How to get to Georgia by car in 2021 from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and other cities? What do you need to cross the border? The nuances of travel, the necessary documents, as well as reviews and advice from tourists who traveled to Georgia in 2020.
A trip to Georgia by car is an unforgettable journey along the Georgian Military Highway, which has been repeatedly recognized as the most beautiful mountain track in the world. If you haven't driven it yet, it's definitely time. Read the article and hit the road!
Attention... The information in this article may be out of date due to restrictions during a pandemic. Check with official sources for the possibility of crossing borders in 2021. As of March 2021, land crossing of the border with Georgia for tourist purposes is not yet possible! Find out more about entering Georgia during a pandemic.
Remember: the only legal crossing of the Russian-Georgian border by land is through the Verkhniy Lars checkpoint. Learn about all the ways to get to Georgia.
How to get to Georgia by car
Road to Georgia from Moscow
From Moscow to Georgia by car, the route runs along the M-4 "Don" highway through Voronezh to Rostov-on-Don. This section of the path of about 1100 km is not very memorable. The track is four-lane, with high-quality coverage and a couple of paid sections (30 and 55 rubles). According to the reviews of tourists, having left Moscow in the morning, you can drive this section in a day and get up for the night.
Further, the path runs through Kushchevskaya, Oktyabrskaya to the intersection with the P-217 Kavkaz highway (formerly M-29), through Kropotkin, Armavir, Nevinnomyssk, Vladikavkaz. From there, take the A-161 Vladikavkaz-Georgia highway (formerly P-301) to the border. Here begins a mountainous area, only two lanes for traffic, in some places four. There are dangerous sections, descents and ascents. The whole way is about 2000 km. From the border to Tbilisi, another 200 km along the mountain road. The infrastructure on the Russian side is well developed, with roadside motels, cafes and gas stations.
From Saint-Petersburg
It is optimal to move along the highway M-10 "St. Petersburg-Moscow" through Valdai, Tver to Moscow. Then go along the MKAD to the M-4 "Don" highway and go to the republic along the route described above from Moscow. Most likely, you will have to make two stops for the night - to go 2500 km to the border, another 200 km to Tbilisi, and crossing the border may take time.
From Yekaterinburg
The same long way is to be done by car from Yekaterinburg - 2600 km to the border. Travelers usually start their journey along the federal highway M-5 "Ural". The route runs through Kyshtym, Zlatoust, Ufa, Oktyabrsky to Togliatti. Here you can take the first break and stop for the night, then continue your journey along the P-228 "Syzran-Saratov-Volgograd" highway to Volgograd, and along the P-221 "Volgograd-Elista" through Kamyshin to Elista. The third day of the trip will pass through the Stavropol Territory (Budennovsk, Novopavlovsk), Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia (Maysky, Terek, Ardon) to Vladikavkaz, from there to the border along the A-161 highway.
From Samara
Go 1700 km to the border. First, along the P-228 "Syzran-Saratov-Volgograd" highway. The overnight stay can be done in the Volgograd region. Further, the path lies on Elista, Vladikavkaz to Upper Lars.
From Rostov
From Rostov to the border to go about 700 km. Theoretically, if you do not get stuck in traffic jams, you can meet in two days, with 1 stop for the night. From Rostov to Vladikavkaz and Georgia, you can get on the described "Moscow" route (second part) through Kushchevskaya, Armavir, Mineralnye Vody, Nalchik.
From Perm
To go to the border 2500 km, the journey will take 3 days. From Perm you need to go to the Krasnokamsk bypass road and keep your way in the direction of Izhevsk, then the route passes through Naberezhnye Chelny, Cheremshan, Sukhodol, Togliatti. Here you can stay for the night. Then continue the way through Kamyshin, Sadovoe, Elista, here you can stop a second time. The third day of the trip will pass through Budennovsk, Novopavlovsk, Maysky, Terek, Ardon, Vladikavkaz and to the border.
Route to Georgia from Russian cities
Border crossing
In 2021, to cross the border with Georgia by car, you must have the following documents with you: passport (for all passengers), registration certificate and driver's license (for the driver). International car insurance is not required to enter Georgia. Visas for Russians have been canceled since 2012.
The border crossing procedure is quite simple and usually short - within an hour. There are delays on the Russian side. Tourists write that some particularly hurried drivers with a region number 15 tend to skip the line, which inevitably leads to clashes with other drivers. Inspection of a car is usually quick and impartial.
As an alternative to traveling to Georgia by your own car, consider renting a car locally. We recommend Myrentacar.com - a reliable and convenient rental service with a large selection of cars. The cost of car rental is from 1000 rubles per day. There is a Russian-speaking support service. Read also our tips for renting a car in Georgia.
Roads in Georgia
The country is developing tourism, and you can see it on the roads. They have been renovated almost everywhere, at least the main tourist destinations. There are open off-road sections. There are such sections on the Georgian Military Highway due to mudflows, which completely block traffic. And although the authorities fix the problem quickly, the quality of the road suffers greatly.
According to reviews on car trips to Georgia in 2020, some travelers have experienced a shock from the section of the road through the Cross Pass: there is practically no asphalt from Kobi to Gudauri. This is a section with a high accident rate, it is easy to pierce the bottom of a car with a low ground clearance here, so you have to drive at the speed of a turtle, and preferably in a car with a high seating position. However, the skill of the driver has not yet been canceled.
Travel route in Georgia by car
The beginning of the trip to Georgia begins with the Georgian Military Highway, where the beauty of the surrounding landscapes simply delights. Kazbek, Terek, Daryala gorge, People's Friendship Arch, temples.
Usually all travelers start sightseeing from the capital - Tbilisi. Further, the route through Georgia by car can be as follows: from Tbilisi to Mtskheta and Ananuri, from Ananuri to Telavi, from there to Gremi and Tusheti or to David-Gareji.
You can go from Tbilisi to Gori with a visit to Uplistsikhe, from there to Kutaisi, then to Mestia and Batumi. Some go to Borjomi - 160 kilometers from the capital - to drink mineral water and visit the nearby cave city of Vadzia, Khervisi and the fortress in Akhaltsikh. In summer, the Black Sea resorts are very popular: Sarpi, Gonio, Kvariati, Kobuleti.
Hotels and apartments in Georgia
Check out how much hotels cost in Georgia in the summer of 2021:
| A type | Price per day (rub.) | Example |
| Budget guest house in Kutaisi | from 600 ₽ | White House Kutaisi |
| Budget guesthouse in the center of Tbilisi | from 1200 ₽ | Guest House Kato |
| 3 * hotel with breakfast in Old Tbilisi | from 3000 ₽ | 7 Baits Hotel |
| Hotel 3 * by the sea in Batumi | from 1700 ₽ | Cozy Corner Hotel |
| Hotel 5 * by the sea in Batumi | from 9300 ₽ | JRW Welmond Hotel & Casino |
Where to book:
- Roomguru - check current discounts and compare hotel prices in different booking systems.
- Airbnb.ru - renting rooms, apartments and villas from the owners at any price: from economy to real luxury.
Prices for rooms, apartments and houses in Georgia in the summer of 2021:
| A type | Price per day (rub.) | Example |
| Inexpensive room in the center of Kutaisi | from 800 ₽ | Room in Kutaisi |
| Apartment with a courtyard in the center of Tbilisi (2 bedrooms) | from 3000 ₽ | Central Tbilisi - Patio Appartment |
| Apartment in Batumi by the sea | from 2600 ₽ | IOANE HOME |
| Apartment in Telavi (2 bedrooms) | from 2200 ₽ | Modern 2 Bedroom Apartment |
The editors of our site lived in the center of Tbilisi, near the bridge of peace, in a beautiful apartment in the national style. High ceilings, antique furniture, a lamp - a very cozy apartment. It cost only 1,700 rubles in winter!
Tips and reviews for traveling to Georgia by car
Drivers will need a lot of patience during a trip to Georgia by car. According to tourists, in the Stavropol Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria and North Ossetia, many are faced with open extortion of money from local traffic police officers. Therefore, the best way to avoid this kind of situation is not to violate.
There are serpentines in the mountains, so drive carefully. Besides, Georgia has a disgusting driving style. This can be seen especially clearly in Tbilisi. Changing lanes from the far left to turn right, not turning on the direction indicator, cutting off another car, driving through a red light - all this is in the order of things.
Gasoline is expensive - on average, a liter of 95 costs 2.20 lari (at the current exchange rate of 52 rubles). According to the reviews of tourists who traveled to Georgia in 2020, they will not be allowed into the country with cans, but you can fill a full tank in the Vladikavkaz area. By the way, there are no gas stations on the road right behind Upper Lars, and there is no currency exchange either. The first gas station will appear only in Gudauri.
The food is not the cheapest, but very tasty and the portions are large. Lunch at a cafe - 30 GEL per person. Very good Georgian wine costs 25-30 GEL per bottle. Remember that no more than 3 liters of alcoholic beverages per person can be imported to Russia.
In general, it is safe in the country, you can safely go on a trip with children. The main highways are patrolled by police officers who will help in case of a problem. The population is friendly, many speak Russian, so the language barrier is not felt.
