Georgia
Car rental in Batumi
Batumi is the most expensive of the five cities on an average day: cars start from $29, and in summer the budget options go early. The airport is ten minutes from the centre, and cars are delivered to hotels and the railway station. The real challenge here is not getting a car but parking it near the sea.
from $22 per day
- BUS airport, hotel delivery
Search and book
A live catalogue with prices and availability for your dates. The rental contract and payment are handled directly with the rental company at pick-up.
Where can you pick up a hire car in Batumi?
You can collect a car at Batumi airport (BUS), ten minutes from the centre, at a rental office, at the railway station or at your hotel. You choose the exact place when booking, so decide in advance: the delivery address has to be within the city.
The minimum rental is one day — even if you need the car for half a day, you pay for 24 hours. In summer the cheapest cars are gone a few days before the dates, so for July and August book a few weeks ahead.
Where to park in Batumi
Near the sea and in the Old Town almost everything is paid — look for blue ‘P’ signs and pay in the Batumi Parking app, on the city transport website or at a terminal. The people in hi-vis vests around Piazza and the boulevard who offer to ‘watch’ your car for a couple of lari are not a city service, and paying them does not count as paying for parking.
You can park free in courtyards and residential streets across the canal, 10–15 minutes’ walk from the centre. Free spaces by the sea are scarce in summer — if you are staying near the boulevard, ask your host about parking before you book.
Day trips from Batumi
Gonio fortress is 12–15 km south, 20–30 minutes: a Roman fort and one of the oldest on the Black Sea coast. North, at Green Cape, is the Batumi Botanical Garden, then the Chakvi tea plantations and the Byzantine fortress of Petra on the sea cliffs at Tsikhisdziri. Kobuleti is 25–30 minutes up the E70.
Inland, Makhuntseti waterfall, about 30 m high, is around 40 minutes away, and Queen Tamar’s arched stone bridge is 2 km from it. Beyond the village of Keda the road winds. Kutaisi is about 150 km, 2–2.5 hours.
What are the roads like around Batumi?
In the Old Town and across the canal there are potholes and the street lighting is poor, so drive slowly there after dark. In spring and autumn heavy rain quickly floods low-lying streets, and thick fog is common on the E70 and near Ureki.
In July and August the road out towards Kobuleti jams on Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00 and on Sundays from 16:00 to 21:00 — allow an extra hour. The mountain village of Khulo is fine, but going on over the Goderdzi Pass to Akhaltsikhe is not allowed in a hire car: for Tbilisi and Akhaltsikhe, go via Kutaisi.
When to go
The swimming season runs from June to September. For prices, the most expensive month in Batumi is May, not August, and on average a day costs more here than in the other four cities. Turkey is close, but you cannot drive a hire car there — the general rules are on the car rental in Georgia page.
Prices by class
Prices by class are a guide based on the lowest city prices; on the coast and in summer they are higher, in winter roughly a quarter lower. The final amount for your dates is calculated by the rental company.
Economy
town driving and the Tbilisi–Kutaisi–Batumi main roads
from$22per day
Compact and saloon
4–5 people with luggage, often a Toyota Prius hybrid
from$24per day
Crossover
Kazbegi, Gergeti, the Adjara mountains — engine from 1.6 litres
from$28per day
Large SUV and people carrier
families or groups with luggage
from$35per day
Premium and convertible
roughly twice the price of economy
BMW 5 and 3 xDrive, Mercedes SLK
from$45per day
By city
Common questions
How much does car hire cost in Batumi?
From $29 a day, and on average a day costs more here than in Tbilisi or Kutaisi. In summer the cheapest cars go early, so for July and August book a few weeks ahead.
Can I drive a hire car from Batumi into Turkey?
No. The border is close, but rental cars may not leave Georgia, and permission is not given even for an extra fee.
Where can I park for free in Batumi?
In courtyards and residential streets across the canal, 10–15 minutes’ walk from the centre. By the sea and in the Old Town almost everything is paid: blue ‘P’ signs, payment through the Batumi Parking app or a terminal.
Who are the people in vests by the parking spaces?
They are not a city service. They offer to ‘watch’ your car for a couple of lari, but that does not replace paying for parking — the fine will still arrive.
Can the car be delivered to my hotel or the station?
Yes. In Batumi cars are delivered to the airport, your hotel, the railway station or another address within the city. You choose the place when booking.
How long is the drive from Batumi to Kobuleti?
25–30 minutes on the E70. In July and August allow an extra hour on Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00 and Sundays from 16:00 to 21:00.
Can I drive from Batumi to Akhaltsikhe over the Goderdzi Pass?
No. That stretch is off limits for hire cars and the insurance does not cover it. Sat-navs often suggest it anyway — take the route via Kutaisi and Borjomi instead.
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