Travel tips for Georgia

A few practical facts make the difference between a smooth Georgian trip and a frustrating one. Entry is visa-free for 95+ nationalities for up to 365 days, with no registration required for stays under 90 days. Tbilisi's Shota Rustaveli International Airport connects to 30+ European, Middle Eastern, and Central Asian cities; Kutaisi's David the Builder Airport serves low-cost carriers including Wizz Air and Ryanair from Western Europe. Within the country, marshrutka minibuses are the primary intercity transport, departing Tbilisi's Didube terminal (metro: Didube) for Kazbegi (3 hours, GEL 15), and the Isani/Ortachala terminal for Kutaisi (4 hours, GEL 15) and Batumi (5.5 hours, GEL 25). Trains serve the main Tbilisi–Kutaisi–Batumi corridor; overnight sleepers to Batumi depart at 23:00 and arrive at 06:30. The Lari (GEL) is freely convertible; do not exchange money at airport counters where rates can be 5–8% worse than city exchange offices. Tbilisi's Rustaveli metro line is clean, cheap (GEL 1 per ride), and covers the main tourist corridor from Avlabari to Vagzlis Moedani. SIM cards from MagtiCom or Geocell cost GEL 5–10 with 10 GB of data. Tap water is safe to drink in Tbilisi and most cities. Georgian driving culture is assertive — pedestrians do not automatically have right of way, even at zebra crossings. Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory: 10% in restaurants, GEL 5–10 for day guides, rounding up for taxis.