Renting a car in Tbilisi, or Georgia (the country) in general, has never been easier. There are numerous companies, both local and international, that offer a wide selection of rental cars. There are even options to hire a local driver along with his car, to not only transport you, but serve as a guide as well.
This article will outline the requirements for renting a car and compare different rental companies to find the perfect match for your travel needs.
General Requirements: Who Can Rent a Car
When it comes to renting a car in Georgia, different companies have different standards, but they can be boiled down to a few basic requirements. These are: be at least 21 years old, have a driver’s license for a minimum of 1 year, and have driving experience for a minimum of 1 year.
International driving licenses are valid in Georgia as long as they are printed in Latin or Cyrillic alphabets. If they are printed in a different alphabet, it is necessary to have them translated. Along with a valid driver’s license, customers must also present a valid passport at the time of rental.
If you will be living in Georgia for more than 1 year, we have written a detailed guide on exchanging a foreign license for a Georgian driver’s license here.
Renting a car in Tbilisi & Georgia
Car rental in Tbilisi and around Georgia is dominated by reputable international car rental companies, who offer consistent quality of service around the world.
However, there are several local Georgian car rental companies that can just as well fulfill travelers’ needs. Perhaps one major difference between local and international companies is the price to rent, as the latter tend to be more expensive due to popularity and brand recognition.
Cars4Rent
Cars4Rent, established in 2012, is a Georgian rental company. With a fleet of cars of various types, including 4x4s for difficult terrain, camper vans, and sedans. They have a vehicle for any occasion one might need while traveling around Georgia. Cars4Rent is a popular choice amongst expats.
Cars4Rent has three pickup locations around the country in major cities. They include: Tbilisi and its airport, Kutaisi and its airport, and Batumi and its airport. There are transfer fees that you may be required to pay depending on whether a certain vehicle is available on the spot or not. Also, you can have a car delivered to any location for an extra fee, ranging from 4 to 79 EUR, up to a 450km limit.
Car prices start from approx. 120 GEL (approx. 50 USD) per day for a period between 1-3 days, but discounts on this rate are applied as the rental period increases. There are no deposit fees required and the rental price includes unlimited mileage and 100% accident coverage. (i.e. Vehicle coverage: in case of an accident of your own fault, damage by a third party, and damage caused by fire or theft, as well as any damage to vehicle accessories such as mirrors, windows, tires, etc. Damage to a third party is covered up to a limit of $50,000 USD.)
Cars4Rent has around 400 reviews from customers, with an average score of 4.8 stars. Quality of service, ease of communication, and excellent car quality were among their top noted positive qualities. Some customers highlighted the fact that the company does not mind if there are small scratches and bumps when returning the vehicle, which is a nice positive departure from hawkish companies who are looking for any opportunity to charge you extra.
Pros:
- All inclusive insurance.
- Cheaper than competitors (for certain cars).
- “Flexible” returns (Not a big deal if you get some small bumps and scratches).
- Very good reviews.
- No deposit required.
Cons:
- Relatively small fleet of cars. Sometimes sold out during the peak summer season.
Cars4Rent Summary: They offer competitive prices and a decent benefits package.
LocalRent
LocalRent* is an international aggregator of local small car rental companies. They choose the best local rental companies and take them under their wing. They have been operating since 2011 and have served hundreds of thousands of customers around the world. They have a fleet of around 500 cars in Georgia, ranging from simple economy class cars to luxury models, from convertibles to vans.
They offer 3 types of insurance.
The first type is third-party liability insurance, which is compulsory and is included in the price. However, this does not cover damage to the wheels, windscreen, or interior.
In addition to this, there are two elective insurance options: collision damage waiver and super collision damage waiver, which both cover damage to the wheels, windscreen, and interior. These can be purchased at extra cost, and vary in the amount of damages they will cover.
LocalRent offers pickup and dropoff locations in all major airports and cities (except for Kutaisi City).
The company has their own rules regarding who can rent a car. In order to use their rental services the driver must be at least 23 years old with a minimum of 3 years of driving experience. Also, customers must pay a deposit of $100-200 before renting a car.
In addition to these requirements, the company also has a very strict policy on where rental cars can and cannot go. On their website they explicitly state that their cars must be driven on paved public roads, and cannot go to the following places: Mestia, Ushguli, Lentekhi, Kutaisi, Shatili, or the entire Tusheti region including Omalo. Driving rental cars across country borders is also prohibited.
There are hundreds of reviews for the company, mostly positive with an average score of 4.8 stars. Many customers praise LocalRent for the quality of their vehicles and their easy hassle-free service. However, there were various complaints about poor car conditions, fake pictures on websites, and overblown prices.
Given the fact that LocalRent is an aggregator, they do not necessarily provide service directly, since they conduct business through local companies. This may raise a few red flags about the consistency of both car quality and service. In the end, most reviewers recommend renting cars which are no older than 4 years, citing several incidents when cars either would not start or broke down midway through a trip.
Pros:
- Reputable international company.
- Vast car fleet.
Cons:
- Hefty deposit.
- Not allowed to travel to certain regions of the country.
- Some reviewers mention fake pictures and terrible vehicle conditions.
- Some essential insurance coverage costs extra (while other competitors include this in the price).
LocalRent Summary: It’s an internationally known and reputable company, although they require hefty deposits and limiting travel restrictions.
Parent.Ge
Personal Auto Rent (Parent) is a Georgian car rental company established in 2013. They have a wide range of cars available in all categories, from economy class sedans to 4×4 camper vans. They operate in the 3 major Georgian cities: Tbilisi, Kutaisi, and Batumi. Alongside car rental, Parent also offers professional chauffeur services for business clients. This company is well-known for their cooperation with various diplomatic missions in Georgia by providing transport services to NGOs and local embassies.
Their rental prices start from around approx. 150 GEL (approx. 60 USD) per day for a rental period between 1-3 days, but discounts on this rate are applied as the rental period increases.
Insurance is automatically included in the price and covers all damages to the car even if you are at fault. It also covers accessory damage up to the amount of 50,000 EUR.
Unlike LocalRent, Parent.ge does not require any deposit upfront and does not put mileage limits on where you can and cannot go while in Georgia. When renting a car, you can choose from various pickup locations in and around major cities. If you would like a car delivered to a different pickup location than the options listed on the website, they offer that option as well, charging 4 to 79 EUR depending on the distance, up to a 250km limit. They offer 24/7 delivery service.
The company also has a special offer: if you rent a car for 7 days or more, you get a free WiFi router for use in the vehicle. The quality of WiFi connection may vary depending on the location as in some mountainous regions it can get quite spotty.
As mentioned, Parent offers various specialized car services, including chauffeur and personal assistance tailored to your needs. All their drivers are selected according to a strict set of criteria, thus, they offer a high degree of professionalism as well as attentiveness and discretion.
They have hundreds of customer reviews on Google praising the top quality of both their vehicles and their service, and the company has a perfect 5-star rating.
Pros:
- Reputable company with connections to the diplomatic core.
- Car fleet with a massive variety of classes.
- No deposit needed.
- All inclusive insurance.
- Perfect 5 star rating.
- Extra services such as individually tailored assistance and chauffeur services.
- Perks if you rent for longer than 7 days.
Cons:
- No detailed information on extra services and their pricing.
Parent.Ge Summary: They offer seemingly everything for everyone- from budget travelers looking to rent all-terrain vehicles, to those in governmental or diplomatic circles looking for professional chauffeurs with exclusive services. They provide delivery and excellent customer service, and their price is also competitive and includes full insurance, as well as extra perks if booked for longer than 7 days.
CityRentCar
Established in 2014, CityRentCar is another Georgian car rental company. Their fleet of cars consists of around 20 cars of various types, including sedans, 4x4s, minivans, and even muscle cars.
In order to use their rental services, a driver must be at least 23 years old with a minimum of 3 years of driving experience. There is a varying amount of deposit that must be paid depending on the type of car, ranging from 700 to 1,000 GEL (approx. 280-400 USD). Car prices start from approx. 150 GEL (approx. 60 USD) per day for a period between 1-3 days, but discounts on this rate are applied as the rental period increases.
There are no mileage limits if you are renting for more than 2 days, otherwise, you are limited to 150km per day.
Insurance is included in the paid deposit, as well as free city parking in Tbilisi. The fee for the car rental includes the right to limit liability for car damage (CDW), limitation of liability for car theft (TP), and limitation of liability to third parties (TPL). There is an option of SUPER insurance for $20 per day which reduces all liability to zero.
CityRentCar offers free pickup anywhere in Tbilisi. Outside the capital, the pickup must be paid and varies from $40 to $50.
The company also offers GPS device rental for $5 per day. If you are a returning customer, the company offers a $5 per day discount.
CityRentCar prohibits smoking or having pets in their vehicles, without exceptions.
CityRentCar has hundreds of reviews and it has a perfect 5 star rating. Reviewers praise their clear and fast communication, car quality, and ease of service.
Pros:
- Discounts for returning customers.
- All inclusive insurance.
- Perfect 5 star reviews.
Cons:
- Hefty deposit.
- No smoking/no pets allowed.
- Mileage limits for short rentals.
- Relatively small fleet of cars.
- Need to pay a fee to have a car delivered outside Tbilisi.
CityRentCar Summary: Their insurance coverage and overall quality of service are excellent, though they do also require deposit fees and have mileage limits.
Other Alternatives
MyAuto.ge, despite being a car sales website, also offers rental services from individuals. There are many different cars available for rent, though prices often fluctuate. However, one issue foreigners may run into while using MyAuto, is that most car owners do not speak any foreign language, thus, you may find it difficult to communicate and arrange a rental.
Renting a Private Driver in Tbilisi & Georgia
If you don’t want to have to contend with the challenge of driving in Georgia, why not hire a personal driver with his own car for your traveling needs? Many expats choose to pursue this option instead, and recommendations for trustworthy drivers who can assist and travel with you can be found on expat Facebook forums.
When it comes to renting not just a car but a driver as well, everything is a little more complicated, as would be expected in any country. There are not really many companies providing such services. As a rule, such drivers offer their services directly, so you almost never have reviews from other customers, information regarding whether their prices are reliable in the Georgian market, or even simply feedback on whether you can trust them or not.
However, there are a lot of trustworthy drivers with whom expats have had good experiences. Upon receiving a word-of-mouth recommendation, it’s always a good idea to call directly and ask for pricing based on your needs, since private drivers don’t have pricing menus available for comparison online.
GoTrip
There is an alternative company called GoTrip. It is a reliable and straightforward platform for searching for experienced drivers and planning a whole trip around Georgia with them. They put an emphasis on their drivers’ skills and professionalism, and even offer training for their drivers to ensure top quality of service.
The GoTrip platform does not have many reviews, but so far the ones they do have praise their quality of cars, polite multilingual drivers, and punctuality. Individual drivers listed on the platform often do have reviews from previous customers.
As we already mentioned, renting a private driver is the kind of business where trustworthiness and experience means a lot. Asking other expats to share their personal experiences and recommendations is probably the best choice if you are looking to rent a private driver.
Choosing the Best Option for your Journey
Overall, car rental services are very well developed in Georgia, with experienced international and local competitors existing on the market, so you will find it quite easy to choose a rental that best suits your needs for traveling around Georgia.
Overall, the decision depends on your parameters for renting. Are you looking for a budget ride, or a more professional service with high quality cars? Will you be traveling many miles to remote regions of Georgia, or will you be staying on paved city roads and only traveling short distances?
And most importantly, are you comfortable with driving in Georgia, or would you prefer to hire a personal chauffeur to handle the traffic for you?
Once you consider these essential questions, you’ll be able to narrow down the available options and hit the road.
* Affiliate link for LocalRent
