How to get from Tbilisi airport to the center: buses, trains, transfers and taxis. How to get from Tbilisi airport: minibuses, transfers and taxis Distance from Tbilisi airport to the city

The main air gate of Georgia - Shota Rustaveli Airport (Tbilisi International Airport - TBS) - is located near the capital. They serve 3 million passengers a year, allow 29 airlines to operate on their territory and connect the country with other countries. From Russia you can get to Tbilisi airport with Aeroflot, Nordavia, Pobeda, S7 and Ural Airlines, and major international carriers include Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

Where is it located and how to get to Tbilisi

Getting from the airport to the capital is quick, cheap and easy

The airport is located east of the center of Tbilisi. The distance between the points is approximately 15.5 kilometers, and you can overcome it in 30-40 minutes. All main types of transport are available for traveling to the city:

• buses
• trains
• Taxi
• rented and personal cars

The bus stop is located next to the air gate exit, near the arrivals hall. To get to it, you need to leave the building, cross the road and find a point near the large BUS sign on the asphalt. People travel to the capital's central station along route No. 37. According to information on the Tbilisi International Airport website (code - TBS), these buses run around the clock, and the wait between them is 15-20 minutes.

A ticket for route No. 37 will cost 0.5 lari or approximately 13 rubles. There are 2 disadvantages of transport. First, the “pass” is sold either with a Metromoney card, which you cannot get at the airport terminal, or for coins. Money must be exchanged. You pay for the fare directly on the bus; there are machines designed for this at the entrance. The second disadvantage is that the bus stops along the way and is sometimes filled to capacity. Traveling in such an environment with suitcases, and especially with children, is not very convenient.

A train ticket will cost the same 0.5 lari. The trip to Tbilisi Central Station takes 20 minutes. The trains are modern and comfortable, but they only run twice a day: at 8:35 and 17:40.

Taxi here is the most convenient and, compared to many tourist cities, inexpensive option. Cars slow down at the exit of the building, next to the bus stop. The average trip will cost 30 lari or 770 rubles. The main thing is to order a taxi in advance or try to find a car that has just dropped off a passenger brought from the city. Drivers who are already standing at the boarding pavilion building are reluctant to give in to the price. Many are cunning and claim that 30 is the price in dollars, and not in local currency.

What is inside

Get lost inTBS is not easy. There are no confusing corridors or difficult transitions here.

The airport is relatively small – “only” 37,000 square meters. However, it contains all the basic services needed by travelers. Arrival and departure areas, control and registration, shops and catering establishments are located close to each other. There are no confusing corridors or passages here, it is almost impossible to get lost.

TBS terminal diagrams

There is only one terminal. Includes the 1st and 2nd floors of the building and the mezzanine between them. You can get to the first one through the entrance on the right side of the building, near the departure area. Here you will find metal detectors, bank offices, ticket sales points, toilets and cafeterias. Opposite the entrance there are also registration desks. On the left, in the arrival area, there is a baggage search service, delivery lanes, a police station, a first-aid post, a CIP client meeting area, ATMs and taxi service kiosks. In the same part of the structure there is an exit from the airport terminal. Between the entrances you can find an information desk.

See what the airport looks like inside. In the compact TBS, check-in counters are located literally 20 steps from the entrance, making it impossible not to notice them.

In the right half of the mezzanine there is a passport control area - in total there are 35 points operating on the territory of the complex. In the middle there is a visa office and a counter for transit travelers, and on the left there are exchangers and ATMs. The second floor is interesting with waiting rooms with a restaurant, a duty-free shop, souvenir shops and a Tax Free counter.

Infrastructure

The air terminal building itself, parking lots and a railway station are located on the territory of the air harbor complex. The airport is separated from the latter by 70 meters. There is a railway station on the right side of the complex. The building is easy to find - it is a white hemisphere with golden windows.

The parking areas can accommodate 934 vehicles. The main parking lot for 658 cars is located opposite the building itself. On the left side of it there is also parking for CIP Primeclass clients. The main parking lot has 2 entrances and exits. Travel is carried out through an electronic barrier, payment is transferred to the cashier here. Leaving the car for an hour costs 90 rubles; for a day you will have to pay 333 rubles.

There are dozens of necessary services operating in the air harbor itself. Most of them work around the clock. Here's just some of what you'll find inside:

1. Luggage packing station in the departure area. You can use the service for 400 rubles, regardless of the size of the suitcase.
2. On each floor there are exchangers, ATMs and branches of the 5 main banks of Georgia. Experienced travelers do not recommend using their services - you can find a more favorable rate in the city. When you arrive, exchange some money just so you have coins for the bus.
3. There is only one first aid station on site. Doctors, including those collaborating with insurance companies, work 24/7 to help staff, passengers and visitors to the airport terminal.
4. Duty-Free is available on the second floor after security. The assortment is almost no different from similar duty-free shops. Only Georgian alcohol and churchkhela are pleasing, but the prices for goods are the opposite. Tbilisi Duty-Free travelers call it unreasonably expensive.
5. The restaurant on the second floor brings together dishes from all over the world, but it is primarily interesting for its Georgian cuisine. Right at the airport you can taste kebabs, kebabs and khachapuri, but the prices are significantly higher than in the city.
6. Car rental offices operate on the ground floor, in the left wing. To rent a car, you just need to have an international license of the required category, money for rent and a deposit. It is not necessary to book transport in advance, but it is useful - with a reservation you will be sure that the car is available.
7. The VIP lounge at Tbilisi airport is very popular. You can find the room on the second floor, in the right wing. Equipped only in 2007, the lounge allows you to while away the time before your flight in the most comfortable conditions. People can be accommodated in comfortable rooms, served in the cafeteria with dishes from different parts of the world, provided with the latest newspapers or free internet.

However, the latter is not such an advantage. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the entire airport terminal. Look for the Tbilisi loves you network and feel free to connect, it does not have a password.

5 facts about Tbilisi air harbor

For almost 70 years of existence, the Shota Rustaveli Airport has not managed to stand out from its “colleagues”. It runs consistently smoothly without any major incidents. We've collected a few facts from his somewhat boring story for you, perhaps to give you a better idea of ​​what to expect when you arrive.

1. The first air gate of Georgia appeared on the site of the current building back in 1952. At that time it was a structure with an architectural appearance typical of Stalin’s times. But in 1990 everything changed: the building was rebuilt according to international standards and given a modern look.
2. In 2007, the airport underwent even greater changes. An international terminal was built on the site, ground handling equipment was replaced, taxiways were improved and parking was added.
3. In the latest transformation, TBS management has invested resources for its smooth expansion. It is now possible to implement improved technologies without having to interrupt passenger services.
4. In the 1980s, the airport was considered the twelfth largest in the Soviet Union. It was possible to achieve the passenger turnover characteristic of those times only in recent years.
5. For three years in a row - from 2014 to 2016 - the airport was among the seven best in Eastern Europe. In 2017 he entered the top six.

Tbilisi Airport, although relatively small in area, is quite ambitious. The number of passengers passing through it has recently been growing rapidly. The building is being rebuilt and improved to please them - and, apparently, for good reason. The best airports are chosen based on public surveys, and the fourth year in the top suggests that TBS meets the needs of the most demanding passengers.

On this visit to Tbilisi I was without a car for several days and got the opportunity to test almost all types of urban transport, including buses, subways, and taxis. Traditionally, I try not to use Georgian minibuses.

Tbilisi Airport

Shota Rustaveli International Airport is 17 km away. from Tbilisi. After reconstruction in 2007, the capacity was increased to almost 3 million people, a new modern terminal was launched, there are several cafes, the car rental point in which is significantly more expensive than ordering through Myrentacar.com, currency exchange, ATM, points of sale of SIM cards for mobile communications and the Internet, souvenir shops, toilet. There are two sockets next to the toilet - you can charge your smartphone or laptop. This is all located on the first floor of the airport, on the second there is passport control and a duty free zone. I recommend buying a 3G card from Geocell there, 6 GB costs 15 GEL for 1 month.

General airport feeling– very small, but functional, has everything you need, without frills or ostentatious luxury. The arrival hall and the departure hall are actually the same hall, just zoned into two parts respectively. The airport operates around the clock, there are a lot of flights at night, so even at this time it resembles a small and very lively anthill. A police squad is constantly on duty in the departure and arrival hall; these same guys can be used as an information service.

How to get from Tbilisi airport to the city center

Method 1. Bus No. 37

The cheapest way to get to Tbilisi center from the airport - bus number 37. Since February 2017, these are no longer the old Bogdan minibuses that ran before, but new ones blue MAN buses. The fare remains the same - 0.5 lari (50 tetri), payment occurs directly on the bus - you simply put a coin into the coin acceptor of a special machine and get a ticket. The machine accepts coins in denominations of 10, 20, 50 tetri, there is no change. Coins can be exchanged at any currency exchange office. There is a conductor on the bus who monitors payment. She may or may not change the money, so it is better to prepare the coins in advance and have them with you.

The bus runs 24 hours a day. I flew in and out Tbilisi at night, at this time the bus runs at intervals of 30-40 minutes, during the day more often - 20 minutes.

Bus stop №37 is located directly opposite the exit from the airport's arrival hall. They go on schedule. Before center of Tbilisi During the day the bus arrives in 30-35 minutes, at night – in 20 minutes.

Driving route– from the airport to the central railway station via Rustaveli and Baratashvili avenues. Convenient exit point – stop near metro Avlabari, there is also a monument - sculpture to the heroes of the film Mimino. Nearby is Metekhi descent and a popular area for inexpensive hotels, hostels and guest houses. Before Glass Bridge of Peace– 10 minutes walk.

What to do if you live far from the bus route? You take bus 37 to the city center, from there you take a taxi for 5-7 GEL and get to the hotel. Another option is to take the metro, but this is for the most economical ones.

Method 2. Taxi

Contrary to popular belief that taxi drivers in Tbilisi they are pulling three skins, this is not so. More precisely, this is not always the case. If you know the price, no one will insist for a long time on an inflated price.

From Tbilisi airport before city ​​center a taxi costs 25-30 lari. During the day - 25 GEL, at night 30 GEL, don’t give more, especially since there is a budget option by bus. If you need to get to the outskirts Tbilisi– the price will be 40 GEL. This is the official price announced on taxi service website . Taxi- white Toyotas.

Method 3. Transfer from the hotel

Those who like to have everything planned in advance can order a transfer from the hotel at the booking stage. You will be met at the airport with a sign and taken to your hotel. Check the price in advance, it may be higher than a taxi, often 40-50 GEL. The normal price for a transfer should not exceed 30 GEL. I still recommend a bus if you are traveling lightly or a taxi if you do not live in the center or have a lot of luggage.

Pre-booked transfer

Don't want to run around the airport looking for taxi drivers and/or bargain with them? Now in Georgia there is a convenient service that allows you to order a transfer online in advance. A car with a driver will be waiting for you upon arrival. You can do this on the website gotrip.

A pre-ordered transfer will also be needed if you are traveling from Tbilisi to Gudauri or Batumi, from Kutaisi to Batumi or Mestia (Svaneti), as well as in any other popular destination.

From Tbilisi to Gudauri >> from $47 for three

From Tbilisi to Batumi >> from $90 for three

From Kutaisi to Batumi >> from $58 for three

From Kutaisi to Mestia >> from $72 for three

The cars can accommodate from 3 to 6 passengers; you can choose a specific car with a specific driver. The drivers speak Russian, English, Georgian, the description contains detailed information.

Where to change money in Tbilisi

The exchange rate of the Georgian lari today is 2.39-2.43 lari per 1 US dollar. You can change money directly at the airport, where the acceptable exchange rate is 2.39. A slightly higher rate can be found at exchange offices on Rustaveli Avenue, and in the tourist areas of old Tbilisi the rate is even lower than at the airport. There are a lot of exchange offices, they work on weekends, many at night, so there will be no problems with exchange. A passport or other document is not required when exchanging money. I advise you to change a small amount at the airport, then at city exchange offices in the area of ​​​​Rustaveli Avenue - the most favorable rate was found there.

Travel to the Tbilisi metro

Directions to Tbilisi metro, just like on buses it costs 0.5 GEL. Payment is made by card, which you need to buy at the metro ticket office. The price of the card itself is 2 GEL, plus it needs to be topped up with any amount, starting from 0.5 GEL. You put your card on the turnstile, the machine writes off the money and lets you through. On buses it can be paid in the same way. The card can be topped up at any time, for example, at the metro ticket office. The deposit cost of the card (2 GEL) can be returned and the card can be returned.

If you only need to travel once and don’t want to worry about buying a card and then returning it, just ask any person to let you through using their card. You give him the money or top up his card, if desired. I did this, it doesn’t surprise anyone, the locals are willing to help.

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