Tbilisi to Kutaisi by Train 2026: IC Schedule, Tickets & Prices
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Journey time | ~2 hours 30 minutes (IC301 intercity) |
| Departure from Tbilisi | 09:00 daily from Tbilisi Central |
| Arrival in Kutaisi | ~11:30 at Kutaisi railway station |
| Ticket price | from 15 GEL (economy); business a few lari more |
| Where to book | tkt.ge or railway.ge — about 1 month ahead |
| Goes to KUT airport? | No — station is in the city, KUT is 25 km away |
| Alternative | Private transfer 230 GEL/car, door-to-door, any time |
Kutaisi is Georgia’s second city, the gateway to Imereti, the canyons of Okatse and Martvili, the Prometheus and Sataplia caves, and the low-cost flights that land at Kutaisi International Airport (KUT). Getting there from the capital is easy, and the cheapest comfortable way is the daily intercity train. In 2026 Georgian Railway runs a modern air-conditioned IC service that covers the 230 km in around two and a half hours for the price of a couple of coffees. This guide gives you the live 2026 schedule, real ticket prices, exactly how booking works, what to expect at each station, and an honest comparison with the door-to-door private transfer for the same route — including the important detail that the train does not reach the airport.
The 2026 schedule: the IC301 intercity
The flagship daytime service is the IC301, an intercity train that departs Tbilisi Central at 09:00 every day and arrives at Kutaisi around 11:30. It is a clean, modern, air-conditioned train — not a Soviet-era elektrichka — with assigned seating and a single intermediate stop of note at Gori, birthplace of Stalin and jumping-off point for the Uplistsikhe cave town.
| Train | Departs | Arrives | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbilisi → Kutaisi (IC301) | Tbilisi Central 09:00 | Kutaisi ~11:30 | Daily, intercity, A/C, assigned seats |
| Kutaisi → Tbilisi (return) | Afternoon/evening | ~2h30 later | Confirm exact time on railway.ge for your date |
Georgian Railway adjusts minutes between seasonal timetables and occasionally shifts the return departure, so always confirm your specific date on railway.ge or tkt.ge before locking in onward plans — especially if you have an evening flight or a connection. Note that several long-distance trains (for example the Tbilisi–Batumi Stadler) also call at Rioni, the station that serves the Kutaisi area, so if the dedicated IC time does not suit you, a Batumi-bound train can be a backup for reaching the region.
Ticket prices in 2026
Fares are set by Georgian Railway and do not surge with demand, which makes the train the most predictable budget option on this corridor:
| Class | Price (one way) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Economy / 2nd class | from 15 GEL (~$6) | Comfortable seats, air conditioning, large windows |
| Business / 1st class | a few lari more | Wider seats, more legroom, quieter car |
For a two-and-a-half-hour daytime ride economy is perfectly comfortable; upgrade only if you want extra space or plan to work on a laptop. Children travel at a discount and there is luggage space at the ends of each car, so suitcases are not a problem.
How to book: tkt.ge vs railway.ge
Tickets go on sale roughly a month before departure. There are two reliable ways to buy them. tkt.ge is the easiest for foreigners: an English interface, foreign cards accepted, and an e-ticket by email for a small service fee. railway.ge (gr.com.ge) is the official Georgian Railway site with no markup; it works fine but the interface can lag and is less mobile-friendly. Either way you board by showing the QR code on your phone — no printing needed — but bring the passport you booked with, because conductors do check documents against the ticket. The single departure a day means seats can fill on summer weekends and around public holidays, so book ahead rather than turning up at the station.
The stations on both ends
Tbilisi Central (Station Square / Sadguris Moedani) sits above a busy market and is connected to the metro (Station Square stop, both lines). Arrive 30 minutes early: platforms are announced late and the concourse gets chaotic. A Bolt from Old Tbilisi costs 8–12 GEL and takes 15–20 minutes outside rush hour.
Kutaisi station is a short ride from the city centre — a Bolt to most central guesthouses is only a few lari. The key thing to understand is that this station is not the airport. Kutaisi International Airport (KUT) sits about 25 km away in Kopitnari, with no train connection, so if you are flying out of KUT the train leaves you with a separate onward leg to arrange. That is the scenario where a direct transfer earns its keep.
What the ride is actually like
The line runs west out of Tbilisi through the Mtkvari valley, past Gori and the Likhi range that divides eastern and western Georgia, before dropping into the greener, wetter landscapes of Imereti. It is a pleasant, low-stress couple of hours: air conditioning that works, big windows, clean toilets, and enough room to stretch. There is no restaurant car, so buy water and a snack at Tbilisi Central before boarding — the station bakeries are decent.
Train vs private transfer: the honest math
The train wins on raw price; the transfer wins on flexibility, door-to-door comfort and stops along the way. Here is the straight comparison:
| IC301 train | Private transfer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | from 15 GEL per person | 230 GEL per car (1–4 people) |
| Time | ~2h30 station-to-station | 3–3.5 h door-to-door |
| Departure | 09:00 only | Any time, including early flights |
| Reaches KUT airport? | No | Yes, direct |
| Luggage | Carry it yourself | Driver loads everything |
| Stops en route | Gori only, fixed | Gori, Uplistsikhe, Prometheus Cave — your call |
For a solo budget traveller heading into central Kutaisi, the 09:00 train is unbeatable value. For a family of four, two adults and two children in business class can approach the cost of the car — and at that point the 230 GEL door-to-door transfer that leaves on your schedule, fits everyone’s suitcases and can pause at Uplistsikhe on the way is the smarter buy. Anyone flying from KUT should compare the Tbilisi to Kutaisi Airport transfer and read our Kutaisi Airport transfer cost guide, because the train cannot do that leg.
Check Tbilisi → Kutaisi private transfer — 230 GEL per car
FAQ
Is there more than one train a day?
The dedicated IC301 intercity is the main daytime service at 09:00. Other long-distance trains (such as Batumi-bound services) call at Rioni near Kutaisi, so check railway.ge for additional options if 09:00 does not suit you.
Can I stop at Gori or Uplistsikhe with the train?
The train stops at Gori, but it will not wait while you visit the Stalin Museum or the Uplistsikhe cave town — you would need to break the journey and catch a later service. If sightseeing en route matters, a private transfer that stops on demand is the better tool.
How do I get from Kutaisi to the caves and canyons?
Prometheus Cave, Sataplia, and the Okatse and Martvili canyons are all short drives from Kutaisi but poorly served by public transport. Most visitors hire a driver for the day; see our Kutaisi things to do guide.
Does the train run year-round?
Yes, daily in all seasons. Winter services are rarely full and the ride is comfortable whatever the weather.
What if the train is sold out?
Check business class (sells slower), take a marshrutka from Didube (cheap but cramped, ~3.5 h), or book a private transfer with same-day confirmation that never sells out.
Related routes & guides
- Tbilisi → Kutaisi private transfer — 230 GEL per car, any departure time.
- Tbilisi → Kutaisi Airport (KUT) transfer — the leg the train cannot do.
- Tbilisi to Batumi by train 2026 — the Stadler double-decker route.
- Kutaisi things to do: Prometheus & Martvili
- How to get around Georgia: complete transport guide