Getting Around Georgia
Georgia runs on marshrutkas — shared minibuses that connect Tbilisi to Kazbegi, Batumi, and nearly everywhere else, cheap and frequent if a little chaotic. Tbilisi's metro is fast and costs about $0.20 a ride. A limited train network covers Tbilisi–Batumi and Tbilisi–Kutaisi comfortably. Rent a car for the Georgian Military Highway or Kakheti wine country if you want your own schedule, and use Bolt — not Uber, which doesn't operate here — for city rides.
Getting to Georgia
Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) is the main gateway, with Kutaisi International Airport handling a growing number of budget European routes. Flight time runs 10–14 hours from most Western countries, typically via Istanbul, Doha, or a European hub — there are no direct flights from North America or Australia. Round-trip fares from a major hub start around $550–1,100. A taxi or Bolt from Tbilisi Airport into the center runs about $8–12 and takes 25–35 minutes; there's no direct train or metro link to the airport itself.
Getting around: the real options
Georgia's transport backbone is the marshrutka — a shared minibus that leaves when it's full rather than on a fixed schedule, running to nearly every town and mountain village in the country.
- Marshrutka minibuses — the default way to get between Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Batumi, and Kakheti wine country; cheap ($3–10 depending on distance) and frequent, departing mainly from Tbilisi's Didube station, though not always comfortable and schedules can be loose.
- Trains — Georgian Railway runs a comfortable, reliable overnight or day service from Tbilisi to Batumi (about 5–6 hours, $6–15) and Tbilisi to Kutaisi; a genuinely nice alternative to the marshrutka for that specific route.
- Domestic flights — limited and rarely necessary given the country's small size; most travelers never need one.
- Car rental / driving — driving is on the right, but city driving (especially Tbilisi) is aggressive and often chaotic by Western standards, so many visitors prefer a hired driver for mountain routes. Self-driving the Georgian Military Highway north to Kazbegi is doable on decent roads in good weather, but the route can close in winter storms — check conditions before you go. Rental cars run $25–40/day.
Getting around inside cities
Tbilisi's metro is cheap, clean, and fast — a single ride costs about $0.20 flat, regardless of distance — and the Narikala cable car adds a scenic, practical way up to the fortress from Rike Park. For anywhere the metro doesn't reach, Bolt is the dominant ride-hailing app and is noticeably cheaper than flagging a street taxi; Uber does not operate in Georgia at all, so don't count on it.
| Route/option | Typical cost | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi Airport to city center | $8–12 (Bolt/taxi) | 25–35 min |
| Tbilisi to Batumi (train) | $6–15 | 5–6 hrs |
| Tbilisi to Kazbegi (marshrutka) | $5–8 | 3–3.5 hrs |
Download Bolt before you land — it's the ride-hailing app locals actually use, works well in Tbilisi and Batumi, and sidesteps the price haggling that can happen with an unmetered street taxi, especially near tourist sites.
Common transport mistakes
Expecting marshrutkas to run on a fixed timetable the way a Western bus does — they generally leave once full, so build in buffer time and don't assume you know the exact departure minute. The second mistake: self-driving the Georgian Military Highway in winter without checking road conditions first — the route to Kazbegi can close for hours or days after heavy snow, and a hired driver or a flexible schedule handles that far better than a rental car on a tight itinerary.