]]

===Gravity Ropeways===
A gravity ropeway operates by using potential energy with mechanical power. A weight lowered from a higher elevation lifts the cargo.<ref>{{cite book |title=Aerial Ropeways of Nepal |publisher=Practical Action |url=https://www.doc-developpement-durable.org/file/Transports/Ropeways%20%20-%20Aerial%20Ropeways%20in%20Nepal.pdf}}</ref>
Ropeways of this type were first used in Mustang to transport apples. Since then they have been installed in four other locations: Gorkha, Tanahun, Kalikot and Achham.<ref name="fly2020">{{Cite web| title = Flying in a ropeway over Nepal - Nepali Times| accessdate = 2020-06-28| url = http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=16839}}</ref>
Most of the construction ropeways fall in this category.

===Cargo Ropeways===
Cargo ropeways are used in Nepal to transport goods from one place to another. The first ropeway, ''Halchowk-Lainchour'',  was in fact a cargo ropeway. The most famous cargo ropeway was the Kathmandu-Hetauda Ropeway, which is now out of operation. [[File:Deurali Ropeway Station, Fakhel, Nepal.jpg|thumb|Kathmandu-Hetauda Cargo Ropeway]]

===Passenger ropeways===
Mostly electrically operated, these kinds of ropeways or ''Cable Cars'' are used by passengers. The first of this kind was [[Manakamana Cable Car]], established in 1998. [[File:Curen tar kebal car nepal.jpg|thumb|Manakamana Passenger Ropeway]]

==Water==

{{Main|Water transport in Nepal}}
{{see also|Rafting in Nepal}}

Nepal is a [[landlocked country]] that does not have any territory connected to an [[ocean]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.imnepal.com/transportation-nepal/|title=Transportation in Nepal : Roadways, Airways, Railways, Waterways, Ropeways|date=2016-09-15|work=ImNepal.com|access-date=2017-11-08|language=en-US}}</ref>

Nepal's three [[Dry port|dry ports]] are [[Dryport Birgunj|Birgunj]], [[Biratnagar]], and [[Siddharthanagar|Bhairahawa]].

==References==
{{Commons category|Transport in Nepal}}
{{reflist}}

{{CIA World Factbook|year=2003}}
{{Nepal topics}}
{{Highways in Nepal}}
{{Asia topic|Transport in}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Transport In Nepal}}
[[Category:Transport in Nepal| ]]