Popular Types of Intercity Transport in Georgia

Georgia offers travelers a wide range of experiences — from Black Sea beaches to snowy mountain peaks, from bustling cities to quiet villages. You can travel the country in many ways: intercity buses and minibuses cover most destinations at a low cost, trains are great for traveling comfortably between big cities, and taxis are convenient for short urban rides.

In this article we will focus on the possibility of moving around the territory of Georgia between the main cities where tourists come or fly to, namely Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi, of course, the coastal cities of Kobuleti and Ureki are affected.

All prices are current as of July 2025. The exchange rate is approximately 2.6 GEL per 1 USD. Within This article we do not consider: car rental, transfers, services of friends and cab drivers, goose transportation, airplanes, but only public ground transportation: by minibus, buses, trains. Attention, prices may vary slightly from those stated, as companies may change them. We are not a guarantor of the price, but simply give here the information as a reference.

Rental Car

One of the most convenient ways to explore Georgia is by car. Unlike public transport, a Getmancar option gives you full control: you choose the route, don’t depend on timetables, and can stop at quiet, off-the-beaten-path locations. This is especially useful when traveling to mountainous regions, wine areas, or hidden attractions.

Thanks to services like Getmancar, Rent a car Tbilisi is simple and affordable: just install the app, choose the car class, and start your trip. The capital is a perfect launch point for a road trip across the country.

If you’re heading for a beach vacation, Car rental in Batumi is ideal — it’s a great way to explore coastal cities, mountain villages of Adjara, and enjoy the scenic drive along the Black Sea.

And if you arrive in central Georgia, consider Rent Car Kutaisi — this city is a great starting point for routes through Imereti, Svaneti, and Racha, where public transport is limited.

Benefits of Renting a Car:

• comfort and air-conditioning, even in the summer heat;
   
• flexible route planning without relying on public schedules;
   
• access to remote destinations unreachable by bus or train.
   

Keep in mind that renting a car requires careful driving, knowledge of local traffic rules, and awareness of Georgia’s driving style. Also, consider fuel and parking expenses. Still, a rental car is the best choice for travelers who want to explore Georgia without limits.

How to get from Tbilisi to Batumi, Kutaisi, Ureki, Kobuleti and vice versa

The Tbilisi-Batumi road, covers stops in Ureki and Kobuleti, as well as Kutaisi, just tell it to the driver and he will take you there instead of taking a detour.

By minibus from Tbilisi

From Diduba train station or by minibus from the railway station – the other side of the railway station. From Batumi to Tbilisi, from the bus station or by minibus from the funicular, bottom of Chavchavadze street.

Conditions:

• Car – Mercedes Sprinter
• Presence of air conditioner – no
• Travel time – about 7 hours
• Convenience of boarding – not convenient for such a distance
• Stops during the trip – 1 for 30 minutes, in the middle of the trip – a rural type cafe with high prices and a paid toilet.
• Trip cost – 30 GEL (Tbilisi-Batumi or back), if Tbilisi-Kutaisi or Batumi-Kutaisi, the price is 20 GEL, sometimes they try to charge you 15 – go to the next by minibus.
• Frequency – every 15 minutes if you go to Didube in Tbilisi or bus station in Batumi, if you go from Tbilisi railway station or from funicular in Batumi, filling time can be from 20 minutes to 1 hour (depending on time of day).
• Schedule – no, but they go from 05 am to 24 hours.
• Positives – they go every 15 minutes, loading is fast, except Batumi from funicular (it takes longer there), there are always seats, it is possible to leave
• Negatives – It's hot, blows all your ears, crazy races on mountain roads and how much do not shout "NELA-NELA", will not help, can still include chanson with songs: "You are a cop dead cop...". Those who suffer from migraine, it is better not to go, but in the peak of the season it can be the only alternative to travel, as for everything else the places are sold out.

By small minibus, like Mercedes Vito.

Near Didube at the gas station or stalls if in Tbilisi, but in Batumi it's near the funicular, but in Batumi rather they go if their turn, but in Tbilisi it's like a separate class.

• Conditions: Car – Mercedes Vito, Viano
• Presence of air conditioner – sometimes
• Travel time – about 7 hours
• Comfortable boarding – more comfortable than in Sprinter, if there is air conditioner and adequate driver, which is rather an exception, if air conditioner works and it is turned on – good option
• Stops during the trip – 1 for 30 minutes, in the middle of the trip – rural type cafe with big prices and paid toilet.
• The cost of the trip – 35 GEL (Tbilisi-Batumi or back), Tbilisi-Kutaisi may not be taken, but sent to another by minibus standing next to it. The price of Tbilisi or Batumi to Kutaisi is 15-20 GEL.
• Frequency – as it turns out, you can leave in 15 minutes, you can wait for 2 hours, as the car will be air-conditioned, but it is more expensive by 5 GEL than a sprinter, that is 25, not 20 GEL. The most frustrating thing is when you wait for 2 hours and then the driver says: "Oh, the air conditioner doesn't work...", it happens here too. Although there are some pretty good cars.
• Schedule – no, but they drive from 05 am to 24 hours.
• Positives – you can always leave, you can get into a nice Vito with air conditioning and comfortable interior, less stops in villages and coastal towns, as there are less people in the car. The seats and legroom distance are more comfortable than in the sprinter.
• Negatives – If there is no air conditioning, there is the same daredevil driver, you will experience all the negatives of the Sprinter in the Vito, the only plus is the slightly more comfortable seating.

By air-conditioned bus

Turkish company has launched big buses from Tbilisi to Batumi. All buses are comfortable.

Conditions:

• Car – Mercedes bus, Neoplan bus
• Presence of air conditioner – Is available
• Travel time – about 7-8 hours
• Comfortable boarding – more comfortable than by minibus, not so chatty, there is air conditioning, free tea and coffee, mineral water, there is TV, radio on each seat - though not always working or movies only in Turkish can be, headphones are bad, here as luck, there is 4G, but catches well and connects.
• Stops during the trip – 1 for 30 minutes, in the middle of the trip - cafe is better than by minibuses, prices are not low, paid toilet in the cafe.
• Cost of the trip – 35 GEL (Tbilisi-Batumi or back), Tbilisi-Kutaisi – 20 GEL, warn both at the ticket office and the driver, but still be vigilant, a couple of times it happened that they brought you further, if you are not a local, it is hard to navigate, and to get from where you were brought – will be unreal for you without knowledge of Georgian.
• Frequency – every 2 hours, there are additional buses in season.
• Schedule – there is a schedule, they run from 05 am to 24 hours, every 2 hours, it is better to take tickets in advance.
• Positives – comfortable seats, better than by minibus, air conditioning, movies, drinks, comfort of a big bus, not by minibus.
• Negatives – there may be no tickets if you are not going to the final point, they may forget that you have to be dropped off and it is not clear how you will get there. Stations in both Tbilisi and Batumi are far away. If you are brought to Batumi at night, you can either take a cab or walk 3-4 km. Earlier there was an additional bus that took you to the city, but there were cases when at 24 hours they simply said that there is no such bus – walk or wait until 07 am, it is better to walk 3-4 km than to sit from 24 till 07 am. To order tickets in advance by phone – I t is impossible, no one answers the phone, and if they answer nothing knows neither Georgian nor Russian. Nor in English.

Comfortable air-conditioned train

Conditions:

• Car – air-conditioned electric car with comfortable seats. Express
• Air conditioning – yes
• Travel time – about 6 hours
• Convenience of boarding – train, no one overtakes anyone, no shaking and no chattering on passes, sit listen to the player, watch the tablet, there is 3G, but catches poorly and can not connect.
• Stops on the way – only those in the schedule, no stops, no waving of the hand.
• Cost of trip – 45 GEL (Tbilisi-Batumi or back), not all small towns are available for exit
• Frequency – one train in the morning and one in the evening
• Schedule – there is, they go from 05 or 06 in the morning and the second train at 17-00, it is better to take tickets in advance
• Positives – comfortable seats, better than by minibus and bus, air conditioning, no shaking and no chattering on passes
• Negatives – tickets may not be available, they are sold out in the first turn, if you do not go to the terminus, you may have to get there by minibus.

Overnight train with air conditioning and sleeper berths

Conditions:

• Availability of air conditioning – yes
• Travel time – about 6-7 hours
• Convenience of boarding – train, no one overtakes anyone, no shaking and no chattering on the passes, you can sleep during the trip, goes at night, which can be convenient if you ran during the day on excursions.
• Stops during the trip – only those in the schedule, no waved hand
• Cost of the trip – 70 GEL compartment (Tbilisi-Batumi or back), not all small towns are available for exit
• Frequency – one night train
• Schedule – there is one, traveling from 8 or 9 pm until morning
• Positives – comfortable sleepers, certainly except for those who can't sleep on the train, better than by minibus and bus, air-conditioned, no shaking or chattering over passes
• Negatives – tickets may not be available, they are sold out first, if you do not go to the terminus, you may have to get there by minibus.

We have given you a rough list of how to get between the main cities, if you have any questions, suggestions - please send us, we will consider them in other articles on our site. We make the site for you and we want it to be interesting to you not only from the point of view of car rental. Our main goal is you and your comfort, we do not insist on the position - do not order from us - go away. We are ready to help you and will be glad to your questions or suggestions, which we could study and describe in more detail.

Coordinates of bus stations and vocals with GPS data according to google maps

1. Didube station in Tbilisi – 41.751271,44.778602
2. Parking lot of Vito and similar by minibuses near Didube (2 places) - 41.752457, 44.778425 near Galf gas station, parking lot near by minibuses – 41.749181, 44.778024
3. railway station in Tbilisi – 41.721142, 44.799205, station square.
4. Stop by minibus at Tbilisi railway station – 41.721895, 44.799033
5. Railway station in Batumi – 41.659298, 41.677964
6. Railway ticket office in Batumi (buy ticket in the city itself) – 41.652109, 41.640384, 1 Zvyad Gamsakhurdia St. Batumi
7. Parking lot near funicular in Batumi – 41.646807, 41.645486, Gogebashvili street, Batumi.
8. Bus station in Batumi – 41.643701, 41.650498, Mayakovskogo street, Batumi
9. Metro bus station in Tbilisi – 41.675206,44.834609
10. Metro bus station in Batumi – 41.643374, 41.669409, Gogol street, Batumi