Getting Around Batumi: An Overview
Batumi is a compact, coastal city, and most visitors find they can cover the central sights on foot while using buses, marshrutkas (minibuses), taxis, or the train for longer hops. The city sits on the Black Sea coast in Georgia's southwest, and its tourist core — the promenade, Old Town, and the modern high-rise seafront — is fairly walkable. For everything else, a mix of public transport and ride-hailing will get you where you need to go.
Rail: Batumi Central Station
Batumi's main rail hub is Batumi Central Station, located a short distance north of the city centre. It is the departure point for Georgian Railways services, including several daily fast trains (plus one night train) between Batumi and Tbilisi. In summer, an extra train runs Batumi–Tbilisi–Yerevan, and there are also slower trains to Kutaisi and Ozurgeti.
- Buying tickets: The easiest option is to book online, since trains tend to fill up quickly (local trains are the exception). You can also buy at the station or at a ticket office in the old town on General Mazniashvili Street, between Melashvili and Abashidze streets. That office is plain and has no English signage; its hours are 09:00 to 18:00.
- Classes on the night train: First class has two people per cabin with berths that are a little short, narrow, and hard but reasonably comfortable, and linen is provided. Second class and seat options are also available.
- Timing tips: Schedules change fairly often, so check the Georgian Railways website before travelling — the Georgian-language timetable tends to be updated more often than foreign-language versions, but the ticket booking system always has correct times. On weekends, reserve seats in advance unless you are taking a slow local train, as many Georgians head to the coast.
- Connecting to town: Several local buses (including routes 2, 15, 8, and 10) stop by the station. The bus stop into town is across the road from the station exit.
Metro and Tram
Batumi does not have a metro or tram network. Visitors rely on buses, marshrutkas, taxis, and walking instead.
Buses and Marshrutkas
Public transport in Batumi consists of marshrutkas crossing the city in all directions, alongside newer city buses.
- Paying on newer city buses: You need a Batumi Card or a Visa/Mastercard to ride.
- Planning routes: Yandex Maps or the batbus.app site and app show inner-city bus connections for Batumi.
- Long-distance buses and marshrutkas: Batumi has three bus/marshrutka stations. The Old Bus Station, near the northern end of the promenade (head east across the railway tracks), handles long-distance marshrutkas to Kutaisi, Tbilisi, Poti, and other destinations. A separate Batumi Bus Terminal serves large buses to foreign destinations. There is also a marshrutka stop for services to Sarpi and Tbilisi Square; the Sarpi minibus takes about 20 minutes and costs 2 lari.
- Sample long-distance routes: Buses and marshrutkas run regularly between Batumi and Tbilisi (roughly 6–7 hours, with breathtaking scenery along the way). Services also connect to Akhaltsikhe (via Khashuri, or via Khulo in June–August), Borjomi, and, from Turkey, to Trabzon or Istanbul with stops in Rize and at the Sarpi border crossing. Companies to look for include Metro Turizm and Lüks Karadeniz.
- Border note: If you are crossing from Turkey, make sure you meet all visa requirements before entering Georgia. Buses generally wait for you on the other side of the border, but marshrutkas are less reliable. From Sarpi, a minibus brings you the short distance to central Batumi for 2 lari, and the Sarpi border is open 24/7.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are a practical option for reaching the station, the airport, or districts beyond the walkable core. Ride-hailing apps are also in use in the city, and Yandex Maps is a handy tool for checking routes and connections. As with any city, agree on the fare or confirm it in the app before setting off.
Walkability
Batumi's central area is well suited to walking. The seaside promenade, the historic Old Town with its restored 19th-century buildings, and the modern high-rise seafront are all part of the same compact coastal strip, so many of the city's signature sights can be strung together on foot. For longer stretches along the coast, BatumVelo — an automatic bike-sharing scheme — lets you rent a bicycle and ride along the beaches.
Getting from Batumi International Airport into the City
Batumi International Airport (BUS) sits just south of the city, making the transfer into town short and straightforward.
- By taxi or ride-hailing: The simplest option for arriving travellers with luggage; the ride into the centre is brief given the airport's proximity.
- By bus: Local bus services connect the airport area with the city, and the same Batumi Card or Visa/Mastercard payment applies on the newer city buses.
- Planning ahead: Use Yandex Maps or batbus.app to check which inner-city bus route suits your accommodation before you land.
Practical Tips
- Get a Batumi Card if you plan to use the newer city buses more than once or twice.
- Keep small change handy for marshrutkas, which are the workhorse of local transport.
- Book intercity train tickets online in advance, especially on weekends and in summer.
- Check batbus.app or Yandex Maps for live bus connections and route planning.
- Remember that Batumi is a rainy city much of the year, so a compact umbrella is worth carrying if you plan to walk between sights.