Thimphu: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Thimphu is the capital of Bhutan (Thimphu District), 2,307 m (7,569 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Paro International Airport (PBH), 23 km (14 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Thimphu runs from about 10 h 27 min a day in late December to 13 h 55 min in late June (computed for 27.47° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Thimphu is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Paro International Airport (PBH), 23 km (14 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 7,431 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Thimphu: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Thimphu · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Gazipur, 393 km (Bangladesh) — flights · buses · car rental
- Rangpur, 195 km (Bangladesh) — buses · car rental · tours
- Guwahati, 253 km (India) — buses · car rental · tours
- Lhasa, 282 km (China)
- Rajshahi, 359 km (Bangladesh)
- Mohammadpur, 306 km (Bangladesh)
- Siliguri, 147 km (India) — buses · car rental · tours
- Chéngguān Qū, 278 km (China)
- Bhāgalpur, 363 km (India)
- Shibganj, 276 km (Bangladesh) — tours
Common questions
Which airport serves Thimphu?
Paro International Airport (PBH), 23 km (14 mi) from the centre.
How big is Thimphu?
About 98,676 people live in Thimphu, across 27 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Thimphu in?
Asia/Thimphu, currently UTC+6.
What currency is used in Thimphu?
The Ngultrum (BTN). Traffic drives on the left.
Which cities are near Thimphu?
Gazipur (393 km), Rangpur (195 km), Guwahati (253 km), Lhasa (282 km), Rajshahi (359 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.