How to Get from Tbilisi to Batumi and Back
In short
The easiest way from Tbilisi to Batumi is the train: about 4 hours, with second-class tickets from 35 lari; for 20 October 2026, two trains were on sale. The bus takes about 6 hours from Ortachala Bus Station, and the operator's website lists the route from 45 lari. By car it is around 360 km, or about 5 hours without stops. A Georgian Airways flight takes 45 minutes. On 19 October 2026, the airline's fare calendar showed fares from 103.30 US dollars for 22 and 24 October. These are prices collected over the previous 48 hours, so check availability and the final price for your own date. Prices and times were checked with the operators on 18-19 October 2026; before you travel, check your date using the links below.
The same trains run back from Batumi to Tbilisi, but at different times. Check the timetable for the return direction separately.
*A Madloba video about the journey from Tbilisi to Batumi (in Russian). Prices and timetables in the video may be out of date; the current figures are in the text above.*
Which to choose: comparing the options
| Option | Leaves from in Tbilisi | Arrives in Batumi | Journey time | Price (18.10.2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stadler train | Central railway station (Station Square) | Batumi railway station | about 4 hours | from 35 lari, 2nd class | most travellers: fast, no traffic |
| Bus | Ortachala Bus Station | Bus station at 11 Gogol Street | about 6 hours | route from 45 lari (CityBus), fare for your trip shown at checkout | when the train is full or you need another departure time |
| Marshrutka (minibus) | Didube Bus Station | Batumi | 5-7 hours | the driver quotes the fare | no booking, travelling light |
| Your own or a rental car | your address | your address | about 5 hours without stops, around 360 km | fuel and rental | families with luggage, stops on the way |
| Taxi or transfer | door | door | about 5 hours | per car, by agreement | groups of 3-4 |
| Plane | Tbilisi Airport | Batumi Airport | 45 minutes in the air | from 103.30 USD in the fare calendar for 22 and 24.10.2026 (data of 19.10.2026) | if the search for your date shows seats |
Compare the whole journey, from where you stay in Tbilisi to where you stay in Batumi. For the train and bus, add the trips across town to and from the station. For a family or a group, add up everyone's tickets and compare that with the price of one car.
Tbilisi to Batumi by train
This is the fastest way overland. Since August 2026 the train has taken about 4 hours, as Georgian Railway (in Georgian) announced on 6 August 2026. Before that, the journey took 5.5 hours.
Timetable for 20 October 2026 in the official ticket system (checked on 18.10.2026):
| Train | Departure | Arrival | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi - Batumi, No. 802 | 08:05 | 12:06 | 2nd class 35 lari |
| Tbilisi - Batumi, No. 804 | 17:10 | 21:11 | 2nd class 35 lari, 1st class 75 lari |
| Batumi - Tbilisi, No. 803 | 08:00 | 12:00 | no seats on the date checked |
| Batumi - Tbilisi, No. 801 | 16:50 | 20:50 | no seats on the date checked |
The system shows the total including fees during checkout. Tickets are sold on the Georgian Railway website through the Internet ticket link, which takes you to the gr.com.ge ticket system. Seats do sell out: on 18 October 2026, there were no tickets left for 20 October from Batumi to Tbilisi. Buy your ticket as soon as your date is fixed.
Trains leave from Tbilisi Central Railway Station, next to Station Square metro station. How to pay for the metro is explained in the Tbilisi metro guide.
How to buy a ticket, choose a class and seat, get a refund and what to bring when travelling with children is covered in detail in Tbilisi to Batumi Train: Timetable, Tickets and Boarding.
View from a train window. Illustration
Tbilisi to Batumi by bus
Intercity buses to Batumi leave from Ortachala Bus Station on Gulia Street. There are two large operators:
- CityBus Georgia. On 18.10.2026 the company website listed the Tbilisi - Batumi route from 45 lari; the fare for a specific trip is shown at checkout. For example, trip CT0901, in the operator's timetable for 18-27 October 2026, leaves Ortachala Bus Station (5 Dimitri Gulia Street) at 09:00 and arrives at Batumi bus station (11 Gogol Street) at 15:00. It stops in Gori, Kutaisi, at Kutaisi Airport, in Ureki and in Kobuleti. The ticket includes one large bag up to 25 kg and hand luggage up to 5 kg. You need to be at the stop 15 minutes before departure.
- Metro Georgia. According to the company website (18.10.2026), buses leave Tbilisi from Ortachala Bus Station (1 Gulia Street) and Batumi from 11 Gogol Street. Departure times and fares appear when you search for tickets on your chosen date. The company's phone number is 0 422 24 22 44.
The bus is a good option when the train is full or you need a different departure time. It is best to buy your ticket in advance on the operator's website and keep it on your phone.
Tbilisi to Batumi by marshrutka
Marshrutkas (shared minibuses) to Batumi leave from Didube Bus Station, next to the metro station of the same name. They usually leave once they fill up, with no online booking. The driver or the ticket desk tells you the fare on the spot, so agree on it before you get in.
There is little room for a large suitcase, and air conditioning and stops depend on the driver. With children or big luggage, the train or bus is more comfortable. More in How to get from Tbilisi to Batumi by marshrutka.
Intercity bus. Illustration
By car: distance and driving time
From central Tbilisi to central Batumi it is around 360 km by road. Without stops or traffic, that is about 5 hours. These figures come from a route calculation on OpenStreetMap maps on 18.10.2026; your sat nav will be more precise from your own address. In summer, allow extra time for traffic leaving Tbilisi and along the coast.
The main road runs through Gori, Khashuri, the Rikoti Pass, Zestaponi and Kutaisi to the sea. The route in detail, and the alternative over the Goderdzi Pass, are described in How to get from Tbilisi to Batumi by car. For places to stop and eat, see Where to eat on the road from Tbilisi to Batumi.
If you rent a car in Tbilisi and return it in Batumi, check the one-way fee, the deposit and the insurance in advance. On a 5-hour drive, the driver needs at least one break.
Taxi and transfer
A taxi or transfer takes you door to door. You pay for the whole car, so for three or four people it can come close to the cost of everyone's tickets. Before you set off, agree on the final price, any stops, a child seat and room for suitcases. Tips on booking are in How to get from Tbilisi to Batumi by taxi.
Tbilisi to Batumi by plane
From 25 June 2026, Georgian Airways flew from Tbilisi to Batumi 4 times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Departure from Tbilisi was at 09:00, arriving at 09:45; the return left Batumi at 19:30. A one-way ticket cost 295 lari. That is what the airline announced when it launched the route (First Channel of Georgia, 25.06.2026).
On 19 October 2026, the Georgian Airways fare calendar showed fares from 103.30 US dollars for 22 and 24 October. These are prices collected over the previous 48 hours, so availability and the final price need to be checked in a search for your own date. On top of the 45-minute flight, allow for getting to the airport, check-in and the trip from Batumi Airport into town. More in How to get from Tbilisi to Batumi by plane.
Illustration
If you have just landed in Tbilisi
The train and buses to Batumi described above leave from the city, not from the airport. So first get to the central railway station if you are taking the train, or to Ortachala Bus Station if you are taking the bus.
How much time to leave between landing and departure depends on your flight, your luggage, the queue at passport control and traffic in town. If the margin looks tight, choose a later departure or spend the night in Tbilisi. A transfer straight from the airport is priced per car.
The way back: Batumi to Tbilisi
Trains to Tbilisi leave from Batumi railway station; for 20 October 2026 they departed at 08:00 and 16:50, and there were no seats on that date when checked (see the table above). CityBus and Metro Georgia give the bus station on Gogol Street as their Batumi stop; check return bus times for your date in the ticket search on their websites. Marshrutkas to Tbilisi gather by the Batumi Plaza shopping centre. Return times are not the same as outbound times.
How to get to the station across Batumi is explained in the article on public transport in Batumi.
What to see on the way
You can only stop along the way if you drive or agree the route with a driver in advance. Trains and buses make no sightseeing stops.
Close to the Tbilisi - Batumi road you will find Mtskheta right on the edge of Tbilisi, the cave town of Uplistsikhe near Gori, Kutaisi with Gelati Monastery, and the Martvili and Okatse canyons. Every detour adds time, so with sightseeing the trip is easier split over two days. A ready-made route with stops is in Tbilisi to Batumi road trip.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way from Tbilisi to Batumi?
By plane: 45 minutes in the air, if there is a flight with seats on your date. Overland, the train is fastest, at about 4 hours (since August 2026).
What is the cheapest way?
The train in second class, from 35 lari (for 20.10.2026). CityBus lists the route from 45 lari, and shows the fare for your trip at checkout. Marshrutkas need no booking; check the fare with the driver.
How many kilometres is it from Tbilisi to Batumi?
Around 360 km by road, centre to centre (route calculation on OpenStreetMap maps, 18.10.2026). More in the answer How long it takes to get from Tbilisi to Batumi and how far it is.
How long is the drive?
About 5 hours without stops. With breaks for food and rest, allow 6-7 hours.
How long does the train take?
About 4 hours: for 20.10.2026, No. 802 was on sale, leaving at 08:05 and arriving at 12:06, and No. 804, leaving at 17:10 and arriving at 21:11.
How much is a train ticket?
Second class 35 lari, first class on the evening No. 804 75 lari (official ticket system, checked on 18.10.2026 for 20.10.2026). The total with fees is shown before you pay.
Where does the bus to Batumi leave from?
From Ortachala Bus Station on Gulia Street. CityBus Georgia and Metro Georgia buses both leave from there.
How much is the bus from Tbilisi to Batumi?
CityBus Georgia lists the route from 45 lari (company website, 18.10.2026), and shows the fare for a specific trip at checkout. Metro Georgia shows its fare when you search for a ticket on your date.
Where do marshrutkas to Batumi leave from?
From Didube Bus Station, by Didube metro station. They leave once they fill up.
Is there a flight from Tbilisi to Batumi?
Georgian Airways flies from Tbilisi to Batumi, 45 minutes in the air. In summer 2026 the flight ran 4 times a week. On 19 October 2026, the airline's fare calendar showed fares from 103.30 US dollars for 22 and 24 October; check availability and the final price in a search for your date.
How do I get from Tbilisi Airport to Batumi?
The train and buses to Batumi leave from the city, so first get to the central railway station or Ortachala Bus Station. Leave a time margin that suits your flight, your luggage and the traffic.
How do I get back from Batumi to Tbilisi?
By train (for 20.10.2026, departures at 08:00 and 16:50), by CityBus or Metro Georgia bus from Gogol Street, or by marshrutka from Batumi Plaza. Check the return timetable for your date separately.
What is best with children?
The train: you can get up and walk around, and it does not get stuck in traffic. A child under 5 without a separate seat travels free with an adult; the rules for child tickets are in the train article.
Can I see sights on the way?
Yes, if you drive or travel with a driver and agree the stops in advance. Trains and buses make no sightseeing stops.
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ما أذهلني أكثر هو الروح الفريدة لهذا البلد، تنقلك فيه يجعلك تشعر وكأنك في رحلة عبر الزمن. لحظة وصولي إلى باتومي، كان الهواء مختلفًا، البحر يعانق الشاطئ وكأنني في حلم. 🌊
لكن، كم من الوقت يستغرق الوصول بالقطار بالمقارنة مع الحافلة؟ 🤔