The short answer: the cheapest way from Tbilisi to Kazbegi (Stepantsminda) is a marshrutka minibus from Didube bus station: about 3–3.5 hours and 20 GEL per person in 2026 [1]. A shared taxi is a little quicker and more flexible, a hire car gives you freedom if you are happy on mountain roads, and a private driver-guide costs the most but turns the 152 km drive into the sightseeing itself. Here is what each option involves, and what you miss.
Option 1: marshrutka from Didube
Marshrutkas to Stepantsminda leave from Didube bus station in the north of Tbilisi, next to Didube metro station. In the 2026 summer timetable there were 11 departures a day from 08:00 to 19:00, and 11 back from Stepantsminda between 07:00 and 18:00; the fare was 20 GEL and the ride took around 3–3.5 hours [1]. Outside summer there are fewer departures, and times change without much notice, so treat these as a guide and aim for a morning van.
- Good: cheap, frequent in season, and the vans go straight into Stepantsminda.
- Not so good: vans leave when full, luggage space is limited, and there are no sightseeing stops. You pass Ananuri, the Friendship Monument and the Jvari Pass through the window.
- At the top: you still have to get up to Gergeti Trinity Church, either on foot (60–75 minutes up) or by 4x4 from town, about 15–20 GEL per person or 60–80 GEL per car return [2].
A marshrutka day trip is possible with the first van up and one of the last back, but it is a long, rushed day. Most independent travellers stay at least one night.
Option 2: shared taxi
Shared taxis wait around Didube and leave when they have enough passengers. Expect roughly 40–60 GEL per seat [1]. They are usually a bit quicker than the vans, and some drivers will make a short photo stop, but that is up to the driver and the other passengers, not you. Agree the price before you get in, and check whether the car will take you to your hotel or only to the centre of Stepantsminda.
Option 3: a transfer or taxi for the whole car
You can book a whole car one way through a transfer service; one 2026 guide lists prices starting at about 190 GEL per car [1]. That is a good choice for a group with luggage who just want to get there. Ride-hailing apps are built for trips around Tbilisi; for a mountain run of three hours or more, a transfer booked in advance at a fixed price is simpler. A transfer driver is a driver, not a guide: stops are possible if you agree them beforehand, but don't expect an explanation of what you are looking at.
Option 4: hire car
The Georgian Military Highway is sealed and in decent shape, and plenty of visitors drive it in summer. It takes 3–3.5 hours without stops [1]. Know what you are signing up for:
- Heavy lorries heading for the Upper Lars border with Russia, and queues that can add 1–3 hours, especially on the way back.
- Hairpins above Pasanauri and around Gudauri, and livestock on the road in the villages.
- Winter tyres are compulsory on this road in winter, and snow chains are sometimes required.
- Parking at Ananuri and the Friendship Monument fills up on summer weekends.
Our guide to the stops on the Military Highway lists what to see on the way, in order.
Option 5: private driver-guide
This is what we do, so take our view with that in mind. With your own car and an English-speaking driver-guide, the stops are part of the day: the Zhinvali reservoir, Ananuri fortress, lunch in Pasanauri, the Friendship Monument above the Devil's Valley, the travertine springs below the Jvari Pass and the drive up to Gergeti. You don't need to find Didube, wait for a van to fill or negotiate a 4x4 at the top, and the driver handles the lorries and the hairpins. The downside is cost: it is the most expensive option per person, though for three or four people sharing a car the gap narrows.
Our private Kazbegi and Gergeti day trip does it in 11–12 hours from your hotel and back. With a night in Stepantsminda, the 2-day Kazbegi trip adds Jvari Monastery, Gergeti in the evening light and a guided walk in the Truso or Juta valley in season.
What you miss on each option
- Marshrutka: every stop on the way; you see the road only from your seat.
- Shared taxi: most stops, unless the others agree.
- Transfer: the explanation; you see the places but no one tells you what they are.
- Hire car: the view, if you are the driver on the hairpins.
- Private driver-guide: the savings.
In winter
From late autumn to spring the Jvari Pass (2,379 m) between Gudauri and Kobi can close for a few hours, or occasionally one to three days, after heavy snow or when the avalanche risk is high [1]. When it closes, marshrutkas and taxis stop too. There are fewer vans in winter, it gets dark early, and the road up to Gergeti needs a 4x4 in snow. Don't plan Kazbegi for the day before your flight home, and check the Roads Department announcements the evening before. Our guide to the Kazbegi road in winter explains how the closures work.
A new Kvesheti–Kobi road with tunnels, which bypasses the pass, is due to open in stages. Until it officially opens, plan on the old road [3].
Which one should you choose?
- Tight budget, staying a night or two: marshrutka.
- Solo or a couple, want a little flexibility: shared taxi.
- Group with luggage, just need to get there: a transfer.
- Confident driver, summer, travelling on for days: hire car.
- A day trip, a first visit, or travelling in winter: a private driver-guide.
Seeing Kazbegi with us
All our trips are private: your own car and English-speaking driver-guide, from your Tbilisi hotel. Choose the Kazbegi and Gergeti day trip for one long day, or the Kazbegi 2-day trip with an overnight and a valley walk for a slower pace. See each tour page for the current price, or build your own route and we send you a plan and a price. Nothing to pay now.
Sources
- Wander-Lush, "How to travel from Tbilisi to Kazbegi" (updated September 2026): wander-lush.org
- Wander-Lush, "Kazbegi to Gergeti Trinity Church hike guide" (updated March 2026): wander-lush.org
- Kvesheti–Kobi road project: kveshetikobiroad.ge
- Roads Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure of Georgia: georoad.ge
Last checked: September 2026. Marshrutka times and fares change, and winter road closures are announced on the day.
