How to reach Tiger Palace Casino from Kathmandu?

Reach Tiger Casino Safely

Tiger Palace Casino is one of Nepal's first casinos outside of Kathmandu valley. Media has been drumming up the opening of this casino for a long time, and finally the time has arrived for visitors to pay the visit. If you've been wanting to getaway to a beautiful 5-star resort casino, even only for few days, I don't blame you. Everyone deserves a break (and a visit to a casino), once in a while. So, how do you get there?

From Kathmandu, by air...

Tiger casino is about 10 kilometers north from Bhairahawa, one of the southern-most border cities in Nepal. This city, Bhairahawa, has a regional airport, which is currently going under significant upgrade. You can fly to Gautam Buddha airport from Kathmandu in a domestic flight. There is more than one airlines that flies to Bhairahawa; one reliable airlines  in Nepali airspace is Buddha air . Another one is Yeti Airlines.

It takes about thirty minutes and the flight is smooth. You can purchase air ticket using this site. 

Here is a schedule for Buddha air to and from Bhairahawa

Daily flight schedule for Yeti Airlines, to and from Bhairahawa

It looks like there is five daily flights between Kathmandu and Bhairahawa, which should give you plenty of options to choose from.

Note: If you were visiting Lumbini instead of the casino resort, you would still be flying into the same Gautam Buddha airport. Lumber is about 20 kilometers from the airport, towards west.

Once you get off the plane, your best option will be a taxi. It may take up to thirty minutes to travel 10 kilometers from the airport to the Tiger casino resort.

From Kathmandu, by bus...

I personally prefer traveling by bus, but that's me. I love seeing the mountains, rivers, little villages, forests, and everything on the way between Kathmandu and Bhairahawa. Most of the 280 kilometers and about 8 hours drive from Kathmandu until the Tiger resort is very scenic and beautiful. 

I highly recommend taking a day bus, not a night bus, for safety reasons, and so you can enjoy the outdoor scenery as well.

There are few air-conditioned buses such as Lumbini Darshan, Saleena, and more that I can't think of right now..You should be able to catch these buses from New Bus Park in Gongabu, Kathmandu. The buses usually leave by 9am in the morning. 

Get a ticket for Bhairahawa at the ticket booth and make sure you have the seat assigned. You shouldn't have to pay more than Rs.1000 on a ticket. This is for an AC bus.

This website also claims to have a real time bus ticket booking service. In my trial run, it seemed to work. Give it a try. Otherwise head to the bus park. Plan on getting there couple of hours early before the departure.

It might be a good idea to let the bus staff know that you're going to the Tiger casino resort, which is about five kilometers ahead of Bhairahawa bus station. May be save few bucks on a taxi fare.

Otherwise, just get off the bus in Bhairahawa and take a taxi back to the resort. The reason I say this is because, I don't know, if you can get a taxi midway between Bhairahawa and the casino, to reach the casino. As you might expect, the casino is two kilometers in from the point in highway where your AC bus will stop. If you don't want to walk 2 kilometers after 8-9 hours of bus ride, go to Bhairahawa and take a taxi back. 

(the availability of taxi might change in the future).

There you have it...

Mainly two ways to get from Kathmandu to Tiger Casino resort. Nepal is landlocked, and the rivers are a bit dangerous, so obviously no water option to get from point A to point B.