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Date of the journey:- October 2019
Distance travelled:- 96 miles
Leaving our accommodation at the Baqari inn. We walked the 10 mins down to the Kazbegi Bus Station. On arrival at the bus station, there was a marshrutka that was nearly full. In our opinion, there wasn’t sufficient room for both of us and our backpacks. The driver was insisting that we could sit with our backpacks on our laps. Something that was not going to happen for a 3-hour journey. Instead, five minutes later we were sitting in a luxurious Mercedes marshrutka. Our backpacks stowed in the storage box on the back.
The downside of this decision. We had to wait 45 minutes for the marshrutka to fill up before it left. A wait that was well worth it. The cost was 10 GEL per person for the 3-hour journey.
We arrived at Didube Marshrutka Terminal in Tbilisi.
Tip
Do not confuse the Didube marshrutka terminal with the Didube Bus Terminal. They are not the same and are in different locations. The marshrutka terminal is adjacent to the Didube Metro station. The Bus Terminal is adjacent to Didube Train Station. They are 500m apart.
Our accommodation in the city was near the old town. The easiest and quickest way to get there was by the metro. Didube Marshrutka Terminal is conveniently located adjacent to Didube Metro Station.
A short walk through the market took us to the metro station of Didube. Didube Metro Station is on Line 1 (red). Perfect for the transfer into the city to our accommodation. Bright 1BR apartment booked with Airbnb.
Entering the metro station, we were able to buy a Metromoney Card (a travel card), onto which fares are added. Card purchased for 2 GEL. Tbilisi Metro uses a flat-fare system of 50 Tetri per journey. We only required 1 card for both of us. So loaded the card with 1 GEL of credit (2 x 50 Tetri each for the journey).
The 2 GEL paid for the Metromoney Card is refundable when you have finished with the card. Original purchase receipt must be presented at the time of returning the card, so keep it. Credit for journeys can be added at any metro station or at one of the many payment points. Located throughout the city. The card can also be used for cable the car and buses.
We needed to alight the metro at Rustaveli station. A large Soviet-style station is very deep and vividly decorated. This station has the longest escalator on the Tbilisi metro system.
From Rustaveli metro station, it was a 10 min walk to our accommodation.