Transportation in Georgia is very different from the freeway jungles of Los Angeles. Here are some of my thoughts on how we get around in Georgia.
Marshutka:
When I’m not walking, I’m taking a marshutka. These mini-buses or large vans are a very soviet thing, in fact, the word itself is the modified Russian word “marshrutka.” The public transportation system is very efficient in Georgia. I can go to almost any remote village by marshutka. However, they are not necessarily comfortable. All seats are basically the “middle seat” in the smallest Honda Civic and definitely more uncomfortable than the most economical plane seat.
Even though they are very efficient and cheap, I’m just going to throw it out there that I am not a fan. Since I was 17 years old, I grew a distaste to crowded places. I’m not claustrophobic, but cramped spaces are physically and mentally uncomfortable for me. I am short and people tend to just squish me. Because marshutkas are inherently small, everyone gets squished. It is not so bad in the winter, but the summer makes for a lot of sweat swapping. Also, there is an old wives’ tale that if you open the windows and the breeze hits your chest, you will get sick. So imagine being cramped in a small space with no AC and no open windows. If you can imagine that, then you have successfully imagined every marshutka ride in the summer.
My family asks me, “why don’t you just take a bus?” And the answer is, “I’ve only seen modern, large buses in Tbilisi.” At my site, there is one route that has a bus. However, same as all the other marshutkas, the buses are given to us by Germany (not sure if donated or paid). Once Germany deems the bus or marshutka too old or unusable, they ship them off to Georgia. So the buses and marshutkas in my town (and likely all of Georgia excluding Tbilisi) are run-down and unsafe in accordance with American standards. I’ve seen broken down marshutkas on the side of the highway on the way to Tbilisi countless times.
On another note, the way we pay inner-city marshutka is also different. In the U.S, there is generally some sort of coin machine or card reader once you enter the bus. In Georgia, you generally pay when you are leaving the marshutka. There are few exceptions where you pay before the ride starts. Of course, there is not a written down system. For example, in the inner-city marshutaks, I pay when I leave. If I’m going to Tbilisi, I pay before. It is such a funny system. Regardless, drivers prefer if you pay with coins for shorter rides because there is no such thing as a coin machine or a card reader.
Riding to a different village or a town, it is prudent to bring the exact change. Many times, these prices are not posted anywhere. Locals know the prices and as Peace Corps Volunteers, we learned quickly to become local when it comes to marshutka prices. Since they are not posted anywhere, the marshutka can easily take advantage of foreigners if they wanted to. However, Peace Corps Volunteers speak Georgian and we know the routes well. Thus, we don’t usually get ripped off. It may just happen once or twice in the entire two years, which is a very low number. Personally, I have only got ripped off once because I did not have exact change. Such a rookie mistake.
Private Transportation/Cars:
In regards to private transportation, as Peace Corps Volunteers, we are not allowed to drive or own vehicles in the country in which we serve. Even though many (if not most) Georgians do not own a car, some do. I still see many Soviet vehicles still on the road and some people turn them into makeshift taxis in the small villages. My friend Nicole who visited me last year jokes that I should give her one as a gift and ship it from Georgia. Seeing them on the road is like opening up a time capsule.
Of course, there are plenty of people that drive more updated versions of cars. However, if you visit Georgia you will still see plenty of Soviet cars. Speaking of modern cars, a lot of times, bumpers just somehow get lost. If the car gets into an accident, they just remove the bumper. They will tie the license plate with some rope or hammer in some nails and call it a day. I see a missing front bumper as least once a day. A lot of Taxis will also have lost bumpers and I still ride in them.
Taxis:
Taxis are available and frequent in Georgia. Every town and village has a local taxi driver. In some remote areas, the only way in and out is by taxi. Some villages only have a marshutka going to and from Tbilisi or the next largest town once a day. I’ve visited some other Peace Corps Volunteers at their sites and I had to take a taxi. They are affordable but can get pricey if you make it into a habit. Therefore, as Peace Corps Volunteers, we usually do not take taxis unless necessary. I generally only take them in Tbilisi if I have a lot of luggage/equipment or if there isn’t a public transportation route in that direction.
Trains:
Trains, of course, exist in Georgia. They are most likely the least frequent method of public transportation that I embark on. The “fast” train does not really come through my site. It bypasses it, which is very annoying. If I were to take the fast train, I go to a neighboring village. At that point, it is just faster to take a marshutka from the bus station. Other volunteers take the take more frequently. It honestly depends where you are leaving and where you are going. For me, it just doesn’t make much sense. I do take the train when there is heavy snow and I need to go to Tbilisi. I find it safer than taking a broken down marshutka with a speedy driver through the rolling mountains of Georgia.
Metro:
There is only one metro system in all of Georgia and naturally, it is located in the capital, Tbilisi. While I’m in Tbilisi, I take the metro every single time. It is incredibly convenient and cheap. The metro only has two lines but Tbilisi is not a very large city compared to other capitals in the world; therefore, it works fine. It is 50 tetri for each ride, so it is cheaper than taxis and faster than walking. If you ever visit Tbilisi, I recommend the metro. It was built during the Soviet era and it still works great.
If you are curious about other people’s thoughts on transportation, read this article here.