Distance Tbilisi-Mestia 450 km, approximate travel time 8 hours 30 minutes
By train
There are no direct trains from Tbilisi, but as an option you can get to the city of Zugdidi, and from there you can take a minibus to Mestia.
This method is popular, as one of the trains Tbilisi – Zugdidi travels at night and has a parlor car where you can sleep, arrives early in the morning.Place of departure and schedule:
- Tbilisi – Zugdidi day train departs daily from Tbilisi central railway station at 08:40, arrives at 14:34; schedule may change slightly, check official website railway.ge
night train Tbilisi – Zugdidi departs daily from Tbilisi central railway station at 21:45, arrives at 6:05; timetable may change slightly.
The first two minibuses Zugdidi – Mestia depart as they fill up from the railway station at 6:30.The rest of the minibuses start running from 10 am from Nikoladze street (5 minutes walk from the station), they have no exact timetable and leave as they fill upTravel time:
on the night train 8 hours,on the day train 6 hours- by bus Zugdidi – Mestia 3 – 4 hours
Price:
- day train 16 – 43 GEL
Night train: compartment 21 GEL, SV 35 GEL- minibus 20 GEL
∗ You can buy train tickets through the official website of Georgian Railways railway.ge or tre.ge/ru.
∗ Tickets purchased online do not require printing out, it is enough to show your passport and ticket number, you can do it on your smartphone.
By bus
No buses from Tbilisi to Mestia
By minibus
Although the direction Tbilisi – Mestia is quite popular among tourists, the transportation connection between the cities is not very developed.
Only two direct minibuses run daily and all year round, which will be listed below. Both depart at around 7am, but from different bus stations.
Departure location and timetable:
- Near the entrance to Tbilisi’s central train station (Station Square metro station). Approximate departure at 7:00, contact number for booking seats: +995 557 13 05 29
- Samgori metro station (near the metro station of the same name), departure at 7:00, phone: +995 591 663 663
Travel time: 8 – 9 hours
Price: 50 GEL
By transfer
Since it is not easy to get to Mestia by train, and minibuses run with unstable schedules, it is more comfortable to order a transfer at the lowest prices.
In addition to the fact that you will be able to choose the right car and driver based on customer reviews, you will have the opportunity to stop at the most beautiful places along the way.
- Departure point: your location
- Schedule: any time convenient for you
- Travel time: 7 hours 30 minutes
- Price: from 608 GEL (≈ 222$), depending on the car
- Book a transfer: gotrip.ge
By plane
The fastest way to get from Tbilisi to Mestia is by small airplane from VanillaSky. The flight is very popular, so it is advisable to buy tickets in advance, especially in summer.
- Place of departure: from the airport in Natakhtari, the company provides free transfer from Tbilisi to the airport
- Schedule: the schedule changes frequently, check the official website ticket.vanillasky.ge.
- Travel time: less than 1 hour
- Price: 90 GEL
- Buy tickets: on the company’s website vanillasky.ge or in the office at 5 Vazha Pshavela street, when buyingtickets online choose departure from Natakhtari.
Information
The region of Svaneti and its central town Mestia are considered one of the most picturesque places in Georgia. In summer people come here for the clean air, unforgettable landscapes and the famous Svan towers.
In winter the area is famous for the ski resorts of Khatsvali and Tetnuldi. In addition, good wine and delicious homemade cuisine with Svan salt do not leave guests indifferent.
Recommended
- We recommend renting a car for independent travel here localrent.com
- When traveling to Svaneti with an overnight stay, don’t forget to book accommodation. You can do this easily and simply on the website www.booking.com
