Bhutan Transportation

At present, no train is operated in Bhutan. Travelers who want to visit there can either travel by air or road, but the best way should be by flight. After getting there, tourists can travel around by cars or taxis.
  Paro International Airport is the only international airport in the country. It merely opens direct flights to/from Delhi, Guwahati, Calcutta, and Mumbai in India, Kathmandu in Nepal, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Bangkok in Thailand, and Singapore. Druk Air monopolized the flights before, but Bhutan Airlines now also operates flights linking Paro and Delhi, Calcutta, Kathmandu, and Bangkok, giving tourists more choices. Generally, flights operated by Bhutan Airlines cost less than Druk Air.

Tourists can book flight tickets through travel agencies or on the websites of the two airlines. Please note that tourists are advised to book through travel agencies if they may change or cancel tickets later.

Advantages and disadvantages of flying from Bangkok:
Flights are available every day, but it is not suitable for those who are pressed for time as it takes 3.5 hours for this journey. Besides, flight tickets may be more expensive than flying from Kathmandu.

Pros and cons of flying from Kathmandu:
Flights tickets may cost less, which is a preferable choice for budget travelers. The duration is relatively short, 45 minutes or so. This air line is more beautiful because tourists can overlook the snow mountains along the Himalayas Ranges. Yet flights may not be available in time, so it may cause inconvenience for those who travel in a hurry.

When flying from Kathmandu or Delhi on a sunny day, tourists are advised to sit on a seat by the left window to see Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga. For the same purpose, they are advised to sit by the right window when flying from Bangkok.

There is no road to enter Bhutan from Tibet. One can only go to the country from India via two land ports.

One is Phuntsholing in southwest Bhutan, which is contiguous to West Bengal in India. Tourists can go to Calcutta and Darjeeling in West Bengal first, and then take buses to Jaigon, a border town in India. From there, they can go to the western and central part of Bhutan. However, tourists need to get Bhutanese visa in advance; otherwise, they won't be allowed to leave.

Another land port is Samdrup Jongkhar in southeast part of Bhutan, which is adjacent to Assam of India. From here, tourists can go to the eastern part of Bhutan. Generally, tourists can fly first to Guwahati, the capital city of Assam, and then take buses to Samdrup Jongkhar and then take a 3-hour bus ride to the port.

At present, trains and public transport are unavailable in the country. Only a few domestic flights are operated every week. Due to lack of passengers and bad weather, the flights may be delayed or canceled occasionally. Coaches are the main transportation tool to travel inside the country as many counties and towns can be reached by road. However, most roads are twisting because of the geographic features. Meandering roads make it not that easy to travel around. A half day may be needed to travel between two cities with a short distance. Visitors even need to travel on foot in remote areas. Tourists are advised to take some carsick medicine for unexpected needs.

Tourists can take taxis to travel around, but taxis there are seldom metered. They need to discuss the price with the taxi driver before taking taxis.

Visitors can rent a car or bicycle to travel around. There are many bicycle rental companies in Thimphu.