Travel and Transportation
GETTING BY AIR
Thanks to its geographical location it is easy to arrive to Georgia by any kind of transportation. Flights from the centre of Europe take only 3-4 hours. There are flights to Tbilisi from a number of European, North American and Asian cities.
Different international airports connect Tbilisi to other cities of the world. You can use service of International as well as Georgian National Air Companies like:
airBaltic BT
Aeroflot SU
Atlasjet airlines KK
Air Arabia G9
Air Astana KC
Belavia B2 Belarusian Airlines
Flydubai FZ
Lufthansa LH
S7 Airlines
PS Ukraine International
Pegasus airlines PC
Getting by Road and Sea
BY BUS
Daily buses to Tbilisi depart from Baku, Istanbul, Ankara, Trabzon and Yerevan. There are everyday departures from the different cites of Armenia: Yerevan, Vanadzori, Stepanavi, Gumri, Artek, Spitak; Azerbaijan: Baku (available from 07:30 am till 15:00 pm); Turkey: Istanbul, Trabzon (available from 10:00 am till 15:00 pm). From Athens buses depart several times a week. Buses run from the central bus stations of every city where one can get all detailed information about the exact departure time.
BY TRAIN
International connections are available from Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Trains from Baku are available every day, prices range between $40 and $50. For more information visit the website: www.railway.ge
The main railway station in Armenia, the Sasuntsi Davit Station is located on Tigran Mets Avenue, near the metro station of the same name. A second railway station in Yerevan, called Arabkir Station, is located above the Cascade.
BY CAR
You can get to Georgia by car from Europe as well as from Asia. The historically famous Silk Road crosses the country.
Georgia has highways connecting it directly to Azerbaijan, Armenia and Turkey.
To cross the border from these three countries is free of charges.
BY SEA
One of the options for getting to Georgia is by sea. There are two main sea ports in Georgia: Batumi and Poti.
Batumi port is a remarkable port of the country. It is of universal type – receiving and sending all types of sea vessels and serving passengers in high standards. A fast boats conduct regular sailing routes. Ferries service passengers traveling between Batumi and Ilychevsk.
The passengers coming to Georgia for short trips do the sightseeing not only in Batumi (Botanical Garden, Gonio Fortress, Seaside park, museums) but Kutaisi as well (Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Monastery, Motsameta). The ships are served by local maritime firms and tourist agencies.
More information can be found on www.medcruise.com or www.batumiport.com
Ferries to Poti port depart from Ukrainian ports Ilyichevsk and Odessa. The ferry is equipped with comfortable cabins for passengers. Departures are every Tuesday and voyage takes just several hours. More information can be found on www.potiseaport.com
The principal ports of the Black Sea are Odessa and Sevastopol in Ukraine; Poti and Batumi in Georgia; Novorossiysk in Russia; Constanta in Romania; Burgas and Varna in Bulgaria; Ereğli, Samsun, Sinop and Trabzon in Turkey.
WITHIN THE COUNTRY
Underground City
In the capital city of Georgia – Tbilisi, you can use a metro (underground). Tbilisi Metro operates from 6 am until 12 pm and serves approximately 300 00 people a day. There are two main line with 22 metro stations, in almost every district of the city.
Fare for traveling by metro is just 0.4 GEL. One can get one entry coin for 0.4 GEL or buy a plastic card the price of which varies according the number of entries. Tbilisi Metro has two lines and includes 22 stations. Then construction of the 23rd station "University "is in progress. Almost all the stations are underground, only two of them –"Electrode" and "Didube" create 3 km. district up on the ground
Tbilisi Metro
In the capital city of Georgia – Tbilisi, you can use a metro (underground). Tbilisi Metro operates from 6 am until 12 pm and serves approximately 250 000 people a day. There are two main lines with 22 metro stations, in almost every district of the city. Construction of the 23rd station "University "is in progress. Almost all the stations are underground, only two of them –"Electrodepo" and "Didube" create 3 km. district up on the ground.
Fare for traveling by metro is just 0.4 GEL. One can get one entry coin for 0.4 GEL or buy a plastic card the price of which varies according the number of entries.
Another mean of transportation in Tbilisi is so called yellow buses. Fare for traveling is 0.5 GEL. You also can travel on mini-buses by catching them by raising your hand and asking to stop on any place you need on their route. The maximum fare for mini-buses is 0.5 GEL.
Since February 1, 2009 the bus and subway fare is paid via control-cash devices. Paying straight to the bus driver of the buses is banned. The cash device doesn’t give change so the fare should be exactly paid. Travelling ticket should be obtained as soon as the passenger gets on the bus.
You’ll be charged from 15 GEL if you travel without a ticket.
Every passenger using the travelling card travels at a discount.
The traveling cards are sold in every subway stations.
The travelling card enables you to travel as by bus so by subway.
Discount works in the following way:
1st travelling ( either by subway or a bus) – 0.4 GEL
2nd – 0.3 GEL
3rd – 0.2 GEL
Any next traveling by subway or bus is 0.2 GEL
The travelling fare is the same as follows for any other new day.
In other cities and towns of Georgia there are bus or mini-bus services.
Daily buses or minibuses from Tbilisi to different towns are available every day from 08:00 am till 06:00 pm. There are three main Auto Stations in Tbilisi:
- Central Auto Station located on 1, Gulia Street connects Tbilisi to the different cities of Kakheti Region and Adjara. The price of the ticket varies from 6-15 GEL: which is approximately 4-10 USD.
- Auto Station located on Vagzali (Central Railway) Square connects Tbilisi to different cities. Price of the tickets varies from 10-17 GEL, which is approximately 6 to 10 USD.
- Bus Station "Okriba" is located in Didube district, near metro-stop Didube. This station connects Tbilisi mainly with the cities and towns of West Georgia.
Local railway connections are available everyday from Tbilisi to the following cities: Ozurgeti, Makhinjauri, Zugdidi, Vale and Poti. For the detailed information about the schedule of trains please visit: www.railway.ge
There are flights from Tbilisi international Airport to Batumi Airport several times a week. Flight schedule can be found on the web-site: www.tbilisiairport.com
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS:
Vehicular traffic in Georgia moves along the right side of roadways. Speed limits range from 80 to 100 km/hr on highways, and from 30 to 60 km/hr on urban thoroughfares. Motorists are not permitted to make right turns at red traffic lights. Front-seat passengers are required by law to fasten their seat belts in moving vehicles. Georgian law requires that children under four (4) years of age be restrained in child-safety seats, however these are not widely available or used. Children under twelve (12) years of age may not legally ride in the front seat, but this law is not widely observed. A driver with any blood-alcohol concentration exceeding 0.00% is considered to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
You should exercise extreme caution when driving in Georgia, as many local drivers do not operate their vehicles in accordance with established traffic laws. Traffic signals and rules of the road are often completely ignored. Motorists drive erratically, often recklessly, at excessive speeds, and many times under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Motorists frequently encounter oncoming high-speed traffic attempting to pass other vehicles at blind turns or over hilltops. Pedestrians enjoy no right-of-way and need to be extremely careful when crossing streets. The Georgian Patrol Police, who come under the authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, are responsible for maintaining traffic safety in Georgia, but enforcement of traffic regulations is haphazard. There is no requirement that vehicles are certified safe to drive, and some vehicles may not have working headlights or taillights.
Please keep the following road safety and security factors in mind when preparing for your trip, depending on your specific destination:
- Potential Hazards and Dangerous Road Conditions:
- Bad weather
- Seasonal driving hazards
- Driving at night
- Driving in isolated areas
- Livestock or obstacles in the road
- Difficult terrain
- Road markings and signs
- Stoplights and traffic signals
- Lighting
- Narrow roads
- Crash barriers
- Local roads you should avoid
- Be Prepared
- Carry spare tires
- Carry extra fuel
- Check the availability of roadside assistance
- Check which documents are required for operating a vehicle
- Consider Local Laws and Driving Culture
- Speed limits
- Traffic signals
- Honking
- Flashing your lights when passing
- Yielding to pedestrians
- Yielding to cyclists
- Aggressive driving
- Unlicensed or inexperienced drivers
- Driving age
- Prohibition of mobile phone usage while driving
- Drinking and driving
- Emergency response (ambulances)
- Local emergency service numbers (local 911 equivalent)
- Possible police corrupt activities
- Vehicle Safety Considerations
- Availability of seat belts for each passenger
- Required safety inspections
- Overloaded vehicles
TAXI SERVICE
Taxi is the fastest transport mean in Tbilisi. It is the only one from the public transports available for 24 hours. Tbilisi streets are overcrowded with the vast amount of taxis, despite the fact that the taxi can be stopped at any place of the city, it is far better to order its service by phone
CAR RENT SERVICE IN TBILISI
There are several car rent companies in Tbilisi that offer wide range of vehicles with or without drivers. Just submit your valid driver’s license, passport or Identification Card and choose any kind of vehicle should it be sedan, hatchback, Jeep, 4X4, minivans or minibuses.