Hooray, finally arrived in the Georgian capital, it doesn’t take long at this airport to get through immigration and luggage, now the question is how to get to the center of Tbilisi cheaply and quickly. If you want to smoke a cigarette first, you can do so outside. Alternatively, there is an overpriced airport pub, which is more expensive than in Europe. There are hundreds of taxis at the airport, you don’t need to search long, and you’ll be out 100 Georgian Lari (approx. 25 USD) for the journey. Don’t be scammed, however friendly the people are. If you are smart and get a SIM card directly at the airport, you will also be ripped off. The tourist packages for mobile internet there cost four times more than in the shops of the mobile phone operators Magti, Silk and Cellfie (formerly Beeline).
Easy, peasy – just follow our guide below, and you can enjoy a few minutes travelling in one of the most exciting cities in the Caucasus.
By taxi from the airport to Tbilisi
The route takes on average depending on which part of Tbilisi you want to get to. Among the many transport providers at the airport, there is hardly one that offers a fare that is grotesque. The drivers at the airport entrance know their trade with fake taxi metre apps and a lot of pressure to find their victims. There are several WiFis in the airport that work without any problems after a short registration.
It’s worth opting for one of the two transport service providers:
- Bolt Taxi
- Yandex Go
It is worth installing their international apps before arriving at Tbilisi Airport and linking a credit card. Depending on capacity utilisation, a ride to Tbilisi costs 15 to 25 GEL and is significantly cheaper than the crazy other offers at Tbilisi Airport.
Tbilisi Airport Taxi for Dummies - step by step guide
Whether you have Bolt or Yandex Go installed, both apps work in the same way. If you don’t have mobile internet, you can order the taxi directly at the airport and proceed as follows:
- Open the app and select the location for the Tbilisi Airport Taxi – there are fixed stops to the right of the airport exit.
- Select a car category for the airport taxi to Tbilisi. With Bolt, you can even take a brand new Tesla to Tbilisi city centre for an extra charge.
- Enter the hotel or destination in the search field – almost all guesthouses, hostels, hotels and locations are listed by name. Once the destination has been selected, it is confirmed.
- The app starts the search and the assigned driver and vehicle number are displayed – and that’s it.
So much for using the Yandex Go app or Bolt. No matter what time of day or night, an airport taxi should be on site within a few minutes. As most clever readers have not yet been ripped off with the overpriced Tbilisi Airport sim card, it will now be exciting to find the taxi you have ordered.
From the airport to the taxi, how to find your vehicle
Go to the exit 2 minutes before the taxi arrives and leave the area with wifi. Even if you are now offline, you can see the vehicle number of the taxi. Use the right-hand exit of the airport. The police will scare the taxi drivers away, otherwise they will block the exit and create a traffic jam – Tbilisi is famous for its first-class traffic jams.
Move towards the street with your luggage and keep your eyes open. It feels like 99.9% of taxis in Georgia are white Toyota Priuses, if the colour is different, this will also be shown in the information about the driver in the app. The number plates of the taxis consist of 3 numbers surrounded by the characters of the Georgian alphabet. When you see your taxi driver, try to signal to him that you are his passenger and hurry up. This somewhat hectic procedure is easy to master even for newcomers – if you can’t find your taxi, go back to the entrance hall and connect to the Wi-Fi.
The Taxi drive from Tbilisi airport to the city centre
Congratulations – you’ve made it, what happens now? Georgian taxi drivers are usually very talkative but rarely good at English conversation. If you get scared to death driving, just tell the nice driver to slow down, they usually follow instructions like this. Optionally, you can also ask the taxi driver to stop if you want something to drink or eat – the cost of waiting is very low. If you are a chain smoker, just ask, even if it is actually illegal. Georgia is one of the last old smoking bastions, so if your driver is also a smoker, he’ll be happy to have a cigarette with you.
Enjoy the view, once you are in the city area you can see the Mother Georgia statue, the alien looking Public Service Hall, the Eiffel Tower of Tbilisi (TV tower) and many other great things. American patriots can belt out the national anthem as soon as they see the shining monument to the former president on George Bush Street – don’t worry, Georgian taxi drivers are used to a lot.
Conclusion on the subject of airport transfers to Tbilisi
As you can see, the first taxi journey in Georgia’s capital is not that difficult. Alternatively, there is a public bus (line 337), which takes three times as long. If anything goes wrong, just ask the friendly Georgians at the airport, chances are relatively high that someone will give you a lift. At worst, you’ll be invited to dinner and introduced to Georgian wine and ChaCha.
Despite crazy James Bond-style overtaking manoeuvres, the drivers from Bolt and Yandex are friendly and reliable. In general, journeys are incredibly cheap and taxis are the best option if you’re in a hurry.
A taxi from Tbilisi airport to the city centre costs around 25 to 30 GEL (8-10 USD). It is advisable to negotiate prices in advance or use a trusted app.
Compared to other European cities, taxis in Tbilisi are quite cheap. However, watch out for inflated prices, especially at the airport and in tourist areas.
No, Uber is not available in Tbilisi. Instead, apps such as Bolt and Yandex Go are popular alternatives that offer similar services with predetermined fares.
Yes, Bolt is an excellent option for travellers at Tbilisi Airport. It is recommended to install the app in advance and book a taxi directly after landing.
A taxi in tbilisi may be cheating if it does not use a taximeter or if the driver refuses to accept a pre-agreed price. Watch out for fake taxi apps and unexpectedly high fares.
