How long is the drive from Russia to Georgia, and how far is it?
Distances from Moscow, St Petersburg and southern Russia, and journey times.
Short answer
From Moscow to Tbilisi via Upper Lars is about 2,000-2,100 kilometres, roughly 25-30 hours of driving, so people usually take two or three days with overnight stops. From St Petersburg it is about 2,700 kilometres, from Rostov-on-Don about 1,000 and from Krasnodar about 800. Add time for the border queue, which can be several hours in summer and on holidays.
Why
- Upper Lars near Vladikavkaz is the only open land crossing between Russia and Georgia.
- Vladikavkaz to Tbilisi is about 200 kilometres along the Georgian Military Road over the Jvari Pass.
- In winter the pass sometimes closes because of snow and avalanche risk.
Details
To enter with your own car you need its documents, and a power of attorney if the car isn't yours. Before setting off, check the pass road on the Roads Department of Georgia website.
People also ask
- How far is Tbilisi from Moscow by car?
Sources
- Roads Department of GeorgiaChecked at:
- Georgian National Tourism AdministrationChecked at:
Information checked on October 3, 2026.
Driving to Georgia from RussiaRelated questions
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Where can you fly to from Tbilisi and Batumi?
Tbilisi has direct flights to Istanbul, Dubai and other Middle East cities, Europe, Russia, Israel, Central Asia and neighbouring countries.
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How do you get from Tbilisi to Azerbaijan?
From Tbilisi you can fly to Azerbaijan or take the Tbilisi-Baku train, relaunched on 26 May 2026: it leaves daily at 21:00 and reaches Baku the next morning, after about nine and a half hours.
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Can you travel from Russia to Georgia by train?
There is no direct passenger train from Russia to Georgia: the railway through Abkhazia doesn't carry passengers to the rest of Georgia, and Georgian law bans entry via Abkhazia.
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How do you get from Batumi to Ureki?
Ureki is about 55 kilometres north of Batumi, around an hour's trip.