Our Nerve-Wracking Marshrutka Ride from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda

If you’re planning to travel through Georgia, you’ll likely encounter marshrutkas—shared minivans or buses that run between destinations. While they’re a common, budget-friendly mode of transport in Eastern Europe and former Soviet Union states, our experience taking a marshrutka from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda turned out to be much more thrilling (and terrifying) than we anticipated. Here’s a breakdown of what we learned and how we managed the ride.

1. Finding the Right Marshrutka in Tbilisi

All marshrutkas to Stepantsminda depart from Didube Bus Terminal in Tbilisi, which is conveniently connected to the metro system. However, the terminal can be a bit confusing. It’s essentially a large parking lot with market stalls scattered around, and finding your marshrutka among the crowd can be tricky. Luckily, we noticed signs with destination lists, which led us to the right van parked in the middle of the lot.

2. Public vs. Tour Marshrutkas

Upon arriving at the terminal, a man in a bucket hat approached us, offering to take us to Stepantsminda for a higher price than what we had read online. He explained the extra cost was for a private tour with a couple of stops along the way. Initially, we were skeptical and concerned it might be a scam. After some investigation, we discovered that his offer was indeed a private tour, while the public marshrutka would go directly to Stepantsminda at the standard price.

We ended up choosing the public ride for 20 GEL per person, plus a 5 GEL charge per bag. Interestingly, we were charged for our bags on the way to Stepantsminda but not on the return trip. It seems whether or not you pay for bags depends on the driver, but in the end, we were just relieved to be on our way.

3. The Intense Drive to Stepantsminda

The drive itself was an unforgettable experience. At first, everything seemed fine as we left Tbilisi and hit the highway. However, once we began climbing into the mountains, the situation took a dramatic turn. The driver didn’t seem phased by the traffic congestion, especially near the Larsi border crossing, and aggressively passed several trucks at once, even when there was limited space. This became even more thrilling on narrow mountain roads with sharp curves and steep drops of up to 300 feet.

Despite the hair-raising ride, the breathtaking views of the Caucasus Mountains made it all worth it. After a tense three and a half hours, we finally reached Stepantsminda, feeling both exhausted and exhilarated.

4. The Return Trip: A Nightmare Ride

Our return trip, unfortunately, was even more intense. The new driver, just as reckless as the first, sped downhill, overtaking trucks in tight spaces and showing little regard for safety. The broken seatbelts only added to our anxiety. The woman sitting in front of us was visibly terrified, crossing herself and praying, and we couldn’t help but share her concern.

We’ve had some wild travel experiences before, from encounters with wildlife in Africa to close calls with dangerous situations, but this marshrutka ride might just top them all. It was another white-knuckle journey, and we were incredibly relieved when we finally made it back to Tbilisi in one piece.

5. Should You Drive Yourself?

While our marshrutka experience was certainly memorable, it made us rethink whether it’s worth it. The ride back was so terrifying that we’re seriously considering renting a car next time. At least then, we’d have more control over the situation instead of relying on a driver whose driving style was, to put it mildly, quite alarming.

Conclusion

While the scenery in Georgia is absolutely stunning, the marshrutka ride to Stepantsminda is not for the faint of heart. If you’re feeling adventurous, it’s a cheap and convenient option, but be prepared for a wild ride. Next time, we might just opt for the safety of a rental car, but we can’t deny that the marshrutka experience was unforgettable—if only for the adrenaline rush!