For Drivers

Transportation in Georgia

Transportation in Georgia

In Georgia traffic moves on the right side, like in EU
 

Useful Websites

In General, Google Maps provides full information about public transport routes and schedules all over Tbilisi. Using it is highly recommended. You provide your location and destination and go to directions where the app will list for you possible transportation options.
 
– Tbilisi Transport Company – Tbilisi bus schedules, live location, routes and stops
– Georgian Railway – for intercity travel
 
Also, for rail tickets:
– tkt.ge 
These 2 websites provide tickets for all major events happening in Georgia, as well as Railway tickets with much more comfortable interface than the official Railway website.
 
 

Transportation In Tbilisi

Tickets & payment

All public transport in Tbilisi costs 1 Lari (1GEL – approx. 33 cents). To pay for the transport you need to place your Metromoney or bank card (VISA/MASTERCARD – including international cards but cost becomes slightly higher including transaction fee) on the payment devices installed in every vehicle. A single 1 lari payment grants you unlimited transfers for 90 minutes. 
So, after single payment, for 90 minutes you can change transport and directions for free (still you have to place the card on the device in every  new transport but it will not be charged). To buy the “ticket” for each ride you need to have a “Metromoney” card which can be obtained at any metro station cash desk for 2 GEL. The card can be charged with money at the same cash desk or at any “EXPRESS PAY” paybox (SSMs (Self Service Machine) orange cash machine which looks like an ATM but takes money instead of giving it ๐Ÿ™‚ To top up your Metromoney with these machines, place your card on the lower part of the machine [>>>] and follow the instructions on the screen.
Cash or change can’t be used in the transport but as mentioned above, all Georgian and international bank cards are accepted. 
The “Metromoney” as well as bank cards work for buses, subway, mini buses and even cable cars. 
You can also obtain annual or seasonal ride passes – for more info inquire at the subway cash desks. 
with those seasonal cards (only, not Metromoney) you can get following packages:
3GEL – Unlimited 1 day pass 
20GEL – Unlimited 1 weak pass 
40GEL – Unlimited 1 month pass 
100GEL- Unlimited 3 months pass
150GEL – 6 months
250GEL – 1 year
 

Ticket control

Tickets (whether the payment has been made on the special device) is randomly checked by controllers. The fine for not having a ticket is 20GEL.
 

General Info

– Sunday and holiday schedules of transport follow the same pattern but may be slightly lighter.
– Buses and minibuses stop only at specified bus stops.
– Most bus stops are equipped with a schedule monitor to see which buses are coming and when. Google Maps also provides very accurate schedules and routes. 
– In some central parts of the city public transport has its lanes and therefore avoids some of the traffic jams.
 

Payment Device

Top-up Device

Metromoney Card

Buses

Operating hours: roughly 06:00 โ€“ 00:00 (midnight)
Frequency: depends on the route
Central routes: every 7โ€“12 minutes
Outer districts: every 15โ€“25 minutes
Night buses: a few selected routes run 24/7, most notably on major corridors.

Some buses have interactive screens on board where you can see the current location and next stop. Announcements are made in Georgian and English. Buses usually stop at every stop so there is no need to push the Stop button.

Minibuses (Marshrutkas)

Operating hours: generally 07:00 โ€“ 22:00
Some busy routes may start earlier or run slightly later, but not by much.
Frequency:
Central routes: every 5โ€“10 minutes
Outer districts: every 15โ€“20 minutes
Minibuses do not operate overnight.

Minibuses also usually stop at every stop but in remote areas with no proper bus stop they might skip, in this case a passenger willing to get off needs to warn the driver verbally: โ€œAq gaacheretโ€ is the phrase used mostly and it means โ€œStop hereโ€.

Tbilisi Metro

Tbilisi Underground, called the Metro for โ€œMetropolitanโ€, has two lines and 23 stations.
It operates 06:00 โ€“ 00:00 and connects with most bus routes.
The two lines intersect at Station Square, where there is an underground interchange.
Metro stations are identified by the red “M” sign.
Fun fact: The most central Station โ€œRustaveliโ€ is decorated with granite stone inside and one of the columns has a prehistoric shell in it. See if you can find it.

Cost & operation hours for Cable Cars

Rike-Narikala cable car: 10:00-22:00/00:00(summer) – 2.5GEL
Rustavei-Mtatsminda cable car: 12:00-21:00 – 12 GEL (requires separate card – 2GEL)
The Tbilisi Funicular: 09:45 – 23:30 – 10GEL (requires same card as Mtatsminda – 2GEL)
Turtle Lake: 10:00-22:00 – 1GEL (+1GEL for the bike)
 

Taxi

Taxis are one of the best ways of getting around the immediate city, as they are cheap and numerous.
White taxi cars use special lanes for public transport and therefore sometimes avoid traffic jams.
Fares are very affordable, and should never cost more than a few USD.
Generally, taxis will be waiting outside of major public areas such as airports, train stations, bus stations, and large hotels.
The most popular means of ordering a taxi nowadays is an app.
Most popular apps are: Bolt, Yandex and Maxim. We recommend using Bolt exclusively.
Its slightly more expensive than others but much more reliable.
Alternatively, you can book a taxi by telephone with a local taxi firm or catch a cab directly on the street – less reliable option.

Bolt (Google play) Bolt (App store)

Scrolls and Scooters

Scroll is an eco-friendly electric scooter sharing service in Georgia.ย 
Its available in the biggest cities of Georgia: Tbilisi and Batumi through application Bird, yandex, etc. Each scooter has its detailed instructions attached on it.
To use scroll you’ll need to download their specialย  app like BIRD, Bolt or similar.
Find a Scroll near you, find attached instructions or a barcode to scan to get instructions and follow them – its easy.
Tap the button, unlock the scooter and start scrolling.ย 
You will use your bank card to pay for the service. The app will walk you through the whole process easily.
ย 

Bicycles

Bicycling is not a very popular means of transportation in Tbilisi since itโ€™s a very hilly city and so far there were no bike lanes and also air quality is not suitable for heavy workouts.
But with recent reforms (adding bike lanes to some parts of central streets) it now became half friendly city.ย 
More people have started using bicycle as main means of transportation.ย 
If you decide to be one of them please try to stick on bike lanes, for safety reasons.
ย 
ย 

Transportation To / From Airports

Tbilisi Airport

To get to or from Tbilisi airport you can use 2 options:
1- Bus number 337 which is operating from 6:00-23:00 every 15 minutes
2- Taxi
IMPORTANT!!! Do not use local airport taxi service, they charge too much and often try to scam unsuspected tourists. 
Get taxi app like Bolt and order a taxi from there. Bolt offers special discounts for airport transfers.
 

Kutaisi Airport

Best comfortable way to get to Kutaisi airport from Tbilisi is to take a bus from a private company like Georgian Bus or Omnibus. They have buses scheduled according to flight schedules. Departure is from Freedom Square, in the center and there is no need to book or buy the ticket in advance โ€“ you can just show up on time and take a seat.
From Kutaisi to Kutaisi airport the only best option is to take a taxi โ€“ use Bolt app.
Taxi in Kutaisi is way cheaper than in Tbilisi and there are almost no traffic jams.
 

Transportation Between Cities

Georgia doesnโ€™t have a single unified national bus operator. Instead, intercity travel is handled by a mix of private companies, municipal operators, and many independent marshrutka (minibus) firms. Here are the main ones youโ€™ll actually encounter when traveling between cities:

 

Buses

Larger coaches serve airports and popular city-to-city routes.

Georgian Bus

One of the most reliable private companies.
Routes mainly connect Tbilisi โ‡„ Kutaisi Airport, Batumi, Gudauri/Kazbegi (seasonal), and some international lines.
Modern coaches, fixed schedules, online booking.
Bus departure points:
Tbilisi -Sation square / Bus station from Dadiani side
Batumi – Gogebashvili Street, parking near Marine (Port) (Opposite to N2 Gogebashvili street).
Kutaisi international airport  โ€“ in front of the arrival zone door.
Gudauri – Passenger pick-up to/from Gudauri is direct from address, when purchasing please provide address of desired location in address box.
Tickets:
Can be purchased right before departure on the spot or prior – online. Don’t worry about reserving your place in advance, if the bus is full they add another one and no one stays outside.
 

Metro Georgia

Turkish company operating Tbilisi โ‡„ Turkey routes (Istanbul, Ankara, Trabzon).
With stops in Georgian cities – Kutaisi, Lanchkhuti, Kobuleti, Batumi
Comfortable long-distance buses with assigned seats.
Bus departure points:
Tbilisi  – Gulia #1 (Ortachala bus station)
Batumi – 11 N.Gogol Str.
Tickets:
Can be purchased online through the website, with their app or in their offices. No on spot purchase in this case.
 

CityBus / Municipal Operators

Cities like Kutaisi, Batumi, and Zugdidi run municipal buses that sometimes connect nearby towns.
Not long-distance but useful for short regional travel.
 

Omnibus Georgia 

Modern coaches for Tbilisi โ‡„ Batumi and Kutaisi and Zugdidi routes.
Limited but comfortable service.

Minibuses (Marshrutkas) & Minivans

 
Most routes are still served by marshrutkas, not big buses.
These are the backbone of intercity travel. They operate from major bus stations and cover almost every town and village. They run on set schedules or leave when full.
Main hubs:
Didube Station: Kazbegi, Gori, Mtskheta, Kutaisi, Zugdidi
Ortachala Station: Kakheti, Rustavi, Marneuli, Armenia routes
Station Square: Telavi, Sighnaghi, Lagodekhi, Tsnori
Samgori: Kakheti (alternative), Gardabani
Batumi & Kutaisi terminals also operate many regional lines.
 
Quality varies, some are old and cramped, others newer and comfortable.
From there minibuses and minivans to different regions and cities are distributed, as well as to neighboring countries. Unfortunately there is no unified system or official website selling tickets for these minibuses but can always get a spot upon arrival. Almost all destinations have minibuses leaving several times a day. 
During the high season it’s once every hour to popular destinations. Sometimes all night long as well.
The average cost of a minibus to another end of the country usually does not exceed 20USD. 
At the same spots you can find minivans that also travel to different destinations.
They usually don’t have fixed departure times and leave whenever full.
The cost is slightly higher but there is  more comfort.
 
Didube / Okriba Ortachala Station Square Samgori

Railway

For transportation between cities, the railway is a most useful and comfortable transport. The main railway station is on Station Square (“vagzlis moedani”) very near to the city center.

Main Routes

  1. Tbilisi โ€“ Batumi
     The most popular line. Modern double-decker Stadler trains run year-round.
     Travel time: ~5 hours.
     Several departures daily, mostly morning and evening.
  2. Tbilisi โ€“ Kutaisi
     Trains stop at Kutaisi-1 or Rioni (not Kutaisi airport).
     Travel time: ~4โ€“5 hours.
     A few departures per day.
  3. Tbilisi โ€“ Zugdidi
     Useful for Svaneti.
     Travel time: ~7 hours.
     Usually one daytime and one night train.
  4. Tbilisi โ€“ Ozurgeti
     Less frequent but connects to Guria region.
     Travel time: ~6 hours.
  5. Tbilisi โ€“ Telavi
     Occasional service, not daily. Slow and scenic.
  6. International Routes
     Currently limited. Tbilisiโ€“Yerevan sleeper train runs seasonally.

Schedules in General

  • Trains run less often than busesโ€”usually 1โ€“3 times a day per direction.
  • Popular routes (like Batumi) have more frequent service in summer.
  • Tickets can sell out early on weekends and holidays.
  • Everything can be checked and booked online through Georgian Railway.

Georgian Railway network map created by Aleksandrs Znovs ยฉ 

Send us your request

Name

Related Articles