5

I'm trying to find out for a hostel guest what time buses and/or marshrutkas depart Tbilisi to get to Batumi.

I can find on the Internet that the travel time is between four and six hours and that the price should be 18 GEL (Georgian lari).

But I can't seem to find anywhere that has a timetable.

Are there both buses and marshrutkas or only one or the other?

Do marshrutkas leaves whenever they are full or do they adhere to a timetable? Even if they leave when full I assume there is a set time for the first and last trip.

Ideally I'd like to know for both Ortachala and Didube bus stations since I believe there are departures from both.

2 Answers 2

5

It turns out that Ortachala and Didube are not the only places to catch a bus or marshrutka in Tbilisi. It's easier to find the departure times on the Internet when you know the names of the others. Here is the full info compiled from the official government published Tbilisi Guide tourist information handbook:

By bus

Ortachala (ორთაჭალა)

a.k.a Tbilisi Central Auto Station, a.k.a Central Bus Station, in the south of the city, not near a metro station.

  • 11.30
  • 22.30

Dedakalaki (დედაქალქკი)

Literally "Capital", in the centre of the city near Station Square metro station.

  • 10.00
  • 13.00
  • 16.00
  • 00.00 (midnight)

By marshrutka (mini bus)

Okriba (ოკრიბა)

In the north of the city near Didube metro station.

  • 09.00
    then hourly until
  • 17.00

Dedakalaki (დედაქალქკი)

Literally "Capital", in the centre of the city near Station Square metro station.

  • 09.00
  • 11.30
  • 14.00
  • 16.30
  • 19.00
  • 00.00 (midnight)

References:

0
4

How's your russian? If good take a look at the discussion on batumionline.net

If not I will attempt to translate:

Marshrutkas are leaving from multiple places for Batumi.

  • From the Railway Station starting at 8 in the morning and leaving every hour or if full.
  • There those leaving from the Sports Palace starting at 9 and then every hour.
  • From Didube but noone claims a schedule available.

One of the things that I have been able to find and most people claim that travelling by train is better either via express or overnight passenger. Both of which can be found at Georgian Railway Site. Just FYI Batumi = Makhindjauri

2
  • Finding the bus and marshrutka stations and there names seems to be the key. They all have multiple names both in Georgian and English as proven by the fact that you've found different names for them than I did (-: As for train, Tbilisi Guide only mentions the overnight train departing at 22.30 and arriving at 06.30 which makes it eight hours, thus slower than bus or marshrutka. This guide is a bit unclear though I have to say. Commented Mar 7, 2012 at 15:51
  • 1
    @hippietrail On the RailWay site (see above) if you select morning time you will see an express train #852. Some of the russian forums say that you might want to know Georgian alphabet as the stops are not translated, but that may be old.
    – Karlson
    Commented Mar 7, 2012 at 15:54

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .