By Nino Gelashvili, Travel News Editor · 09/11/2026
- Private cars unaffected; heavy vehicles over 3,500 kg must detour via Kobuleti and Chakvi.
- Expect delays for bus transfers between Batumi and the Sarpi border crossing.
- Confirm current road status with your driver or tour operator before travelling.
Georgia’s Roads Department has imposed a temporary restriction on vehicles weighing more than 3,500 kg at km 85 of the Senaki–Poti (turnoff)–Sarpi international highway, in the direction of Sarpi and Poti. The measure follows a landslide that destroyed part of the road’s reinforced shoulder, creating a risk of further damage to the carriageway.
Private cars continue to move without restriction. Heavier vehicles, including buses and trucks, are being diverted via an alternative route starting at the Chakvi junction (km 89): Grigoleti–Shekvetili–Kobuleti–Chakvi–Makhinjauri (tunnel bypass), rejoining the main highway at the Kobuleti junction (km 72).
The road is part of the main coastal corridor linking Batumi with the Turkish border at Sarpi, a route widely used by tour buses and transfer services. The Roads Department says it is monitoring the site and planning further measures; no end date has been given for the restriction.
What it means for travellers
- Private cars and minibuses under 3,500 kg can use the road as normal near km 85.
- Large buses and trucks heading to or from Sarpi/Batumi will be diverted via Kobuleti and Chakvi, adding travel time.
- Check with tour operators or drivers before departure, as schedules on Batumi–Sarpi transfers may be affected.
Sarpi border checkpoint with trucks, on the Batumi–Sarpi coastal highway affected by the detour. · Photo: Robot8A / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Source: Roads Department of Georgia
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Source: Roads Department of Georgia. Reported by the GTour desk; updated 9 November 2026, 21:06 (Tbilisi).
