inDrive Runs Free Fan Shuttle for NPL Fans at Kirtipur

Getting to the TU Ground is now part of the Nepal Premier League experience itself. inDrive, the league's official ride-hailing partner, is running a free fan shuttle inside the ground complex and a full set of match-day activities for spectators.

Free shuttle from Gate 2

inDrive has become the official ride-hailing partner of the third edition of the Nepal Premier League, and the most useful part of the deal for supporters is already running. Fans can use the inDrive app to travel to and from the stadium during the tournament, which runs from October 26 to November 21, 2026, at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

To make stadium access more convenient, inDrive has also introduced a free fan shuttle service at the ground. During the service, spectators are transported from the inDrive pickup station near Gate 2 to their designated entry gates. It is a small detail that solves a real problem: the TU campus is large, the gates are spread out, and thousands of fans arriving at once can turn the last few hundred metres into the longest part of the journey.

The distinction matters for planning. The shuttle is a last-mile service inside the ground complex, not a free bus from downtown Kathmandu. Supporters heading to a match should still arrange their ride to Kirtipur, and they can check tickets and the NPL schedule before setting out, especially on double-header days when two crowds arrive hours apart.

Match-day activities for spectators

Alongside transport, inDrive is running several activities to improve the match-day experience. The company's activation stalls at the stadium offer free slogan cards, cheering sticks and face stickers. Visitors can also take photographs with the inDrive mascot, take part in fun games and get opportunities to win daily prizes.

One enthusiastic spectator will also be selected through the stadium camera during each match as the Cool Fan of the Match, with special gift hampers from inDrive for the winner. It is a simple idea, and it works because it rewards exactly what a T20 crowd already does: dress up, make noise and stay until the end.

For fans who cannot make it to Kirtipur, the tournament remains available through streaming coverage and the live scores pages, while the fan guide sets out entry, transit and gate information for those going in person. The ticket and fan guide is worth a read before a first visit, because entry rules and gate timings have already caught some supporters out this season.

Drivers at the centre of the plan

The partnership is not only aimed at fans. Sunita Jeemi Rai, Senior Driver Operations Specialist at inDrive Nepal, has explained how the company is steering its driver community toward the tournament. She said: "Our partnership with NPL is a significant collaboration for us. It increases earning opportunities for drivers by directing them toward areas with the highest demand."

That demand is concentrated. Rai said: "At the moment, the 3-kilometer radius around the NPL venue is the busiest zone in Kathmandu." Drivers are encouraged to move toward those hotspots and are offered in-app bonuses, such as reduced service fees, along with a real-time demand map, in-house training on demand patterns and daily notifications about high-demand areas.

There are also weekly performance-based incentives, with trip targets that earn bonus points to pay service fees, and the Platinum Driver Giveaway, whose grand prizes are a Tata Xpres-T EV for car drivers and a TVS Raider motorcycle for motorbike riders, plus weekly prizes for 1,500 drivers. On safety, Rai said: "Driver safety is our first priority." The app carries a 24/7 emergency button, a shield icon for support and direct contact with local emergency services, and it monitors rides for irregularities, prompting drivers to confirm their safety if a vehicle stops unexpectedly.

What the shuttle deal means for the league

Start with the practical effect. A cricket ground on a university campus, with limited parking and narrow approach roads, lives or dies on how easily fans can get in and out. Saturday's washout already showed the cost of a wasted journey: supporters who travelled for matches that never happened needed ticket refunds, and every future trip will be judged against that frustration. A free last-mile shuttle does not fix the weather, but it removes one more reason for a fan to decide the trip is not worth it.

Then there is the commercial signal. Sponsorship in a young league is usually measured in logos on shirts and boards, but inDrive's deal is measured in something fans actually use: a ride, a shuttle, a free sticker, a photo with a mascot. That kind of activation is harder to run than a logo deal and easier for supporters to remember. It sits alongside other Season 3 partnerships, including the health partnership announced for the league, and together they suggest the NPL is moving from selling visibility to selling match-day experiences.

The driver angle is the part most coverage misses. A 3-kilometre hotspot around Kirtipur, with bonuses, demand maps and a prize giveaway, turns a cricket tournament into a fortnight of extra earnings for hundreds of drivers, and the VIP viewing invitations for drivers and their families show a company trying to keep those drivers loyal after the final on November 21. For the league, that matters too: a tournament that fills the ground needs drivers willing to go to Kirtipur at 5pm and wait for the crowd to leave at night, and incentives are what make that happen.

The honest caveat is that none of this is free travel. The shuttle from Gate 2 is free, the stalls are free, but the ride to Kirtipur itself is a normal inDrive trip with a negotiated fare. Supporters should treat the deal for what it is: a smoother arrival, a livelier ground, and a better chance of getting home afterwards, on days like Monday's double-header when the ground hosts two matches in one day. That is a modest promise, and it is one the league can actually keep.