How to get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi without a car

Kazbegi (officially Stepantsminda) is a town at the foot of Mount Kazbek and one of the most popular day trips and overnight stays from Tbilisi. It’s about 150 km to the north along the Georgian Military Road, roughly 3-3.5 hours each way. You don’t have to hire a car for it: you can get there by marshrutka, by taxi/transfer or on a tour.

The Friendship Monument by the Georgian Military Road above Gudauri — The Friendship Monument above Gudauri is a regular stop on the way from Tbilisi to Kazbegi. Photo: shankar s. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Marshrutka from Didube

The cheapest way is the marshrutka (minibus) from Didube station in Tbilisi. They leave throughout the day (often when they fill up), and the journey takes about 3-3.5 hours. It’s cheap and authentic, but with no photo stops and a fixed route. Check the exact departure time, price and boarding point at Didube itself - the schedule changes by season. Coming back, marshrutkas run from Stepantsminda through the day, but there are noticeably fewer in the afternoon - if you are on a day trip, find out the time of the last departure locally so you are not stranded.

Taxi and transfer

A taxi or a pre-booked transfer costs more than the marshrutka, but gives you freedom: you can travel at your own pace and stop along the way - at Ananuri fortress, the Gudauri viewpoint and the “Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument”. It’s handy as a group: for 3-4 people the price per seat works out reasonable. Agree the price and the stops in advance.

A day tour

Ready-made day tours from Tbilisi usually include the same stops (the Zhinvali Reservoir, Ananuri, Gudauri) and the ride up to Gergeti by 4×4. It’s a convenient option if you’d rather not plan the logistics yourself and want a guide. The downside is the group pace and less flexibility.

The road and the season

The Georgian Military Road is scenic, but it’s a mountain route: in winter and the shoulder seasons there can be snow, ice and temporary pass closures, and in summer roadworks and queues behind lorries. Allow extra time and check the weather before you set off. Warm clothes come in handy even in summer - it’s cool up top.

The green Terek valley near Stepantsminda ringed by mountains — The Terek valley near Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) is the end of the route: a town ringed by mountains, the starting point for the climb up to Gergeti. Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Kazbek seen from afar over a green mountain ridge, its summit wreathed in cloud — Kazbek is visible from almost any high point in the region - the peak that draws people to Stepantsminda. Photo: Alexey Komarov / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

On the spot: the climb to Gergeti

From Stepantsminda people walk up to the Gergeti Trinity Church (about 1-1.5 hours uphill) or ride up by 4×4 taxi. For details on the climb, the season and the dress code, see our article on the Gergeti church.

Gergeti church on a green hilltop ridge, with snow-capped Kazbek rising behind — The church sits high on its ridge - which is exactly why the road up to it is so steep. Photo: Adam Jones / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0

If you’re driving

In your own or a hired car you can stretch the route over a couple of days with an overnight stay - see Tbilisi → Kazbegi in 2 days. For how to pick up a car, see the car hire section. For what to see on the spot, see our guide to Stepantsminda.