Metro

The Tbilisi Metro is a short ( 26 km ), two-line subway which is inexpensive and easy to use.

With its hub at the city's main train station (“vagzal”) the Tbilisi Metro is a good way to beat the ever-increasing traffic jams which plague Tbilisi 's central surface arteries – if you are going where the metro goes. Unfortunately, the Tbilisi Metro does not travel directly to many of the places which are of interest to the tourist, as there is no station in Old Tbilisi (the closest stops are Tavispulebis Moidani and Avlabari) and no connections to Vere, or Vake.

However, the metro system itself is of interest: First opened in 1966 – and reaching its current form in 2000 – the Tbilisi Metro was the fourth underground system created in the Soviet Union and many of its stations possess a fading, Soviet charm bolstered by murals and mosaics which bring to life a bit of that bygone era. 16 of the 22 stations are “deep level” constructions built using the same technology as the St. Petersburg system and, consequently, the tunnels are cool in summer and warm in winter making a ride on the metro a pleasant change from the temperatures on the street.

Using the metro is simplicity itself: enter the station, look for the ticket booth and tell the cashier how many red, plastic tokens you want (tokens, good for one ride, are 40 tetri each). After receiving your tokens, and your change, head for the turnstiles, drop your token, and take the escalator down to the platform. Stations are set up with one big platform in the middle which serves both directions so make sure the train you board is going in the direction you want – station stops are written on each wall (although only in Georgian and Russian in most places). A recorded voice announces each stop, and the upcoming station is named just before the doors close.

For most visitors, the Tbilisi Metro is useful for getting to and from the central train station (“Vagzlis Moedani”), as well as for getting to the Didube Bus Station (Didube metro stop) where onward transport can be obtained to many destinations in Georgia's regions (Kazbegi, Bakuriani, Kutaisi, etc.). The Vagzlis Moedani stop is located in the midst of Tbilisi 's central market (“bazroba”) and is a convenient place for starting or ending one's stroll through this chaotically interesting jumble. The entrance to the Rustaveli metro station can be found just below the statue of Shota Rustaveli (and the MacDonald's) at the beginning of Rustaveli Avenue and the Tavisupleba Moidani (“ Freedom Square ”) station is located about 150 meters up Rustaveli Avenue from the Courtyard Marriott.

It is possible to transfer lines at the Vagzlis Moedani hub, and it's not necessary to pay another fare. The Tbilisi Metro operates from 6:00 to 1:00 daily, with trains running at intervals of 2.5-4 minutes.