The city has no metro or light rail system, and buses are crowded and slow. The most practical way to get around is by taxi — metered taxis are available throughout the city; insist on the meter or agree a price before getting in. Ride-hailing apps (Pathao and InDrive both operate in Kathmandu) are cheaper and more transparent than hailing off the street.
For the old city and Thamel, walking is often fastest — Durbar Square, Asan, Indra Chowk, and the main Thamel area are all within comfortable walking distance of each other. The streets are narrow and traffic jams are constant, so for short journeys in the centre, your feet beat any vehicle. Electric rickshaws serve some inner-city routes.
For Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and other eastern sites, a taxi for the day (NPR 3,000–5,000, roughly $25–40) makes the most sense and can cover several monuments in one trip. Swayambhunath to the west is a 20–30 minute walk from Thamel or a short taxi ride. Day trip tours to Bhaktapur, Patan, Nagarkot, or Dhulikhel are easiest arranged through any guesthouse or trekking agency.