Kathmandu's new bus routes begin service, with real-time tracking

Three new bus routes began operating across Kathmandu valley this week, each with GPS tracking and a published timetable that passengers can check before leaving home.

It is a modest change in scale and a significant one in kind: for most valley residents, public transport has never come with a schedule that could be relied upon.

How it works

Each vehicle transmits its position, and the arrival estimate updates on a public map. Stops have been fixed and marked, replacing the practice of halting wherever a passenger waves.

What happens next

Officials say the routes are a pilot, and that extending the model depends on whether operators find the fixed-timetable arrangement financially workable.

Commuters interviewed at the terminal were cautiously positive, with several noting that reliability matters more to them than fares.