- Georgian Railway runs one main line west from Tbilisi, with branches to Batumi, Poti, Zugdidi, Ozurgeti and Borjomi.
- In late October 2026, two fast Stadler trains a day linked Tbilisi and Batumi each way in about 4 hours, for about 35 GEL (about $13) per second-class seat.
- Tickets go on sale 20 days ahead on the railway's own site or app, through tkt.ge or at a station desk, and you need your passport.
- Kazbegi, Kakheti, Mestia and Tusheti have no trains, so use a marshrutka, a shared 4x4 or a private transfer.
- Berths exist only on trains abroad: to Yerevan every other night, and to Baku, where a day train joins the night train from 1 November 2026.
Trains in Georgia (the country) are cheap, clean and comfortable, but the network is small. One electric main line runs west from Tbilisi over the Likhi Range to the Black Sea, and a few branches leave it. For a visitor, three trips really work: Tbilisi to Batumi on the coast, Tbilisi to Kutaisi airport, and Tbilisi to Zugdidi on the way to Svaneti. The rest are slow, rare or missing.
We read the times and fares below from Georgian Railway's own booking system on 25 October 2026, so they are real autumn figures. Below are the routes, seat classes, tickets, stations, local trains, the Kukushka, the sleepers to Yerevan and Baku, and options where no train goes. Summer adds trains, so check again before you travel.
Georgian Railway network: the main line and its branches
Georgian Railway is the state company that runs every domestic train. Its first line opened in 1872 between the port of Poti and Tbilisi, and today's main route still follows that path. Think of a single trunk with short branches.
- Tbilisi to Khashuri: west up the Mtkvari valley past Mtskheta and Gori, about 120 km.
- Khashuri to Zestaponi: the climb over the Likhi Range, which splits east from west, rebuilt with new tunnels.
- Zestaponi to Samtredia: past Rioni, the junction for Kutaisi, and Kutaisi Airport station.
- Samtredia to Batumi: south-west to the sea at Ureki, then along the shore to Kobuleti and Batumi, 343 km from Tbilisi.
- Samtredia to Zugdidi and Poti: north-west to Senaki, where the line forks for Zugdidi and for the port of Poti.
- Natanebi to Ozurgeti: a short spur into the hills of Guria.
- Khashuri to Borjomi: a branch south into the wooded gorge, with slow electric trains only.
- Tbilisi to the borders: south through Marneuli to Armenia, and east through Gardabani to Azerbaijan.
Kakheti has a line too, but the 2026 timetable lists no passenger trains there, and no track reaches the high Caucasus. The government is buying ten new trains and has promised routes to Kutaisi city and Akhaltsikhe, but with no start date by October 2026.
Georgia train timetable and fares for 2026: routes at a glance
The table shows the routes a traveller is likely to use, with the pattern we saw on 25 October 2026. Fares are for second class bought online, including the web fee of about 1 GEL (about $0.40) in 2026.
| Route | Typical time | Trains a day (Oct 2026) | About-fare (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi to Batumi (fast Stadler) | ~4 h | 2 each way; up to 4 in summer | ~35 GEL (~$13); 1st class ~75 GEL (~$29) |
| Tbilisi to Kutaisi Airport station | ~2 h 35 min fast, ~3 h 05 min slow | 4 each way (2 fast, 2 slow) | ~33 GEL (~$13) fast; ~14 GEL (~$5) slow |
| Tbilisi to Rioni (for Kutaisi city) | ~2 h 50 min | 2 each way, 3 on some days | ~14 GEL (~$5) |
| Tbilisi to Zugdidi | ~5 h 20 min | 1 each way | ~16 GEL (~$6) |
| Tbilisi to Poti | ~4 h 35 min | 1 each way | ~16 GEL (~$6) |
| Tbilisi to Ozurgeti | ~6 to 6.5 h | 1, every other day | ~16 GEL (~$6) |
| Tbilisi to Gori | ~50 min | 2 or 3 each way | ~12 GEL (~$5) |
| Batumi to Kutaisi Airport station | ~1 h 25 min | 2 each way | ~31 GEL (~$12) |
| Tbilisi to Borjomi (slow electric) | ~4 to 4.5 h | 1 or 2 each way | ~2 GEL (under $1), station desk only |
| Tbilisi to Yerevan (sleeper) | ~10 to 10.5 h overnight | 1, every other day | ~115 GEL (~$44) and up |
| Tbilisi to Baku | ~9.5 to 10 h | 2 each way from 1 Nov 2026 | ~82 GEL (~$32) and up, sold in manat |
In the autumn timetable, the Batumi trains left Tbilisi at 08:05 and 17:10, and Batumi at 08:00 and 16:50. The Zugdidi train left the capital at 08:15 and started back at 18:00. The Poti train worked the other way round, leaving Tbilisi at 17:30 and Poti at 08:10. Times shift with the seasons, so use these to plan, then confirm.
Which train routes in Georgia are worth taking?
Tbilisi to Batumi: the flagship line
Most visitors ride this one, and it gets the newest trains. Since August 2026, after track and tunnel works, the fast services need about four hours. They stop only at Kutaisi Airport, Ureki and Kobuleti. Our separate Tbilisi to Batumi guide covers its departures, seats and the Batumi end in full.
Kutaisi: get off at the airport or at Rioni
No direct train has served Kutaisi city since 2025. The fast Batumi trains call only at Kutaisi Airport station, in the farmland west of town. The slower western trains also stop at Rioni, a junction nearer the city. From either, a taxi or Bolt does the rest. A direct train has been promised again, with no date.
Zugdidi: the rail route towards Svaneti
The morning train is the budget start of a trip to Mestia. It reaches Zugdidi at about 13:35, in time for the 3.5 to 4 hour minibus ride up the Enguri gorge in daylight. Our Svaneti travel guide compares it with the direct minibus and the plane.
Poti, Ozurgeti and the Guria coast
Poti, the old port, gets one train a day from Tbilisi, in the late afternoon. The Ozurgeti train runs every other day, calling at Guria stops such as Lanchkhuti and Ureki. Both are slow and cheap, so take them only if you are staying on that coast.
Gori and Mtskheta
Gori is about 50 minutes out on the westbound trains, and a taxi from its station gets you to the cave town of Uplistsikhe. The Ozurgeti train also halts at Mtskheta on its outward days. One train every other day is no use for a day trip, though, so take a marshrutka there.
Crossing the country with us? Our East to West trip ends in Batumi, and we can book your seats on the train back to Tbilisi. It is a private trip, so you set the dates and the size of your group.
Georgian train classes: Stadler double-deckers, older trains and sleepers
Georgia has three kinds of passenger train, and each sells its own mix of classes.
Stadler double-deck trains
Red and white double-deck electric trains, built by Stadler in Switzerland and in service since 2016, work the Batumi line. Second class has rows of four seats. First class gives wider seats and more legroom for about twice the price. Coaches have air conditioning and power sockets. The price list also shows a small business class here, but online sales in October 2026 offered only first and second.
Every seat is numbered and fixed when you buy. Heading for Batumi, take a seat on the right side: after Ureki the line runs close to the beach.
Older single-deck trains
The Zugdidi, Poti and Ozurgeti trains use older single-deck electric sets. They are plainer, slower and stop more often, but they are clean and the seats are reserved. The Zugdidi and Poti trains sell three classes: about 16 GEL (about $6), 28 GEL (about $11) and 43 GEL (about $17) in 2026 for second, first and business class over the full trip. The Ozurgeti train has second and first class only.
Sleepers: only on international trains
No night train runs inside Georgia in autumn 2026. The overnight Zugdidi train, with its four-berth compartments, stopped in 2020 and has not returned. Extra late-night Batumi trains have run at busy times, but with seats only. For a berth, take the Yerevan or Baku train.
How to buy Georgia train tickets
Sales open 20 days before departure, and every ticket carries the passenger's name and ID number. For a foreigner, that is your passport number. Staff check the ticket and the passport at the door before you board.
- Search the trip
Use Georgian Railway's booking site (ticket.railway.ge, linked from railway.ge) or its app for iPhone and Android. The site works in English and shows live seats and prices. - Pick a class and seats
Choose the class, then the coach and seats. Book early if you want to sit together. - Pay by card
Pay by bank card. Online tickets cost about 1 GEL (about $0.40) more in 2026 than at the departure station's desk. - Or buy from an agent or a desk
The ticket site tkt.ge also sells train seats, for a small fee. At a station desk, take a queue number and show your passport. - Keep the ticket handy
Save it on your phone or print it, and keep your passport with it.
Children, refunds and fees
- Under 5: free if the child sits on your lap; a child who needs a seat pays the child fare.
- Ages 5 to 10: child fare, roughly half the adult price on the railway's price list.
- 10 and over: full adult fare.
- Refunds: the full fare up to 15 hours before departure, 85% from 15 to 4 hours, then 70%. Only the named passenger can claim, with ID.
- Lost or damaged tickets are not replaced. International tickets bought at a station desk carry a fee of about 7 GEL (about $3) in 2026.
When to book
Outside summer, a seat a day or two ahead is usually easy. Even so, on a quiet Tuesday in late October, the morning Batumi train had only four first-class seats left two days out. In July and August, and around New Year, Easter and long weekends, Batumi trains sell out days ahead, so book when the 20-day window opens.
Train stations: Tbilisi Central and the others
Tbilisi Central stands on Station Square, next to the metro stop of the same name, where the two metro lines meet. Most of the building is a shopping centre. Ticket desks are upstairs, and escalators and stairs lead on up to the platforms. Every long-distance train starts here, and Dezerter Bazaar, the big food market, is a short walk away.
- Batumi Central: a modern station at the north end of the city, ~5 km from the old town. City bus 10 or a Bolt takes you in, and it has a left-luggage room.
- Kutaisi Airport: a small halt ~1.8 km from the terminal, with a free shuttle bus timed to the trains.
- Rioni: a junction outside Kutaisi, used by the slower western trains. A taxi takes you into the centre.
- Zugdidi: in season, minibuses for Mestia wait near the station when the morning train arrives.
- Borjomi: two stops. Borjomi is the main station, and Borjomi Parki sits closer to the spa park.
Slow electric trains: Borjomi and other local lines
Georgians call the slow local trains elektrichkas. They stop at nearly every village, cost very little, and you buy the ticket at the station.
The one a visitor might use runs from Tbilisi to Borjomi once or twice a day and takes about 4 to 4.5 hours. The fare is tiny, about 2 GEL (about 80 US cents) in 2026, and the final stretch up the forested gorge from Khashuri is lovely. A minibus from Didube needs only 2.5 to 3 hours, so the train suits rail fans and slow travellers.
Other local trains link Kutaisi with Batumi and Sachkhere, Batumi with Ozurgeti, Khashuri with Zestaponi, and Tbilisi with Gardabani. Their times change often and rarely suit a sightseeing day, so ask at the station first.
The Kukushka: the Borjomi to Bakuriani mountain train
Georgia's best-loved railway is the Kukushka, a narrow-gauge line from Borjomi up to the ski village of Bakuriani, ~37 km of curves through the woods. It has carried no passengers since 2020. The track, trains and stations have been overhauled, and on 9 October 2026 the economy minister set December 2026 as the target for the restart. No timetable or prices were out by late October.
Our Borjomi travel guide covers the line's history and what the ride is like, and our guide to skiing in Bakuriani explains how it fits a winter trip. Until the trains return, a minibus or taxi climbs the road in about 40 minutes.
International trains from Tbilisi: Yerevan and Baku
Tbilisi to Yerevan
The sleeper to Armenia runs with South Caucasus Railway, the Armenian operator, every other day. In the autumn 2026 timetable it left Tbilisi at 20:00 and reached Yerevan at about 06:35. The return left Yerevan at 21:00. From 14 June to 1 October 2026 the train ran between Yerevan and Batumi instead, calling at Tbilisi, so summer times differ.
Four classes were on sale in 2026: Econom, with open-plan berths, at about 115 GEL (about $44); Coupe, with four-berth compartments, at about 146 GEL (about $56); Soft Coupe at about 171 GEL (about $66); and Lux at about 216 GEL (about $83). Passport checks happen on board at Sadakhlo and Ayrum: between about 22:00 and 01:00 going south, and from about 03:30 to 05:40 heading north.
For the road options and the crossings themselves, see our guide to the Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan borders. To see both countries with a guide and a driver, our private Georgia and Armenia tour starts whenever you like, with no limit on group size.
Tbilisi to Baku
Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) runs this route with Stadler carriages. A night train came back in May 2026 after six years, and from 1 November 2026 a day train joins it. Trains leave Tbilisi at about 11:00 and 22:00, and Baku at about 09:10 and 23:00, taking about 9.5 to 10 hours. The cheapest Baku to Tbilisi fare is about 82 GEL (about $32) in 2026, priced in manat.
The catch is the border. Since 2020 Azerbaijan has turned away most foreigners who arrive overland, and nobody has said clearly which of them may ride. ADY's online sales also ask for an account checked against an Azerbaijani ID. Ask ADY and your embassy who may board before you book, and treat the short flight as the safe choice. No passenger train runs from Georgia to Turkey.
Where trains don't go: Kazbegi, Kakheti, Mestia and Tusheti
Most of Georgia's mountain sights are far from the rails. For these, plan a road option.
| Destination | Nearest railway | Best way instead |
|---|---|---|
| Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) | None | Marshrutka from Didube, about 3 to 3.5 h, or a private transfer with stops at Ananuri and Gudauri |
| Kakheti (Telavi, Sighnaghi) | None | Marshrutka from Samgori, about 2 h, or a driver for the wineries |
| Mestia, Svaneti | Zugdidi, ~135 km away | Morning train to Zugdidi and a minibus, a direct minibus, or a small plane from Natakhtari |
| Tusheti (Omalo) | None | Shared 4x4 from Kvemo Alvani, roughly June to early October |
| Vardzia | Borjomi, ~110 km away | Marshrutka via Akhaltsikhe, or a driver from Borjomi |
For three or four people, a private car often costs little more per head than train plus taxi, and it stops where you like. Our route pages compare train, minibus and car for Tbilisi to Kutaisi, Tbilisi to Borjomi and Kutaisi to Mestia.
Want the mountains and the coast without juggling timetables? Our Grand Tour with Svaneti crosses the country by private car with a guide in your language. You pick the start date, and there is no group-size limit.
Trains in Georgia: frequently asked questions
Is there a train from Tbilisi to Batumi?
Yes. Fast double-deck trains take about 4 hours. In late October 2026, two ran each way every day, with more in summer. A second-class seat costs about 35 GEL (about $13) in 2026. Our Tbilisi to Batumi guide has the details.
How do I buy Georgia train tickets online?
Use Georgian Railway's own booking site or app, or tkt.ge. You need your passport number, and sales open 20 days before departure.
Where can I find the Georgia train timetable?
The railway's booking site and app show the live timetable for the next 20 days. The fixed schedule page on railway.ge has lagged behind, so trust the booking system.
Is there a night train in Georgia?
Not inside the country in autumn 2026. The Zugdidi sleeper stopped in 2020. For a berth, take the Yerevan sleeper, which runs on alternate nights, or the Baku night train.
Can I take the train from Tbilisi to Kutaisi?
Yes, but not to the centre. Get off at Kutaisi Airport station or Rioni and take a taxi. The fast train reaches the airport stop in about 2 hours 35 minutes, the slow one in about 3 hours.
Can foreigners take the train from Tbilisi to Baku?
Maybe, so check first. A day and a night train run each way from 1 November 2026, but Azerbaijan still refuses most foreign arrivals by land. Ask ADY and your embassy, or fly.
Does a train go to Kazbegi or Mestia?
No. Take a marshrutka or a private transfer to Kazbegi. For Mestia, ride the morning train to Zugdidi and then a minibus, or fly from Natakhtari when the weather allows.
