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Updated: April 8, 2025
Kutaisi, in the Imereti region, is the third-largest city in Georgia and was historically the second most important. It’s also a great base to explore nearby areas or even head to Svaneti.
In this article, I’ll go over all the ways to get to Kutaisi and how to get around once you’re there.
How to get to Kutaisi
1. International Flights
Kutaisi has an international airport (KUT), and it’s the only one in Georgia served by low-cost airline Wizz Air.
This airline offers direct flights from Barcelona (three times a week) and from Madrid (twice a week), plus connections to several European cities, mainly in Poland and Germany.
If you’re looking for a cheap flight to Georgia, Kutaisi is your best bet. To compare prices and schedules, I recommend using this website.
✔️ Public transport from Kutaisi Airport
The airport is well connected to Tbilisi and Batumi thanks to the nearby train station. However, trains don’t run very often, so buses are usually a better option. They coordinate their schedules with flight arrivals and departures.
The companies offering transportation to Kutaisi city center, Tbilisi, and Batumi are Georgian Bus and Omnibus Express.
⭐ Related article: How to get from Kutaisi Airport to the city and other areas of Georgia, with prices and schedules.
🤑 If you want to save on your next adventure, use this link from Booking to get 15% off your stay.
2. Driving
Driving in Georgia gives you a lot of flexibility, but I only recommend it if you’re experienced—traffic can be fast and a bit aggressive.
Public transportation works well in cities, but in smaller towns it can be limited or even nonexistent.
If you want to rent a car, this website only works with reliable local companies. Prices start at around €20 per day, including insurance and no deposit.
⭐ Related article: How to rent and drive a car in Georgia and neighboring countries
Here are some great places to visit from Kutaisi, with links to travel guides for each one:
✔️ Kutaisi – Tbilisi
- Chiatura, with its Soviet-era cable cars and the Katskhi Pillar.
- Gori, Stalin's hometown, and Uplistsikhe an Iron Age cave town.
- Mtskheta, Georgia’s ancient capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
- From Tbilisi you can continue to the monastery ofFrom Tbilisi, you can continue to David Gareja Monastery and even cross into Armenia.
✔️ Kutaisi – Batumi
- Tskaltubo, known for its old Soviet spas and sanatoriums.
- Zugdidi, Poti or Kobuleti.
- After Batumi, you can continue your trip into Turkey.
📢 Heads up: If you’re planning to cross from Georgia into Turkey by car, you won’t be allowed to enter with a Georgian-registered vehicle unless you’re a resident of Georgia.
3. Marshrutkas
Minibuses, or marshrutkas, are the easiest way to travel between cities in Georgia. Just head to the station and ask where your ride is—most have a sign on the windshield showing the destination (usually only the main cities are written in the Latin alphabet).
✔️ From Kutaisi
Marshrutkas to Tbilisi, Batumi, Chiatura, or Tskaltubo leave from Kutaisi Central Station (Google Maps link). To get there from the city center, take a taxi or bus #1 or #34, both of which pass by Colchis Fountain.
🔹 Schedules and Prices
- Kutaisi to Tbilisi: every hour from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM, 20 GEL and takes 4 to 4:30 hours.
- Kutaisi to Batumi: every hour from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, 15 GEL and takes about 2:30 to 3 hours.
🔹 Tips
- Arrive 15–20 minutes early, especially if you want to catch the first marshrutka of the day — they leave as soon as they’re full.
- Schedules are flexible. During the day, there might be extra departures if enough people show up.
- Try to avoid the last marshrutkas of the day — they might be canceled if there aren’t enough passengers. In high season (summer), this usually isn’t a problem.
✔️ From Tbilisi
Marshrutkas to Kutaisi leave from Didube Station, in the Nige area, just to the right when you exit the metro.
✔️ From Batumi
They leave from the station near the farmers market. To get there, take a Bolt (like Uber), which costs around 3 GEL.
✅ Friendly Tip: Don’t forget to get travel insurance for your next adventure. I recommend Heymondo,—it’s super comprehensive, and with that link, you’ll get 5% off!
4. Trains
Until recently, an old Soviet-era train used to connect Tbilisi with Kutaisi I Station, which is south of the old town. But as of April 2025, it no longer shows up on the Georgian Railways website.
Now, the alternative is the fast, modern train that stops at Rioni station (Google map link).
These trains run between Tbilisi and Batumi, stopping in major cities like Poti and Zugdidi. They also stop at Rioni and the Kutaisi Airport station.
- Duration: 3:50 hours from Tbilisi to Rioni
- Price: 14 GEL
To check train current schedule use the Georgian Railways website, where you can also book tickets—though it doesn’t always work well. You can also book on this other site, which works great.
Rioni is about 10 km from Kutaisi city center. You can take a taxi for around 10 GEL or hop on bus #3, which only costs 40 tetri (0.4 GEL).
5. Domestic Flights
Vanilla Sky is the only airline with domestic flights between cities and mountain areas—and it’s actually a pretty cool experience.
From Kutaisi, they fly to Mestia (Svaneti), with different schedules depending on the season. You can check their route calendar on their website.
You can buy tickets ONLY on their own website.
👍 Friendly Tip: I recommend booking in advance. These are small planes like the one in the photo below, with only 15 seats.
👍 My two cents: If you want to stay connected in Georgia, 🤳 I recommend getting this eSIM for Georgia. Click on that links for a 5% discount.
How to get around Kutaisi
1. Walking
If it’s your first time in the city, staying in the center is your best bet. That way, you can walk to all the Kutaisi must-sees in the old town, which is pretty compact and close to Bagrati Cathedral—the city’s most iconic landmark.
⭐ Related article: Where to Stay in Kutaisi: Best Areas and Hotels
2. Taxis
Taxis can be an option, but not always the best one since there’s a chance you’ll get overcharged. Still, sometimes they’re the only choice.
3. Bolt
Kutaisi has Bolt, an app that works like Uber, but there aren’t a lot of cars. Back in 2023, it was tough to get one at certain times of the day. Now in 2025, I’ve heard there are more, but I’m not sure exactly how many.
4. Marshrutkas and Buses
The best way to get around the city is by marshrutkas and buses. There are several lines, and it’s very affordable.
The easiest way to figure out which one to take is by using the Yandex Maps app. Just type in where you want to go, and it’ll show you the right bus, the stop, and the schedule—kind of like Google Maps. However, from my experience, the schedules on the app aren’t always accurate, but buses run often during the day, so you won’t have to wait long.
🤑 If you want to save on your next adventure, use this link from Booking to get 15% off your stay.
Final Thoughts
Kutaisi is an easy city to get around and a great base for exploring the nearby areas, which are totally worth a visit. I hope this guide on how to get to Kutaisi and move around the city helps you enjoy the region without any stress.
In this Georgia guide, you’ll find my main articles about this amazing country and how to explore it on your own.
If you have any questions, leave me a comment below and I'll help you as much as I can. If you found the article useful, share it with other travelers. Have a good trip! 😘
More about Kutaisi and surrounding area
More about Georgia
Hello, I’m Andrea, the creator and writer of Viajeros Activos (Active Travelers). I’m a nomad, so I consider myself a full-time traveler. I’m passionate about good food and always looking for new adventures.
Hello, we are finishing organizing our trip to Georgia for the second half of September and I can't find the transportation schedules from Mestia to Kutaisi anywhere, I read on some sites that there is only one each day, but nothing is clear.
The application you put above appears as a browser in the play store.
Would you know any other options, I would appreciate it if you organized the days well, as we are very busy.
Thank you so much
Hello Silvia
From Mestia to Kutaisi you only have two types of transport, plane or marshrutka.
For the plane I left the website link, they do not have an application, it is a small airline that only flies in the mountains of Georgia. In fact, the link takes you to the schedules of the planes that are already posted until the end of September. If you are tight on time, perhaps it is the best option.
I assume you are referring to marshrutkas (minibuses), there is no app or website for this.
Technological issues have not reached the marshrutkas of Georgia. 😅 Although it has its charm!
I never went to Svaneti by marshrutka, but as I had found out, from Mestia they leave first thing in the morning between 8 and 9 in the morning (when it is full) and it is once a day, I don't know if in high season (July and August ) they put some more, but at the time you go I don't think there is more than one.
Likewise, I suggest you confirm it when you arrive in Mestia, because this may have changed. If not, write to the accommodation that you are going to stay and ask them, they are there, they surely know or can easily find out for you.
If the application you are talking about is Yandex, I mention that in the section to get around Kutaisi, to see the route of the local marshrutkas and buses, they are different from the marshrutkas that go to the mountains.
You tell me anything.
Enjoy the trip very much!
Hello friends, I would like to know if there is a cheap way to travel between Kutaisi directly to Gori? Are there buses or mini vans that make this journey? I plan to do it on Monday, October 30 at the end of the afternoon.
I think that from the Kutaisi I train station there is no afternoon train to Gori, right?
Hello Adonai
I already responded to this same message in the article How to get from Kutaisi airport to the city and other areas of Georgia..
I paste below what I answered before:
From Kutaisi the best way to go to Gori is by train.
There is only one train at 12:25, I leave you the link where buy the ticket.
Likewise, you will have to wait a few days to be able to buy it, because they are not yet available for the date you want, they are usually available 2 or 3 weeks before.
The other alternative is that you go with the marshrutka, but it is not direct to Gori, but rather it leaves you on the road and from there you would have to go by taxi. It is the one that runs between Kutaisi and Tbilisi.
Although, keep in mind that it can be a bit difficult to get a taxi on the road.
In case you haven't read it, I leave you the link to the guide to Gori and Uplistsikhe that I wrote, with everything to see and a very good place to eat.
Have a good trip!
Hello. Thank you so much for your blogs; they're very helpful, as there isn't much transportation information available in this country.
We wanted to travel from Tbilisi to Kutaisi by train, and I understand I can't book online in advance, right? I would like to know the schedule, though. Do you know where I can look it up?
Thank you so much, you really give great information.
Hello Gloria
I'm glad the information is helpful and thank you so much for your kind words!
With your question, I realize I haven't explained the train thing well. I'll edit the article as soon as I have time.
When I wrote this article, there were two types of trains: the slow train to Kutaisi I station and the fast train to Rioni station, just outside Kutaisi. Both belong to the same train company, Georgian Railway, whose website I've provided for the schedules. There are train schedules for all Georgian trains organized by train type, and you can also buy tickets there. I also provided a link to another website where you can buy tickets online. Both links are available in the section about the slow train.
Regarding the slow train, I'd say they removed it because I couldn't find it on either website, but I haven't had time to investigate in depth.
The fast train schedule shows Tbilisi-Batumi, which is the entire route. It's the one that stops in Rioni. I've checked both websites, and they're selling tickets.
If you have any questions, let me know. 🙂
Good luck and have a good trip!