FIRST TIME IN GEORGIA?
Georgia, without the guesswork.
The practical details independent travellers actually need: the new 2026 insurance rule, visa and ID-card entry, lari and cash, airport transfers, marshrutkas, trains, tap water and how far English will get you.
Clear answers. Checked sources. Built for people planning the trip themselves.
START HERE
Four things to check before your first day.
These solve the biggest practical surprises for a self-planned Georgia trip.
BEFORE YOU GO
Entry & documents
Georgia is easy to enter for many nationalities, but 2026 added one important requirement that older travel guides miss.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes for tourists: health and accident insurance, at least 30,000 GEL coverage, valid for the full stay.
Read guide β VisaDo I need a visa?
Many nationalities β including EU citizens β can stay visa-free for up to one full year.
Read guide β DocumentsID card or passport?
EU citizens can enter with a qualifying national identity card.
Read guide βπ¬πͺ GEORGIA ESSENTIALS
Money without surprises
Cards are easy in the cities. The trip changes once you head to villages, mountains and smaller transport.
Do you need cash?
Yes β keep some lari for local transport and rural areas.
Read guide β MoneyCan you pay by card?
Usually in major towns, but not everywhere you will want to go.
Read guide β MoneyGeorgian lari explained
GEL, tetri, exchange rates and the βΎ symbol.
Read guide β MoneyCan you use euros?
You may see euro prices, but everyday payments belong in lari.
Read guide βGETTING AROUND
Transport for an independent trip
Georgia rewards people who know which parts are organized β and which parts still work locally.
Tbilisi Airport β city
Bus #337, official taxi, current times and fares.
Read guide β KutaisiKutaisi Airport β Kutaisi / Tbilisi
City shuttle, flight-timed coaches and the nearby railway station.
Read guide β IntercityHow do marshrutkas work?
Stations, schedules, cash and what βleaves when fullβ can mean.
Read guide β RailHow to buy train tickets
Official booking channels, ID rules and the 20-day sales window.
Read guide βEVERYDAY
The question everyone asks after landing
Tbilisi and the rest of the country need slightly different answers.
LANGUAGE
Will English be enough?
Usually enough to travel independently β but a translation app still earns its place.