Your main options
Tourist buses run on some of the most popular routes and are usually more comfortable than local buses, with fewer stops. Local buses and microbuses go almost everywhere and cost less, but they stop often and can be crowded. On rougher rural roads, shared jeeps are common.
A private car or jeep with a driver costs more but gives you control over start times and stops, which is especially helpful with luggage, children or a tight schedule. Agree the route, any stops and the full price before you set off. Domestic flights can save a long day on the road between some cities.
Why journeys take time
Hill roads wind constantly, and highways pass through towns, markets and busy junctions. Roadworks are common. In the monsoon, roughly June to September, landslides can block roads for hours, and in the dry months dust and heavy traffic slow things down.
As a guide, Tansen is roughly four to five hours from Pokhara, one and a half to two hours from Butwal and around three hours from Lumbini, while Kathmandu is a full day away. Treat these as estimates, not timetables. Our Kathmandu to Tansen guide shows how the longer journeys can be broken up.
Making it comfortable
Travel in daylight where you can. Carry water, snacks, tissues and a light layer, since vehicles can be cool in the hills and hot on the plains. If you get motion sick, sit near the front and look ahead. Keep your passport, money and phone with you rather than in luggage stored on a roof or in a hold.
Build rest days between long journeys. One or two nights in a quiet place such as Tansen makes a road-based trip feel far less tiring.
Asking locally
Conditions change quickly, so ask your hosts or a local driver about the road the day before you travel. If you are staying at Bulbul, the hosts can tell you how the Bartung–Tansen Road and the highway have been recently. See also monsoon travel in Nepal.