If you have made it to Georgia and up to the mountains of Kazbegi then, wow – you are in luck. The scenery is breathtaking. And the road to Kazbegi is undoubtedly Georgia’s most spectacular drive. Right now though the next challenge is to get back from Kazbegi to Tbilisi.
Here is everything you need to know about getting a marshrutka from Kazbegi to Tbilisi.
What are the options for transport from Kazbegi to Tbilisi?
There are several options for getting from Kazbegi (Stepansminda) to Tbilisi.
- Marshrutka van (micro-bus)
- Shared taxi
- Private taxi/van
- Hire a car (likely most simple from Tbilisi)
In this quick guide I will give you some tips for taking a marshrutka van (micro bus) from Kazbegi to Tbilisi, Georgia.
How much does a marshrutka cost from Kazbegi to Tbilisi?
A seat in the marshrutka costs 15 GEL ($6 USD).
How long does it take?
The marshrutka from Kazbegi to Tbilisi takes three hours.
Where do the marshrutka vans depart from in Kazbegi?
The town of Stepantsminda is the main destination in Kazbegi.
There is just one main road through town, so it is not hard to spot the Tourism Centre and small marshrutka and taxi stop in Stepantsminda.
- Tip: The marshrutka vans park just 100m down the road from the SPAR supermarket.
What is a marshrutka van like?
Marshrutka all over Georgia are pretty much identical.
The van will be a reasonably late model 17-seater micro-bus (a Mercedes Sprinter or similar).
The vans we travelled on did not have air conditioning but there are several windows in the back that can open. (AKA there is air flowing through!).
What is the drive like from Kazbegi to Tbilisi?
Prices and timing aside (this is all great in theory) you are likely already wondering what is the drive like? Is it fast and dangerous and winding?
The first 30km of the drive down from Kazbegi’s tourist town of Stepantsminda over the Jvari Pass is picture-postcard like. It’s seriously stunning.
Looking to the hills and snowcapped mountains its stunning.
That is, if you are able to look beyond the never-ending line of trucks stretching seemingly all the way from the border and back to Tbilisi. (They aren’t quite; but almost).
Taxis and coach buses have pulled over to take photos by the Travertine limestone hillside between Gudauri and Kobi. But your driver is on a mission. (And don’t be alarmed at this stage. This is the easy bit).
As you say goodbye to the beautiful mountains and rolling valleys the close dollops of mud-sprinkled snow and ice is only a short skip away to be touched.
The next 14km are what you may have been imagining.
My stomach lurched as we set off down the first set of switchbacks near the ski resort of town of Gudauri over 2200m up.
And I admit I braced myself for what could have been a sense of regret in choosing the mashrutka from Kazbegi to Tbilisi…
But I needn’t have worried.
Instead, I was thankful for two key factors at this point:
- That the switchbacks only last ten minutes; and,
- That due to the aforementioned line of trucks back up to the border there is no option but to snake slowly in single(ish) file down this portion of road.
Before you know it, you have arrived back down on the flat again near the village of Kvemo Mleta (albeit actually still 1479 metres above sea level) and the unusually striking Aragvi River rushing as it meets with ice melt from the mountains.
And from here the remaining 1.5 hours by marshrutka takes the leisurely drive at sub 80kmph.
Does the Kazbegi to Tbilisi marshrutka stop?
No. We had read originally that when getting a bus from Tbilisi to Kazbegi that the marshrutkas stop halfway for a short toilet and refreshment stop. But this is only on the way up.
Getting from Kazbegi to Tbilisi by shared bus is a direct drive. The marshrutka does not stop.
- Tip: Stock up on water and some (simple) snacks for the drive…
Where does the Kazbegi to Tbilisi marshrutka drop you off in Tbilisi?
The marshrutka from Kazbegi to Tbilisi ends at the busy Didube Bus Station in Tbilisi.
This is Tbilisi’s largest bus station and main transport depot servicing destinations in the north, west and south-west of the country.
- Tip: Didube Bus Station is located in the north-east of Tbilisi just over 8 kilometres from Freedom Square.
Where to from there?
The marshrutka from Kazbegi to Tbilisi will drop you at Didube. And from Didube Bus Station in Tbilisi it is easy to find a row of shared taxis and private cabs to take you where you need to go next.
It is a 20 minute car ride to Freedom Square in the centre of Tblisi and should cost you between 20 – 30 GEL for a taxi or much less for a Bolt if you have the app ready to go.
Where we stayed in Georgia
- Tbilisi: Kindli Hotel
A very friendly small boutique hotel in Tbilisi. Only a few metres from the famous Clock Tower! Beautiful buffet breakfast and a balcony with chairs that is perfect in the evening with live music. Highly recommend.
- Kazbegi (Stepantsminda): Targmani Cottages
Beautiful A-Frame cottages just up on the hill with incredible views over Kazbegi. Only 10 minutes walk to centre of town.
- Sighnaghi: Nato & Lado
A beautiful small family-run guesthouse in Sighnaghi. Basic accommodation for a very affordable price and an amazing family who will welcome you to Georgia the local way! We would love to return. Highly recommend.
Useful links for your travels in Georgia and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally.
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).
Read more about traveling in Central Asia
- What makes Silk Road flatbreads so fabled?
- Uzbekistan: A Complete Travel Guide to Uzbekistan.
- Border crossing: Karkara, Kyrgyzstan to Kegen, Kazakhstan.
- Kazakhstan: Completing a dream circuit of ‘Stans.
- Kyrgyz’ what? A complete travel guide to Kyrgyzstan.
- Exploring Khiva, our favourite Silk Road city.
- Visiting human disaster at the disappearing Aral Sea in Muynak.
- ‘Vodka, Plov and Non’: 12 best Uzbek Food experiences.
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