Public transportation in Tbilisi lives up to its capital status: it is one of the most developed systems in the whole of Georgia. The city has a metro (the only one in the country), a system of buses, shuttle buses, as well as a cable car and a funicular. Trolleybuses and streetcars do not operate.
- General Information
- Transportation card
- Metro in Tbilisi
- Buses in Tbilisi
- Shuttle buses
- Cable Cars
- Funicular
- Taxi service
- Rent a car
- FAQ
General Information
In the center of Tbilisi, all information boards at bus stop complexes are usually duplicated in English. The farther away from the center, the rarer it is: the boards are either in Georgian only or are absent at all.
For orientation in the public transportation system of Tbilisi, websites (listed below) will be useful. If you can’t use them, ask for directions from law enforcement officers or locals, they will explain how to get there with their usual hospitality and thoroughness.
Only Metromoney cards are used to pay for subway fares; you can pay for bus and coach rides with either a card or cash.
Metromoney transportation card
Metromoney is a universal payment card valid in municipal transport (metro, buses), as well as in minibuses and on the cable car from Rike Park to Narikala Fortress. The card costs 2 GEL.
The card can be used to buy a 90-minute pass for public transportation (metro, buses, shuttles, cable car), unlimited passes for a day, week, 1, 3 or 6 months and 1 year.
How to buy Metromoney, top up the balance, check the balance on the card
You can buy the card at the ticket offices of any metro and cable car station. The deposit cost is 2 GEL. The card is not personalized, you do not need a passport to buy it. Be sure to keep the receipt confirming the purchase of the card: it is necessary for refunding the deposit value.
How to replenish the balance on Metromoney card
You can replenish the balance at any metro and cable car station, Bank of Georgia terminals and service centers.
How to check the balance on your Metromoney card
You can check the balance on your card when you cross the turnstile in the subway, on your paper bus ticket and at the ticket offices of all stations.
Metromoney refund
Refunds are possible, but only within one month (the card is valid for one month from the first trip). The deposit and the balance on the card are refunded upon presentation of your passport and the receipt that proves the purchase of the card.
Advantages of Metromoney
The cardholder, having paid for the metro or bus fare once, can make free transfers to buses and subways during the next 1.5 hours. After this period, the amount of the trip is deducted again and the free period is again granted.
Features of using the Metromoney card
If you use the card for the first time on a shuttle bus, 80 tetri will be charged first, and 65 tetri for each subsequent shuttle bus ride. There is no free period after paying for the shuttle bus. Even if you took the subway first (and got free 1.5 hours), the cost of the marshrutka ride will be deducted anyway. It turns out that using municipal buses is doubly profitable.
Several people can use one Metromoney. To pay the fare for all of them, you need to put the card to the terminal as many times as the number of people in the group. No discounts or privileges apply.
Metro in Tbilisi
The Tbilisi subway system (with two surface stations) began operating in 1966. The last time a new station was opened was in 2000. Today (2025) the metro consists of 23 stations, which belong to the Akhmeteli-Varketila (red, long) and Saburtala (green, short) lines. There is only one transfer point, “Sadgouris moyodani” (“Station Square”).
- Tokens were canceled in 2010, and you can pay for a trip exclusively with a Metromoney card.
- Tbilisi metro schedule: daily from 06:00 to 00:00.
- The fare is 1 GEL with Metromoney card for a 90-minute ticket.
- Train interval: during rush hours – up to 3 minutes, at other times – 10-12 minutes.
Announcement of stations in the train carriages is in Georgian and English. Other information (station names) is also duplicated.
Metro in Tbilisi connects the central part of the city with the railway station and bus stations Didube (buses and shuttles to Borjomi, Bakuriani, etc., to Mtskheta and Stepantsminda – a little farther) and Ortachala (buses and shuttles to Kutaisi, Gori, Batumi).
The metro is operated by the Tbilisi Transport Company, which also operates city buses.
Buses in Tbilisi
The bus fare is 1 GEL for a 90-minute pass by Metromoney card or in cash through the cash machine at the entrance to the bus. When paying in cash, it is better to have change coins, as the machine does not give change.
Tbilisi buses are yellow or blue. They stop only at bus stops, which are equipped with electronic boards. The arrival time of the nearest routes is indicated on the scoreboard.
Bus schedule: from 06:00 to 20:00.
Stops are announced in Georgian, in rare cases the information is duplicated in English. The buses may have a scoreboard in the cabin, where the route and the next stop are marked.
As already mentioned, the buses are run by the “Tbilisi Transport Company”. It has a website (English language) where you can see information about routes, time of arrival of buses to this or that stop (Stop Board Info), data on buses’ movement in real time (Bus in Real Time). In addition, the Journey Planner tab allows you to set the start and end points and see which bus you need to take.
Each stop has a unique number. If you send a text message with the stop number to 93344, you will receive information about the arrival time of the next bus.
Shuttle buses in Tbilisi
In addition to municipal buses, yellow minibuses with 16-18 seats carry passengers. The new vehicles are equipped with air conditioners.
The fare is 1 GEL. The fare is paid with Metromoney cards or cash at the entrance.
Work schedule of shuttle buses: from 08:00 to 22:00 (varies from route to route).
Shuttle cabs stop at bus stops or at the passenger’s request.
Cable Cars in Tbilisi
Cable Car from Rike Park to Narikala
Payment is possible only via Metromoney card. Single tickets are not sold separately. The fare is 2.5 GEL. The cable car is part of the public transportation system of Tbilisi. It connects Rike Park and Narikala Fortress.
The cable car was opened in 2012. It is not just a way to move from one part of the city to another, but a real tourist attraction, because through the transparent floor in the cabins you can see the city in detail from a bird’s eye view. There are 8 people in a cabin.
Cable Car from Turtle Lake to Vake Park
There is another bottom cable car in Tbilisi – from Turtle Lake to Vake Park. The conditions of transportation are the same as on the cable car from Rike Park to Narikala Fortress. But the cabins themselves are much more interesting – preserved from the Soviet times. They also accommodate about 8 people, but there are no seats – everyone rides standing up.
Funicular in Tbilisi
The funicular leads to the top of Mtatsminda Mountain. There are only three stations: Lower, Pantheon and Mtatsminda.
The funicular is not included in the Tbilisi public transportation system. A separate map has been created for it. To be exact, not for it, but for the Mtatsmind entertainment park. The cost of the card is 2 GEL. The cost of a cable car ride is 10 GEL. If you get off at the middle station, you will have to pay 5 GEL again for the ride up.
Taxi service in Tbilisi
Taxi is the fastest way to get from one point of the capital to another. There is a lot of competition between firms, so the prices are reasonable. A trip within the city will cost 3-6 GEL, but a taxi will take you to the airport for no less than 25 GEL.
It is not worth catching private carriers, as they often overcharge and do not guarantee safety. Official carriers brand their cars.
Numbers of cab services
- +995 (322) 42-27-14
- +995 (322) 42-00-00
- +995 (591) 42-47-74
- +995 (597) 67-54-34
- +995 (322) 11-41-14
- +995 (322) 35-58-55
Rent a car in Tbilisi
If you like to get around the city on your own, have a driver’s license and are confident in your own abilities, rent a car. There are plenty of companies in Tbilisi that offer this kind of services. A car with or without a driver, with a child seat, of any class and capacity – tourists have a wide choice.
All cars are insured. The price depends on the class of the car. You can rent a car on one of the websites, indicating the place of car delivery. It can also be done at the counter at the airport.
Car rental firms
- Artem Prokat (+995597932877)
- Avis.ge (292 35 94)
- Concordmotors.ge (222 09 60)
- Georentcar.ge (293 00 99)
- Naniko.com (214 11 22)
It will be more convenient to use the aggregator Localrent, it cooperates primarily with local rental companies of a particular tourist city. One of its advantages is a small security deposit.
Frequently questions about transport in Tbilisi
Do I need a passport to buy Metromoney card?
The Metromoney card is not personalized, you do not need a passport to buy it.
How many stations does Tbilisi metro have?
Tbilisi metro has 23 stations, which belong to the two lines: Akhmeteli-Varketila (red and long) and Saburtala (green and short).
Is it possible to pay for transportation with a bank card?
Yes, terminals in the subway, buses and even shuttle buses accept bank cards. But in this case you will not have 90 minutes for free transfer – when you change transportation you will have to pay 1 GEL again.
We hope this article was helpful. Have a safe trips in the capital of Georgia!