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Vehicles using the Nagdhunga Tunnel are scheduled to begin paying road usage fees from Sunday, November 1, according to a public notice announced by the Nagdhunga Tunnel Construction Project. Road Board Nepal’s official notice board listed a new entry titled Toll Collection at Nagdhunga Tunnel on October 29. Same-day reports from OnlineKhabar, Khabarhub and Setopati also identified November 1 as the effective date.
The charges follow a September 28 decision by the Road Board Nepal executive committee and toll rates previously published in the Nepal Gazette. No daily start time was specified in the reports reviewed, so November 1 should be treated as the implementation date rather than an announced hour for the first collection. The change moves the tunnel from its free trial phase toward regular toll-supported operation.
The fee varies by vehicle class and direction. Cars, vans, pickups, tractors, microbuses and other light vehicles will pay Rs 65 when travelling toward Kathmandu and Rs 60 when leaving the capital. Minibuses and mini tippers or trucks will pay Rs 115 toward Kathmandu and Rs 80 in the opposite direction. Buses and trucks will be charged Rs 260 inbound and Rs 200 outbound.
Multi-axle trucks, heavy vehicles and vehicles carrying heavy equipment face the highest rate: Rs 600 when entering Kathmandu and Rs 250 when leaving. These figures match OnlineKhabar’s October 29 report and the toll structure previously described when the tunnel opened. Drivers should note that the direction of travel matters, so the two amounts in each category are not competing reports of a single flat fee.
The toll announcement does not change the tunnel’s basic traffic restrictions. Kathmandu Post reporting from the trial opening said pedestrians, motorcycles and vehicles carrying flammable materials such as petrol and diesel are prohibited. Vehicles using the tunnel were instructed to keep headlights on, stay within a 40 kilometre per hour speed limit, avoid overtaking and not stop inside.
Those rules were introduced as authorities began controlled operations and monitored traffic through the tunnel’s safety and CCTV systems. The November fee notice concerns payment for eligible vehicles; it should not be interpreted as permission for every type of road user or cargo to enter the tunnel.
Nepal’s first major modern road tunnel was inaugurated on July 27 before broader private-vehicle trial operations began in August. The main Nagdhunga to Sisnekhola tunnel is about 2.68 kilometres long and has a separate emergency tunnel running alongside it. During the trial period, private vehicles were allowed to pass without paying while officials evaluated operating conditions and driver feedback.
The toll schedule had already been published earlier in 2026, but the October 29 notice provides the key new information for road users: when collection will actually begin. The official Road Board download page continues to list the Nepal Gazette document containing the approved rate structure.
Analysis: the November 1 change is operationally important because it affects routine travel through one of the main road approaches to Kathmandu and ends the no-fee phase for eligible vehicles. The most useful public information is therefore practical and precise: confirm the vehicle class, check whether the journey is toward or away from Kathmandu, and follow the tunnel’s safety restrictions.
Reports that use a different calendar conversion should be checked against the October 29 Road Board notice and the project’s stated November 1 date. The announcement does not establish that every vehicle may use the route, nor does it remove the existing safety controls. For regular users, the core change is the beginning of direction based toll collection after months of trial operation.
Source publication date: 2026-10-29; official toll-rate notice published 2026-04-09; tunnel operations background published 2026-07-27 and 2026-08-24. Event or reporting period: 2026-11-01.
Sources:Road Board Nepal official notice board, October 29, 2026; commencement notice for Nagdhunga Tunnel toll collection · Road Board Nepal official downloads, April 9, 2026; Nepal Gazette toll rate document · Nepal Department of Roads, checked October 29, 2026; Nagdhunga Tunnel toll-rate and operating-guideline notices · OnlineKhabar, October 29, 2026; November 1 effective date, vehicle categories, direction based rates and original featured photograph · Khabarhub, October 29, 2026 at 11:56 am NPT; project notice, implementation date and vehicle rates · Setopati, October 29, 2026 at 11:44 am NPT; independent confirmation of the start date and fee categories · The Kathmandu Post, August 24, 2026; trial operation, safety rules, tunnel dimensions and toll background · Radio Nepal, July 27, 2026; inauguration, free testing phase, eligible vehicles and operating context
Source: GPT News Feed
