The Tbilisi Metro can hardly be called the main mode of transport in the Georgian capital, since although there is a subway, it is not very well developed. But if you come here for more than a day, you will most likely use the metro, which means the article will be useful to you. The Tbilisi metro today consists of two lines that connect the central and residential areas, the railway station, suburban stations and bus stations.
History of the construction of the Tbilisi metro
The construction of underground communication routes in the capital of Georgia began back in 1952. At that time the authorities Soviet Union adhered to a clear position: a metro system could be built in a city only if at least 1 million people lived in it. However, at the time construction of the metro began, about 600 thousand people lived in Tbilisi (this partly indicates the priorities of regional development - construction of the metro in Minsk began in 1984, when the population there had already reached 1.5 million people). IN construction work In the capital of Georgia, 2.5 thousand workers were employed, including civilian and military personnel. The first section of the subway was opened in the city 14 years after the start of construction.
On January 11, 1966, the ceremonial launch of the Didube-Rustaveli section took place. This line connected the populous residential area of Didube, which also houses one of the largest bus stations in the city and the same name, with the very center of Tbilisi - Shota Rustaveli Avenue. In terms of launch time, the Tbilisi metro became the fourth in the entire USSR, second only to the subways of Moscow, St. Petersburg (Leningrad at that time) and Kyiv. In the Caucasus, the Tbilisi metro was the first and for a long time the largest. 
In 1979, a second metro line was opened in Tbilisi, and in the 1980s construction of a third was actively underway (the first station was not completed or even opened). In 2004, large-scale restoration of stations and renewal of rolling stock began, which was completed only eight years later. As a result, the carriages were seriously modernized, stations and sections were repaired, and the fare payment system was changed (tokens were replaced by plastic cards, which I will discuss below). By the way, Tbilisi metro tokens were initially metal, later plastic, and since 2010 they have been completely abolished.
Chronology of launches of sections of the Tbilisi metro
The general chronology of the launch of sections of the city’s metro is as follows:
- 01/11/1966 – Didube – Rustaveli;
- 06.11.1967 – Rustaveli – 300 Aragveli;
- 05/05/1971 – 300 Aragveli – Samgori;
- 09/15/1979 – Sadguris moedani-2 / Station Square-2 / Station Square-2 – Delisi (opening of the second line);
- 09.11.1985 – Samgori – Varketili (terminal station of the first line);
- 11/16/1985 – Didube – Guramishvili;
- 11/28/1985 – Grmagele (between Didube and Guramishvili);
- 07.11.1989 – Guramishvili – Akhmetelisteatri / Akhmeteli (terminal station of the first line);
- 04/02/2000 – Delisi – Vazha-Pshavela (terminal station of the second line).
Nowadays the metro in Tbilisi has two lines with 22 stations, one of which is a hub interchange. Construction is currently underway on another line, 80% complete, as well as the State University metro station (next to Vazha-Pshavela). The subway runs traditionally for post-Soviet republics cars of the Czech Republic type. The first line trains include four cars each, the second – three. At the same time, all Tbilisi metro stations can accept trains up to five cars long.
Here is a map of the Tbilisi metro in Russian, on which two lines are marked in blue and red. Below the map I’ll briefly tell you about the iconic places and attractions located within walking distance from one or another station of the Tbilisi metro.
- Avlabari metro station - from here in 10-15 minutes you can walk to the Bridge of Peace, the Temple, the Presidential Palace and the Holy Trinity Cathedral;
- Tavisuplebis Moedani metro station (Liberty Square) is located in the very center of Tbilisi, so there are a large number of attractions nearby. The closest to the metro is Freedom Square with the monument to St. George by Tsereteli. Popular among tourists, Dadiani Street and Rustaveli Avenue begin from here; next to the entrance to the metro is located;
- Rustaveli metro station - next to the station there is a McDonald's restaurant, although eating American fast food in the capital of Georgia, in my humble opinion, is a real crime;
- Didube metro station - here is the bus station of the same name, from where you can go to almost anywhere in Georgia and the famous market also with the same name;
- Sadguris Moedani metro station (Station Square) - the Railway Station and.
I personally have not been to other stations. If you want to talk about any of them, I’m waiting for you in the comments. 
Tbilisi metro fare payment system
Since 2010, it is possible to buy a ticket to the Tbilisi metro exclusively using a Metromoney plastic card. Cards are sold at any metro station. The cost of one card is 2 lari (about 0.8 dollars), but this cost is a deposit. That is, before leaving Tbilisi, you can return the card to the cashier, receiving your 2 lari back, as well as the entire balance on the card itself. Refunds are only possible if you have a receipt issued at the time of purchasing the card, so be sure to keep it.
The cost of one trip in the Tbilisi metro is 0.5 lari or 50 tetri (approximately 0.2 dollars). Using the same Metromoney card, you can pay for travel on any official transport in Tbilisi:
- Bus ride - 0.5 GEL.
- Travel by city minibus costs 0.3-0.8 GEL depending on the distance.
- A ride on a cable car (not to be confused with) from Rike Park to the fortress - 1 GEL.
Nuances of the Metromoney card
The convenience of using a Metromoney card in Tbilisi also lies in the ease of replenishment, since you can deposit funds not only at any metro station, but also at any ATM in the city. An additional advantage is that after paying for one trip, you can change the type of transport for free within 1.5 hours. That is, for example, having paid for a metro ticket, you can get out of it, transfer to a bus and ride it for free (of course, within 90 minutes). In this case, in the next type of transport you will need to touch the card to the terminal, but money will not be withdrawn from it.
Also, when traveling as a couple or a group, there is an option to purchase just one card, because in Tbilisi it is not prohibited for several people to travel on one pass. But it is worth keeping in mind the fact that in this case the rule of free travel for 1.5 hours will not apply to you. Therefore, decide depending on the situation what is better: buy one card for two/three/etc., but remain without benefits, or buy a card for each, actively taking advantage of the free transfer opportunity.
In my own way own experience I will say that in Tbilisi you are unlikely to make frequent transfers, since the city is still not the largest. We took one card for two and both times we came to Tbilisi, we never changed from one type of transport to another within an hour and a half. 
Anticipating the question, I answer that you cannot buy a Metromoney card at Tbilisi airport. In any case, this was exactly the case in 2016. If you have different information, please write a comment and I will correct it!
Useful information about the Tbilisi metro
Metro operating hours in Tbilisi: from 06:00 to 00:00.
Train intervals: from 2 to 12 minutes depending on the time of day.
In carriages and at stations in central regions, announcements are made in Georgian and English. The same applies to diagrams, explanations and other inscriptions in the metro. At the same time, some stations, especially in remote areas of the city and old buildings, are not provided with English commentary. However, this does not interfere with navigating the subway, because the Tbilisi metro map is quite simple.
The Vazha-Pshavela station is unusual in this regard, because only one track is used here (the second is planned to be put into operation after the opening of the next station). There is also an open section on the first line in the Tbilisi metro - between Nadzaladevi and Gotsiridze.
I hope that I answered all your questions about the Tbilisi metro in this article. If you still have any, write them in the comments, I will try to answer as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
In love with Georgia, Igor OZIN.
About the Tbilisi metro in detail + diagram in Russian
4.7 (93.33%) VOTED 9There are two metro lines in Tbilisi. If you are traveling to short term and rent housing in , then you will only need one branch ( red), or the metro won't be needed at all.
Tbilisi metro opening hours: 6.00-00.00
Tbilisi metro map in Russian:
Stations you may need:
Liberty Square(Freedom Square) - the center of Tbilisi, in one direction - on foot to the old city, in the other - to Rustaveli Avenue and to the funicular
8. Metromoney card works only in Tbilisi, you cannot use it to pay for a minibus or for a ride on a cable car.
Bonuses and discounts
By paying for the trip with a Metromoney card, within 1.5 hours you can make free transfers on the metro or buses.
For example, at 12.00 we boarded the metro and paid for the trip 0.5 GEL. At 12.30 we boarded the bus, touched the card to the reader, but no money was debited from the card.
Ropeways Tbilisi
You can ride on this very map.
Cost of the cable car ride 3 lari($1.2 or 75r) per person one way. You can travel together (three or four) using one card, if you top it up with the required amount.
Just pay 3 GEL at the ticket office and ride the cable car You can't do it without buying a card.
Funicular Tbilisi, prices 2019
Besides cable cars, in Tbilisi there is Mount Mtatsminda.
To travel on the funicular you need to buy a separate card (you can have one for several people). You cannot return the card and get its value back.
This card stays with us forever Tbilisi bus routes
For example, we want to get to the cable car in . The nearest metro is 2 km away, so we are looking for a bus.
1. Easy way: google maps has routes for all buses and metro.
2. If you need to know exact time transport departures in the future, go to the planning section of the Tbilisi transport company ttc.com.ge
We enter the place of departure, destination and see how long the journey by public transport will take and what buses we need.
True, the map itself with the route is in Georgian, but the bus numbers and times are in English, so you can figure it out.
The metro and buses are, of course, exciting, but I usually get around the center of Tbilisi by .
It's cheap, fast and eliminates the need to stand at a bus stop waiting for a bus or huddle underground during rush hour.
For example, there is no metro near the Ortachala station, from where the bus goes to Batumi, and you can get here by taxi from the center in just 4 lari (1.5$/100 rubles).
Enjoy your stay in Tbilisi!
Mila Demenkova
Tbilisi Metro: map and fare
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Welcome to Georgia! Are you ready to spend an unforgettable time here? Give yourself a chance and experience the beauty of Georgia by taking advantage of various types of public transport on the streets of Tbilisi. In Tbilisi, it's all about the views. Tbilisi is located in a river valley, surrounded by hills and mountains. There are so many beautiful views of the city in Tbilisi that every time you discover a new one, you think that it is better than the previous one. Take the cable car to Narikala or the funicular to Mtatsminda Park for fantastic panoramic views that also allow you to look down on Tbilisi from above. We have already listed best places in Tbilisi, and one of the best ways To appreciate this is simply to wander the streets, especially in the old part of the city. If you get tired of walking, you can use public transport, each of which is convenient and accessible.
First, let's talk about the convenience of Tbilisi buses. Buses operate from 07:00 to 23:00. You can see some new buses of blue color and yellow buses - they are available to both citizens and tourists. Buses move around the city quite quickly, and almost every bus stop For convenience, there is an electronic display indicating the bus number, time remaining until its arrival, and destination. Information is displayed in English and Georgian. You can pay for your trip using a Metromoney plastic card. It is very easy to add money to your card - you can do it at bus stops or at the Bank of Georgia. The cost of the trip is 50 tetri and you can travel for free for one and a half hours from the moment you pay for one fare.
There are many buses and minibuses on the streets of Tbilisi. In Georgia, minibuses are called minibuses. Most minibuses operate from 07:00 to 22:00. They are yellow in color and easy to spot on the road. Unlike buses, they do not have specific stops. You need to wave your hand from top to bottom and the driver will stop to pick you up. The trip costs 80 tetri, you can pay either with a Metromoney plastic card or in cash. You must pay for the fare at the end of the trip.
P.S. Be careful on some main streets. From Rustaveli Avenue to Chavchavadze Street, minibuses stop only at stops. 
If you are interested in regional minibuses, here you go brief information about them. There are several regional transport stations - Didube, Samgori, Vokzal and Ortachala. At these stations you can find minibuses that go to all regions of Georgia. Prices are not fixed, they vary and may change regularly. Before you go, it is advisable to check the cost of the trip with the driver.
It’s easy to guess that with heavy traffic on roads, the most fast way to get to your destination is the metro. The metro operates from 06:00 to 00:00 and is one of the fastest modes of transport in Tbilisi. Tbilisi is a small city, so there are only two metro lines and they intersect at the Vokzalnaya Square station. Station names are announced in both Georgian and English. Don't be afraid to get lost because there are not many stations and each platform has maps that show directions and station names. To ensure safety, there are always police officers in the metro. To travel by metro you will need a Metromoney plastic card. You pay for your fare with this card when entering the station. The trip costs only 50 tetri and you can travel for free within an hour and a half from the moment you pay for one fare!
I'm sure you're also interested in taxis. Taxi is the best and most popular way to quickly and conveniently move around the city, but not during morning and evening rush hours! You can find a taxi everywhere. If you want to take a taxi, you can stop the car on the street or call a private company. There are several private taxi companies, most of which can be found online. The prices are quite affordable. Most trips around Tbilisi cost from 3 to 6 lari, in no case more than 10 lari. If this is your first time in Tbilisi, it is better to call a private taxi rather than getting into a car from the street. This is because prices change frequently and you should always negotiate the price before you get into the car.
The above types of transport are the most common and popular ways to travel around Tbilisi. But you might want to visit the Tbilisi funicular, one of the most beautiful places in the city. To get there, you can take the funicular and climb Mount Mtatsminda, where the Mtatsminda amusement park is located. The funicular leaves every 10 minutes, the trip lasts about 4 minutes, costs 2 GEL, but first you need to buy a special card to pay for the fare, which is sold at the ticket office at the station.
You may also want to visit the Narikala Fortress, a place with ancient history and a wonderful view of the Old Town. You can get there by cable car from Rike Park at opposite side Kura River. The cable cars are very modern and one of the cabins even has a glass floor! The view is absolutely stunning, so I recommend that you take the cable car several times. One trip costs 1 GEL, and you can pay with a Metromoney plastic card.
Like regional buses, trains also travel to different cities and regions of Georgia. You can travel to Baku and Yerevan by train. There are night trains and fast trains. In less than 5 hours you can drive from Tbilisi to Batumi. Purchasing tickets is very easy, there are several ways to do this. Firstly, you can do this through the Georgian Railway website. If you buy e-ticket, show the conductor the ticket purchase code and the document you used to purchase the ticket. You can also buy a ticket at the box office on Central railway station. The staff speaks multiple languages, including English. You must have a valid passport or ID with you.
It's easy to travel around this beautiful city using the above different kinds transport. Rest assured that Georgia has a well-established public transport system and it will be easy for you to enjoy an unforgettable journey through this amazing country!
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An article about urban transport in Tbilisi and internal transport in Georgia (how best to get from point A to point B within the country): air travel, buses and minibuses, Georgian railways.
City transport in Tbilisi
Urban transport in Georgia consists mainly of buses and minibuses. I have never seen trolleybuses, but there is a metro only in Tbilisi. Minibus fares are usually indicated at windshield or on the door, you need to pay at the entrance (the only problem is that all the signs on the minibuses are in Georgian). In Tbilisi, a situation may well happen that local residents, recognizing you as a tourist, will begin vying with each other to give you advice on how to get to the right place, what else to see in Tbilisi and the surrounding area and how you should generally live further, and they may try to pay for your travel by minibus. This is normal, just relax, smile and enjoy the situation - guests in Georgia have always had a particularly reverent attitude.
You must pay for travel in the Tbilisi metro, buses, minibuses and cable cars using a special transport card Metromoney. You can purchase it at ticket offices at metro stations or at cable car ticket offices. You will be charged 2 GEL as a deposit, which can then be returned within 30 days from the date of purchase by presenting your passport and a receipt for the very first payment - that is, you need the receipt with which you bought this card, and not checks for further replenishment of its balance .
Payment for travel on Tbilisi buses is organized as follows: we enter through the middle or back door, in the middle of the bus sits a conductor with a card reader. We approach the conductor and apply our metro card to the reader; if everything is OK, the conductor gives us a receipt for payment of the fare.
Metro Tbilisi
On this moment consists of 2 lines: "Didube - Samgori" And "Suburtalo":
Tbilisi metro map
and the good old trains of the Mytishchi Carriage Works still run there: 
By the way, if you decide to photograph them, keep in mind that the Georgian police sometimes react rather nervously to attempts to photograph stations, trains and similar transport facilities: I once had an educational conversation with one such vigilant law enforcement officer. In Moscow, for example, you can at least take a photo in the metro, but in Tbilisi this is not the case.
By the way, in winter Tbilisi metro Georgians pretend to be Chinese: a fair number of passengers travel in gauze medical bandages - “muzzles”.
Cost of travel in Tbilisi public transport
Metro and buses: 0.5 GEL (next trips within one and a half hours after the first payment will be free).
Minibuses: 0.8 GEL
Cable cars: 1 lari (with this card you can pay for trips on the Tbilisi cable car to the Narikala fortress and Turtle Lake).
Funicular to Mount Mtatsminda does not apply to the Tbilisi city transport system and travel on it must be paid using a plastic card of the Mtatsminda amusement park; the cost of this card in the winter of 2017 was 2 lari, one-way travel was also 2 lari.
How to get to the airport from the center of Tbilisi
The cheapest way to do this is by bus N37. It runs every 20 minutes, you can sit right next to it railway station, and at the stop near the Freedom Square metro station. You can pay for the journey either by metro card or in cash; the journey to the airport takes approximately 40 minutes.
On some Tbilisi routes, for example N61 from Freedom Square to the area Vake, they work big modern buses MAN. On others, small Ukrainian “Bogdans” are used. They are the ones who run along route 37 to the airport. And, since the route passes through residential areas, a trip to the airport during rush hour can be a very uncomfortable experience, especially with large and bulky luggage (for example, I once traveled with a suitcase and skis - the experience was so-so). Although a bus ride to the airport costs 50 tetri and a taxi ride costs 25 lari, it may be better to opt for a taxi. There are so many people during rush hour that “Bogdanchik” can barely crawl up the hill.
Domestic airlines in Georgia
In principle, despite the modest size of the country, between major cities Georgia even has air travel, but due to the low popularity of this type internal transport tickets for these flights are relatively expensive. The main air carrier between Georgian cities is the airline Georgian Airway s (www.airzena.com), approximate price a ticket for the Tbilisi-Batumi flight is 180 GEL (during promotions you can buy for 90 GEL), travel time is 35 minutes; It takes 20 minutes to fly from Tbilisi to Kutaisi. Attempts have been made repeatedly to launch regular flights between main Georgia and Svaneti, lost in the mountains - for example, a company flew on the Tbilisi-Mestia route (Queen Tamara Airport) Pegasus, but flights are now suspended. There are also flights of a certain company Kenn Borek– but who they are and what it’s like to fly with them, I don’t know.
Buses and minibuses
It is easier and cheaper to get to almost any corner of Georgia (except Svaneti) by land: by bus, minibus or train. Minibuses and buses are generally the best and most popular means of transportation in Georgia. Buses are preferable when traveling between large cities, minibuses - on mountain roads. For long (by Georgian standards) distances - for example Tbilisi-Batumi, it is better to go regular buses, they are definitely more comfortable than minibuses and are more likely to stick to the schedule. Georgian minibuses are the most varied minibuses from brand new Mersedes to Ford Transit very respectable age - that is, there may well not be any amenities like air conditioning there.
Minibuses at Didube bus station in Tbilisi
Route Gudauri-Tbilisi
Prices for travel by minibuses within Georgia are very humane - for example, a trip from Tbilisi to Kazbegi, located almost on the Russian border, will cost 7-8 lari (210-240 rubles).
For trips over short distances, a minibus is often the best and cheapest form of transport, however, it comes with some disadvantages:
Georgian drivers love Russian pop music. And especially “advanced” ones are Russian chanson. So during, for example, a 6-hour trip from Tbilisi to Batumi, you have a great chance to listen to all this goodness ad nauseum. But pop and chanson are not so bad. Somewhere in mountainous Adjara, the driver (and passengers) can easily light a cigarette while driving. And it wouldn’t even occur to him that children or a pregnant woman might be riding in the minibus at that time. According to my observations, in this part of Georgia smoking is part of the mentality and image; all the “real horsemen” smoke one after another.
One more point: there are usually no stops along the way, except for the most long trips type Tbilisi-Batumi. So before the road, it’s better not to drink a lot of water (and especially beer). In principle, if one of the passengers persistently asks, the driver will stop at some gas station, but he most likely will not do this himself.
One more nuance: drivers of Georgian minibuses drive exactly like their Moscow ones (since both of them often come from mountain villages) - which may not have the best effect on the safety of passengers.
December 2016 - we go by minibus to Gudauri
Railways of Georgia
Since Soviet times, Georgia has had a fairly extensive network railways; There are two types of railway transport: trains and commuter trains– both are cheap and convenient way moving around the country. Schedules and prices can be found on the website railway.ge(but it is advisable to do this in the presence of a Russian-speaking Georgian, so that he can translate for you what will be written there in intricate Georgian letters - neither into Russian nor into English languages The site was never translated).
