HOW TO GET TO TBILISI

GOING TO TBILISI

Tbilisi is the main travel hub of Georgia and has the best transport facilities of the country. The main bus station is located at Didube station - reached from the center by metro. Buses and taxis leave for Vladikavkaz in Russia , and even Moscow - this may take up to five days.

There are trains to Armenia but they are very slow. The night train to Yerevan takes 15 hours on a good day. A bed in a coupe costs 12 dollar.

The airport is some 15 km from the center. A taxi costs you between 5 and 10 dollar - count on the latter unless you drive a very hard bargain or can pose as a local.

Airlines currently serving Tbilisi :  

- British Airways from London Heathrow
- Lufhansa from Munich
- Aeroflot from Moscow (SVO)
- Turkish Airlines from Istanbul   
- Austrian Airlines from Vienna
- Air Baltic from Riga
- FlyLal from Vilnius

In addition, a Georgian airline called Airzena (www.airzena.com), has direct flights to Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Vienna, Athens, Dubai , Moscow (DME), Kiev and Tel Aviv using various series of Boeing 737's and Yak-42D. Toll free reservation number form the US is 1-800-220-3106 and online booking is also available.

ONCE THERE

The center is small enough to walk. There are frequent minibuses which are numbered and run routes. Ask the locals which bus to take.

Taxis are more expensive - a ride within town sets you back one dollar, but to go to the airport count on paying 20 Lari. Locals pay half.

To go to the train station take the subway, classical soviet style stations, fast, cheap and frequent trains.