Georgia
Last checked:
- Capital
- Tbilisi
- Currency
- GEL · Georgian lari
- Languages
- Georgian
- Plugs
- Type C, F · 220 V
Emergency numbers
Top 5 places
- Old Tbilisi and Narikala Fortress · Tbilisi
Balconied old town, sulphur baths and a fortress reached by cable car.
- Gergeti Trinity Church · Stepantsminda (Kazbegi)
Hilltop church below Mount Kazbek, reached via the Georgian Military Road.
- Mtskheta · Mtskheta
UNESCO-listed ancient capital with Svetitskhoveli Cathedral and Jvari Monastery, 30 minutes from Tbilisi.
- Sighnaghi and Kakheti wine region · Sighnaghi
Walled hill town and family wineries making traditional qvevri wine.
- Mestia and Svaneti · Mestia
High Caucasus villages with medieval defensive towers and multi-day hikes.
Getting around
Public transport
Tbilisi Metro and buses
Pay with contactless bank card or a Metromoney card (2 GEL deposit). A ride is 1 GEL and transfers are free within about 90 minutes. Metro runs about 06:00 to midnight.
Ride-hailing app
Bolt
Most used ride app in Tbilisi and Batumi; fixed price shown up front, most city rides 2-15 GEL. Best way to avoid airport taxi overcharging.
Ride-hailing app
Yandex Go / Maxim
Alternative apps with similar low prices; Maxim also works in some smaller towns.
Buses
Marshrutkas
Minibuses are the main way to travel between towns, such as Tbilisi to Kazbegi or Sighnaghi. Cheap, paid in cash, leave when full from bus stations like Didube.
Trains
Georgian Railways
Tbilisi to Batumi and Kutaisi trains, bookable online; the fast Batumi train sells out in summer.
Taxi
Taxis
Outside the cities, agree the fare before the trip. Avoid touts at Tbilisi airport and use an app instead.
Money and cash
Currency: GEL · Georgian lari
Cards and contactless payments work widely in Tbilisi and Batumi, including the metro. Carry cash for marshrutkas, village guesthouses, markets and mountain areas. ATMs are common and take Visa and Mastercard. Exchange kiosks in cities usually give fair rates. Prices are sometimes quoted in dollars or euros but must legally be paid in lari.
Tipping
Tipping is common in Western-style restaurants in Tbilisi and Batumi but rarely expected in traditional places. Many restaurants already add a 10-15% service charge to the bill; if they do, no extra tip is needed.
| Restaurants | Check the bill first. If no service charge, 5-10% is a good tip in city restaurants; in traditional eateries rounding up is enough. |
|---|---|
| Cafés and bars | Round up or leave small change. |
| Taxis and ride apps | Not expected; round up if you like. App rides need no tip. |
| Hotels | Optional; a few lari for porters or housekeeping is appreciated. |
| Tours and guides | Around 10% or 20-50 GEL per day for guides and drivers (varies). |
| Food delivery | Not expected; small in-app tip is optional. |
Service charge: what’s true
Many restaurants add a 10-15% service charge, usually shown on the menu and as a separate line on the bill (sometimes in Georgian only). Sources do not clearly show who receives it (varies). An added tip is not expected when it is included.
Pressure tactics to watch for
Tourists sometimes miss the service charge line and tip twice, or card terminals prompt for an extra tip. Read the bill: 'მომსახურება' (momsakhureba) means service. If it is there, you can politely decline an additional tip.
Useful phrases
- ანგარიში, თუ შეიძლება (angarishi, tu sheidzleba) The bill, please.
- მომსახურება შედის? (momsakhureba shedis?) Is service included?
- მადლობა (madloba) Thank you.
Etiquette
- In Orthodox churches, women should cover their hair and wear a skirt (wraps are often provided at the door); men should remove hats and avoid shorts.
- Hospitality is central: at a supra (feast) the tamada (toastmaster) leads toasts; drink wine during toasts, not beer, which is traditionally reserved for toasting enemies.
- Do not photograph inside churches during services, or near military bases and power installations.
- Avoid public displays of affection between same-sex couples; harassment has been reported even though it is legal.
- Russia and the occupied regions (Abkhazia, South Ossetia) are sensitive topics; listen rather than argue.
- Carry your passport; police may ask for ID.
- Jaywalking in Tbilisi is fined (50 GEL since 2025); use crossings and underpasses.
Scams and how to handle them
Bar and nightclub bill scam
Where: Tbilisi, especially near Rustaveli Avenue and Old Town
How it works: Strangers (often friendly women met online or on the street) invite tourists to a bar where drinks cost hundreds of dollars; staff demand payment. Drink spiking has been reported.
How to avoid it: Refuse invitations to a specific bar from strangers, see a price list first and buy your own drinks.
Airport taxi overcharging
Where: Tbilisi and Kutaisi airports
How it works: Touts charge several times the normal rate for rides to the city.
How to avoid it: Use Bolt or another app, or the airport bus; the normal taxi fare to central Tbilisi is roughly 20-30 GEL by app.
Prices in dollars or euros
Where: Guesthouses, tours, taxis
How it works: Prices quoted in foreign currency are converted at a poor rate or used to confuse.
How to avoid it: Ask for the lari price; payments must legally be made in lari.
Double charging for service
Where: Restaurants
How it works: A 10-15% service charge is added and staff or the card terminal still ask for a tip.
How to avoid it: Read the bill for the service line before tipping.
Pickpockets in crowds
Where: Tbilisi metro, Old Town, Dry Bridge market, Batumi boulevard
How it works: Thieves take phones and wallets in crowded places.
How to avoid it: Keep valuables zipped and in front of you.
Unofficial tours and drivers without insurance
Where: Kazbegi, Svaneti, ski resorts
How it works: Cheap drivers or adventure operators with poor safety standards.
How to avoid it: Use well-reviewed operators, check seatbelts and equipment, and hire licensed mountain guides.
Safety
- Crime is low; petty theft in crowded places is the main risk.
- Use ride apps rather than street taxis, and make sure seatbelts work.
- Driving is erratic, rural roads are unlit and animals wander onto them; avoid night driving and mountain roads in bad weather.
- Mountain rescue is limited: hire guides for hard routes and avoid off-piste skiing.
- Drug possession can bring 5-25 years in prison.
- Do not try to enter Abkhazia or South Ossetia from Russia; it is illegal under Georgian law.
How widely English is spoken
Fairly good among younger people in Tbilisi, Batumi and tourist businesses; limited among older people, who more often speak Russian.
Sources
- GOV.UK Foreign travel advice: Georgia, safety and security
- Wikivoyage: Georgia (country)
- Wikivoyage: Tbilisi
We check these guides against official and well-known sources, but rules and prices change. Spot something out of date? Email support@tourits.app.