Tbilisi airport (TBS) guide: arrivals, taxis and apps, bus 337, train, SIM cards, ATMs, lounges and night arrivals

Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) sits about 18 kilometres southeast of the city centre, and getting into town takes anywhere from 25 minutes by private car to over an hour on the night bus. For most travellers the fastest and least stressful option is a pre-booked private transfer or a ride-hailing app at the rank outside arrivals; budget travellers use bus 337, which runs around the clock for a few lari. There is no airport train connecting TBS directly to the main Tbilisi rail network at the time of writing, so do not plan around one without checking current service first.

This guide covers the terminal layout, the passport-control and insurance check that catches some visitors by surprise, how Bolt and Yandex Go work at TBS, the 337 bus timetable in practice, where to buy a SIM card and change money, which lounges exist, and what to do if your flight lands at three in the morning. Rules on insurance and visa-free entry can change with little notice, so every section below tells you exactly where to confirm the current position before you fly.

Terminal layout and passport control

TBS has a single passenger terminal with international arrivals on the ground floor. After leaving the aircraft, passengers walk through a connector to passport control, then baggage claim, then a short customs corridor that opens directly onto the public arrivals hall. There is no second terminal and no separate building for domestic flights, so the layout is simple to navigate even late at night.

Georgia allows citizens of many countries to enter visa-free for stays of up to a year; check your own nationality’s rule on the official portal before travelling, since durations and the list of eligible countries are reviewed periodically by the government, see evisa.gov.ge. At passport control, officers have in recent years asked some arriving travellers to show proof of travel or health insurance valid for their stay; this has not applied uniformly to every nationality or every flight, and the practical answer is to carry a printed or digital insurance certificate regardless, and to verify the current requirement on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel page at mfa.gov.ge or the public health authority at ncgh.ge shortly before departure. This is not a substitute for proper travel insurance advice: if you have a pre-existing condition or a complex itinerary, speak to your insurer or a doctor about appropriate cover rather than relying on what an airport officer asks for.

Taxis and ride-hailing apps: Bolt and Yandex Go

Bolt and Yandex Go are both active at TBS and are the most reliable way to get a fair price without negotiating at the kerb. Open the app inside the terminal or just after you clear customs; pickup points are usually a short walk along the arrivals pavement, and the app will show you exactly where to stand. Avoid drivers who approach you inside the hall offering a fixed cash fare, since these are almost always priced well above the metered or app rate.

Typical in-app fares from TBS to central Tbilisi (Freedom Square or Rustaveli Avenue) run roughly GEL 25 to GEL 45 depending on time of day, traffic and surge pricing; night-time and early-morning trips can sit at the higher end. These figures move with demand and fuel costs, so treat them as a guide and trust the fare the app itself quotes you before you confirm the ride.

Bus 337 and the airport train

Bus 337 is the public transport link between TBS and the city, operated as part of Tbilisi’s municipal network; it runs on a long loop through the city and connects to the metro, with services through the night at reduced frequency. Fares are paid with the city’s rechargeable transport card or in cash in small denominations, and the journey into the centre typically takes 45 to 75 minutes depending on traffic and the number of stops. Schedules and the current route are published by the city authority, see tbilisi.gov.ge; confirm frequency for your arrival time before relying on it late at night, since gaps between buses can be long outside daytime hours.

There is no dedicated airport express train linking TBS directly into Tbilisi’s central rail station at the time of writing. Georgian Railway’s passenger timetables and any changes to suburban services are published at railway.ge; check this page directly if you are planning to combine air and rail travel, since suburban routings do change.

Pre-booked private transfers

For night arrivals, large luggage, families or simply wanting one fixed price agreed before you fly, a private transfer removes the guesswork. GTOUR’s airport transfers are priced per car, one way, and include meeting you at arrivals with a name board, flight tracking so the driver adjusts to delays, 60 minutes of free waiting, child seats on request, and all tolls and parking, with no night surcharge.

At the National Bank of Georgia’s reference rate for 27 October 2026 (GEL 2.91 to the euro), that is roughly GEL 131 for the sedan and GEL 169 for the minivan, broadly comparable to a longer ride-hailing fare at surge pricing but fixed and agreed in writing before you travel. See the full Airport Transfers service for other routes, including Kutaisi and Batumi airports, and Kazbegi, Telavi or Gudauri connections on the same page.

SIM cards, ATMs and currency exchange

Mobile operator counters are located in the arrivals hall, past baggage claim, and sell prepaid tourist SIM cards with data bundles; bring your passport, since registration is required by law. Staff can usually set up the SIM and basic data plan for you on the spot, which is worth doing immediately if you plan to use Bolt or Yandex Go from the airport.

Several bank ATMs and at least one currency exchange counter operate in the arrivals area, generally offering rates close to the interbank rate with a modest margin; exchange counters inside the terminal are convenient for a small amount of initial cash but rarely the cheapest option in the city. Lari is the only currency accepted for public transport and the vast majority of taxis and shops, so withdraw or exchange enough to cover your first day before leaving the terminal.

Lounges and airport hotels

TBS has at least one paid lounge accessible to eligible cardholders and passengers who book access directly, useful for long layovers or an early-morning departure; opening hours and access conditions are confirmed on the airport’s own passenger information pages, see tbilisiairport.com. For travellers needing a bed rather than a lounge chair, a handful of hotels sit within a short drive of the terminal, ranging from business-class properties to simpler guesthouses; booking ahead is sensible if you are arriving very late or departing very early, since airport-area rooms fill up around peak flight banks.

If you would rather have us handle hotel logistics alongside your transfer, recommendations for your dates and budget are free, and booking on your behalf carries a flat service fee of €15 per reservation, with no fee at all when the whole route, hotels, cars and guides together, is arranged as part of one of our tours; see Hotel Booking for details.

Arriving at 3 a.m.

Night arrivals are routine at TBS, since a meaningful share of international flights land between midnight and 5 a.m. Passport control and baggage claim operate as normal at these hours, and the arrivals hall stays lit and staffed, including at least one mobile SIM counter and ATM access. Bolt and Yandex Go both continue to operate overnight, though fares and wait times can rise with lower driver availability; bus 337 still runs but at reduced frequency, so check the current night schedule at tbilisi.gov.ge before counting on a specific departure time.

• Pre-book a private transfer if your flight lands after midnight; the 60 minutes of free waiting and flight tracking absorb delays without extra cost.
• Buy your SIM card at the terminal counter immediately after baggage claim so you have data for the ride-hailing app or maps before you step outside.
• Withdraw lari from an arrivals-hall ATM rather than relying on finding an open exchange counter in the city at that hour.
• If staying near the airport rather than driving into town at 3 a.m., confirm your hotel offers 24-hour check-in before you fly.

Practical summary

• Fastest, most predictable option: pre-booked private transfer, €45 sedan or €58 minivan, fixed price, any hour, no night surcharge.
• Budget app option: Bolt or Yandex Go from the marked pickup point outside arrivals, typically GEL 25 to 45 into the centre, fares vary with time and demand.
• Cheapest option: bus 337, runs through the night at reduced frequency, check current timetable at tbilisi.gov.ge.
• No direct airport-to-centre train exists at the time of writing; verify any change at railway.ge before planning around one.
• Carry proof of travel or health insurance for passport control, and verify current entry and visa rules for your nationality at evisa.gov.ge and mfa.gov.ge before you fly.
• Buy your SIM and withdraw lari in the arrivals hall before leaving the terminal.
• Lounge access and nearby hotels exist for long layovers or very early departures; confirm hours directly with tbilisiairport.com and book ahead for overnight stays.

Sources

• Georgian Railway passenger services
• Georgia e-Visa and entry rules
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel advisory
• Georgian Railway – Passenger Schedule
• Agenda.ge – Tbilisi Airport News & Updates