The Ultimate Tbilisi Survival Guide

Everything you need to navigate the city, master the culture and survive the bureaucrecy

Digital Survival Kit

Bolt

The absolute King of transportation in Tbilisi. Taxis are incredibly affordable and using Bolt completely eliminates any language barriers and price negotiations on the street. You can also prebook any car category 90 days in advance, so perfect when arriving at the airport.

Google Maps

Google Maps works perfectly fine for general walking and exploring but double-check your destination! In Tbilisi, it is very common for two completely different to share the exact same address, often just a few hundred meters apart. This glitch happens everywhere and also affects Airbnb listings.

Wolt & Glovo

Your absolute lifesaver for long evenings or lazy rainy Sundays. Both Apps deliver food from almost every restaurant in the city, but you can also use them to get groceries, snacks or pharmacy items delivered to your doorstep.

Sim Card

You have two options for Sim cards. The first one is you buy an E-Sim before your arrival, or you purchase a Sim card/E-Sim in Tbilisi either at the airport or the city center. We used a E-Sim from GoMoWorld for 19,99€ for 30 Gb and 30 Days. Th local Sims are nearly always unlimited and cost around 15€.

Getting Around (Public Transport)

The Transit Vibe

Navigating Tbilisi is an adventure in itself, blending Soviet-era infrastructure with modern digital efficiency.

The Transit Vibe: Metro, Buses and Marshrutkas

Option A: The 1 GEL Single Ticket

If you don't have your monthly pass activated yet, a single ride costs exactly 1 GEL. Once you tap for the first time, you get 90 minutes of free transfers. You still have to tap at the readers, but it will charge you 0,00 GEL.

Option B: The 40 GEL Unlimited Pass

Our Choice: Load a plastic card for 2 GEL with an Unlimited Monthly Pass for 40 GEL. It pays for itself in just a few days. Crucial Tip: Keep your paper receipt to recover it if lost or damaged.

The 'Card-Sharing' Culture Shock

Don't panic if a stranger hands you their wallet or phone at the bus turnstile! It is a beautiful part of local culture for someone stuck at the back to hand their card forward through a chain of strangers to the reader. Simply tap it and pass it right back. It's built entirely on local trust!

The 'Green Police' (Inspection)

Ticket controllers wear bright green uniforms. If you use the Unlimited Pass, don't just show the card; they carry mobile scanners. Present your card to their reader—it will beep green to prove you validated upon boarding.

The Cable Car & Funicular Matrix

Fully Included: Bagebi-University Ropeway is 100% covered by your Monthly Pass.
Fixed Fare: Rike Park to Narikala (2.50 GEL) and Vake Park to Turtle Lake (1.00 GEL) require a cash balance or credit card.
Separate: The Mtatsminda Funicular is privately operated; you need a special Mtatsminda Park Card.

Cultural Etiquette & Food Hacks

The Unwritten Laws of Georgian Food

Language Basics That Win Hearts

The Khinkali Decree (No Knives Allowed!): Khinkali are massive, pleated dumplings filled with spiced meat and hot, savory broth.
- How to eat it like a local: You never use a knife and fork. If you cut a Khinkali open, the precious broth leaks onto the plate, which is a tragedy!
- The Strategy: Pick it up by the thick dough knot, flip it upside down, take a small bite out of the side, slurp out the hot broth and then eat the rest. Leave the doughy top knots on your plate-locals use them to count how many dumplings they managed to finish!
The Khachapuri Blueprint: Specifically, the Adjaruli Khachapuri (the famous boat-shaped bread filled with melted cheese, a huge chunk of butter and a raw egg).
- The Strategy: Don't just bite into it! Use a fork or tear off a piece of the bread crust from the edge and use it to vigorously mix the hot cheese, butter and egg together into a rich, bubbling dip. Eat it from the outside in.

Taste Tbilisi

English

Georgian

When to use it

Hello

Gamarjoba

To everyone you meet (shops, bus drivers, coworkers).

Thank You

Madloba

After receiving food, a Bolt ride or help

Please/Excuse me

Gakhovt

Perfect for the bus or when ordering food

Cheers/Prost!

Gaumarjos!

Say this when clinking glasses at the table

Top Airbnb Experiences: Our Top Picks

Curated Local Experiences: Our Top Picks

Instead of guessing what to do, we used Airbnb Experiences to dive straight into the culture, arts and history of Georgia. Every single one of these got a 5-star review from us!

The list below gives you a general overview and quick booking tips for each experience. If you wamt to read the full, chaotic and fun stories-along with all our personal photos and deep dives-head over to Blog where we write about each of these adventures in detail!

Option A: History & City Explorations

Exclusive City Tour with a Private Guide(Host Atrin): The perfect way to kick off the trip. Getting a private guide right at the start gives you a massive head start on understanding Tbilisi's complex history, layout and hidden corners.
Dive into the Criminal Stories of Tbilisi(Host: Lasha): Forget boring dates and kings-this tour dives into the gritty, fascinating underwolrd history of the city. A super unique walking tour that shows you a completely different side of Tbilisi's past

Option B: Creative & Craft Workshops

Craft Unique Silver Rings(Host: Tatiana): Such an amazing, hands-on memory. You get to step into a local artisan's studio and physically craft your own silver ring from scratch. It's the ultimate custom souvenir from your Erasmus stay.
Make Handcrafted Ceramic Magnets(Host: Daria): Another fantastic creative outlet. Working with clay alongside a local artist to design your own ceramic magnets is a great, relaxing way to spend an afternoon and make something physical to take home

Option C: Epic Day Trips & Food Adventures

Hidden Rainbow Mountains & David Gareji Caves in a 4x4(Host: Aleksandr): An absolute must-do. You escape the city in an off-road vehicle to see the surreal, colorful layers of the Rainbow Mountains and the ancient, rock-hewn David Gareji Monastery right on the border with Azerbaijan
Day Trip to Armenia: UNESCO Sites, Villages & Family Lunch(Host: Giorgi Davladze): One of the coolest perks of living in Tbilisi is how close you are to neighboring countries! This jam-packed day trip takes you across the border into Armenia to see stunning UNESCO heritage monasteries, experience rural village life and eat an authentic family-cooked lunch
Street Food, Giant Khinkali & The Dezerter Bazaar(Host: Giorgi Davladze): The ultimate food tour. Your host takes you deep into the chaotic, vibrant stalls of the Dezerter Bazaar(Main Market) to taste local cheeses, Churchkhela and street food, culminating in eating massive, authentic Khinkali.