How to get to Abkhazia โ by plane, train, bus, car
When planning a trip to Abkhazia, tourists are trying to find the fastest and cheapest way to get to the resorts of this country. We will consider all possible options, make the best route and give some useful tips for those who travel from different parts of Russia. So, we will consider in detail the ways how you can get to Abkhazia on your own by plane, train, bus and car.
By plane
Despite the fact that many people prefer to travel by plane, in this case they will be disappointed. There is no direct connection with Abkhazia from Russia, so you can only fly on board an aircraft to Sochi, from where you can get to the Abkhazian border by bus or other land transport.
Of course, most of all those who want to walk along the streets and beaches of the best resorts of our fathers in the post-Soviet space, in the capital. And it's so established that it is from Moscow to Abkhazia that the easiest way to get. It is possible to use several modes of transport at once, each of which has its own advantages. But there is something similar for all routes, regardless of where they originate: there is only one point for the land crossing of the Russian-Abkhazian border โ the Psou checkpoint.
Of the advantages of such a route, it is worth noting the speed and cheapness: in just 2-3 hours of flight you will find yourself in Sochiโs Adler airport, paying only 4.5-7 thousand rubles for the service.
Next, you have to transfer to a regular bus, which will take you to the Abkhazian border. The distance is small โ only 8 km, so this stage will not take much time for tourists. The bus makes a stop just at the Psou checkpoint, where a simple customs and passport control procedure awaits all vacationers. In just a few minutes you will already be breathing clean mountain air.
Tourists from St. Petersburg also have the opportunity to quickly and comfortably get to sunny Sukhum. Perhaps the fastest travel option for today will be a difficult route, consisting of a flight to Sochi and a trip by regular bus to the border of Abkhazia. So, a direct route by air will cost 13-15 thousand rubles, and the travel time will take about 4.5 hours. Next, tourists will need to transfer to a comfortable bus, which will take them directly to the Psou checkpoint (as we mentioned earlier, this is the only place where you can legally cross the border).
By train
Today, only one train runs from Moscow in this direction. Train number 306M departs from the platform of the Kazansky railway station at 18:50. The trip will take 40 hours, after which the passengers will be at the Sukhum railway station.
The cheapest ticket for a trip in a reserved seat will cost tourists only 3.5 thousand rubles. But not everyone can withstand 38 hours in a reserved seat. Therefore, the carrier made sure that passengers could buy tickets in a compartment or SV, the cost of tickets for which is from 7 to 17 thousand rubles, respectively. Well, you can have a tasty snack in the dining car.
There is no direct railway connection with Abkhazia from St. Petersburg. Therefore, in this way you can only get to Sochi, and then, as already described above, use local transport.
By bus
There are also alternative ways to travel. One such option is traveling by bus. Again, we recall a difficult route, consisting of a flight from Moscow to Sochi, and then on a regular bus to the Psou checkpoint, which we mentioned earlier. You can consider other options for a bus trip that run through Rostov-on-Don, Krymsk, Adler and other regions of Russia neighboring Abkhazia.
For lovers of long trips, we advise you to take a closer look at the Moscow-Sukhum bus route. Buses depart every Friday from Krasnogvardeyskaya station. A similar route will have to be overcome by tourists who travel by private car.
As for the cultural capital, at the moment there is no direct bus connection with Sukhum. You can go through Moscow or neighboring regions of Abkhazia. But we do not recommend such routes because of their high cost and duration.
How to get from Adler and Sochi
The last travel option is a trip from Adler. This route is probably the easiest and fastest. After all, getting to the border of Abkhazia from the Krasnodar Territory is easy.
By bus
Again, we draw your attention to the bus service between Sochi and the Psou checkpoint. Overcoming an eight-kilometer distance will take no more than half an hour. And the main city of the resort country is only 120 km from Adler, which can be overcome by any available means of transport, including taxi, bus, train, car, motorcycle and even by bicycle (for people with good physical fitness).
From the Sochi bus station, the bus to Sukhum departs daily at 2:45 am. Travel time 4h 15m.
| 02:45 | Sochi, Krasnodar Territory |
| 05:15 | Gagra, Gagra, Abkhazia |
| 06:05 | Gudauta, Gudautsky, Abkhazia |
| 06:35 | New Athos, Gudauta, Abkhazia |
| 07:00 | Sukhum, Sukhumi, Abkhazia |
Be prepared for the fact that it will be necessary to spend time, from 30 minutes to 4 hours, depending on the workload of the checkpoint, to go through passport control.
By train
Consider the most acceptable options for a short trip. So, one of the most popular options for overcoming such a short distance is a train ride. Every day train No. 305 M departs from the Adler railway station (which, as we remember, departs from the metropolitan railway station).
Vacationers will spend only 5 hours on the road, and tickets for a reserved seat car start from 800 rubles. And it is not at all necessary to reach Sukhum. Along the way, the trains will stop in many settlements, where there are many attractions and other attractions for tourists. By the way, you can also get to Gagra by train.
Transfer
A transfer service to one of the resorts of Abkhazia is also available for tourists. You can arrange this in advance or on the day of the trip. As a rule, the average price is 5-6 thousand rubles. The advantage is that when ordering a transfer from Sochi airport, you can be sure that the car will be served at the specified time. Employees of the company will track your flight and you will not have to worry about anything.
Another advantage is the fixed price. You will know exactly how much you will pay for the trip in advance.
Travel time to Sukhum ~ 2 hours 40 minutes, to Gagra ~ 1 hour 40 minutes.
Book a transfer from Sochi airport to Sukhum or any other resort online
By car
And finally, you can get to Abkhazia from Adler by car or other personal vehicle. The route runs along the picturesque Black Sea coast. If you go slowly and without stops, then in a couple of hours you will find yourself in Sukhum. But tourists choose a trip by private car precisely because of the opportunity to independently plan their schedule and route, stop in picturesque places for relaxation and swimming.
Do not forget about the service for finding fellow travelers for a trip โ Bla Bla Car. This kind of travel option will allow you to save a lot on the trip. Most of the trips are used by state-owned tourists, who hitchhike almost the entire route.