Himalaya Airlines to add new route in China, resume another
Dhaka: Nepal's Himalaya Airlines is set to launch a new direct route between Kathmandu and Hangzhou later this month, while also resuming its direct Kathmandu–Shanghai service, marking a fresh push to strengthen air connectivity between Nepal and China.
Hangzhou service begins September 30
The airline will operate its inaugural Kathmandu–Hangzhou flight on September 30, becoming the first and only carrier in history to run a direct scheduled service on the route.
The Kathmandu–Hangzhou sector will connect Nepal's capital with the capital of China's Zhejiang province, a city known for its cultural heritage and three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the West Lake Cultural Landscape, the Grand Canal, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City.
Himalaya Airlines will initially fly the route twice weekly. The outbound flight, H9225, will depart Kathmandu every Wednesday and Sunday at 5:15 pm, arriving in Hangzhou at 1:05 am the following day.
The return flight, H9226, will depart Hangzhou every Monday and Thursday at 2:05 am and land in Kathmandu at 6:20 am the same day.
The airline said frequency could be increased later depending on passenger demand and load factors.
The new route forms part of Himalaya Airlines' broader strategy to establish direct connections to ten major tourism and economic hubs across China, with a long-term goal of bringing one million Chinese tourists to Nepal.
Shanghai flights resume September 28
Separately, Himalaya Airlines will resume its direct Kathmandu–Shanghai service on September 28, once again becoming the only airline offering a direct scheduled flight on that sector.
The Shanghai route will link Kathmandu with China's largest city and a leading global financial center, reopening a corridor the airline described as strategically significant for Nepal–China relations.
The service will run twice weekly at the outset, with outbound flights from Kathmandu on Mondays and Fridays and return flights from Shanghai on Tuesdays and Saturdays. As with the Hangzhou route, frequency may be adjusted based on demand.
Boost expected for tourism season
Both routes begin at the start of Nepal's peak autumn tourism season, and the airline expects them to support inbound tourism and the hospitality sector as the country pursues broader economic recovery.
Vijay Shrestha, Vice-President of Himalaya Airlines, said the carrier has consistently pioneered new routes to China ahead of conventional market trends and has long sought to serve as a bridge for trade, tourism, and people-to-people ties between the two nations.
He described both the Hangzhou launch and the Shanghai resumption as a reflection of that ongoing commitment, aimed at connecting culturally and economically significant cities while creating memorable travel experiences.
Shrestha added that the airline looks forward to welcoming passengers on board both routes and facilitating the discovery of the beauty and opportunities Nepal and China have to offer, while upholding high standards of safety and service quality.
