Drivers who have been using the Nagdhunga-Sisnekhola tunnel for free now have to pay. Toll collection began on November 1, 2026, ending the free-access period that followed the tunnel’s opening to private vehicles on a trial basis on August 24.
The rate depends on the vehicle and on the direction of travel.
Cars, vans, pickups, tractors, microbuses and other light vehicles pay Rs 65 going into Kathmandu and Rs 60 coming out. Minibuses and mini tipper trucks pay Rs 115 in and Rs 80 out. Buses and single-rear-axle trucks pay Rs 260 in and Rs 200 out. Multi-axle trucks, other multi-axle vehicles and heavy equipment pay the most, at Rs 600 in and Rs 250 out.
A car making a return trip in one day pays Rs 125 in total.
How to pay
For now, drivers can pay by cash or QR code.
The project plans to add RFID cards and tags for automatic payment. In a July description of the longer-term system, Road Board Nepal’s executive director Ganesh Bahadur KC said regular users would have an electronic N-Tag linked to a bank account, with RFID stickers on windscreens, automatic deductions and a deposit of up to Rs 2,000. Occasional users without tags could pay by QR code and Fonepay.
The company that operates the tunnel collects the tolls and deposits them in Road Board Nepal’s account. The Road Board and the Department of Roads oversee the process.
About the tunnel
The tunnel links the Kathmandu Valley with Sisnekhola in Dhading.
The main tunnel is about 2.688 km long, and a separate emergency tunnel beside it is about 2.557 km. It is Nepal’s first major road tunnel.
Before it opened, the project estimated that the trip between Sisnekhola and Balambhu on the old road took about 33 minutes towards Kathmandu and 23 minutes the other way, and that the tunnel could cut it to about seven.
Construction began on October 21, 2019, with a planned 42 months.
Delays came from the Covid-19 pandemic, local obstructions, compensation disputes, unexpected ground conditions and a major slope failure on the western side after heavy rain.
The tunnel opened to private vehicles on August 24, 2026, and a completion ceremony was held on July 27, 2026.
Who built and runs it
Japan’s Hazama Ando Corporation built it.
The Japanese Embassy said the project used about 22.3 billion yen in Japanese development loans, around Rs 21.2 billion.
A five-year operation and maintenance contract went to Yusin–ART JV, a joint venture between China’s Yusin and Nepal’s ART. It is responsible for maintenance, traffic management, emergency response, toll collection and about 2.8 km of approach roads, with about 150 staff. Hazama Ando is reported to remain responsible for fixing construction defects for one year after handover.
Who can use it
Pedestrians, motorcycles, three-wheelers and non-motorised vehicles are not allowed in.
Vehicles carrying petrol, diesel, LPG or other highly flammable or explosive goods must stay on the old Nagdhunga road.
During the trial, the rules were a 40 km/h speed limit, headlights on, and no overtaking or stopping inside. CCTV monitors the tunnel.
What it could mean business
Heavy goods vehicles entering Kathmandu face the Rs 600 charge, which freight companies will weigh against time and operating costs saved. A shorter route could help move goods between Kathmandu and western Nepal, but the benefit depends on traffic, reliability and maintenance.
