Getting around Georgia: trains, buses, driving and domestic flights

Match the mode to the route, not to habit. Trains win on the long, flat Black Sea corridor. Marshrutkas cover almost everything else cheaply. A car with a driver wins wherever you want stops, mountain views or wine tastings. Self-drive only pays off on straightforward day legs out of Tbilisi or Kutaisi.

Summer changes the picture: Batumi trains sell out days ahead, and mountain roads are at their best from June to September but can close after heavy rain. Winter keeps the lowland trains and buses running while high passes and Mestia flights become unreliable.

Trains. Georgian Railways runs the main lines; the Tbilisi–Batumi double-decker is the comfortable, cheap option for the coast. Book online at tkt.ge or the railway site, especially for July and August Batumi departures, and bring your passport to match the ticket name. The Tbilisi–Yerevan overnight sleeper is a separate booking and a different border crossing.

Marshrutkas. These minibuses are the default for most routes and leave when full. In Tbilisi they depart from Didube (north and west, including Kazbegi), Ortachala (south, including Armenia and Batumi) and Samgori (east, including Sighnaghi and Kakheti). Arrive early, keep small notes for the fare, and expect a luggage charge on top. Driving is fast and seat belts are not always fitted in the back.

Private drivers. For Kazbegi, Kakheti and Vardzia, a car with a driver turns a transport leg into a day of stops. Agree the route, the stops and the total price in writing before you set off, and ask specifically for working seat belts. Rates run GEL 150–350 a day depending on distance and vehicle (check).

Rental cars. Useful for Kakheti wine routes and the south, at GEL 80–200 a day (check). Check the insurance excess and whether cross-border travel is allowed. Do not attempt Tusheti or the Svaneti mountain roads yourself: they need a high-clearance 4×4 and local experience, so hire a driver instead.

Domestic flights. Small planes link Tbilisi or Natakhtari with Mestia in about an hour, and Tbilisi with Batumi in about an hour, at GEL 70–300 (check). They save a long drive, but mountain weather cancels flights often, so keep a bus or marshrutka plan B.

In the cities. Tbilisi has two metro lines plus buses and a growing network of contactless payment: tap a bank card for GEL 1 a ride (check), as Metromoney cards are being phased out (check). Bolt and Yandex Go cover door-to-door trips for GEL 5–20 across Tbilisi (check). At the airport, ignore the taxi touts and order in the app.

Two regions are off limits: Abkhazia and South Ossetia are occupied territories, and entering them from the Georgian side is not possible for normal travel. Check your government's advice before any route that runs near those borders.

Mountain roads are seasonal. Tusheti and parts of Svaneti are only practical in the warm months and only with a proper 4×4 and a driver who knows the road. Landslides and snow can close passes with little warning.

Marshrutka comfort is limited: no toilets, limited legroom, and smoking rules that are not always followed. For journeys over about four hours, weigh a train, a flight or a private car.

Keep small cash for fares, luggage fees and station toilets, and carry your passport on intercity trains and at borders. Buy travel insurance that covers the activities you actually plan, including any mountain driving or hiking.

Fares, timetables and payment rules in Georgia change often, and several figures here are marked check. Confirm train times and prices on the official railway or tkt.ge site, and treat driver and rental quotes as negotiable. This page was last updated in September 2026 and will be re-checked against official operator information.