Georgia

Georgia Driving Advice and Car Hire Info

Driving In Georgia

Georgia drives on the right and you can use the photo licence of any EU country to drive here for up to one year, after which you need a 1968  international driving permit. Speed limits range from 120kmh on motorways to 90kmh on other roads and 50kmh in urban areas.

Less than half of Georgia’s 20,000km of roads are paved. Highways and main roads are generally in satisfactory condition many minor roads, expecially in rural areas can be in a poor state of repair. The main route in the country is the  S1 which runs from Tbilisi through Senaki before reaching the border with Russia near Leselidze (Abkhazia). After crossing the border with Russia, the highway continues to Sochi and Krasnodar. It is part of the European routes E60, E97 and E117; and Asian Highways AH5 and AH81. Parts of the road, including the 100km stretch between Tbilisi and Ruisi are a dual carriageway and are classed as motorway.Other main roads in Georgia are-

S2 – Senaki – Poti – Sarpi

S3 – Mtskheta – Stepantsminda – Larsi      139

S4 -Tbilisi – Red Bridge

S5 – Tbilisi – Bakurtsikhe – Lagodekhi

S6 – Ponichala – Marneuli – Guguti

S7 -Marneuli – Sadakhlo

S8 -Khashuri – Akhaltsikhe – Vale

S9 -Tbilisi Bypass

S10 – Gori – Tskhinvali – Gupta – Java – Roki

S11 -Akhaltsikhe – Ninotsminda

S12 -Samtredia – Lanchkhuti – Grigoleti

S13 -Akhalkalaki – Kartsakhi

Any problems you’ll have driving abroad in Georgia are likely to be in the capital Tbilisi which can be confusing to drive out of. If possible ask the rental company to drive your car to the intersection of the main road you are heading for. The company I sued were happy to do this for me and also met us on the outskirts of Tbilisi when we returned. Once out of Tibilisi, the standard of roads is generally Ok, though there tends to be a lot of semi finished construction which can result in unsealed roads for several miles. Driving standards can be poor , with a lot of overtaking on blind bends –expect the unexpected. Roadsigns away from urban areas are generally written in Georgian alphabet so expect to have to ask directions regularly. In winter roads may deteriorate so you may need a 4WD at certain times of year. Fuel can be a problem in Georgia- outside main towns gas stations often have dubious quality stored in buckets and the pumps don’t usually specify what fuel they contain. Also the petrol cap on your car may not always show what fuel it takes. Get the rental company to write this down in language a gas station attendant in the country will understand and you’ll save a lot of time!

Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.

Georgia Car Rental –
Sixt, Hertz, Avis,  have outlets here.

We currently have no local car rental partners in Georgia. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com

Georgia Self Driving Rules –
Most of the big companies don’t allow cross border rentals. The local company I used allow you to take the car to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey but not Russia.You will need to leave double the security deposit $400-$600.