Getting from Kutaisi airport to Tbilisi (GeorgiaBus)
I have a couple of questions regarding getting from Kutaisi airport (KUT) to Tbilisi.
Researching that there seem to be the following options:
- Minibus (marshrutkas)
- Train
- Normal bus (GeorgianBus https://georgianbus.com)
The best option seems to me GeorgianBus (for the train and marshrutka it is not even clear to me if I could take them directly at the airport), being maybe slightly more expensive than the other two.
Question #1: is there any reason for which I should consider the other two options, if my goal is to get there as fast as possible (and reasonably cheap)? And if so, can I catch them directly at Kutasi airport? What I already know is that travelling on marshrutka/train is an experience in itself, so the question is, if besides the 'addedd coolness factor' there is any reason to consider these options.
Assuming I take GeorgianBus:
Question #2: is it worth reserving the ride in advance (probably with the flexible flag, because I saw that it costs only 1 GER more for two people)? In other words, does it often happen that the bus is full and only those who have reserved get a seat?
Question #3: What are excatly the additional "Geosim"/"Georefund"/"Gas cartridge" extras and how can I get them? (Ok I probably I don't need the "Gas cartridge", I'm just curious :) )
About "how can I get them" part: when trying to reserve, "Geosim" is in the same row as "Equipment", and they share common +/- buttons. If I click the + button, then one "Equipment" is added, but no "Geosim". Clicking on "Geosim" does nothing either. (Similar for "Gas cartridge/Geo refund".)
Best Answer
I took the bus and before that asked some questions via e-mail to the company, so I can give a partial answer how it goes, in case someone is interested.
I pre-booked the tickets on internet (you have to put the date and also with which plane you are arriving, and supposedly the bus will wait for you). When I arrived at the airport (which is quite small) I was the last in the queue for getting through immigration/customs (the queue was moving very slowly too) and was also questioned quite long, so I think I arrived later than the scheduled time in the end, but the bus did not go away. At the front desk of GeorgianBus, I showed them my prebooked printed ticket, and they gave me a card format ticket instead, with which I could board the bus.
So here is a partial answer to my questions based on that:
Question #2: They told me via e-mail that buses are flight connected and wait for the passengers, also that they have "unlimited" seats (I guess that means that they check how many passengers are on the flight and send as many buses). In my experience, it did not seem to matter much that I had pre-booked the tickets either. About flexible, they told me that you can change the departure time within one year if you can't use the ticket. So if you book online, I would definitely recommend asking for flexible option, for just 1 GER more.
Question #3: Geosim and Georfund are for Georgian citizens going abroad.
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How do I get from Kutaisi Airport to Tbilisi?
The best way to get from Kutaisi Airport to Tbilisi is to Minibus which takes 4h 21m and costs $12 - $15. Alternatively, you can train, which costs $7 - $14 and takes 4h 22m. Can I drive from Kutaisi Airport to Tbilisi? Yes, the driving distance between Kutaisi Airport to Tbilisi is 246 km.How do I get from Kutaisi Airport to Kutaisi?
There are three ways to travel from Kutaisi Airport to Kutaisi city: Private transfer, airport bus, and taxi. Private transfer is the most convenient option, while the airport bus is the most affordable. What is this? Unlike in Tbilisi, there is no city bus that runs to Kutaisi Airport.Is Kutaisi worth visiting?
One of the best things about visiting Kutaisi is that not only you can enjoy an interesting yet overlooked city, but you can also use it as a base to explore the area around. And there are so many great places you can see!How much does it cost from Tbilisi airport to city center?
Tbilisi Airport Transfer You won't need to look for taxi drivers and you will know your fare in advance. You can use one of our partners, pay in advance and avoid any money transactions as you arrive. Sample fares a car transfer from Tbilisi airport are: Economy Tbilisi Airport transfer to the city centre: from 21USD.#1# 🇬🇪Georgia 🇬🇪How to go to the Tbilisi from Kutaisi by bus, bus tickets ,where to buy sim card🇬🇪
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Images: Andrea Piacquadio, cottonbro, ANTONI SHKRABA, Mikhail Nilov