Those who like to travel around the Caucasus often have to decide how to move from one region to another or even how to move between different countries. The most popular route is from Yerevan to Tbilisi and back. The distance between both cities is about three hundred kilometers. But citizens of Russia do not need a visa to Georgia and Armenia. How to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi? Train, minibus, taxi, own car, travel with a companion - all these options are available to tourists. Now we will consider which one is the most budget, fast and comfortable. The article will also focus on how to get from the capital of Georgia to the sea.
Taxi, travel companions, plane
How to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi by taxi? Drivers are easy to find at the train station, they are always happy to take on such a trip. But at the same time you have to wait until the taxi is completely full - you will not be taken alone, unless you agree to pay the whole car. The BlaBlaKar website offers a lot of options for a cheap trip to the Georgian capital with Armenian fellow travelers. If you believe the reviews, then it is completely safe. There are three border crossings between Armenia and Georgia . This is Sadakhlo, through which all minibuses and regular buses, Guguti and Zhdanovi usually go. There was once an opportunity to drive along a scenic road along the Azerbaijani border, but now, due to the conflict between the two countries, it is closed. There is another option to fly by plane. Georgian Airlines flies between the two cities. True, flights are carried out only twice a week once a day, and even you need to somehow get to the airports. It will take about an hour to fly.
How to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi by train
The train to the capital of Georgia leaves on even numbers. He leaves from the main Yerevan railway station. This is train number 372. It takes about ten hours to get there. The fact is that at some stations - especially on the border between the two states - it costs more than an hour. These are Ayrum and Sadakhlo. The branch goes in a circle - through Armavir, Gyumri, Spitak, Vanadzor. Therefore, the train is on the way for so long. You can buy a ticket for this train both at the box office and on the website of the South Caucasus Railway. But they sell them only one way. When buying tickets online, you must enter your passport details. This composition is nightly, therefore it is quite convenient for them to travel on the route Yerevan - Tbilisi. Train schedules are suitable for tourists. The train leaves at half past ten in the evening, and arrives in Tbilisi at about seven in the morning.
Bus
How to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi by minibus? They walk often, from nine in the morning until two in the afternoon. Sent by filling. The final stop of minibuses in Yerevan is the Central Bus Station (Admiral Isakov Avenue). They go pretty fast. Seven hours later, you are already in Tbilisi. And the cost is not very high. But minibuses ride in the daytime, which in the heat may not be too comfortable. Tickets are bought from the driver immediately before departure. Regular buses follow from Russia, they only go through Yerevan and Tbilisi. They are sent to Odessa, Krasnodar, Sochi, Rostov. Buses come out, usually around six in the evening. But tickets for them, as a rule, are not.
Return trip
What is the easiest way to get from Tbilisi to Yerevan? Of course, by train or minibus. Just keep in mind that the composition goes to the capital of Armenia according to odd numbers. You can go back and a minibus. They depart from Ortachala bus station every hour. Their schedule is the same as from Yerevan - from morning to lunch. There are minibuses from the train station in Tbilisi. Five flights a day go from there, but until five in the evening. Taxis to Tbilisi are located at Ortachala Station. Departure is the same - when the entire machine is full. So you have to either look for travel companions, or pay more.
The price of travel on different modes of transport
How to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi and spend as little money as possible? Now consider the different options for the price. The cost of a train ticket depends on the comfort of the place. For example, a trip in a reserved seat car will cost you 10 thousand drams (1200 rubles) at least, in a compartment - 16 000 (1930 rubles), and in a bedroom - 20 000 (2400 rubles). Children can travel at a 45 percent discount. Taxi (the whole car) will cost you 40-60 thousand drams (4800-7240 rubles), depending on how you agree. Therefore, it is better to cooperate with other travelers to make it cheaper. Minibus is the cheapest way to travel. The ticket price for it is 7 thousand drams (850 rubles). The plane will cost 60 GEL (1430 rubles).
And then how to get to the sea?
Many are interested in how to get from Tbilisi to Batumi quickly and comfortably. This can be done by plane. It takes only 45 minutes to fly, and the airport is five kilometers from the center of the Georgian capital. Tourists also advise the train. If you are coming from Yerevan not just to see the capital of Georgia, but to have a sea vacation, then you should know that in summer there is a special train right to Batumi. He leaves at half past three, and arrives at sea at seven in the morning. But if you prefer to get to Batumi from Tbilisi, then it is more comfortable and cheaper to take a bus from Ortachala station. Flights are operated by Metro Georgia. The buses are comfortable, with Wi-Fi, monitors in each seat. They go to Batumi for six and a half hours. There are five buses a day. Tickets for them can be purchased online. Cost - 25 GEL (about 600 rubles).
You can also get to the sea by shuttle bus. They depart from the Didube metro station. Minibuses go to Batumi about the same, and the cost is the same, but the level of comfort is much lower. High-speed trains run from Tbilisi railway station to Adjara. They depart three times a day and travel to Batumi a little more than five hours. Ticket price depends on the class of car. It can cost from 19 to 26 lari (450-620 rubles).
Best route
Prefer your own car and think about how to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi? The route can be laid in two ways. The first of them is direct and fast, and the second - with stops, but a picturesque and promising adventure. If you go through Spitak and Alaverdi, then after five hours you will find yourself in Tbilisi. And you’ll win by mileage. And you can still go through Lake Sevan and the resort of Dilijan. If your goal is not to get to Tbilisi as soon as possible, then you will enjoy staying there, taking pictures, visiting local attractions. Experienced travelers are advised to first go onto the M4 highway towards Sevan, drive along the lake and climb to the Semenovsky Pass. There you have to dive into a small tunnel, and you will find yourself in a place deservedly nicknamed the "little Switzerland". There are beautiful forests and villages, and along the highway are the old Russian villages of Molokan-Old Believers. After Vanadzor you will find narrow gorges, cliffs, mountain rivers and ancient monasteries (Sanahin, Haghpat and others). Therefore, traveling by your own car is probably the most picturesque way to move from one capital to another. In addition, he gives a feeling of freedom.
Tourists reviews
What do travelers themselves say about how to get from Yerevan to Tbilisi? The reviews are different, but in some points they coincide. Tourists who traveled along this route note that train travel is not one of the fastest. The trains are not new, there are no modern amenities. They write that one cannot even buy tea from conductors, they only offer to take boiling water. So it is better to take bags with you. Nevertheless, the cars are nightly, and there you can sleep and save on a hotel. Minibus is the most uncomfortable way to travel. It is cramped and there is no place. The most convenient way to get there is by car, especially if it is not a taxi, but your own car or travel with a fellow traveler. The road through Sevan and Dilijan is amazingly beautiful. Tourists, however, warn: if, choosing the best option for getting from Yerevan to Tbilisi, you decide to trust Google, then keep in mind that it can show the path along the border with Azerbaijan as the main one. If you believe, you will have to go back, waste time and waste gasoline in vain.