Bhutan Getting Around

By AirGetting Around by Air

There are no domestic airline routes within Bhutan.

By CarGetting Around by Road

Traffic drives on the left. The country has a fairly good internal road network with well over 3,000km (1,800 miles) of surfaced road. The average speed is less than 40kph (25mph). The main routes run north from Phuentsholing to the western regions of Paro and Thimphu, and west-east, across the Pele La Pass and Thrumshing La Pass to the central valleys and eastern regions. The northern regions of the High Himalayas have no roads. Tour operators will arrange all internal travel for tourists, which will usually be by road.

Bus: Buses are often crowded and journeys slow due to the mountainous terrain. Yaks, ponies and mules are still a main form of transportation in remote areas. The main routes are from Phuentsholing to Thimphu, Thimphu to Bumthang, Bumthang to Tashigang, Tashigang to Samdrup Jongkar and from Tongsa to Gaylegphug but as a rule, local buses are not for tourists.

Travel TimesJourney Times

The following chart gives approximate journey times (in hours and minutes) from Thimphu to other major towns in the country.

Road
Paro1.00
P’sholing6.00
Punakha3.00
Bumthang10.00
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