India, Nepal to start Varanasi-Kathmandu bus service from Thursday

KATHMANDU: India and Nepal are launching a direct bus service between Varanasi and Kathmandu from Thursday, linking the two prominent cities -- home to Pashupatinath and Kashi Vishwanath temples.

This will be the second direct bus service between Nepal and India after the Kathmandu-Delhi bus service launched last year.

On the sidelines of the 18th SAARC Summit in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart Sushil Koirala had flagged off the Kathmandu-Delhi direct bus service.

The new bus service will promote religious tourism on both sides as people of Varanasi and Kathmandu can easily travel between the two cities, said Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure.

The Varanasi-Kathmandu bus service will be jointly flagged off on Thursday morning from Dasharath Stadium here by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation Bimalendra Nidhi, Joint Secretary in the Indian Road Transport and Highways Ministry, Sanjay Bandopadhyay and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae.

Two modern 35-seater air-conditioned coaches will ply daily from both sides, according to officials.

There is also a plan to start a third bus service linking Patna and Kathmandu, officials said.