Georgia to Armenia and Turkey Overland: Border Crossings, Transport, Visas and Visa Runs

The simplest land routes out of Georgia run through Sadakhlo into Armenia and Sarpi into Turkey. Both crossings are open around the clock, and both can be crossed on foot. From Tbilisi a minibus to Yerevan costs 50 lari and there's an overnight train; from Batumi a bus to Sarpi costs 70 tetri.

Many people make the trip as a visa run: a new visa-free period in Georgia starts with every entry, and you can be back the same day. Still, the border officer has the final say on whether you get in, and you need valid health insurance every time you come back.

Border crossings

Crossing at Sadakhlo takes 30-60 minutes on a weekday, longer on weekends. At Sarpi the wait can stretch to 1-2 hours in summer and on weekends, especially in the morning, so night or very early morning is the easier time to cross.

Getting to Yerevan

Minibuses to Yerevan leave from Avlabari metro station at 9:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00; the fare is 50 lari, paid in cash. The trip takes 5-6 hours. At the border passengers get out and walk through passport control with their bags while the driver waits on the Armenian side.

For the return trip, minibuses leave Yerevan's Kilikia bus station for 8,000 dram. A seat in a shared taxi runs 30-40 dollars, but those cars have no fixed schedule.

From 2 October 2026 to 13 June 2027 the overnight Tbilisi-Yerevan train runs every other day: it leaves Tbilisi on odd-numbered dates around 20:00 and pulls into Yerevan around 7:00.

A bunk in an open-plan car costs 115 lari, a berth in a compartment 147-173 lari and a two-berth first-class compartment 218 lari. Tickets are sold at ticket.railway.am and at the ticket office at Tbilisi's railway station, which also sells tickets for trains between cities in Georgia.

Visas for Armenia

Armenia allows visa-free stays of up to 180 days a year for citizens of the EU, the US, the UK, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Moldova and many other countries. Chinese and Iranian citizens get 90 days.

Everyone else needs an e-visa from evisa.mfa.am: 3,000 dram for 21 days or 15,000 dram for 120 days. A Georgian residence permit won't get you in without one. The temporary exemption that runs until 1 July 2027 covers only residence permits issued by the US, EU countries and the Gulf states.

Getting to Turkey

Bus No. 16 runs from Batumi to Sarpi for 70 tetri with a Batumi Card or about 1 lari by bank card; cash is not accepted. You walk across the border, and on the Turkish side a shared minibus covers the roughly 20 km to Hopa.

A direct bus from Batumi to Trabzon takes about 4 hours and costs 18-27 euros; Metro Turizm and Lüks Karadeniz run several departures a day. Buses to Istanbul leave from Tbilisi's Ortachala bus station and take 25-32 hours for 53-67 dollars.

Visas for Turkey

Citizens of the EU, the US, the UK, Canada, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and China can enter Turkey visa-free for 90 days in any 180-day period. Citizens of Georgia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Israel and Moldova also get 90 days; Russians get 60 and Belarusians 30.

Citizens of Armenia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan need an e-visa from evisa.gov.tr. Your passport must be valid for at least 60 days beyond the end of your permitted stay. Set your watch, too: Turkey is an hour behind Georgia, while Armenia keeps the same time as Georgia.

Visa runs: what to know

The rules on visa-free entry to Georgia set no minimum time you must spend abroad; a fresh period starts with each entry. Nothing is guaranteed, though. The border officer makes the call, and a pattern of frequent short trips out of the country gets noticed.

Every entry also requires health insurance in Georgia that covers your entire new stay, up to one year, with at least 30,000 lari of coverage. Policies in English or Georgian are accepted. An annual policy bought six months ago won't cover the whole new period. Residence permit holders don't need to show a policy at the border.

Don't overstay. Since 1 October 2025, overstaying by up to 3 months carries a 1,000 lari fine and a six-month entry ban. Up to a year means 2,000 lari and a 2-year ban; anything longer, 3,000 lari and a 3-year ban.

Crossing in your own or a rental car

Armenia requires local car insurance, sold at a booth just past passport control. Turkey accepts a Green Card with a valid TR box or Turkish insurance bought at the border. A foreign-registered car may stay in Turkey for up to 90 days, and if the car isn't in your name you need a notarized power of attorney with a Turkish translation.

Most rental companies don't let their cars leave the country, though some allow trips to Armenia with written permission. Agree on the terms for taking a rental car from Georgia across the border before you book. Coming back into Georgia in a car on foreign plates, you need Georgian compulsory insurance; driving without it means a 100 lari fine.

Customs allowances

Entering Georgia by land, you can bring in duty-free:

• personal goods worth up to 500 lari and weighing up to 30 kg;
• 200 cigarettes;
• 1 L of spirits or 2 L of lower-strength alcohol;
• on top of that, 4 L of wine and 16 L of beer.

By land, these allowances apply once every 30 days, not with every crossing. Cash over 30,000 lari must be declared on the way in and on the way out, or it can be confiscated. The rule applies to lari and foreign currency alike, so declare any large sum you're bringing for currency exchange in Georgia up front.

Since 19 August 2024, Armenia's duty-free allowance at land borders is just 200 euros and 10 kg of goods; cash up to 10,000 dollars needs no declaration. Turkey lets you bring in goods worth 430 euros, 600 cigarettes, 1 L of spirits and 2 L of lower-strength alcohol duty-free.

Where you can't go overland

The land border with Azerbaijan remains closed until at least 2 January 2027, and no buses run to Baku. The Tbilisi-Baku train takes only Azerbaijani citizens and nationals of countries with visa-free access to Azerbaijan.

Entering Abkhazia or South Ossetia from the Russian side is off-limits: under Georgian law it's a criminal offense punishable by a fine or 2 to 4 years in prison. Foreigners may enter those regions only through the Zugdidi and Gori districts.

Key takeaways

• Sadakhlo (Armenia) and Sarpi (Turkey) are open around the clock and can be crossed on foot.
• To Yerevan: a 50 lari minibus from Avlabari metro or the overnight train every other day; to Sarpi from Batumi: bus No. 16 for 70 tetri.
• Most visitors enter Armenia visa-free for 180 days a year and Turkey for 30-90 days depending on citizenship.
• You can come back to Georgia the same day, but the border officer decides, and your insurance must cover the whole new stay.
• Since October 2025, an overstay costs at least 1,000 lari plus a six-month entry ban.
• By land, you can bring 500 lari of goods into Georgia duty-free once every 30 days; cash over 30,000 lari must be declared.