By rail
Trains in the Caucasus
Comfortable, cheap and scenic — the Caucasus railways are an underrated way to travel. Here are the routes worth taking and how to book them.
Georgia
Georgian Railway runs modern Swiss-built double-deckers between Tbilisi and the Black Sea coast — the east–west highway jams in summer, the train glides past it in about five hours. Second-class fares cost less than dinner.
Key routes
The flagship coastal run on the double-decker KISS. Sells out 3–5 days ahead in summer — grab the sea-view side. Take the morning train (08:00 → 13:30) and you swim the same day.
To Georgia’s ancient second city — gateway to the Prometheus and Sataplia caves and the Okatse canyon. All coastal trains also stop at Kutaisi International Airport.
The overnight service to the gateway of Svaneti — book 2–3 days ahead on summer weekends, sleeper berths are limited.
To Georgia’s historic Black Sea port and the wetlands and birdlife of Kolkheti National Park.
The easiest day trip on the network — Stalin Museum, the medieval Gori fortress and the cave city of Uplistsikhe nearby.
A budget hack: if you fly in on a low-cost carrier, the train stops right beside the terminal — cheaper than any transfer.
Classes
Comfortable reserved seat. Best value intercity travel in the Caucasus.
The sweet spot — power outlet and room to work on a laptop.
Quasi-private compartment; worth it for a group of 3–4.
Where to buy tickets
Georgia has no single state booking website — the carrier and several accredited platforms all sell the same Georgian Railway seats at identical prices. Book direct on any of these:
The state operator’s own site. The most direct route, though the interface can lag and isn’t fully mobile-friendly.
Visit site →Clean English interface, seat selection and an SMS notification if a sold-out departure frees up a seat.
Visit site →Trains and buses side by side, interactive seat maps and a mobile app for paperless tickets.
Visit site →Official Georgian Railway tickets for Tbilisi–Batumi, Kutaisi, Zestafoni and the western routes.
Visit site →Good to know
- ◆E-tickets are valid on your phone — no printing. Carry the ID used to book; the conductor checks both.
- ◆Refunds are tiered: full refund up to 15 hours before departure, less thereafter, nothing under an hour. Miss the train and the ticket is dead.
- ◆Fares are identical across every platform — they all sell the same Georgian Railway seats. Pick the interface you like.
- ◆Book the summer coastal trains and the Zugdidi night train several days ahead; winter you can usually buy at the platform.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Railways has quietly re-equipped its intercity network with Swiss-built Stadler trains — clean, fast and cheap. From Baku you can reach Ganja, the Silk-Road town of Sheki and the Gabala mountains by rail, and there is a nightly sleeper across the border to Tbilisi.
Key routes
The western express toward Georgia, on single-deck Stadler sets. Ganja is Azerbaijan’s second city — the Nizami mausoleum, the Bottle House and the Goygol lakes are all close by.
Double-decker service to the mountain-resort region — Tufandag cable car, the Nohur lake and the Gabaland adventure park. The most scenic domestic run.
Take the Baku–Balakan train and alight at Sheki (or Goynuk) — the UNESCO-listed Khan’s Palace, caravanserais and the famous piti and Sheki halva await.
The far northwest on the Balakan line — hazelnut country, plane-tree squares and the green foothills of the Greater Caucasus near the Georgian border.
The Absheron Circular Line on double-deck Stadlers — an easy commuter hop up the peninsula, handy for the beaches and the Yanar Dag burning hillside.
The international sleeper departs Baku around 20:40 and arrives Tbilisi about 09:00 — platzkart, kupé and 2-berth first-class compartments. Book a few days ahead in summer.
Classes
Reserved airline-style seat on the Stadler day trains. Air-conditioned and comfortable.
Wider seats and more legroom on the double-deckers — worth it on the longer Gabala and Ganja runs.
On the Baku–Tbilisi night train: platzkart (open berth), kupé (4-berth) and spalny (2-berth) compartments.
Where to buy tickets
Azerbaijan Railways sells everything through one official channel — no third-party resellers. Book on the ADY site or the ADY Mobile app:
The state operator’s official booking site — search any domestic route, pick your seat and pay by card. English interface.
Visit site →The official Azerbaijan Railways app for iOS and Android — paperless e-tickets and the fastest way to book on the go.
Visit site →Full route map and live timetables for the Baku–Gazakh, Baku–Gabala, Baku–Balakan and Absheron Circular lines.
Visit site →Good to know
- ◆All domestic tickets come from one place — the official ADY site or the ADY Mobile app. There are no competing resellers to compare.
- ◆E-tickets are valid on your phone; carry the passport used to book, as the conductor checks ID against the ticket.
- ◆The Baku–Tbilisi international sleeper is a separate booking — buy at the station ticket office or through ADY, a few days ahead in summer.
- ◆Baku’s 28 May central station is metro-connected; arrive 30 minutes early for the international train as it involves a passport check.