KATHMANDU, Oct 9: Advance bus ticket booking for passengers traveling home for Dashain opened on Friday, with people lining up at ticket counters at Kathmandu’s New Bus Park from Thursday night.
The government had decided to open advance bookings from Friday to help manage the annual surge in passengers leaving Kathmandu for their hometowns during the festival.
Bus ticket booking for Dashain opens in Pokhara
The decision was taken at a meeting among the Department of Transport Management, Nepal Police, transport operators and transport workers held at the department on Tuesday, Asoj 20. The meeting agreed to begin advance ticket sales on Asoj 23.
Pankaj Malla, general manager of Lhotse Multipurpose Pvt Ltd, which operates the New Bus Park, said passengers began lining up for tickets from around 9 p.m. Thursday.
According to Malla, passengers traveling to Bajhang, Bajura and Dhangadhi were among those who arrived at the bus park Thursday night and waited in line to secure tickets.
To handle the increased demand during the Dashain travel rush, Lhotse Multipurpose has added 15 ticket counters at the New Bus Park for advance bookings.
Hundreds of thousands of people traditionally leave Kathmandu Valley for their hometowns during Dashain, putting heavy pressure on long distance public transportation in the days leading up to the festival.
