In my Caucasus trip, my next stop after Georgia was Armenia. My main transportation point in Georgia is Tbilisi. I wanted to share with you what I learned about transportation options from Tbilisi to Yerevan, the capital of Georgia, and how to get from Tbilisi to Yerevan.
If you want to go from Tbilisi to Yerevan, you can reach Tbilisi from three different points;
1) Station Square (Station Square) 1 Metro Station Stop
Station Square 1 is where the subway station is, but also where the train station is. That's why it's called Station Square, if you're coming by subway, you can get off at this stop. There are 2 metro stops here, which is why there are 1-2, we are talking about the 1st one.
It is possible to go to Yerevan by train or shared taxi (minivan) from here.
1) Train
The train, which departs from Tbilisi at 22:15 at night, reaches Yerevan at 07:25 in the morning. The total travel time is over 10 hours, of course including the border crossing for about 1 hour.
This is the longest voyage method in terms of time. Prices vary by class.
- class – 93 Lari – sleeper wagon for 2 people
- class – 55 Lari – sleeper wagon for 4 people
- class – 37 Lari – open sleeper wagon
You can only buy tickets from the train station. The ticket office at the station is open between 07:00 and 23:00. At these prices, the most expensive option is the train, so I eliminated this option.
2) Shared Taxi / Minivan
Shared taxis are widely used for transportation in Georgia. Don't be fooled by the fact that it's called a taxi, these are minivans for 8 people.
The hours of shared taxis departing from the station square are: 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 00:00. The price is 35 Lari per person, 50 Lari departing only at midnight. Transportation time is 5-6 hours. You can make a reservation by phone or go to the stops half an hour before the departure of the vehicle.
For your information, they expect at least 3 people to move the minivan that takes off at night.
If your accommodation is close to here, it makes sense to use the shared taxis here.
2) Ortachala Bus Station (Gulia Street 1)
Both minibuses and minivans depart from Ortachala stop. Departure times are 08:20 in the morning; It starts at 10:20. It leaves until 17:00 as it fills up. If you come across a minivan, the price is 30 Lari, if you come across a minivan, it is 40 Lari. Transportation time is still 5-6 hours.
3) Avlabari Metro Station Stop
Shared taxis, whose signs you can see at the exit of Avlabari metro station, are waiting to take you to Yerevan. The system at the Station Square stop is also valid here. Departure times: 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00. The cost per person is 35 Lari. Transportation time is still 5-6 hours.
If I wanted to return to Tbilisi by the same route, departure times from Yerevan; 08:30; 10:30; 13:00; 15:00; It would be 17:00.
Since it is the closest transportation option (within walking distance) to where I am staying, I preferred shared taxis departing from Avlabari station. Although the time is said to be 5-6 hours, it took us 7 hours to reach Yerevan.
I was wise to follow the road in 8-seater minivans and got on one of the two in front, but it was really cramped. Fortunately, a small girl from the Far East sat next to me and we had a relatively comfortable journey.
Minivans stop at several places on the road. There was wifi in the car when I got in, I don't know if it happens in all of them. Since I have a Georgia line, I did not need internet there, but when I moved to Armenia, this wifi worked very well.
The last stop of all minibuses and minivans departing from Tbilisi from different places is Kiliklia Bus Station in Yerevan. It is very easy to reach the city center by bus from Kiliklia bus station. (Bus #5, for example).
Remember to note that the above transportation information is for July-August 2018 and is subject to change!
I know you are wondering how the border crossing of Armenia happened, I will share it in another article. Keep following me.
Other Georgia Travel Articles
Below is a list of my other travel articles about Georgia.
- What to eat and where to eat in Mestia?
- Fairytale Svaneti
- Tbilisi-Yerevan transportation
- Tbilisi airport
- Batumi places to visit
- God-Torped Lands: Georgia
- Caucasus travel route – 2011
Stay on track.
1 Comment
You wrote the how-to part wonderfully. Thank you.