Introduction
Getting there
Taxi from airport
Tbilisi is served by Yandex Go and Bolt taxi services. Uber has recently started operating in Tbilisi with their premium service, “Uber Black,” but we haven’t tried it yet. Both Yandex Go and Bolt offer different service levels, all priced very reasonably. We preferred the Comfort or Comfort+ service on Yandex Go, and most of the time the car was a Toyota Prius, Ford Focus, or a similar model.
There’s no need to pre-order a taxi from the airport, you can simply order one while waiting for your luggage. When you exit the luggage area, you will likely be approached by men offering various transportation services. We have never used their services, and in general, we recommend avoiding them and always sticking to the taxi apps. If you used Yandex Go app in Russia, you would need to update the card, because Yandex Go in Georgia doesn’t accept cards issued by the Russian banks. All other major credit cards as well as Apple and Google Pay work fine in Georgia and you can safely use your card in the taxi apps.
A journey from the airport to the apartment typically takes around 30 minutes at night and up to 60 minutes during rush hour. With Yandex Go Comfort+, the fare is usually around 35-40 lari (~$15 USD), plus whatever tip you’d like to leave the driver, which we recommend doing considering such low prices. Most of journeys within Tbilisi would cost just 10-20 lari.
Some taxis are allowed to use bus lanes during rush hour, but there’s no option in the taxi apps to specifically request such a car. You can also request a child seat, but it is typically a basic booster, not really suitable for a toddler or baby. For safety, we always recommend using your own child seat.
There is also a regular bus service from Tbilisi Airport to Freedom Square and Station Square. It is the cheapest way to get to the city from the airport, but it is not as convenient as taking a taxi.
Car rental
If you’ve driven in ex-USSR countries, you should be OK-ish driving in Tbilisi. Otherwise, it may be a bit of a challenge for your nerves. For some reason, many drivers there start behaving quite differently once they get into their cars, often driving impatiently and sometimes aggressively. Additionally, finding a parking space near the apartment can be difficult, and the local interpretation of parking rules can be quite confusing. However, if you’re up for the challenge, we recommend using the Localrent service, where you can find some good cars at very reasonable prices:
Note that although many cars are fully insured, for minor damage, you may still be asked to pay the excess in cash.
Public transport
Tbilisi is served by an underground (Metro or Metropolitan) system, buses, and minibuses (marshrutka). A typical journey within the city costs 1 lari. There are also options to pay for a whole day, week, or month. For the Metro and buses, you will need to purchase a travel card, which is available at the stations. The same card is also required to use the cable cars to Rike Park and Turtle Lake.
The nearest Metro station to the apartment is Rustaveli, which is around a 20-minute walk from the apartment. There are plenty of buses and minibuses on Chavchavadze and other nearby streets. Please refer to Google Maps or Yandex Maps to find the nearest stops, routes, and schedules.
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Walking
Central Tbilisi is best experienced on foot. The apartment is located in the Vake area and is very easy to find from Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue, the main artery of the area. The nearest local attraction is a spot the locals call the “Circle Garden” - a roundabout where Barnov, Abashidze, Mtskheta and two other streets meet. From the Circle Garden, go upward on Mtskheta Street and take the first left after passing the Nikora supermarket to reach Shrosha Street.