Tbilisi Cable Cars & Funicular: A Complete Guide to Riding Above the City

Tbilisi is built across hills, steep riverbanks, and mountain slopes, so cable cars have long been more than tourist attractions here. Over the years, they have connected neighborhoods separated by difficult terrain, carried residents to recreational areas, and provided some of the best views of the Georgian capital.

Today, several cable cars operate across Tbilisi, ranging from the modern gondolas above the Old Town to the wonderfully retro cable car climbing from Vake Park to Turtle Lake. The city also has its famous funicular railway to Mtatsminda and a restored historic cable car from Rustaveli Avenue.

For visitors, they provide an inexpensive and memorable way to see Tbilisi from above. This guide covers the main operating cable cars and funicular in Tbilisi, where to board them, what they cost, and what you can see at each end.

Note: Fares and operating hours were checked in September 2026. Cable cars may temporarily close because of weather, maintenance, or technical inspections, so it is worth checking before making a special trip.

Rike Park to Narikala Fortress Cable Car

The Rike–Narikala cable car is the best-known cable car in Tbilisi and the one most visitors are likely to ride.

The lower station is located in Rike Park, close to the Bridge of Peace. From there, modern gondolas rise above the Mtkvari River and climb toward the ridge overlooking Tbilisi’s Old Town.

The journey is short, but the view changes dramatically as the gondola gains elevation. Below you are the rooftops of Old Tbilisi, the river, Rike Park, the Bridge of Peace, Metekhi Church, and the surrounding hills.

At the upper station, you arrive on Narikala Hill, only a short walk from the Mother of Georgia monument and the entrance to the National Botanical Garden. From here, you can also walk downhill toward Abanotubani and Tbilisi’s sulfur baths.

• Lower station: Rike Park
• Upper station: Narikala Hill
• Approximate hours: 10:00 AM–10:00 PM
• Fare: 2.50 GEL one way
• Best for: Old Tbilisi views, Narikala, Mother of Georgia, and the Botanical Garden

Where to Board: Rike Park Station

Open Rike Park lower station in Google Maps
Open Narikala upper station in Google Maps

This is the cable car to choose if you have only one or two days in Tbilisi. It combines transportation, panoramic views, and several of the city’s major attractions in one very short ride.

Vake Park to Turtle Lake Cable Car

The cable car between Vake Park and Turtle Lake feels completely different from the tourist-oriented Rike–Narikala line.

Instead of modern sightseeing gondolas, this route is known for its old-fashioned blue cabins, which have become something of a Tbilisi icon.

The lower station is on the upper side of Vake Park, near Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue. From there, the cable car climbs steeply through the wooded hillside toward Turtle Lake, known locally as Kus Tba.

During the ride, the dense city gradually disappears behind you and the surroundings become increasingly green. On clear days, there are excellent views over Vake and toward central Tbilisi.

Turtle Lake is one of Tbilisi’s most popular local recreation areas. A walking and jogging path circles the lake, while cafes, restaurants, and seasonal entertainment venues line the waterfront. The Open Air Museum of Ethnography is also nearby.

• Lower station: Vake Park / 76 Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue
• Upper station: Turtle Lake
• Approximate hours: 10:00 AM–10:00 PM
• Fare: 1 GEL one way
• Bicycle: 1 GEL
• Best for: A more local Tbilisi experience, Turtle Lake, and greenery

Where to Board: Vake Park Station

Open Vake Park cable car station in Google Maps
Open Turtle Lake upper station in Google Maps

For visitors who want something less touristy than the Narikala cable car, this is one of the most interesting rides in the city.

University to Bagebi Cable Car

One of Tbilisi’s least-known cable cars crosses the deep gorge between the Tbilisi State University area and Bagebi.

Unlike the Rike and Turtle Lake routes, this cableway primarily functions as public transportation. It was designed to connect the university campus with the former student dormitories on the opposite side of the gorge.

The original line dates from the Soviet period and was later abandoned before being modernized and reopened in 2021.

The cableway is approximately 320 meters long, and the crossing takes no more than about four minutes. Each of its large cabins can accommodate dozens of passengers.

The university-side station is at 24 University Street, near the large TSU Maglivi building. The opposite station is in Bagebi.

• University station: 24 University Street
• Opposite station: Bagebi
• Hours: 8:00 AM–8:00 PM
• Fare: 1 GEL
• Best for: Soviet architecture, unusual transportation, and seeing everyday Tbilisi

Where to Board: University Station

Open University-side station in Google Maps
Open Bagebi station in Google Maps

There isn’t a famous tourist attraction waiting at either end, but the ride is particularly worthwhile for travelers interested in Tbilisi’s Soviet architecture, transportation history, and lesser-known neighborhoods.

Tbilisi Funicular to Mtatsminda

Although it is often grouped together with Tbilisi’s cable cars, the Tbilisi Funicular is technically something different. Instead of hanging from a cable, its cars travel along rails up the steep slope of Mtatsminda Mountain.

The lower station is located at 22 Daniel Chonkadze Street. From there, the railway climbs toward Mtatsminda Park, with a middle station providing access to the Mtatsminda Pantheon and St. David’s Church.

The funicular is one of Tbilisi’s classic experiences. As the car climbs, increasingly wide views open across the city.

The upper station brings you directly to Mtatsminda Park and the historic Funicular Complex. The complex’s landmark building dates from 1938 and contains restaurants and cafes overlooking Tbilisi.

• Lower station: 22 Daniel Chonkadze Street
• Middle station: Mtatsminda Pantheon / St. David’s Church
• Upper station: Mtatsminda Park
• Ride time: Around 3–5 minutes
• Fare: Approximately 10 GEL one way; check the current price at the station
• Best for: Mtatsminda Park, the Pantheon, sunset views, and the classic Tbilisi experience

Where to Board: Lower Funicular Station

Open the lower Funicular station in Google Maps
Open the upper station at Mtatsminda Park

A good option is to take the funicular up shortly before sunset, explore Mtatsminda Park as the city lights begin to appear, and return later in the evening.

Rustaveli Avenue to Mtatsminda Cable Car

One of the most interesting chapters in Tbilisi’s cable car history belongs to the line connecting Rustaveli Avenue with Mtatsminda.

The original cableway operated during the Soviet period but closed following a catastrophic accident in June 1990 in which 20 people died. For decades afterward, its distinctive lower station beside the Georgian National Academy of Sciences remained unused.

The city eventually reconstructed the route, and the Rustaveli–Mtatsminda cable car reopened in October 2024.

The modern system uses 21 eight-passenger gondolas and reaches Mtatsminda Park in roughly four to five minutes.

The restored lower station is at 52 Shota Rustaveli Avenue, next to the Georgian National Academy of Sciences and only a short walk from Rustaveli Metro Station.

• Lower station: 52 Shota Rustaveli Avenue
• Upper station: Mtatsminda Park
• Ride time: Around 4–5 minutes
• Fare: Around 12 GEL one way
• Best for: Fast access to Mtatsminda Park, views, and cable car history

Where to Board: Rustaveli Avenue Station

Open the Rustaveli cable car station in Google Maps
Open the Mtatsminda upper station in Google Maps

The restored cable car gives visitors another way to reach Mtatsminda Park without traveling to the funicular station on Chonkadze Street.

There is also an architectural reason to see it even if you do not plan to ride: the unusual historic lower station was restored rather than replaced, preserving one of the more distinctive pieces of Tbilisi’s mid-20th-century transport architecture.

Freedom Square to Mount Tabori Cable Car

Tbilisi has also gained a very different type of cable car connecting central Tbilisi with Mount Tabori.

The route links two Paragraph properties: Paragraph Freedom Square in central Tbilisi and Paragraph Golf & Spa Tabori in the hills above the National Botanical Garden.

The ride takes approximately 10 minutes and provides a direct connection between Freedom Square and the much higher Tabori area without following the winding mountain roads.

Unlike Tbilisi’s municipal cable cars, this line is connected to a private hotel complex rather than the city’s normal public transportation network. Access conditions can therefore differ, and visitors who are not hotel guests should confirm availability with Paragraph before planning a trip specifically to ride it.

• Lower boarding area: Paragraph Freedom Square, 2 Lado Gudiashvili Street
• Upper destination: Paragraph Golf & Spa Tabori
• Ride time: Approximately 10 minutes
• Type: Private hotel cable car
• Best for: Mount Tabori and panoramic views south of central Tbilisi

Where to Find the Freedom Square Boarding Point

Open Paragraph Freedom Square in Google Maps
Open Paragraph Tabori in Google Maps

More Cable Cars Could Be Coming to Tbilisi

Tbilisi once had a much larger aerial transportation network than it does today. During the Soviet period, cable cars crossed several parts of the city, particularly where steep slopes and deep valleys made conventional roads less convenient.

Some former station buildings still survive, even though their cables and gondolas disappeared decades ago.

Urban transport studies have also examined the possibility of adding new cable car routes to areas where Tbilisi’s geography makes conventional transportation difficult.

Potential corridors discussed over the years have included connections involving Vazisubani, Zghvisubani, Nutsubidze Plateau, Didi Dighomi, Delisi, Varketili, and other hillside neighborhoods.

These should be considered proposals rather than cable cars visitors can currently ride, but the idea makes sense in a city with Tbilisi’s geography. Few major cities combine dense urban neighborhoods, steep hills, deep valleys, and recreational mountains quite the way Tbilisi does.

Which Tbilisi Cable Car Should You Ride?

If this is your first visit to Tbilisi, start with the Rike Park–Narikala cable car. It provides the classic postcard view over Old Tbilisi and leaves you within walking distance of several major attractions.

For something more local and atmospheric, take the Vake Park–Turtle Lake cable car. Its retro cabin and forested surroundings make it one of the city’s more unusual rides.

If you are heading to Mtatsminda, you have two particularly interesting choices. The Tbilisi Funicular offers the historic experience and gives you the option of stopping near the Mtatsminda Pantheon, while the Rustaveli–Mtatsminda cable car provides a quick gondola ride directly from one of Tbilisi’s main avenues.

For travelers interested in Soviet architecture and everyday city life, the University–Bagebi cable car is the least touristy option and perhaps the most unusual.

Quick Comparison of Tbilisi Cable Cars

Tips for Riding Tbilisi’s Cable Cars

• Check operating status before visiting. Cable cars can temporarily close because of wind, maintenance, or technical inspections.
• Go around sunset for the best views. The Rike–Narikala and Mtatsminda routes are especially impressive as the city lights come on.
• Do not assume every cable car uses the same ticket. Tbilisi’s municipal cable cars, Mtatsminda Funicular, and private cable cars use different payment systems.
• One way can be more interesting than a return trip. For example, ride from Rike Park to Narikala and walk back through Old Tbilisi, or take the funicular up to Mtatsminda and return via the Rustaveli cable car.
• Keep the weather in mind. Visibility is much better on clear days, particularly from Mtatsminda and Turtle Lake.

Tbilisi’s cable cars are not simply ways to get from the bottom of a hill to the top. Together, they tell part of the story of a city that has spent more than a century finding creative ways to navigate its unusually complicated landscape.