Georgia
Car rental in Kutaisi
Kutaisi is the gateway for anyone flying into western Georgia: David the Builder airport is half an hour from the centre, and cars start from $27 a day. The city itself is small, but around it are Gelati monastery, caves and canyons that buses often do not reach. This is where a hire car pays for itself fastest.
from $22 per day
- KUT airport, about 30 minutes to the centre
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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.
How do you pick up a hire car in Kutaisi?
Kutaisi airport (KUT) at Kopitnari is about 30 minutes from the centre. You can collect a car there, at a rental office or have it delivered to your hotel within the city. The deposit here is usually up to $200, and some cars have none — you can see this on each car before booking.
If you land late in the evening or early in the morning, out-of-hours pick-up costs extra; the amount is shown when booking, so factor it in from the start.
Traffic and parking in Kutaisi
Kutaisi has around 180,000 people, but it still has a rush hour: 7:30–9:00 in the morning and 17:00–18:30 in the evening, plus Saturday mornings around the central market. Paid spaces are marked with blue ‘P’ signs; the operator is Parking Service, and you pay at terminals, through banks or online. Do not pay street ‘attendants’ — that is not a parking payment.
Day trips from Kutaisi
Gelati monastery, built in the 12th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nearby are Sataplia nature reserve, with dinosaur footprints and caves, and Prometheus Cave, about 1.4 km long, where part of the visit is by boat. The Okatse and Martvili canyons and Kinchkha waterfall are about an hour’s drive on good tarmac, and all have car parks.
Batumi is about 150 km, 2–2.5 hours; Tbilisi is about 230 km, 3–4 hours over the Rikoti Pass.
Can you drive a hire car to Svaneti?
The Kutaisi–Lentekhi road is allowed for hire cars. To reach Mestia, go via Jvari and Zugdidi. The Mestia–Ushguli–Lentekhi stretch is open to hire cars only with a special add-on and only from May to September — check when you book. Without that add-on, the insurance does not cover it.
When to go
High season for car hire is May to August, when cars should be booked in advance. Prices in Kutaisi peak in June, but on average the city is one of the cheapest of the five. The general rules — licence, deposit, insurance — 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 far is Kutaisi airport from the city?
About 30 minutes. You can collect the car at the airport itself or have it delivered to your hotel within the city.
How big is the deposit in Kutaisi?
Usually up to $200, and some cars have no deposit at all. The exact amount is on each car before you book.
Why hire a car in Kutaisi if the city is small?
For the surroundings: Gelati, Sataplia, Prometheus Cave, the Okatse and Martvili canyons. Buses do not go to many of them.
Can I drive from Kutaisi to Svaneti?
To Mestia, yes, via Jvari and Zugdidi, and to Lentekhi as well. The Mestia–Ushguli–Lentekhi stretch is open to hire cars only with a special add-on and only from May to September — ask about it when you book.
How long does it take from Kutaisi to Batumi and Tbilisi?
Batumi is about 150 km, 2–2.5 hours. Tbilisi is about 230 km, 3–4 hours on the road over the Rikoti Pass.
When is traffic bad in Kutaisi?
7:30–9:00 in the morning, 17:00–18:30 in the evening, and Saturday mornings around the central market. For a morning flight, leave with time to spare.
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