Tickets/methods

You can enter Georgia through land borders or by flying into one of the three international airports.

At the airport, you can exchange currency (dollars have approximately the same exchange rate as in the city, rubles are better exchanged in the city) and buy a magti SIM card with tourist rates (more about SIM cards).

On the airport website, you can see:

• Contacts for communication;
• Countries with direct flights;
• Departures;
• Arrivals.

On the airport website, you can see:

• Departures;
• Arrivals.

Contacts for communication:

• +995431237000;
• Email: infodesk@airports.ge.

On the airport website, you can see:

• Contacts for communication;
• Countries with direct flights;
• Departures;
• Arrivals.

You can enter Georgia through one of the following border checkpoints (BPC).

Georgia - Russia border section:

• Automobile BCP "Kazbegi - Verkhny Lars"

Georgia - Armenia border section:

• Automobile BCP "Ninotsminda"
• Automobile BCP "Guguti"
• Automobile BCP "Sadaaklo"
• Automobile BCP "Akhkerpi"

Georgia - Turkey border section:

• Automobile BCP "Sarpi"
• Automobile BCP "Vale" (open only for freight vehicles)

Georgia - Azerbaijan border section (crossing by foreigners is currently prohibited):

• Automobile BCP "Krasny Most"
• Automobile BCP "Vakhtangisi"
• Automobile BCP "Tsondha"

Sea ports:

• Sea BCP "Port-Poti"
• Sea BCP "Port-Batumi"

All other border crossing options (including through the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia) are considered illegal.

Illegal crossing of the state border of Georgia

Article 344. Illegal crossing of the state border of Georgia

1. Illegal crossing of the state border of Georgia is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for a term of three to five years.
2. An act provided for in the first part of this article, committed: a) by a group of persons; b) with the use of violence or the threat of violence, is punishable by imprisonment for a term of four to five years.

Article 344(1). Illegal transportation of migrants across the state border of Georgia or (and) creating conditions for their illegal stay in Georgia

1. Illegal transportation of migrants across the state border of Georgia or (and) creating conditions (complicity) for their illegal stay in Georgia in violation of established legislation is punishable by imprisonment for a term of two to five years.
2. The same acts, committed: a) repeatedly; b) in relation to two or more persons; c) with a threat to the life or health of a migrant; d) with inhumane or degrading treatment of a migrant, including his exploitation; e) using counterfeit documents, are punishable by imprisonment for a term of five to eight years.

The ban on leaving Russia for its citizens without good reason (introduced due to COVID) was lifted on May 17, 2022. Now, crossing the land border is open to everyone.

The land border cannot be crossed on foot, it can only be crossed by vehicle (car, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.).

Verkhniy Lars itself is a very difficult section of the road, and its crossing becomes most problematic from November to March - during this time, the border is often closed due to weather conditions and, as a result, the risk of avalanches and snow-covered roads. The height of the pass reaches almost 2400 meters. When the border is closed, traffic jams can reach several kilometers, and after it opens, waiting there can take up to two days. When traveling by car during this period of the year, you can send your family to a city hotel. They can take a taxi when you are near the checkpoint.

The average price of a transfer is ~4000 rubles.

Money can be exchanged at the Georgian checkpoints, Stepantsminda, and Pasanauri (populated areas along the way). The exchange rate for dollars is approximately the same in all exchange offices, but it is best to exchange rubles upon arrival in the city. SIM cards can also be purchased in these populated areas - in Stepantsminda, this can be done at the store on the main square, and in Pasanauri - at the magti office. However, it is better and easier to do this in the city.

"Verkhniy Lars" checkpoint website:

https://kray-zemli.com/24-verhnij-lars.html

"Verkhniy Lars" checkpoint contacts:

• Duty service - 8 (8672) 258-342; 8 (8672) 252-753; 8 (8672) 595-227, 8 (8672) 505-652;
• Duty service email - pu.rsoalania@fsb.ru;
• Deputy chief of the post - 8 (8672) 827-523 - a single number for five deputies.

Flights from Yerevan to Tbilisi operate daily, taking about half an hour, but overland travel will be cheaper, especially with luggage and pets.

The distance from Yerevan and the airport to Tbilisi (about 300km) can be covered overland in 5 to 10 hours depending on the mode of transportation and weather conditions.

Options for overland travel:

https://hayreniqtour.ru/автобус-ереван-тбилиси - taxis, minibuses and buses from Yerevan and other cities in Armenia. They run several times a day, including from the airport. On the website, you can see all the current information and buy tickets. The price starts from 10,000 drams (about 1,400 rubles);

https://12go.asia/en/travel/yerevan/tbilisi - aggregator of advertisements from companies and individuals;

https://www.railway.am/en/ - train. It runs on even numbered days, departs at 21:30, and takes 10 hours to travel (meaning crossing the checkpoint at night). The price starts from 11,000 drams per adult (about 25 EUR).

Passenger transport can only pass through the "Sarpi" checkpoint. Any overland route from Istanbul or Ankara to Georgia (Batumi) takes at best 20 hours.

By train, you can only go to the border with Armenia, and to the border with Georgia, you can only travel by transfer or buses with several transfers.

Metro company buses run on the Istanbul → Batumi route. Tickets can be purchased at their office at the bus station in Istanbul. The entire route takes about a day with all stops. There are no transfers, and the buses have Wi-Fi and coffee.

Phone numbers for questions about the situation on the Georgian side:

• Georgian Border Police - +995322414242, +99522370417;
• Georgian Customs - +995322299299;
• Road Department - +995322313076;
• Emergency Management Department - +995577556201;
• Traffic Police - +995322418502;
• Georgia's interests section at the Swiss Embassy in Moscow - +7(495)6904657 or +7(926)9262740;
• Questions related to crossing the Georgian border - +995(32)2261112 and +995(32)2411966;
• Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (hotline) - +995(32)294-50-50 or +995(59)588-38-12;

Phone numbers for questions about the situation on the Russian side:

• Information on the procedure for departure and entry into the Russian Federation for Russian and foreign citizens - +7(495)6267740, +7(867)2409318 (from 09:00 to 18:00 on weekdays).

No forms or questionnaires need to be filled out for entry into Georgia, nor is a certificate or PCR test required before or after arrival.

The following are needed for entry:

1. Passport;
2. Children's passports (can be obtained at any age), children under 14 can be included in the parent's passport. A birth certificate is required to confirm kinship;
3. If a minor child is traveling without parents - a notarized permission from one of the parents or legal guardian is required. If traveling with one parent, no consent or additional documents for travel are required (the main thing is that there is no ban).

Medical insurance is not required. Insurance for foreign-registered vehicles is mandatory; otherwise, a fine of 100 lari will be imposed when leaving Georgia. More information in the "Moving by Car" section.

Reasons for refusal of a visa or entry:

Article 11. Grounds for refusal of entry visa or entry to Georgia

1. Foreigners may be refused a visa or entry to Georgia:
   1. in the absence of documents required for entry into Georgia, as provided by Georgian law;
   2. if they are prohibited from entering Georgia or have not paid the fine established for staying in Georgia without legal basis;
   3. if they provide incomplete or false information or documents for obtaining a Georgian visa or extending its validity;
   4. in the absence of health insurance, accident insurance, and sufficient funds for living in Georgia and returning back;
   5. if their stay in Georgia poses a threat to the state security or public order in Georgia, health, rights and lawful interests of Georgian citizens and other persons residing in Georgia; e) if their presence in Georgia is unacceptable based on foreign policy expediency; f) if there are reasonable doubts that they will remain in Georgia without legal basis after the expiry of their visa; g) if they do not provide or provide false information about themselves and the purpose of their trip; h) in other cases provided by Georgian law. Note from the author: visiting the territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the past also falls under this subparagraph.

1. Foreigners are refused a Georgian visa or entry to Georgia in the manner prescribed by Georgian law.
2. The conclusion on the inexpediency of issuing a Georgian visa or entry to Georgia in cases provided for by subparagraphs "d" and "e" of paragraph one of this article is not justified.
3. Foreigners who were denied entry to Georgia as a result of inspection at the border checkpoint are returned back.
4. If, in the case provided for in paragraph 4 of this article, foreigners, due to legal or factual reasons, cannot leave the border control zone immediately, they are temporarily placed in a specially designated place in the border control zone, under surveillance.