By air: the nearest airport is Gautam Buddha International Airport at Bhairahawa (Siddharthanagar), 22 kilometres east of Lumbini. It now handles a few international flights from Indian cities, Kuala Lumpur, and a regular domestic route from Kathmandu. Taxis from the airport to Lumbini cost a fixed fee; the drive is under 40 minutes.
By road from Kathmandu: the journey via the Prithvi Highway and the Siddhartha Highway is around 280 kilometres and takes a hard 8–10 hours by bus or jeep. The road climbs over the Mahabharat range and descends to the Terai. Tourist buses go overnight; jeeps and microvans are faster in daylight.
By road from India: the main crossing is at Sonauli, a short rickshaw ride from the Indian border post and an hour from Lumbini by bus or taxi. Sonauli connects by overnight bus to Gorakhpur and Varanasi.
By road from Pokhara: easier than from Kathmandu, around 5–6 hours by direct tourist bus.