Tbilisi to Ankara by train
Travel from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Ankara (Turkey) by train (1025km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.
To travel by train from Tbilisi in Georgia to Ankara in Turkey, you have to make a big detour via Russia. Therefore the direct bus connection is much faster and recommended. Please read the following information and blog posts.
There are two main routes. Compare them and decide which one feeds your needs best.
- 1Tbilisi (Georgia) - Ankara (Turkey)
- 2Tbilisi (Georgia) - Batumi (Georgia) - Kars (Turkey) - Ankara (Turkey)
1025 km
How to use the following information: we show you the best routes and where to buy tickets. On longer routes you may need more than one ticket. Book your tickets step by step as explained. If you have questions about the route from Tbilisi to Ankara, please ask in our forum. Of course, sometimes there are as well other travel routes possible.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections : popular connections travelled by other users
Ankara - Tbilisi / Tbilisi - Izmir / Batumi - Istanbul / Batumi - Ankara / Batumi - Trabzon / Batumi - Kars1 Tbilisi (Georgia) - Ankara (Turkey)
1a Travelling from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Ankara (Turkey)
To travel from Georgia to Turkey by train, you have to make a detour via Russia. Therefore a bus connection from Georgia to Turkey is a much faster option.
Therefore, take first a train from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Batumi (Georgia).
One bus line is from Batumi (Georgia) to Trabzon (Turkey) with at least four connections daily for about EUR 15. From Batumi (Georgia) to Istanbul (Turkey) at least two connections daily for about EUR 25. Buy this bus ticket online at Metro Turizm.
In Trabzon (Turkey) you do not have a connection to the rail network of Turkey. Therefore, the easiest way is to continue with the bus to Ankara or Istanbul.
An other option is by bus from Batumi (Georgia) to Kars (Turkey). In Kars (Turkey) you change to the train to Ankara and Istanbul.
Border crossing is currently: you leave the bus with the luggage before the border, cross the border by foot (easy) and after the border the bus picks you up again.
In future there will be a train connection from Georgia to Turkey, but it is still under construction.
Where to buy a ticket from Tbilisi to Ankara?
Check times&prices 
Buy your ticket at the bus station or at the website of the bus company.
The following links could be interesting for you.
bus: Bus connections that might be helpful.
Batumi - Trabzon / Trabzon - Batumi
train company:
TCDD Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları / METU Metro Turizm
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Ankara - Tbilisi / Batumi - Trabzon / Batumi - Istanbul / Tbilisi - Istanbul / Tbilisi - Izmir / Tbilisi - Adana
2 Tbilisi (Georgia) - Batumi (Georgia) - Kars (Turkey) - Ankara (Turkey)
The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.
2a Travelling from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Batumi (Georgia)
Travel from Tbilisi to Batumi by direct train of Georgian railways. The journey time is 5:30 hours. The train ticket fare is 35 GEL (12 EUR) in 2nd class and 75 GEL (26 EUR) in 1st class.
The departure time in Tbilisi is 08:00. The arrival time in Batumi is 13:30.
Find the exact train schedule and buy your tickets via the given booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Tbilisi to Batumi?
Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.
The following links could be interesting for you.
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Batumi - Tbilisi
2b Travelling from Batumi (Georgia) to Kars (Turkey)
To travel from Georgia to Turkey by train, you have to make a detour via Russia. Therefore a bus connection from Georgia to Turkey is a much faster option.
Therefore, take first a train from Tbilisi (Georgia) to Batumi (Georgia).
One bus line is from Batumi (Georgia) to Trabzon (Turkey) with at least four connections daily for about EUR 15. From Batumi (Georgia) to Istanbul (Turkey) at least two connections daily for about EUR 25. Buy this bus ticket online at Metro Turizm.
In Trabzon (Turkey) you do not have a connection to the rail network of Turkey. Therefore, the easiest way is to continue with the bus to Ankara or Istanbul.
An other option is by bus from Batumi (Georgia) to Kars (Turkey). In Kars (Turkey) you change to the train to Ankara and Istanbul.
Border crossing is currently: you leave the bus with the luggage before the border, cross the border by foot (easy) and after the border the bus picks you up again.
In future there will be a train connection from Georgia to Turkey, but it is still under construction.
Where to buy a ticket from Batumi to Kars?
Buy your ticket at the bus station or at the website of the bus company.
The following links could be interesting for you.
bus: Bus connections that might be helpful.
Batumi - Trabzon / Trabzon - Batumi
train company:
TCDD Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları / METU Metro Turizm
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Kars - Batumi / Batumi - Trabzon / Batumi - Istanbul / Tbilisi - Istanbul / Tbilisi - Ankara / Tbilisi - Izmir / Tbilisi - Adana
2c Travelling from Kars (Turkey) to Ankara (Turkey)
To travel in Turkey by train, buy your ticket via the given booking links or locally at a train station. Via the links you also find schedules and ticket prices.
Turkey offers high-speed trains and long-distance trains which run overnight.
If no train connection is available, travel by one of the many bus connections. Bus tickets are also available via the booking links.
Where to buy a ticket from Kars to Ankara?
The following links could be interesting for you.
train types: Train types you are likely to travel with.
Optima Express (OPEX) / Standard (TCDD)
night train: Night trains that might be suitable for this trip.
Bosfor Istanbul - Bucharest / D 81032 Istanbul - Sofia
bus: Bus connections that might be helpful.
Istanbul - Athens / Istanbul - Thessaloniki
train company:
TCDD Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Devlet Demiryolları / METU Metro Turizm
train connections: popular connections travelled by other users
Ankara - Kars / Istanbul - Ankara / Istanbul - Izmir / Istanbul - Kars / Istanbul - Samsun / Istanbul - Edirne / Ankara - Istanbul / Ankara - Izmir / Ankara - Kars / Izmir - Ankara / Izmir - Istanbul
search for train schedules here: Online timetable information, on which you can find relevant, up-to-date connections.
rail.cc Deutsche Bahn
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Do you have questions about the connection between Tbilisi and Ankara? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.
