Georgia-Armenia Border Crossing by Marshrutka: Tbilisi to Yerevan

Updated September 2026, Georgia-Armenia Border Crossing by Marshrutka: Tbilisi to Yerevan was originally published in April 2023

The Georgia-Armenia border crossing is one of the easiest overland border crossings in the Caucasus, and taking a marshrutka from Tbilisi to Yerevan is one of the cheapest ways to make the journey. I’ve crossed the Georgia-Armenia border multiple times, and in this guide I’ll walk you through exactly how to do it, from finding the marshrutka in Tbilisi to crossing the Sadakhlo-Bagratashen border and arriving in Yerevan.

The Tbilisi to Yerevan marshrutka takes roughly 5-6 hours, depending on traffic and how long the border crossing takes. The route follows the Debed River valley into northern Armenia, making this much more than a simple point-to-point bus ride.

I’ll cover where to catch the marshrutka, current fares and departure times, what happens at the Georgia-Armenia border, where you arrive in Yerevan, and how to make the return journey from Yerevan to Tbilisi.

If you’re planning to travel between Georgia and Armenia independently, this is everything I wish I’d had before making my first crossing.

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Georgia-Armenia Border Crossing at a Glance

Border crossing	Sadakhlo, Georgia / Bagratashen, Armenia
Route covered	Tbilisi → Yerevan and Yerevan → Tbilisi
Distance	About 280 km
Travel time	Approximately 5-6 hours
Transport	Marshrutka / minibus
Tbilisi departure	Avlabari, with additional services from Ortachala and Station Square
Yerevan departure	Kilikia Bus Station
Border procedure	Exit one country, walk through immigration, then rejoin your marshrutka
Currency	Georgian Lari in Georgia; Armenian Dram in Armenia
Best for	Budget travelers traveling independently

What to Expect When Crossing the Georgia-Armenia Border

The Georgia-Armenia border crossing is straightforward, but there are a few things that surprised me the first time.

You get out twice. You’ll leave the marshrutka to clear immigration when exiting Georgia, then get back on briefly before getting out again to enter Armenia.

Take all your luggage. Don’t leave your bags sitting in the marshrutka while you go through immigration. The driver will open the luggage compartment so you can collect everything.

Keep your passport accessible. You’ll need it several times during the crossing, so don’t bury it in your backpack.

Don’t panic if the marshrutka disappears. The driver knows where to collect passengers after immigration. Follow the flow of passengers and look for your vehicle outside.

Allow extra time. Although my own border procedures have been quick, queues and traffic can vary. The overall Tbilisi-Yerevan journey usually takes around 5-6 hours, but I wouldn’t schedule anything immediately after your expected arrival.

Tbilisi to Yerevan: Crossing the Georgia-Armenia Border

Get a Marshrutka from Tbilisi to Yerevan

You can get marshrutkas from either Avlabari Bus Station (ავლაბარი), Station Square (სადგურის მოედანი), or Ortachala Bus Station (ორთაჭალა). To be completely honest, Avlabari is the easiest so I’ll focus on it mostly here.

The marshrutkas from Tbilisi to Yerevan leave about a block northwest of Avlabari Metro Station on the corner of Dusheti Street and Armazi Street.

On my latest Georgia-Armenia border crossing, 6 out of the 8 seats were reserved in advance for the 9 am (first marshrutka of the day) on a Monday, so especially if traveling in the peak months, you may want to book the morning marshrutkas a day ahead of time.

You can have your accommodation or host call to reserve a seat for you. Most of the hostels and hotels around Tbilisi will do this for you.

Cost of the Tbilisi-Yerevan Marshrutka

The marshrutka from Tbilisi to Yerevan costs 50 GEL per person. The fare is payable in cash directly to the driver before departing.

Georgia-Armenia Marshrutka Schedule for Avlabari

The marshrutkas that leave Avlabari Station in Tbilisi for Yerevan operate loosely on a schedule. Times are as follows every day:

• 9:00
• 11:00
• 13:00
• 15:00
• 17:00

These departure times can change, and marshrutkas may leave slightly early or late depending on how quickly they fill. If you have a specific arrival time in Yerevan to meet, don’t cut it too close.

I recommend taking a morning marshrutka, particularly outside the peak summer season. Afternoon departures can be reduced or canceled when there aren’t enough passengers.

Tbilisi to Yerevan Marshrutkas from Ortachala and Station Square

Avlabari isn’t your only option for getting from Tbilisi to Yerevan.

Marshrutkas and buses also operate from Ortachala Bus Station and Station Square. These services can be less predictable than Avlabari because some departures leave once enough passengers have filled the vehicle.

Ortachala is particularly useful if you’re already in southern Tbilisi or don’t want to make your way to Avlabari. Current transport listings show multiple daily Tbilisi-Yerevan services departing from Ortachala, with journey times generally around 5.5-6 hours.

If you’re choosing between the three, I’d still use Avlabari for the easiest marshrutka experience, particularly if you’re staying in central Tbilisi.

Georgia-Armenia Border Crossing: Exiting Georgia at Sadakhlo

After roughly two hours of driving from Tbilisi, you’ll reach the Sadakhlo border crossing on the Georgian side of the Georgia-Armenia border.

When you arrive, get out of the marshrutka and take your passport into the immigration building. Follow the signs for passport control and have your passport ready.

Once Georgian immigration has stamped you out of the country, continue through the building and exit on the other side. Your marshrutka will be waiting for you beyond passport control.

The exact amount of time you’ll spend here depends on how busy the border is. On one of my crossings, there was no line at all and my Georgian exit procedure took only about 30 seconds. Your experience may be very different during busy periods.hing the exit. Outside the door, you will wait for the marshrutka to come through and pick you up.

Crossing the Georgia-Armenia Border

Once everyone has cleared Georgian immigration, you’ll return to the marshrutka and continue across the border bridge toward Armenia.

You don’t walk the entire international border crossing. Instead, the marshrutka carries you from the Georgian checkpoint to the Armenian checkpoint, where you’ll get out again for Armenian immigration.

The two sides of the crossing are known as Sadakhlo in Georgia and Bagratashen in Armenia. This is the main road crossing used by travelers between Tbilisi and Yerevan.

Entering Armenia at Bagratashen

After crossing the bridge, you’ll arrive at the Bagratashen border post on the Armenian side of the Georgia-Armenia border.

Get off the marshrutka and take all of your luggage with you into the immigration building. Your driver will open the trunk so you can collect your bags before you go inside.

Once inside, follow the signs to Armenian passport control. Have your passport ready and wait your turn.

The process was quick for me on my most recent crossing. The immigration officer took my photo, checked my passport and welcomed me into Armenia.

After passport control, you’ll put your luggage through an X-ray machine and pass through security. Once you’re finished, collect your bags and head back outside. Your marshrutka should be waiting for you on the other side.r luggage and head back outside where your marshrutka will likely be waiting for you already.

Food and Bathroom Stop Between Georgia and Armenia

About an hour and a half after the border, the marshrutka will usually stop for a short break. On my latest Georgia-Armenia crossing, we stopped at a cafe in Darpas, near the junction of the M3 and M6.

The stop was roughly 30 minutes, giving everyone enough time to use the bathroom, grab something to eat and stretch their legs.

At the cafe I stopped at, Georgian Lari was accepted and change was given in Armenian Dram. Cards were also accepted, although I wouldn’t rely on that everywhere. If you have some Armenian Dram with you, even better.

Arriving in Yerevan: Kilikia Bus Station

Your Tbilisi-Yerevan marshrutka will drop you at Kilikia Bus Station in Yerevan.

From Kilikia, the easiest way to reach central Yerevan is by taxi. GG Taxi, Yandex and UTaxi are all useful options.

The nearest metro station is General Andranik, although it’s roughly a 30-minute walk from Kilikia. If you’re carrying luggage, I’d skip the walk and just order a taxi.

How Long Does the Georgia-Armenia Border Crossing Take?

The border itself can be relatively quick, but you should allow extra time in your overall Tbilisi-Yerevan journey. The amount of time spent at Sadakhlo-Bagratashen depends on traffic, passenger numbers and immigration queues.

The full Tbilisi-Yerevan journey generally takes around 5-6 hours, including the border crossing, although delays can make it longer.

Where to Stay in Yerevan

In Yerevan, there is the Envoy Hostel that is always recommended. Recently, I’ve stayed at the Bonvenon Capsule Hostel and loved how centrally located it is to everything, and the owner is super helpful and welcoming.

Staying Connected in Armenia

Make sure and grab an Armenia eSIM from Holafly to stay connected as you make the crossing from Georgia and Armenia, without having to wait for data until Yerevan.

Yerevan to Tbilisi by Marshrutka

Where to Catch the Yerevan-Tbilisi Marshrutka

To travel from Yerevan to Tbilisi, head to Kilikia Bus Station, also known as Yerevan Central Bus Station.

Go toward the southeast side of the station and look for Comfort Armenia. This is where you can arrange your marshrutka ticket to Tbilisi.

The easiest way to reach Kilikia from central Yerevan is by taxi. GG Taxi, Yandex and UTaxi are all convenient options.

Current 2026 booking listings show multiple daily Yerevan-Tbilisi services departing from Kilikia, including morning, afternoon and evening departures, although schedules and operators can change.axi (use GG Taxi, Yandex, or UTaxi). The fare should be around 1000 AMD from the center of Yerevan.

How Much Is the Yerevan-Tbilisi Marshrutka?

The Yerevan-Tbilisi marshrutka currently costs around 8,000-9,000 AMD per person. Current 2026 sources report fares in this range, so confirm the exact price when purchasing your ticket.

Yerevan to Tbilisi Marshrutka Schedule

Departure times from Kilikia can change depending on the operator and season. Current 2026 booking listings show several daily departures, including morning, midday and afternoon/evening services.

If you’re traveling on a specific day, I recommend checking the departure time directly at Kilikia Bus Station rather than relying on an old schedule posted online.

• 7:30
• 8:30
• 10:30
• 13:00
• 15:00
• 17:00

Yerevan to Tbilisi: Exiting Armenia at Bagratashen

The Armenia-to-Georgia border crossing works much like the journey in the opposite direction.

When you reach the Bagratashen border post, get out of the marshrutka and take your passport into the Armenian immigration building.

After clearing Armenian exit immigration, walk outside and wait for your marshrutka to meet you on the other side. Once everyone in your group has received their exit stamp, you’ll board the marshrutka again and continue across the border bridge toward Georgia.

Entering Georgia at Sadakhlo

Once you reach the Georgian side of the border, enter the immigration building and proceed to passport control.

After you’ve been admitted into Georgia, collect your luggage and head back outside. Your marshrutka should be waiting for you before continuing toward Tbilisi.

The same Sadakhlo-Bagratashen crossing is used in both directions.

Arriving in Tbilisi from Armenia

The marshrutka will drop you in the Avlabari area of Tbilisi if you’re using the Avlabari service.

From there, you can easily connect to the Avlabari Metro Station and continue by metro toward Liberty Square and other parts of central Tbilisi.

If you’re staying in the Old Town or Betlemi neighborhood and don’t have much luggage, you can also walk from Avlabari across the Metekhi Bridge.

With heavy luggage, just order a Bolt. Your back will thank you.

Where to Stay in Tbilisi

As I am assuming most of you reading this post are likely traveling on a budget, I’ll keep it simple and say the only hostel I’ve stayed at in Tbilisi is the Envoy Hostel. On my other visits, we rented apartments.

Staying Connected in Georgia

Get your Georgia eSIM from Holafly to get online as soon as you cross the border from Armenia into Georgia, without having to hop online until Tbilisi.

Do You Need a Visa to Cross Between Georgia and Armenia?

Whether you need a visa for the Georgia-Armenia border crossing depends on your nationality.

Many travelers can enter both Georgia and Armenia visa-free, but the rules are not identical for every nationality. Check the official visa requirements for both countries before traveling.

For Armenia, the Armenia Ministry of Foreign Affairs maintains an official visa search tool and lists countries whose citizens can enter visa-free.

For Georgia, check the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa information before your trip.

There is also a visa-free travel agreement between Georgia and Armenia that allows citizens of the two countries to travel between them using biometric ID cards.

Important: Visa and entry requirements can change, so don’t rely solely on an old travel blog post when determining whether you personally need a visa.

Have any questions about taking the marshrutka between Georgia and Armenia?

Ask in the comments section below.

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