Detailed instructions on how to get from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Sochi (Adler) and other cities to Abkhazia by plane, train, bus, car and catamaran in 2021.
Abkhazia is a small but amazing country with stunning mountain and sea landscapes. To see this beauty with your own eyes, you do not need to philosophize - you just need to learn from our article about how to get from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Sochi and other cities to Abkhazia, and go to conquer the peaks!
You can get to the Land of the Soul in the following ways: by plane, train and electric train, bus (minibus / taxi) and car. Well, the best way to get to Abkhazia is up to you.
How to get to Abkhazia by plane?
Airplanes do not fly to Abkhazia, although there are two airports in the republic - Babushara and Bombora. The latter is used by the military, and Babushara only accepts flights of the UN mission and peacekeepers, as well as helicopter flights. In the future, it is planned to reconstruct the Sukhumi airport and put it into operation, but for now the airport closest to Abkhazia is Sochi-Adler... That is, it is impossible to get to Abkhazia by plane directly - you need to fly first to Sochi or Krasnodar, and from there - by train or bus.
From Moscow
How to get to Abkhazia from Moscow? You can fly to Adler in the summer of 2021 and back for 6.5 thousand and more (Pobeda Airlines). In autumn, tickets are slightly cheaper - from 6 thousand in both directions.
From Saint-Petersburg
To get from St. Petersburg to Abkhazia in the summer of 2021, you will have to pay almost twice as much as from Moscow - from 11.5 thousand. In the fall - from 9 thousand rubles.
From Yekaterinburg and Ufa
In the summer season, to fly from Yekaterinburg to Adler costs from 15 thousand rubles, in the fall - from 12 thousand. The cost of tickets from Ufa for the summer - from 12, for the fall - from 8.5 thousand rubles.
You can find out more about the prices for tickets to Adler in our special review.
How to get to Abkhazia by train?
How to get from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Abkhazia by train
You can get to Abkhazia by train Moscow - Sukhum. A ticket for a reserved seat from Moscow costs from 3 thousand rubles, a compartment - from 5 thousand rubles. The train goes through Voronezh, Rostov, Krasnodar, Tuapse, Sochi, Adler, Gagra, Gudauta and Novy Afon. Travel time from Moscow is about 38-45 hours.
Also, on May 29, 2015, a train was launched from St. Petersburg to Sukhum, which follows through Tver, Moscow, Tula, and then along the same route as the train from Moscow. The cost of a reserved seat to Sukhum from St. Petersburg is from 4 thousand rubles, a compartment - from 7 thousand rubles. It is reported that the cars are comfortable and comfortable - with air conditioning and dry closets. Travel time is about 56 hours.
In addition, the Belgorod-Sukhum train will run in the summer of 2021. The cost of a reserved seat is 3 thousand rubles, a compartment - 5 thousand.
How to get to Abkhazia from Yekaterinburg and Ufa by train
There are no direct trains to Sukhum from Yekaterinburg and Ufa, you need to go to Adler, and then by train, bus or minibus to Abkhazia. The cost of train tickets from Yekaterinburg is as follows: reserved seat - from 3.5 thousand rubles, compartment - from 7 thousand. From Ufa: reserved seat - from 3 thousand rubles, coupe - from 5.5 thousand rubles.
How to get from Krasnodar and Sochi to Abkhazia by train
If you are not ready to spend two or more days on the train and thus spoil your vacation in Abkhazia, we advise you to get by plane to the southern cities - Krasnodar or Sochi, and then go by train, besides, tickets from these cities are inexpensive. A ticket for a reserved seat from Krasnodar costs from 1000 rubles, a compartment - from 1500. Travel time is about 12 hours.
To get to Abkhazia from Sochi (Adler), you will have to spend less money: a reserved seat will cost about 670 rubles, a compartment - from 1000. Travel time is about 6 hours. The most convenient way to travel, of course, is from Adler. We recommend that you start buying train tickets as early as possible - they are sold out in an instant. In addition, Russian Railways has dynamic pricing on many trains - the earlier you buy a ticket, the cheaper it will cost.
The train is one of the most comfortable options. In addition, it is very convenient to travel from Krasnodar, since most of the travel time is at night. The undoubted advantages of this option: customs and passport control are carried out in the train carriages, and the parking time at the border does not exceed 30 minutes.
Train from Adler to Gagra
From June 20, 2015, during the holiday season, in order to "unload" the Russian-Abkhaz border, an electric train from Adler to Gagra was launched, which will run three times a day.
Train schedule Adler - Gagra: departure from Adler at 7:59, 13:41 and 19:39, and arrival in Gagra at 9:47, 15:29, 21:30.
Train schedule Gagra - Adler: departure from Gagra at 10:47, 16:29 and 23:39, arrival in Adler at 12:21, 18:23 and 1:33.
How to book a hotel in Abkhazia? To do this, it is best to use the popular search engine Hotellook. For example, a small cottage in Gagra can be found from 1,700 rubles per day. Read about the private sector in a special article.
How to get to Abkhazia by bus
How to get by bus, minibus and taxi from Adler
Everything is very simple here: at the Adler railway station or the airport building, you can take bus # 173, minibus or taxi, which will take you to the border (Psou), where you need to go through passport control. Well, after the checkpoint, passing the pedestrian bridge, you will see buses, minibuses and taxis waiting for passengers in the parking lot, the drivers of which invite tourists to leave for the resorts.
There are no numbers on the minibuses - read the directions on the signs. Minibus fares depend on the distance: to Sukhum - about 200 rubles, to New Athos - about 150 rubles, to Pitsunda - 100-120, to Gagra - up to 70 rubles. Tickets for regular buses are cheaper. The last bus from the checkpoint towards the capital of Abkhazia leaves at around 8 pm.
If you are arriving by plane to Adler: the bus and minibus stop is opposite the exit from the airport, you just need to cross the road. The fare on public transport is about 40 rubles. There is a bus № 173, which goes straight to the Psou checkpoint (25 rubles).
Taxi drivers are waiting for new arrivals right at the airport exit. We recommend that you do not use their services - the prices for taxi drivers are exorbitant. On average, a taxi costs 500-700 rubles, but they can offer a ride for two thousand rubles. By not taking a taxi, you will save a significant amount.
If you come by train to Adler: In fact, any bus and minibus will do, going towards the Cossack market and the checkpoint, for example, № 57, 100, 117, 125, 173... Closest to the checkpoint stops № 173... The fare is about 25 rubles, the travel time is from 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the traffic situation.
On a note: Transport links between the cities of Abkhazia are quite chaotic, minibus drivers usually leave as the cabin is full, so be prepared for the fact that you will not leave the checkpoint immediately. An exception is regular buses.
How to get from Krasnodar and Sochi to Abkhazia by bus
Every day at 19:00 and 19:40 (transit, from Nalchik) buses leave Krasnodar for Sukhum. The travel time is 12 and 14 hours, the ticket price is 626 and 644 rubles, respectively. The bus schedule from Krasnodar to Abkhazia, as well as the cost of tickets and the route can be viewed here.
Judging by the Yandex.Schedules service, you can go from Sochi to Sukhum by transit buses - they leave Sochi every day at 3:16 and 4:56 Moscow time. On the way - from 4.5 to 5 hours 15 minutes. There is also a bus that leaves exclusively on odd days at 16:34 Moscow time.
Regular buses are skipped at the border out of turn, which is very pleasing. The only disadvantage of this option is that the trip will have to be made in a sitting position.
How to get to Abkhazia by car
Crossing the border of Abkhazia by car is as easy as walking.To do this, you need to have a civil or foreign passport, registration certificate and driver's license, as well as a general power of attorney for the car, if you are not the owner (with permission to travel abroad). The only disadvantage of this method is that there can be long queues in the summer.
If you plan to stay in Abkhazia for more than 1 month, you need to put the car on temporary registration. This can be done in the traffic police units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the place of temporary stay (you will have to pay about 150 rubles).
When crossing the border, a fee is charged - 70 rubles per passenger car.
How to get from Sochi and Adler to Abkhazia by sea
An interesting, convenient and quick way to get from Sochi to Abkhazia is to buy a ticket on the Sochi-2 catamaran. The ship runs on odd days and departs from Sochi to Gagra at 10 am. The journey takes only 1.5 hours! Be careful: boarding the catamaran is carried out 1.5 hours before departure, and tickets are purchased a day before departure at the box office number 8 of the Sochi seaport. An adult one-way ticket costs 550 rubles (round trip - 1000 rubles), children from 3 to 12 years old - 50%, and children under three years old can travel for free. The ship returns back at 18:30.
The same catamaran leaves for Gagra from Adler on even days also at 10 am (only an adult ticket costs a little cheaper - 400 rubles), and back at 18:00.
