Getting Around Tbilisi: Metro, Buses, Taxis & Driving (2026)

Tbilisi's transport system is cheap, surprisingly good in places, and completely baffling in others. The metro costs less than a stick of gum. Bolt rides across the city rarely break 10 lari. But then you'll spend 20 minutes at a bus stop with no idea whether your bus is coming or went extinct three years ago.

After years of navigating this city — the metro at rush hour, the marshrutkas to Didube, the Bolt drivers who take creative interpretations of one-way streets — here's the guide we wish someone had given us on day one.

This covers everything an expat actually needs: how to pay, which apps work, what each option costs, and the unwritten rules nobody tells you about.

The Metro: Your Best Friend

Tbilisi's metro is Soviet-built, two lines, and genuinely excellent for what it is. It runs from 6am to midnight, trains come every 2–5 minutes during rush hour, and the whole system costs 1 lari per ride. That's less than $0.40.

The Red Line (Akhmeteli–Varketili) runs roughly east-west and hits the most useful stations: Station Square (for the train station and Didube connection), Liberty Square (Old Town), Avlabari (Sameba Cathedral area), and 300 Aragveli (Isani/Varketili). The Green Line (Saburtalo) branches north from Station Square through Marjanishvili, Rustaveli, and up to Delisi/Vazha-Pshavela — basically covering Vake, Saburtalo, and the university area.

The stations are deep underground — some of the escalator rides take a full minute. The platforms have that imposing Soviet grandeur, all marble and chandeliers, which is atmospheric the first time and just another commute after a week.

How to Pay: MetroMoney, Travel Card & Bank Cards

Tbilisi's transport is fully cashless. No coins, no tokens, no buying tickets from the driver. You have three options:

City Buses: Good but Confusing

Tbilisi's bus network is extensive — there are routes reaching most parts of the city, and the newer buses are modern, air-conditioned, and have electronic route displays. The problem isn't the buses themselves. It's figuring out which bus goes where.

There's no single reliable English-language map of bus routes. Google Maps works for some routes but misses others entirely. The Tbilisi Transport Company app exists but is in Georgian only and is unreliable. Your best bet is asking locals or learning the numbers for your regular routes.

Key things to know:

• Fare: 1 ₾ with MetroMoney, tap the reader when boarding (front, middle, or back)
• Hours: Roughly 7am–midnight, but frequency drops sharply after 10pm
• Frequency: Major routes every 5–10 min during the day, every 15–20 min evenings
• Inspectors: Common at random stops — they'll ask you to tap your card on their handheld. No valid tap = 20 ₾ fine
• Children under 16: Free on all public transport

Taxis & Bolt: The Expat Default

Let's be honest: most expats in Tbilisi use Bolt for almost everything. And why wouldn't you? A 15-minute ride across central Tbilisi costs 5–8 ₾ ($2–3). At those prices, you'll use taxis like public transport.

Bolt is the dominant ride-hailing app — Uber doesn't operate in Georgia. Bolt works exactly like you'd expect: set your pickup and destination, see the price upfront, pay by card or cash. Drivers are generally good, cars range from decent to suspiciously nice, and wait times in central Tbilisi are usually under 5 minutes.

Cable Cars & Funicular

Tbilisi has four cable car lines plus one funicular, and they're a mix of genuine transport and tourist attractions:

Marshrutkas: The Minibus System

Marshrutkas are the yellow or white minibuses that fill the gap between city buses and intercity transport. Within Tbilisi, they run fixed routes at 1 ₾ per ride (MetroMoney works). For intercity travel, they're how most Georgians get between cities — they leave from Didube or Ortachala bus stations when they're full, not on a schedule.

For daily life as an expat, you'll mostly encounter marshrutkas if you need to reach areas the metro and regular buses don't cover well. They're not scary, but they're not comfortable either — expect tight seating, no air conditioning in summer, and drivers who view speed limits as gentle suggestions.

Driving in Tbilisi: The Honest Truth

Georgian driving culture is its own category of human experience. Traffic lights are treated as suggestions. Lane markings are decorative. Right of way belongs to whoever is more aggressive. U-turns happen anywhere. And the horn is used more than the turn signal.

That said, it's not as anarchic as it first appears. There's an unwritten logic to it — drivers are actually quite skilled at reading each other's intentions, and the flow works despite looking like chaos. Serious accidents within the city are surprisingly rare because nobody's going very fast (traffic sees to that).

Getting To & From the Airport

Shota Rustaveli Tbilisi International Airport is about 17km southeast of the city center. Here are your options, ranked by value:

Essential Apps

Trains: For Longer Trips

Georgian Railway connects Tbilisi to Batumi (5–5.5 hours, from 25 ₾), Kutaisi (5.5 hours, from 15 ₾), Borjomi (4 hours), Zugdidi (for Svaneti), and a few other routes. Trains are slower than driving but more comfortable, cheaper than Bolt, and the Tbilisi–Batumi overnight train is a genuinely pleasant experience.

Book tickets at railway.ge or at the station. The website has an English version. First class on the fast Tbilisi–Batumi train includes reclining seats, power outlets, and WiFi that sort of works.

Monthly Transport Costs

Rush Hour & When to Avoid

Tbilisi has two rush-hour windows that make transport significantly worse:

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions