Tbilisi to Batumi Express

Georgian Railway (SR / საქართველოს რკინიგზა)
Georgia
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The Journey

Navigate from Tbilisi Central (თბილისი ცენტრალური) to Batumi Central (ბათუმი ცენტრალური) across a span of 375km.

Scenery Highlights
  • Likhi Range continental divide — watershed between the Kura (Caspian) and Rioni (Black Sea) river basins, crossed via the Surami Pass and the new Kvishkheti tunnel
  • Mtskheta — UNESCO-listed ancient capital of Iberia at the confluence of the Aragvi and Mtskheta (Kura) rivers, with the 6th-century Jvari Monastery silhouetted above
  • Jinvali Reservoir — emerald-green mountain lake visible shortly after Mtskheta
  • Gori — birthplace of Joseph Stalin; the citadel hill dominates the town
  • Surami Pass (875 m) — historic engineered switchbacks on the pre-tunnel alignment; trains now pass beneath via the Kvishkheti tunnel
  • Zestafoni / Kutaisi — gateway to the Colchic lowlands and the UNESCO-listed Gelati Monastery and Bagrati Cathedral
  • Rioni River valley — Georgian west's main artery; tea plantations and citrus groves visible in the lower valley
  • Ozurgeti / Guria tea-and-citrus region — humid sub-tropical landscape
  • Kobuleti — first glimpse of the Black Sea from the train
  • Makhinjauri coastal forest — Colchic box-trees and eucalyptus before the final run into Batumi
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    4.5 hours

  • Distance

    375 km

  • Est. Price

    Mid-Range (GEL 34–124 per person one-way)

Official Booking Provider
Classes & Accommodations

Meals: None (snack trolley available at seat)

Ensuite: No

Meals: None (snack trolley available at seat)

Ensuite: No

Meals: Complimentary Georgian mineral water + light snack

Ensuite: No

Meals: Complimentary Georgian mineral water + light snack

Ensuite: No

Meals: Welcome coffee / tea + snack box; complimentary mineral water

Ensuite: No

Meals: Welcome juice + snack box

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

Stadler KISS electric multiple unit (EMU) — Bombardier / Stadler propulsion

Locomotive Weight

N/A (EMU — self-propelled multiple unit)

Track Gauge

1,520 mm Russian broad gauge

Braking Technology

Electronic regenerative braking with wheel slide protection (WSP), disc brakes on all axles, magnetic track brake on the steepest grades (Surami Pass approach)

Route Engineering Challenges

  • 375 km route crosses the Likhi Range continental divide between the Caspian and Black Sea basins, requiring sustained 1.5–2.0% gradients on both flanks

  • Kvishkheti tunnel — 8,300 m, the longest rail tunnel ever built in Georgia, excavated 2020–2025 through fractured Jurassic volcanic rock under the Surami Pass

  • Sharp curves in the Colchic foothill zone demanding tilting-capable bogies or low axle load design

  • Humid Black Sea climate (relative humidity > 85% in summer) requires corrosion-resistant materials throughout

  • Line rehabilitation underway (2024–2026) targeting speed increase from 100 km/h to 130 km/h average

  • Crossing the Likhi watershed requires careful drainage management to prevent Caspian / Black Sea basin contamination issues during construction

Operator

Georgian Railway JSC (სს საქართველოს რკინიგზა)

Route distance

375 km

Maximum speed

130 km/h (post-rehabilitation target 2026)

Current average speed

100 km/h (2026 rehabilitation in progress)

Travel time

~4.5 hours (target 4 hours summer 2026, currently ~5h)

Electrification

3 kV DC overhead catenary

Configuration

Double-decker 8-car EMU, Stadler KISS type

Capacity

~600 passengers per trainset

Fleet

4 Stadler KISS trainsets delivered 2019–2020 (GRS-001 to GRS-004); 2 additional Stadler KISS on order for 2027 delivery

Year opened

1883 (Poti–Tbilisi railway, first rail link across the Likhi Range); full 375 km double-track completed 1971; modernised 2024–2026

Tunnel network

6 new tunnels including 8,300 m Kvishkheti (December 2025) — longest in the South Caucasus

Timezone

Asia/Tbilisi (UTC+4 year-round)

Booking window

30 days in advance on ticket.railway.ge

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    4.5 hours

  • Distance

    375 km

  • Est. Price

    Mid-Range (GEL 34–124 per person one-way)

Official Booking Provider