Getting to Bakuriani in winter

Where Bakuriani is and how far it is

Bakuriani is a resort village at about 1,700 m in the Borjomi municipality, 30 km above the spa town of Borjomi. It stands in pine forest, and in 2023 it hosted the Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships. Families come for the gentle slopes, the ski schools and the sledging hills. A day pass costs less than in Gudauri, and children under 6 ski free.

• From central Tbilisi it is 190 km, about 3 hours by car.
• From Tbilisi Airport it is 205 km, about 3 hours 15 minutes.
• From Kutaisi Airport it is about 170 km, roughly 3 hours.
• From Batumi it is about 290 km, 4.5 to 5 hours.
• From Borjomi it is 30 km up a mountain road.

Tour

Borjomi and Bakuriani

1 day≈ 10 hfrom $270from €245from ₾705

Ski areas and lifts

The Bakuriani ski resort has three areas run by the state Mountain Trails Agency (MTA), Didveli, Kokhta and Mitarbi. One pass covers all three. In all, Bakuriani has about 29 km of pistes and 20 lifts, counting the small ones in the village.

• Didveli is the largest area. A gondola leaves from the base, and further lifts climb to about 2,700 m. There are runs for every level and a floodlit slope for evening skiing, which in 2025/26 ran daily from 17:00 to 21:30.
• Kokhta and Mitarbi are two neighbouring mountains, each about 2,200 m high, some 4 km from Didveli. The area was rebuilt with modern lifts about ten years ago. There are blue runs but no green ones. You move between Kokhta and Didveli by taxi, not on skis.
• Crystal is a private area with its own lifts and its own passes. The MTA pass does not work there.

With children and beginners

First-timers and small children usually start in the village. The informal 25 Ski Park has small lifts and a tubing run, and a ride costs 1 to 3 GEL in cash. Crystal has a 350 m slope built for children. Sledges can be hired in the village, and there is an ice rink.

There are several ski schools, and some instructors speak English or Russian. Renting skis, boots and poles cost about 40 GEL a day in 2025/26. Since 1 January 2026 foreign visitors must have health and accident insurance for their whole stay in Georgia, so check that yours covers skiing.

Gudauri is higher, up to 3,276 m, and better known for off-piste and heli-skiing. To compare the two, read our guide to Georgia's ski resorts. More about the village is on our Bakuriani page.

Season dates and ski passes

The 2026/27 season opens on 20 December 2026 (announced 9 October 2026) and is expected to run until about the end of March 2027. The MTA has not announced the closing date yet. For reference, in 2025/26 Kokhta opened on 20 December, Didveli and Mitarbi a few days later, and the lifts closed on 29 March 2026. A year earlier the first lifts started on 7 December.

The 2026/27 prices have not been published yet. In 2025/26 a day pass cost 55 GEL for adults and 28 GEL for children aged 6 to 12, and under-6s skied free. A family pass for two adults and two children was 135 GEL. Evening skiing needs its own ticket, which cost 40 GEL. A season pass for all the state resorts cost 650 GEL.

Passes are loaded onto a Multicard (5 GEL), and the turnstile needs the card itself, not a ticket on your phone. The card also works in Gudauri, Mestia and Goderdzi, and you can keep it for the next season. Passes are sold at the ticket offices, at MTA sales points in Tbilisi and Borjomi, and online on tkt.ge and skipass.ge, where sales opened on 23 December last season. They cannot be refunded. The lifts run from 10:00 to 17:00.

By transfer from Tbilisi, Kutaisi or Batumi

The road from Tbilisi follows the E60 highway west past Gori to Khashuri. There it turns into the Borjomi gorge and runs along the Mtkvari to Borjomi. The last 30 km climb through pine forest past the village of Tsagveri, with several hairpin bends. Our transfer takes about 3 hours from the city and about 3 hours 15 minutes from Tbilisi Airport.

From 1 December to 1 March winter tyres are compulsory on almost the whole way from Khashuri. The government's list covers the Borjomi gorge road, the whole road from Borjomi to Bakuriani, the village ring road and the road up to Didveli. Tyres need the snowflake mark and at least 3 mm of tread. The fine is 100 GEL, and in snowfall the police may also require chains.

The climb from Borjomi is cleared in winter and normally stays open. In heavy snow it is the road beyond Bakuriani, towards Akhalkalaki, that gets closed. Our cars run on winter tyres and carry snow chains. If the authorities close the road on the day, we wait and drive later, move the ride to another day, or cancel without charge.

Many budget flights land in Kutaisi. From Kutaisi to Bakuriani, as from Batumi, the car takes the main highway east to Khashuri and then climbs through Borjomi. We quote both trips on request through the booking form, from Kutaisi Airport or from Batumi. Our guide from Kutaisi to Gudauri has more on flying into Kutaisi in winter.

By minibus or train

Direct minibuses to Bakuriani leave Didube bus station in Tbilisi four times each morning, in 2026 at 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 and 11:00. The fare is 20 GEL and the ride takes 2.5 to 3 hours. Minibuses to Borjomi leave every hour from 8:00 to 19:00 for 15 GEL. There is little room for skis, and winter times can change, so check at the station the day before.

From Borjomi bus station, minibuses go up to Bakuriani about six times a day, between 8:30 and 16:30. The fare is 3 GEL and the ride takes about 45 minutes. A taxi costs 50 to 70 GEL. From Kutaisi, one direct minibus a day leaves the central bus station for Bakuriani at about 10:00.

Trains from Tbilisi to Borjomi leave at 6:35 and 18:35 and take about 4 hours 10 minutes. The ticket costs 2 GEL. The morning train arrives at 10:47, in time for a minibus up the hill. The evening one arrives at 22:47, too late for the minibus.

The narrow-gauge Kukushka train from Borjomi to Bakuriani has not run since 2020. In April 2026 the government decided to restore the 37 km line and promised a restart in January 2027. On 9 October 2026 the economy minister said the works were almost finished and the train should be back in December. There is no timetable yet, so do not build your trip around it.

New Year in Bakuriani

The New Year holidays, from the end of December to mid-January, are the busiest time of the season. Rooms sell out months ahead, and there are queues at the lifts. Book your rooms and your transfer as soon as you know your dates.

Early in the season the runs open in stages, as the snow allows. In a year with little snow only part of the slopes may be open at New Year.

A group of up to 11 travels in a Mercedes V-Class plus a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. We have no minibus. Ski and snowboard bags go in the boot, so tick “Skis / snowboard” when you book. At Tbilisi Airport the driver meets you in the arrivals hall with a name sign and follows your flight, and 60 minutes of waiting are free.

New Year dates have their own booking terms, which we send with the confirmation. For the holiday itself, see our guide to New Year in Georgia.

A day off in Borjomi

Borjomi is 30 km down the hill. In the Mineral Water Park you can taste the warm spring water. At the far end of the park, about 3 km from the main gate, are the open-air sulphur pools. Georgia's National Tourism Administration recommends them in winter, when the warm water feels best in the cold air. Opening hours are not published, so ask in town before you walk up.

Prices and other sights are in our guide to Borjomi and Bakuriani. If you are staying in Tbilisi and want to see both places in one day, take our Borjomi and Bakuriani tour. It takes about 10 hours, and in winter it leaves time for a few runs at Kokhta.

Booking a transfer or a tour

For a ski holiday, book the transfer from Tbilisi Airport to Bakuriani or the one from the city. The booking card on this page shows the live price. The price is fixed per car, not per person, and child seats are free.

For the winter road we recommend the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, for up to 4 passengers. A family or group of up to 7 fits the Mercedes V-Class. Our cars run on winter tyres and carry chains, and skis go in the boot.

To see Borjomi and Bakuriani in one day from Tbilisi, book the Borjomi and Bakuriani tour. Book on the site or in our Telegram bot. It takes about two minutes.