Renting in Batumi without a credit card
Most cars on the rental marketplace we work with in Georgia don't require a credit card. What you'll use instead:
- Any card that pays online, debit cards included, for the 15–20% advance when you book.
- Cash or card for the balance at pickup, depending on what the owner accepts. It's listed on each car.
- A way to cover a deposit, for the cars that have one. Some owners accept a small deposit in cash; the deposit filters show which, or browse the cars with no deposit.
Money on the road. Georgia's currency is the lari (GEL). Fuel stations take lari or bank cards and nothing else, so dollars, euros and Turkish lira won't fill the tank. There are cash machines in the arrivals hall at Batumi airport, and exchange offices are easy to find in the city centre.
Small payments. Parking passes are bought with the car's number plate, online, at payment terminals or in banks. City buses take no cash at all: you tap a contactless bank card as you board. Keep a few lari for entry tickets at Gonio fortress or the Botanical Garden.
Why debit works here. Big international firms want a credit card because they reserve a sizeable sum against its limit. Local owners in Batumi mostly work with small deposits or none, so a debit card is usually all you need.