Booking choice: The classic Kazbegi day trip, from $25 per person. Check dates Tour details
All four ways use the same road: the Georgian Military Road, signposted today as the Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi highway. It runs north past the Zhinvali reservoir and Ananuri, climbs through Gudauri to the Jvari Pass at 2,379 m, and drops down the Tergi valley to Stepantsminda. Georgia Travel puts the drive at 2 hours 55 minutes.
What differs is the stops, the price and who deals with the snow. Below: the distance, the marshrutka from Didube, taxis and drivers, driving yourself, the road in winter, tours, and the last leg up to Gergeti.
The quick answer
The marshrutka from Didube bus station in Tbilisi is the cheapest way to Kazbegi, paid in cash on the day. A private driver costs from about 196 GEL per car on GoTrip, and a rental car means winter tyres from 1 December to 1 March. The classic day trip adds the stops on the way and brings you back the same evening, from $25 per person.
How do you get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi?
By marshrutka from Didube bus station, by taxi or private driver, by rental car, or on a tour from central Tbilisi. All of them take the Georgian Military Road.
The four ways, with time and cost only where a source gives them:
| Way | Starts from | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group day trip | Central Tbilisi meeting points, such as Vakhtang Gorgasali Square | 10 to 12 hours round trip, with stops | From $10 per person (GetYourGuide) |
| Marshrutka (minibus) | Didube bus station, Tbilisi | About 3 hours one way | Cash at the window; check on the day |
| Private driver | Your address in Tbilisi | About 2 hours 55 minutes on the road, plus stops | From about 196 GEL per car (GoTrip) |
| Rental car | Wherever you pick it up | About 2 hours 55 minutes on the road | Rental rates vary; winter tyres 1 December to 1 March |
A tour is the only one of the four that stops at Zhinvali, Ananuri and the Gudauri viewpoint with a guide, and takes you back the same day. The marshrutka and the driver are one-way trips unless you book the return.
The classic day trip: the road, the stops and the ride back, with a guide.
Check dates for the classic Kazbegi day tripHow far is Kazbegi from Tbilisi?
About 157 km north of Tbilisi, per Wikipedia, and 2 hours 55 minutes by road, per Georgia Travel.
The key distances and heights on the way:
- Tbilisi to Gudauri: about 120 km, per Georgia Travel.
- The Jvari Pass: the highest point of the Georgian Military Road, at 2,379 m.
- Stepantsminda: 157 km from Tbilisi, at about 1,740 m.
- Gergeti Trinity Church: on the ridge above town, at about 2,170 m.
- The Larsi checkpoint: about 12 km north of Stepantsminda, per Wikipedia.
The whole road, from Tbilisi to Vladikavkaz, is about 212 km long. A day trip covers 157 km each way, which is why the tours run 10 to 12 hours.
How do you take the marshrutka from Tbilisi to Kazbegi?
Go to Didube bus station in the north of Tbilisi, find the Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) minibus and pay in cash. Fares are posted at the window, so check on the day.
How it works:
- Where: Didube bus station, next to Didube metro station.
- When: minibuses leave through the day once they fill up. Arrive early for a seat.
- How much: cash in GEL. GoTrip's own travel page gave 15 GEL in November 2024, and the Wander-lush transport guide, updated in September 2026, gives 20 GEL. Fares change, so check at the window.
- Where it ends: in the center of Stepantsminda. Gergeti is still a 4x4 ride or a 30 to 40 minute walk away.
The minibus is a transfer, not a tour: no Ananuri, no viewpoint stop, no guide. It suits you if you plan to stay a few nights. For one day, the group tours from $10 do the same road with the stops, and the flexible-return tour can take you up and leave you there.
The lowest price for the full road to Kazbegi, from Europe Square, with a guide and a honey and chacha tasting on the way.
Explore the budget Kazbegi day tour Tour detailsHow much is a taxi from Tbilisi to Kazbegi?
GoTrip, a Georgian booking site for private drivers, lists the Tbilisi to Kazbegi transfer from about 196 GEL per car. Agree any street-taxi fare before you set off.
Three ways to hire a car with a driver:
- A booked private transfer: GoTrip quotes from about 196 GEL per car for the trip, with pickup at your address and a journey time of about 2 hours 45 minutes on its page. The price depends on the car and the date.
- A shared taxi from Didube: drivers wait at the bus station and leave when their seats are sold. Agree the price per seat first.
- The private Kazbegi tour: your own car and guide for the day, with stops where you like and the drive back, from $130 per person. The 4WD up to Gergeti costs about 90 GEL per group extra, and in good weather you can add the Gudauri-Kobi cable car for 45 GEL per person, per the listing.
A one-way driver suits a stay in the mountains. For the day, a private tour includes the guide and the return.
Your own car and guide for the day on the private option: stop where you like on the Military Road, take the cable car in good weather and go up to Gergeti.
Explore the private Kazbegi tour Tour detailsCan you drive from Tbilisi to Kazbegi yourself?
Yes. The road is paved all the way, and from 1 December to 1 March winter tyres are compulsory on the Mleta to Kobi section over the pass.
What to know before you take the wheel:
- Winter tyres: under government decree 526, in force since 1 January 2024, the Mleta to Kobi section (km 80 to 106) of the Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi road is on the list of roads where winter tyres are compulsory from 1 December to 1 March. The Ministry of Internal Affairs sets a tread of at least 3 mm for cars and a snowflake symbol on the tyre.
- Chains: police may also require snow chains on the driving wheels when the weather calls for it, per the ministry.
- Fines: 100 GEL and 5 points off the license, and police can refuse entry to the section, per the ministry.
- Trucks: the road is the main freight route to the Larsi checkpoint, and Wikipedia notes truck queues on the Georgian side. Expect slow stretches.
The reward for driving yourself is freedom: Juta, Truso and the Gveleti trailhead are all short drives from Stepantsminda, per Georgia Travel.
Is the road to Kazbegi open in winter?
Most days, yes. The Gudauri to Kobi section can close for some hours or days after heavy snow, a blizzard or an avalanche threat, and reopens when it is cleared.
The Roads Department of Georgia announces every restriction on its website, under Restrictions, and 1TV, the public broadcaster, reports the main ones in English. The pattern in recent winters:
- Trucks first: trailers and semi-trailers are often banned from the Gudauri to Kobi section while cars still pass. On 9 November 2026 the department posted that one such restriction had been lifted.
- Full closures: in an avalanche threat or a blizzard, the section closes to all vehicles for a time, as 1TV has reported.
- The hotline: the Roads Department answers on 032 2 31 30 76.
Tour operators watch this for you. The classic tour's listing says the itinerary may be adjusted for weather, road conditions or traffic restrictions, with alternative stops offered when needed. More on the season in our guide to the best time to visit.
The day trip with the 4x4 to Gergeti included, so there is nothing to sort out in the snow.
Check dates for the day trip including the 4x4Is a tour easier than the marshrutka to Kazbegi?
For a day trip, yes: a tour stops at Zhinvali, Ananuri and the Gudauri viewpoint, has a guide, and brings you back the same evening. For a long stay, the minibus or the flexible-return tour wins.
How the tours start, per the listings:
- The classic day trip: Vakhtang Gorgasali Square, 10.5 hours, a guide, an air-conditioned bus and a wine and honey tasting.
- The day trip including the 4x4: Avlabari metro, with the 4x4 to Gergeti and entrance fees in the price.
- The budget day tour: Europe Square, 11 hours, with honey and chacha on the way.
- The flexible-return tour: 1 Galaktion Tabidze St, with the ride back on any day you choose.
- The small-group tour: 1 Vakhtang Gorgasali St, ten guests at most.
Lunch is not included on any of them, so bring cash for the restaurant stop. For what the day looks like stop by stop, read our Kazbegi day trip guide.
Stay in Kazbegi as long as you like and ride back with a scheduled group.
Check dates for the flexible-return tourHow do you get from Stepantsminda up to Gergeti Trinity Church?
By local 4x4, on foot or on horseback. The 4x4 costs about 20 GEL per person in cash on most tours; the walk takes 30 to 40 minutes uphill, per Georgia Travel.
The last 400 m of height:
- By 4x4: about 20 GEL per person in cash on the classic and flexible-return tours, included on the day trip with the 4x4, and about 90 GEL per group on the private tour.
- On foot: Georgia Travel says there is a paved road from Stepantsminda to Gergeti that you can walk up, in 30 to 40 minutes.
- On horseback: the horseback ride from Stepantsminda, about 2 hours in the saddle.
All the details, including which tour includes what, are in our Gergeti 4x4 guide.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Tbilisi to Kazbegi?
By marshrutka from Didube bus station, by private driver, by rental car or on a tour. All four take the Georgian Military Road, about 157 km.
How much is a taxi from Tbilisi to Kazbegi?
GoTrip lists private transfers from about 196 GEL per car. Agree any other taxi fare before you leave.
Where does the marshrutka to Kazbegi leave from in Tbilisi?
From Didube bus station. You pay in cash, and the fare is posted at the window, so check it on the day.
Do you need winter tyres to drive to Kazbegi?
Yes, from 1 December to 1 March on the Mleta to Kobi section over the pass. Police may also ask for snow chains in bad weather.
Ready to book
Choose your day trip
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Kazbegi, Ananuri, Gudauri & Gergeti Day Trip
- 10.5-hour day trip from Tbilisi
- Professional guide
- Air-conditioned bus
Kazbegi Day Tour with Tastings
The lowest price, with honey and chacha on the way
Kazbegi Tour with Flexible Return
Stay in Kazbegi and ride back with a later group
