The rules in brief

  • Traffic keeps right. The standard maximum is 60 km/h within settlements, 90 km/h beyond them and 110 km/h on motorways; signs may set lower limits, and cameras are frequent.
  • Alcohol: 0.3 per mille is the maximum, which leaves no room for even a single glass.
  • Licence: carry the card itself; if your name isn't shown in Latin script, bring an International Driving Permit too.
  • Where the car may go: paved public roads anywhere in Georgia, except banned routes. Sarpi, 20 km south, is the end of the road, as rental cars can't enter Turkey: see our Sarpi guide.
  • Fines: camera penalties are posted to the owner of the car, and foreigners can't pay them online. Clear them before departure, as an unpaid fine can stop you at passport control.
  • Emergencies: call 112.

Parking: a pass, not a meter

Public parking across Batumi is run by the municipal company Batumi Autotransport. Instead of paying by the hour, you buy a pass for a day, a week or longer. It's tied to the car's number plate, valid in any public bay, and sold online, at payment terminals and in banks.

  • Ask the owner first. The car may already have a valid pass.
  • Gated car parks at shopping centres, the airport and the railway station are separate, and you pay at their own terminals.
  • Enforcement is electronic. Inspectors check plates with tablets, and fines reach the owner, then you.
  • Ignore the vests. Around Piazza, the Boulevard and the Ferris wheel, people in high-visibility vests sometimes ask a few lari for "guarding" your car. They aren't city staff, and paying them doesn't pay for parking.
  • Free spaces are easiest to find in residential courtyards a 10–15 minute walk from the centre, and rare by the sea in summer.

The Boulevard and Old Batumi

The seafront Boulevard, begun in 1881 and extended as the New Boulevard since 2009, runs for about 7 km and belongs to walkers and cyclists; cars use the avenues alongside it. In Old Batumi, Europe Square and Piazza are pedestrian, and the streets around them are narrow. A quick flash of the hazard lights is how local drivers say thank you there. Park once and explore on foot.

The coast road in summer

North of the city, the coast road towards Kobuleti is part of the E70. In July and August it clogs at weekends, worst on Saturdays from 10:00 to 14:00 and on Sundays from 16:00 to 21:00, when the rental marketplace we work with suggests adding an hour to the journey. Bypasses ease the strain: Kobuleti has one, and the Batumi bypass, a stretch of tunnels and bridges opened in 2024, runs inland from the Makhinjauri side to Khelvachauri, keeping traffic for Gonio, Sarpi and Turkey out of the city. Use dipped headlights in the tunnels.

Rain and fog

Batumi is the wettest city in Georgia, with around 2,500 mm of rain a year. From September to November, more than 300 mm falls each month. In a downpour, low-lying streets near the coast flood quickly: slow right down, avoid puddles by the kerb and use hazard lights. Stretches of the E70 and the roads around Ureki are prone to thick fog; use fog lights, keep to about 50 km/h and leave a long gap.

Mountain roads in Adjara

The Sh1 heads inland up the Acharistsqali valley. It's paved as far as Khulo, passing the Makhuntseti waterfall after about 35 km and Keda after 44 km. Beyond Keda it narrows and winds, and a car with at least a 1.4-litre engine is the sensible minimum for the climbs. Landslides sometimes squeeze the road to one lane, and cattle wander along village stretches, especially in the morning. The road to Mtirala National Park, 15 km uphill from Chakvi, is paved but narrow and twisting.

The Goderdzi Pass is off limits. Past Khulo, the road climbs towards the Goderdzi ski area and over the pass to Akhaltsikhe. That route is banned in the rental terms, and in September 2026 parts of it were still unsealed. For Akhaltsikhe or Vardzia, go round via Kutaisi and Borjomi.

Fuel

Most fuel stations in Batumi are open 24 hours, and an attendant fills the tank. Pay in lari or by card, and fill up on the coast before heading into the mountains.

Ready to drive? Choose a car, then plan a route with our day trips from Batumi.

FAQ

Is parking in Batumi paid by the hour?

No. Public parking across the city is sold as passes for a day, a week or longer, linked to the number plate and bought online, at terminals or in banks. Gated car parks at malls, the airport and the station charge separately.

Can I drive along Batumi Boulevard?

No. The 7 km seafront Boulevard is for pedestrians and cyclists, and Europe Square and Piazza in Old Batumi are pedestrian as well. Park on a nearby street and walk.

When is traffic worst on the coast road near Batumi?

On July and August weekends, particularly on Saturdays between 10:00 and 14:00 and on Sundays between 16:00 and 21:00. Allow an extra hour at those times.

Is the Goderdzi Pass route to Akhaltsikhe allowed in a rental car?

No. The route over the pass is banned in the rental terms. Take the main highways via Kutaisi and Borjomi instead.