Kathmandu, September 7
Kathmandu Metropolitan City is preparing to expand its night-time public transport service by adding 21 buses and six new routes, following a three-month review of the pilot programme. The study found that 66,952 passengers used the service during the trial period, with each bus carrying an average of 142 passengers a day.
However, the service currently operates at a daily loss of Rs 1,690 per bus, as average revenue stands at Rs 3,134 against an operating cost of Rs 4,814. Passenger demand is highest between 8 pm and 9 pm, accounting for 41.56 per cent of total ridership, particularly among employees, workers and daily wage earners returning home late.
The study committee has recommended increasing the fleet from seven to 28 buses and expanding the service to six additional routes, including Godawari–Budhanilkantha, a two-way Ring Road service, Jagati–Thamel and Kirtipur–Nepal Airlines Corporation. The proposed routes would connect major hospitals, commercial centres and entry points across the Kathmandu Valley.
To improve financial sustainability, the committee has proposed a Rs 12 night-time premium fare, cost-sharing among eight municipalities and viability gap funding. It has also recommended CCTV cameras, GPS tracking and dedicated bus stops to improve passenger safety, particularly for women, senior citizens and tourists. The expansion is expected to reduce reliance on private vehicles and support the Valley’s night-time economy.
