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Car rental in Tbilisi is the starting point of any road trip in Georgia. The capital holds roughly 90% of the country's local rental fleet — the widest choice of cars, the most competitive prices, and the hub that ships cars to Batumi and Kutaisi when a client wants something rare.
Pickup at TBS and drop-off at TBS seven to ten days later — the most common pattern. Easier than dragging a suitcase through Old Town offices, and noticeably cheaper.
Tbilisi also works as a base in its own right. Mtskheta and Uplistsikhe are an hour away, Kazbegi about three, Kakheti two, Borjomi four. Without a car, weaving these spots together gets expensive on taxis and slow on the marshrutka.
Prices and the Tbilisi fleet
Competition pushes prices down in Tbilisi — it's almost always cheaper than Batumi or Kutaisi. In low season a Toyota Prius or a Ford Fusion runs from $22 a day, a Camry from $28, a Jeep Compass from $29. In peak July and August the same cars climb to $35–45 a day, and weekends can sell out completely.
What you can hire
The fleet is more varied here than anywhere else in the country: economy with no deposit, Subaru Forester for the mountains, plus genuine premium — Mini Cooper, Mustang Cabriolet, Mercedes AMG. Some hosts run a uniform fleet of 50–70 identical Foresters, and these are the cars they deliver to clients in Batumi and Kutaisi.
A traveller booked the last Forester for a mid-July weekend on the Wednesday before. By Friday the same car was $14/day more on the public site — peak season pricing moves that fast.
If you're booking for July or August, lock it in 4–6 weeks ahead. Otherwise only the premium tier is left and the average bill doubles or triples. Tbilisi is also the easiest place in Georgia to find a car with no deposit — one of the reasons so many new hosts have entered the market here in the last five years.
Jeep Renegade in Georgia
I would like to express my dissatisfaction with the recent car rental experience. Although the staff member was very cooperative and helpful, the vehicle I had booked was not provided. Instead, I was given an older model that lacked essential features such as a sound system and Bluetooth, and it consumed an excessive amount of fuel. While I was offered a discount, the condition and quality of the car did not justify the price. As a photographer and video editor who creates promotional content to attract tourists from my country, I rely heavily on proper transportation to support my work. Unfortunately, this car failed to meet even the basic requirements and caused significant inconvenience. I kindly request that this issue be addressed and that appropriate action be taken to ensure such situations do not happen again.
Ford Fusion Sedan in Georgia
It went well.
Subaru Forester in Georgia
Thank you, everything was perfect. Met, issued and then picked up at the airport. Thank you for the service and good cars with adequate owners.
Subaru Crosstrek in Georgia
Overall everything went well: Among the disadvantages regarding the service - the website indicated payment by card upon receipt of the car - the terminal did not have to run to the ATM to withdraw cash; On the car, the tires are dead, there is an extremely small amount of tread left, almost bald.
Toyota Prius C in Georgia
The one I choosed was already rented so we get camry
Toyota Prius in Georgia
All was good
Mercedes-Benz Vito in Georgia
Everything was great, only a little uncomfortable that we had to come to the city center ourselves for the car, otherwise everything is fine 👍
Toyota Prius in Georgia
all was good) car in good condition
Toyota Camry in Georgia
everything was great, the service was great!
Subaru Forester in Georgia
Everything went great, thanks.
Mercedes-Benz B-Class in Georgia
Everything went well. Had some tiny overlaps, but overall I am satisfied.
Lexus GX470 in Georgia
These guys have worked perfectly! Booked a car from the Russian Federation, we wanted a BMW, but for some reason, they replaced it with a Lexus, they called in advance, and we agreed. So everything was OK! Prices are more than loyal! Thanks to you! The car is in excellent condition! pleased us all those days!
Toyota Vitz in Georgia
All was good! We rented it without problems, on the road all safe, no incidents. This car is compact, economical. The only thing is that it was right-handed before, converted into a left-hand drive. On the highway it leads a little. And the rest is all very well. The deposit amount was returned in full.
Driving and fines
Central Tbilisi is narrow Old Town lanes, the serpentines of Avlabari, and dense traffic at peak times — 08:30–10:30 and 17:30–19:30 on weekdays. Local driving is energetic: people undertake, double-park and use the horn more freely than in Western Europe. You adjust within a day. Friday evening westbound on the Batumi road is the worst window.
Cameras and fines
Speed and red-light fines are caught on cameras and assigned to the car. Local quirk: paying within 10 days gives a 20% discount, and the fine doubles after 30 days. Hosts in Tbilisi typically deduct any fines from the deposit and forward the receipt.
A guest paid three fines in one go on day 11 and lost the discount. If your host messages you about a ticket, don't sit on it — 20% is real money.
Parking app
Parking in central Tbilisi is paid only via the Tbilisi Parking app, and an inactive session triggers a 50 GEL (~$18) fine within five minutes. A good host installs the app on your phone at handover, links your card and walks you through the zones.
District tips
Old Town parking in summer is a lottery — if your hotel doesn't offer its own car park, check the paid-zone map before you book. The car parks at Freedom Square and the Mtatsminda funicular are the sensible fallback. Avlabari's hairpins look intimidating on first descent but the lanes are wider than they read on a map.
Rates in Tbilisi vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length.
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How expensive is renting a car in Tbilisi: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes.
Why book with us
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Free meet-and-greet at TBS by flight number
Your host waits in the arrivals hall — no branded desk, no shuttle.
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Deposit by cash, by card, or none at all
Most economy cars in Tbilisi go out without a card hold.
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Tbilisi Parking app set up at handover
App installed, card linked, zones explained — that 50 GEL fine never happens.
Day trips from Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the country's best base for one-day loops. Mtskheta and Jvari sit 30 minutes north on the motorway — a classic half-day with a walk through the old capital. Kazbegi via the Georgian Military Highway is around three hours each way and a regular saloon handles it year-round outside heavy snowfall. Kakheti — Sighnaghi, Alaverdi, Telavi — is 1.5–2 hours east and ideal for a wine day, but the 0.3‰ alcohol limit is no joke at the wheel.
Less obvious choices
David Gareja monastery on the Azerbaijan border is a 2-hour drive, with the last 20 km on gravel that a crossover handles. Uplistsikhe and Gori sit 1.5 hours west — a solid half-day. Borjomi is 2.5 hours and a tight one-day trip but doable.
The classic summer week: one day Kazbegi, one Sighnaghi, one Borjomi. By day three the rental has paid for itself against taxis.
On the gravel up to David Gareja, stay alert after rain — the clay section gets slippery, mornings are the best window.
Frequent Questions
Tbilisi is cheaper than Batumi and Kutaisi thanks to local competition. Low season starts from $22 for an economy hybrid, $28 for a Camry, $29 for a Compass. Peak July and August sees the same cars at $35–45, and premium classes climb sharply. TBS delivery is normally free on hires of three days or more.
Your host meets you by flight number in the arrivals hall — there's no branded rental desk and no shuttle bus to a remote car park. The contract and walk-around take about five minutes, after which you drive away. The service runs 24/7, including overnight arrivals.
Yes. Late drop-off and night returns at TBS work around the clock. The car is parked at an agreed spot, the keys go into a safe or office. This is the standard solution for early-morning flights at 04:00–06:00.
Central paid parking is settled only through the Tbilisi Parking app. At handover the host installs the app, links your card and shows the zones. An inactive session triggers a 50 GEL (~$18) fine within five minutes — keep the app open while parked.
Around 1 GEL/hour in standard zones, 3 GEL/hour in premium zones around Old Town and Rustaveli. A daily pass runs about 15 GEL (~$5.50). Many central hotels offer their own car park, often cheaper than feeding the meter.
Camera fines are issued to the licence plate and paid via a bank, an ATM or an app. Paying within 10 days gives a 20% discount; after 30 days the fine doubles. Hosts usually deduct the amount from your deposit and send you the receipt.
On weekdays, 08:30–10:30 in the morning and 17:30–19:30 in the evening. Friday evening is the worst, especially on the road towards Batumi. For Mtskheta or Kazbegi day trips, leave before 08:00 or after 11:00.
About 155 km and 3–3.5 hours along the Georgian Military Highway via Gudauri and the Cross Pass. In winter add 1–1.5 hours for snow and serpentines. A saloon handles the route year-round outside genuine blizzards.
Mtskheta is 20 km / 30–40 minutes — a classic half-day. Sighnaghi in Kakheti is 115 km / 1.5–2 hours one way. A wine day is doable, but with a 0.3‰ alcohol limit either pre-book a driver or sip rather than drink at tastings.
Yes if you plan more than two trips out of town in a week — the rental pays off against taxis. For purely in-city journeys it's cheaper to use Bolt or local taxis: central parking costs more than a 5 km ride.
The most sensible options are the car parks at Freedom Square or by the Mtatsminda funicular, then walk down. Inside Old Town the streets are narrow, paid and almost full in summer. Wild kerb-side parking is a quick way to meet the city's tow truck.
The narrowest passable width between kerbs is around 2 metres. A saloon and a compact crossover get through; a full-size SUV like a Mercedes GLE doesn't. Some lanes are one-way with no turning circle — read the signs carefully.
The closest crossing is Sadakhlo–Bagratashen, about 80 km / 1–1.5 hours south on the road via Marneuli. The crossing runs 24/7; in peak season queues of up to an hour appear. You'll need a notarised authorisation from the host issued in advance.
Externally, no — hosts wash the cars themselves. Inside, please return the cabin in reasonable condition: a heavily soiled interior may cost 20–40 GEL (~$7–15) in cleaning. After gravel routes most hosts appreciate a quick rinse before drop-off.
Petrol stations are everywhere — Wissol, Socar and Gulf operate 24/7 and accept cards. Fill Japanese hybrids (Prius, Corolla) only with 95-octane — anything lower triggers a dashboard error. Top up in the city before long mountain trips, where stations thin out.