Kutaisi David the Builder Airport receives budget flights from dozens of cities across Europe and the Middle East, and most arriving passengers are heading for the coast. Batumi is about 150 km away, 2-3 hours on the road depending on how you travel. There are three options that work: a flight-timed bus, a pre-booked transfer with a name sign, and a taxi - below is a breakdown of each with prices and pitfalls.
Table of contents
Three options at a glance
| Option | Price | Travel time | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight-timed bus | 33-40 GEL per person | 2.5-3 hours | The cheapest option if you travel alone or as a couple |
| Transfer | around 230 GEL per car | about 2 hours | Families and groups: the price is per car, you are met with a name sign and driven to the door |
| Taxi on the spot | from 150 GEL per car | about 2 hours | Those ready to haggle; prices right outside the arrivals hall are noticeably higher |
Flight-timed bus
Three carriers run from Kutaisi airport to Batumi: Metro Georgia, CityBus Georgia and Georgian Bus. The schedule is tied to arrivals: the bus waits for the passengers of a specific plane and departs after baggage claim, so there is no need to run through the airport. In Batumi the buses arrive at the bus station at either 11 Gogol St or 5 Odissey Dimitriadi St - check the address in your ticket. From both points it is a 10-15 minute city taxi ride to most hotels.
A ticket costs 33-40 GEL, and it is best to buy it from home as soon as your flight is booked - pick your bus on 12Go: the service accepts international cards, and in high season seats for popular arrivals sell out before the plane even lands.
Transfer: from the arrivals hall to your hotel door
A transfer solves the main problem after a flight: you are met in the arrivals hall with a name sign, helped with your luggage and driven straight to your hotel door in Batumi with no changes and no haggling. The price is fixed at booking - on average around 230 GEL per car, not per person, so for a family or a group of three or four it costs about the same as the bus, minus the bus station and the extra legs of the journey.
You can book a car with a driver in advance online - arrange a transfer on GoTrip: the price is visible before booking, you pay by card, and you can ask for a stop along the way for a snack or photos.
Taxi: prices and how not to overpay
A fair taxi price from Kutaisi airport to Batumi is around 150 GEL per car. The problem is the private drivers waiting right outside the arrivals hall: they quote 250 GEL and up, and sometimes "remember" an extra charge for luggage or the late hour at the end of the trip. If you do go with them, agree on the final price before getting into the car, spell out the exact address and do not pay in advance.
The rule of thumb is simple: when a driver at the exit quotes more than a pre-booked transfer costs, haggling makes no sense - for the same money the transfer removes both the waiting and the surprise extras.
Getting back: from Batumi to Kutaisi airport
The way back mirrors the way in: the same carriers depart from the bus station at 11 Gogol St or 5 Odissey Dimitriadi St - check the address in your ticket - and the schedule is tied to departures. Leave a margin: 2.5-3 hours on the road plus check-in and security, which means leaving Batumi no later than 4.5-5 hours before your flight. Return bus tickets are sold on 12Go as well, and a transfer can be booked for the reverse route.
Flying in or out via the capital instead - there is a separate guide on how to get from Tbilisi to Batumi, and it works in both directions.
Where to stay in Batumi and what to plan
If you are building your route in advance, it makes sense to book accommodation together with the tickets: in season the best places by the sea are taken weeks ahead, and the road from the airport then leads straight to a specific address. Ready-made picks by budget are already here - 5-star hotels, 10 best hotels in the city, budget hotels and hostels.
The full range is easiest to browse on Booking.com: most options can be booked without prepayment.
Trip planning also belongs to this stage: ready-made walking routes are collected on the what to see in Batumi in 1 day page, and trips to the mountains and around the region are in the Batumi tours catalog. For a first acquaintance, these two are the usual picks:
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Kutaisi airport to Batumi?
About 150 km: around 2 hours by car or transfer, 2.5-3 hours by bus including stops. On summer evenings the coastal road can add another 20-30 minutes.
How much does it cost to get from Kutaisi airport to Batumi?
The bus is 33-40 GEL per person, a transfer is around 230 GEL per car, a taxi on the spot starts at 150 GEL if you bargain well, while the drivers at the exit quote 250 and up. For a solo traveler the bus is the cheapest; for a group of three or four a transfer costs almost the same per person.
Where does the bus arrive in Batumi?
Metro Georgia, CityBus Georgia and Georgian Bus drop passengers at the bus station at either 11 Gogol St or 5 Odissey Dimitriadi St - check the address in your ticket. From there it is a 10-15 minute taxi ride to hotels in the center and on the seafront, or a 20-40 minute walk depending on the district.
Will I catch the bus if my flight is delayed?
The buses work with specific arrivals and depart after baggage claim, so an ordinary flight delay is not a problem. With a major schedule change a transfer is the safer option: the driver tracks your flight on the arrivals board and waits for you in the hall.
How do I get from Batumi back to Kutaisi airport?
By bus with the same carriers from the station at 11 Gogol St or 5 Odissey Dimitriadi St (check the address in your ticket), or by transfer from your hotel door. Leave no later than 4.5-5 hours before departure: the road takes 2.5-3 hours, the rest is your margin for check-in and security.