Travel tool
Public transport fares in Georgia
One table for every bus, train, minibus, shared car and small plane on our route pages, plus the cheap ways out of the Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi airports. Filter by type of transport or type a town, then open the route guide for stops, tips and a private car if you would rather not change.
Showing all 32 connections
| Option | Time | Fare (2026) | How often | Leaves from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrainFast double-deck train | About 4-5 h | from about 35 GEL (about $13) in 2nd class in 2026; 1st and business cost more | Several departures a day in summer, fewer in winter | Tbilisi Central station (Station Square) |
| BusCoach or minibus | 6-7 h | about 30-40 GEL (about $11-15) in 2026 | Several a day | Didube bus station; some coaches from Station Square |
| TrainSlow regional train | About 4-4.5 h | a few GEL | Usually twice a day | Tbilisi Central station |
| MarshrutkaMinibus from Didube | 2.5-3 h | about 12 GEL (about $4.50) in 2026 | Roughly hourly, about 08:00-19:00 | Didube bus station |
| TrainTrain to Kutaisi Airport or Rioni station | About 3 h | from about 25 GEL (about $9) in 2nd class in 2026 | Several a day on the Batumi line | Tbilisi Central station (Station Square) |
| BusCoach or minibus | 3.5-4 h | about 20-25 GEL (about $7-9) in 2026 | Frequent, from early morning to evening | Didube bus station (Okriba) |
| TrainDay train to Zugdidi, then minibus | About 5.5-6 h by train plus 3-4 h by minibus | train from about 16 GEL (about $6) in 2nd class, minibus about 35-40 GEL (about $13-15) in 2026 | One morning train a day; minibuses meet it in season | Tbilisi Central station (Station Square) |
| MarshrutkaDirect minibus or bus | 9-10 h | about 50-70 GEL (about $19-26) in 2026 | One early-morning departure, most reliable in summer | Check locally: sources name Station Square and the Navtlughi stop near Samgori metro |
| FlightFlight from Natakhtari | About 1 h in the air | about 90 GEL (about $33) one way in 2026 | Several days a week, weather permitting; seats sell out fast | Natakhtari airfield, about 30 minutes north of Tbilisi |
| Shared taxiShared 4x4 from Kvemo Alvani | 4-5 h from Alvani | about 100-120 GEL (about $37-44) per seat in 2026; a whole car about 500-650 GEL (about $185-240) one way | Leaves in the morning when full | Kvemo Alvani; minibuses from Tbilisi to Alvani run a few times a day |
| MarshrutkaMinibus from Samgori | About 2 h | about 15 GEL (about $6) in 2026 | Several a day, roughly every two hours from 09:00 to 18:00 | Navtlughi stop by Samgori metro station |
| MarshrutkaMarshrutka from Didube | About 3-3.5 h | about 15-20 GEL (about $6-7) per person in 2026 | Several departures a day from early morning, more in summer | Didube bus station, next to Didube metro |
| Shared taxiShared car seat | About 3 h | about 40-60 GEL (about $15-22) per seat in 2026 | Leaves when full | Didube bus station |
| MarshrutkaMinibus | About 2-2.5 h | about 15-20 GEL (about $6-7) in 2026 | Every 30-60 minutes in the daytime | Navtlughi stop by Samgori metro, with some departures from Ortachala |
| MarshrutkaMinibus to Akhaltsikhe, then minibus to Vardzia | About 4 h plus 1.5 h | about 15 GEL (about $6) to Akhaltsikhe plus 5-7 GEL to Vardzia in 2026 | Akhaltsikhe minibuses roughly hourly; only a few a day to Vardzia | Didube bus station |
| TrainFast train to Kutaisi Airport station | About 1.5-2 h | from about 30 GEL (about $11) in 2026 | A few departures a day, more in summer | Batumi Central station |
| BusAirport coach | 2.5-3 h | about 25 GEL (about $9) in 2026 | Timed to flights from Kutaisi airport | Batumi city centre; check the operator's stop |
| MarshrutkaMinibus | 2.5-3 h | about 15-25 GEL (about $6-9) in 2026 | Frequent in the daytime, leaves when full | Batumi old bus station, Mayakovsky Street |
| MarshrutkaDirect minibus | 5-6 h | about 35-40 GEL (about $13-15) in 2026 | One departure a day at about 10:00; back from Mestia at about 08:00 | Kutaisi central bus station, by the railway station |
| MarshrutkaMinibus via Zugdidi | 1.5-2 h to Zugdidi plus 3-4 h | about 10 GEL to Zugdidi plus 35-40 GEL to Mestia in 2026 | Several a day to Zugdidi; Mestia minibuses mainly in the morning and early afternoon | Kutaisi central bus station |
| FlightFlight Kutaisi to Mestia | About 40 min | about 50 GEL (about $19) one way, recent years | Weekly at best, weather permitting | Kutaisi airport |
| TrainTrain from Kutaisi Airport station | About 3 h | 2nd class from roughly 25 GEL (around $9), 2026 | A few departures a day on the Batumi to Tbilisi line | Kutaisi Airport railway station, 1.8 km from the terminal and linked by free airport shuttle buses |
| BusAirport shuttle coach | 3-4 h | about 25-30 GEL (about $9-11) in 2026 | Timed to arriving flights, leaving within about an hour of landing | Bus stand in front of the terminal; tickets online or at the counter after customs |
| BusCity bus 10 | About 20 min | under 1 GEL in 2026 | Every 10-15 minutes in the daytime | Stop on the main road outside the terminal |
| Taxi or appBolt or Yandex Go | 10-20 min | about 10-20 GEL (about $4-7) in 2026 | On demand | Outside arrivals |
| BusCoach to Batumi | About 2 h | about 20-30 GEL (about $7-11) in 2026 | Timed to arriving flights | Bus stand outside the terminal |
| BusAirport shuttle to Kutaisi centre | About 30-40 min | about 5 GEL (about $2) in 2026 | Every two hours around the clock | Bus stop outside the terminal |
| Taxi or appBolt | 25-30 min to Kutaisi | about 25-30 GEL (about $9-11) in 2026 | On demand | Outside arrivals |
| TrainTrain from Kutaisi Airport station | About 3 h to Tbilisi, under 2 h to Batumi | Tbilisi from about 25 GEL, Batumi from about 30 GEL in 2026 | A few departures a day each way | The airport's own railway stop, a short shuttle or taxi ride away |
| BusCity bus 337 | About 40-60 min | about 1 GEL (well under $1) in 2026, a little more with a foreign bank card | Roughly every 20-30 minutes in the daytime; no service in the small hours | Stop outside the arrivals hall |
| Taxi or appBolt or Yandex Go | 25-40 min | about 20-40 GEL (about $7-15) in 2026, more at peak times | On demand | Pick-up zone outside arrivals; you need mobile data |
| Taxi or appOfficial airport taxi | 25-40 min | about 40-50 GEL (about $15-19) in 2026 depending on the district | Taxi rank outside arrivals, 24 hours | Taxi rank outside arrivals |
Fares are approximate for 2026 and copied from our route guides; they move with fuel prices and the season, so treat them as a guide to how much cash to carry. Private transfer prices are sample prices for the whole car, one way.
Fares last checked Oct 2026 by the Maspindzeli team, from our route guides and airport pages.
How public transport works in Georgia
Buying a ticket
Trains: book on the Georgian Railway website, through its official ticket partner or at a station counter with your passport. Seats are numbered, and the Batumi line sells out days ahead in July and August.
Marshrutkas and shared cars: you find the vehicle, take a seat and hand the driver cash in lari, either as you get in or when you arrive. As far as we know, the Kazbegi minibus has no ticket office at all. Kutaisi airport coaches sell seats online or at a desk once you are through customs.
Where things leave from in Tbilisi
Didube bus station, by Didube metro: the north and west, including Mtskheta, Kazbegi, Gori, Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe for Vardzia, Kutaisi and Batumi.
The Navtlughi stop outside Samgori metro: Kakheti, including Sighnaghi and Telavi. Ortachala: buses to Armenia and Turkey and a few Telavi minibuses. Tbilisi Central, above the Station Square metro: the trains. The Mestia minibus has changed its starting point more than once, so confirm it the day before.
Cash, cards and change
The Tbilisi metro and city buses cost about 1 GEL a ride: pay with a Metromoney card or by tapping most contactless bank cards. Bus 337 to the airport is priced like any city ride.
Outside the cities, carry small lari notes. Minibus and shared-taxi drivers take cash only and are often short of change, and Bolt shows its fare before you confirm.
Timing your trip
Morning departures are the dependable ones. Many minibuses go when the seats are full rather than on the hour, rural services often stop by mid-afternoon and Sundays bring fewer runs.
The Mestia flight and the high mountain roads depend on the weather, so leave a spare day before a flight home. Departure points move now and then: your guesthouse will know the current one.
More detail in our guide Getting around Georgia.
Public transport in Georgia: FAQ
How much does a marshrutka cost in Georgia?
Most intercity minibus fares in 2026 fall between about 10 and 25 GEL (about $4-10): roughly 15-20 GEL from Tbilisi up to Stepantsminda, around 15 GEL to Sighnaghi and about 12 GEL to Borjomi. The direct run to Mestia is the expensive exception at about 50-70 GEL. You pay the driver in cash.
Is the train or the bus better from Tbilisi to Batumi?
The train, for most people. The fastest services from Tbilisi Central take about 4-5 hours and start at about 35 GEL (about $13) in second class in 2026, while a coach or minibus from Didube needs 6-7 hours for about 30-40 GEL. In summer, buy train seats a few days in advance.
Where do buses to Kazbegi, Kakheti and Kutaisi leave from in Tbilisi?
Kazbegi and Kutaisi services go from Didube bus station, beside Didube metro. Minibuses for Sighnaghi and Telavi use the Navtlughi stop at Samgori metro, with some Telavi departures from Ortachala. Trains towards Kutaisi and Batumi start at Tbilisi Central on Station Square.
Can I pay for public transport in Georgia by card?
In Tbilisi, yes: the metro and city buses accept contactless bank cards as well as the Metromoney card, and you can buy train tickets online. Intercity marshrutkas and shared taxis are paid in cash, in lari, so keep some small notes.
Is there a cheap bus from Tbilisi airport into the city?
Bus 337 leaves from outside arrivals and runs through Avlabari and Freedom Square to Station Square for about 1 GEL in 2026, roughly every 20-30 minutes during the day but not in the small hours; its route has shifted during the Rustaveli Avenue works. A Bolt or Yandex Go car costs about 20-40 GEL (about $7-15) and takes 25-40 minutes.
How do I get to Mestia without a car?
There are three ways. A small plane flies from Natakhtari airfield, north of Tbilisi, in about an hour for about 90 GEL in 2026 when the weather allows. The morning train to Zugdidi connects with minibuses up the valley, and a direct minibus takes 9-10 hours. From Kutaisi, a direct minibus usually leaves once a day in the morning and takes 5-6 hours.
Rather not change minibuses?
A private car with driver picks you up at your hotel and stops wherever you like on the way. Send us your route for a fixed price.
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