Preparing your trip to Nepal and flying to Kathmandu and wondering if you can buy a tourist sim card at the airport? Don't let high roaming charges or slow overseas data roaming plans ruin your trip.
This is a complete guide with everything you need to know before buying a sim card at Kathmandu Airport in 2025.
Buying a sim card at Kathmandu Airport is easy, simple and quick. Find out where to buy a sim card, up to date prices as per January 2025, info about eSIMs for Nepal and more.
When traveling to Nepal I always used to buy a sim card at Kathmandu Airport. Nowadays I use eSIMs but just 1 GB data for the first day to get around and may be buying a sim card at a phone store in Kathmandu city center. Depends how I feel and what time I arrive.
Traveltomtom also wrote a complete guide on how to buy a prepaid sim card in Nepal as well as a comparison of the best eSIMs for Nepal in 2025.
Table of Contents
- My recommendation
- Arriving at Kathmandu Airport
- Where to buy a sim card at Kathmandu Airport
- Sim card registration form
- Prices Nepal sim card at Kathmandu Airport
- Best Nepal sim card at Kathmandu Airport in 2025
- Best eSIMs for Nepal
- Visa on arrival Kathmandu Airport
- How to get from Kathmandu Airport to the city
Some links in this article about the best sim cards for traveling to Kathmandu are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I will earn a small commission. This is at absolutely no extra cost to you.
My recommendation
Prepaid sim cards for tourists are cheap in Nepal and at Kathmandu Airport you can easily get a tourist sim card straight on arrival. There are super friendly people to help you and make sure that everything works on your phone.
Just to get through the first hour I always buy a 1 GB data eSIM for Nepal via SimOptions for just $4.5 USD so I can be online as soon as the plane lands and start arranging logistics.
For more eSIMs plans check out my guide with the best eSIMs for traveling to Nepal in 2025.
You can also buy a sim card in Kathmandu city center. Similar prices, may be a dollar cheaper but not worth the hassle. Check out my guide on how to buy a prepaid sim card in Nepal in 2025.
You can also look into travel sim cards for Asia in 2025 if you are traveling onwards to other countries in the region.
Why buying a sim card for Nepal
Stay connected and don't rely on WiFi in Kathmandu. WiFi in Nepal is pretty weak and not reliable. Don't expect bars, restaurants, hotels and guesthouses all to offer free WiFi. Some do but the WiFi speed is often just ok!
Having data on your phone is the best way to kill long bus rides, waiting in traffic, getting directions from Google Maps, staying in touch with friends, emergencies, check banking apps, etc. It makes life much easier and therefore traveling in Nepal much more fun.
Personally I can't deal with slow internet anymore, so getting yourself a tourist sim card at Kathmandu Airport or ordering an eSIM for Nepal on the internet will solve a lot problems. Traveltomtom recommends SimOptions the most for ordering an eSIM for Nepal. Airalo is a good alternative.
Getting connected to the internet is one of the first things I do when I arrive to a new country. As a professional travel blogger I am constantly updating my social media channels and I don't want to rely on slow WiFi.
As Traveltomtom is on a journey to visit every country in the world I constantly get to new places and since I like to document all my travel tips you can already find more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all over the world: Asia, Europe, USA, Austria, Italy, Europe, London, Paris, Rome, New York, Canada, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Philippines, Mexico and many more.
So next time you are planning your adventure abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and eSIM advice for your next holiday destination. Bookmark me!
Interested in trekking in Nepal? Read my travel blogs about Langtang Valley, Poonhill, etc. But what you should definitely read now that you are about to travel to Kathmandu is my Nepal street food tour in Kathmandu. So much recommended! Yummy food, hidden courtyards, unknown food stalls and so much fun. Here is also a Nepal packing list for you.
Traveling to several countries on your trip to Asia then have a look at buying an international sim card that is valid in for example all of Asia. Check out my guide with a comparison of the best travel sim cards in 2025.
Arriving at Kathmandu Airport
Be prepared for a little chaos when arriving at Kathmandu Airport. This is not the newest airport and everything is not that well organized. There is only one international arrival hall and baggage claim so that makes things easier. In the baggage hall you will already see advertisement for buying a tourist sim card for Nepal.
Where to buy a sim card at Kathmandu Airport
It might all seem a bit chaotic, but in the baggage hall, after you collect your luggage it is easy to find a Nepal sim card shop. In 2025 there are now sim card stores inside the terminal. You can not miss the signs, see the photo above.
When walking out of the baggage hall and you walk through the last customs bag check there is a sliding door to a covered outside area. On your right hand side you will see another Nepal Telecom and an Ncell shop next two each other.
There are only two mobile internet operators in Nepal: Ncell and Nepal Telecom. Nepal Telecom is sometimes also referred to as an NTC Namaste sim cards.
Sim card registration form
To buy a tourist sim card in Nepal you need to fill out a whole form and you also need a passport photo and of course your passport. Don't worry in case you don't have a passport photo on you they will take one for you for 50 NRS ($0.40) at the shop itself.
You will also need to bring Nepalese Rupees. USD and Euros are not accepted. However, the easiest way to pay for your new Nepal sim card is to use your international credit card. Visa and Mastercard are accepted in 2025.
Also great is that the sim card shops at Kathmandu Airport are open for every incoming international flight from early morning till after midnight.
Prices Nepal sim card at Kathmandu Airport
All info and prices are updated in January 2025. Prices are in Nepalese Rupees: $1 USD = 138 NPR and 1 NPR = $0.72 USD.
As per 2025 you can now also get an eSIM for tourists at Kathmandu Airport as well as physical prepaid sim cards.
Nepal Telecom
As mentioned before you can get a free Nepal Telecom sim card at Kathmandu Airport. Just go to the NTC counter, fill out the form and you will receive one. The sim card does not come with any credit though.
At Kathmandu Airport you can buy the following Nepal Telecom data packages:
- 1 GB per day for 7 days + 60 minutes = 500 NRS - $3.6 USD
- 1 GB per day for 28 days + 100 minutes = 1,200 NRS - $8.7 USD
- 4.5 GB data for 28 days + 60 minutes = 700 NRS - $5.1 USD
- 12 GB data for 42 days + 60 minutes = 1,200 NRS - $8.7 USD
Which Nepal Telecom data package is the best for you depends on the length of your stay.
Ncell
An Ncell Nepal sim card at Kathmandu Airport cost 110 NRS ($1.2 USD) and can be bought after you fill out their registration form. For tourists there are a wide array of prepaid sim cards plans and data packages available:
- 10 GB data for 7 days + 40 minutes = 500 NRS - $3.6 USD
- 20 GB data for 15 days + 40 minutes = 700 NRS - $5.1 USD
- 28 GB data for 28 days + 280 minutes = 1200 NRS - $8.7 USD
- 40 GB data for 30 days + 80 minutes = 1300 NRS - $9.4 USD
- 30 GB data for 60 days + 40 minutes = 1700 NRS - $12.3 USD
- 50 GB data for 90 days + 40 minutes = 2200 NRS - $15.9 USD
Ncell Nepal has a little more variation plus they don't limit your usage to 1 GB a day.
Best Nepal sim card at Kathmandu Airport in 2025
It is hard to determine the best Nepal sim card at Kathmandu Airport as it totally depends on the length of your stay. If you for example stay 7 days only, then a Nepal Telecom sim card is $1 cheaper, but they limit your data usage to 1 GB per day. Personally I would not want that restriction for just $1 difference.
For longer stays a Nepal Telecom (NTC Namaste) is significantly cheaper and is more value for money, but again it comes with a limited 1GB per day restriction.
In all honesty it is hard to decide which is the the best sim card for tourists at Kathmandu Airport in 2025!
Another important factor to determine what is the best sim card at Kathmandu Airport is to consider the mobile data network coverage maps for Nepal in 2025.
In some areas there is only a Nepal Telecom signal available, some areas only have an Ncell signal. For example I did the Langtang Valley Trekking for 10 days and there was only a Nepal Telecom signal available.
For a complete overview of the 4G/LTE network coverage in Nepal check out my article about the best tourist sim card in Nepal in 2025.
My advice for buying a sim card for Nepal in 2025 is to buy a sim card from both operators, especially if you have two sim card slots. But that is only for those who need to be online at all times.
Going offline is the charm of traveling to Nepal!
Best eSIMs for Nepal
The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Nepal in 2025 is an eSIM for Nepal. You can arrange everything online and no more swapping physical sim cards or visiting a sim card shop in Nepal.
You order an eSIM for Nepal on the internet, you receive a QR code, scan it, follow the simple steps and within less than 2 minutes you have a Nepal eSIM installed on your phone.
Upon arrival in Kathmandu it automatically connects you to an available network and you enjoy data on your phone pretty much when the plane lands.
For more info check out Traveltomtom's guide with everything you need to know before ordering an eSIM for Nepal.
Here are some recommendations.
Airhub
Airhub is a marketplace for eSIMs meaning they sell a lot of different eSIM plans from multiple providers. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming. The Traveltomtom Team wrote an extensive Airhub review for more info on how Airhub eSIMs work.
For Nepal Airhub only has 3 eSIM plans:
- 4 GB data for 30 days = $10 USD
- 7 GB data for 30 days = $16.5 USD
- 12 GB data for 30 days = $28 USD
Click here for more info or to order an eSIM for Nepal via Airhub.
Airhub has some truly amazing data-only eSIMs for Nepal. The Airhub eSIMs operate on the 4G/LTE Ncell network. These Airhub eSIMs are data-only and incoming or outgoing calls or sms are not supported.
SimOptions
SimOptions is another very reputed eSIM provider that is very much recommended by Traveltomtom. Ordering your tourist eSIM for Nepal through SimOptions is done fast and easy. Check out our full SimOptions review for more detailed info.
Here are the Nepal eSIMs deals from SimOptions:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $9.90 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $14.90 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $44.90 USD
- 30 GB data for 30 days = $69.90 USD
- 50 GB data for 60 days = $99.90 USD
Click here to order an eSIM for Nepal via SimOptions.
The SimOptions Nepal eSIMs are data-only and do not come with a phone number. Incoming and outgoing calls/sms are not supported. SimOptions does not specify on which network their eSIMs operate in Nepal.
Airalo
Airalo is a trusted eSIM provider that sells eSIMs for pretty much every country in the world. Unfortunately for Nepal they only have 1 eSIM plan for 2025:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $9.5 USD
Click here for more info or to order a Nepal eSIM via Airalo.
The data-only eSIM from Airalo operates on the 4G/LTE mobile data network of Ncell.
Make sure your phone is eSIM compatible before ordering an eSIM for Nepal.
For more eSIM plans for Nepal check out my comparison of the best eSIMs for traveling to Nepal in 2025.
Visa on arrival Kathmandu Airport
If you are eligible for a visa on arrival then there is nothing to worry about because as soon as you land you will be directed to one of the many visa machines. You fill out all the required information, print out your visa entry receipt and head to the cashier.
Depending on the length of your stay you pay between $25 USD and $100 USD. You can pay in Euros too. There is an ATM next to the cashier, but it charges $5 USD extra to withdraw Nepalese Rupees.
On the visa entry receipt they already mention that a Nepal sim card is available after the custom counter! :)
How to get from Kathmandu Airport to the city
Nepal is one of the cheapest countries in the world to travel and therefore there is no need to tell you all the possible ways to get to the city. It is really simple: just grab a taxi. The taxis in Kathmandu all have a meter but as you can guess it is hard to find one who wants to use that meter. Ask around you might be lucky!
A normal fair from KTM airport to Thamel (the popular tourist district) is around 1,000 - 1,400 NRS ($7 - $10 USD).
There's no Uber yet in Nepal, but there are some alternatives. Bike sharing apps are popular. Those are handy, but not from and to the airport of course. Download Tootle and Pathao for bike sharing apps and Sarathi for taxis, but this last one doesn't really work.
Don't forget to check out the Kathmandu food tour and get to try the best Nepal street food. Or check here all my Nepal travel blogs.
I hope the above tips for buying a sim card at Kathmandu Airport were handy. Please return the favor and help me by sharing it on Facebook, tweet it on X or pin it on Pinterest. I will be forever thankful!
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of January 2025 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Nepal!