Tbilisi Cable Car: Price, Hours & How to Ride to Narikala

The Tbilisi cable car is the fastest and most scenic way up to the ancient Narikala fortress — and one of the city's great photo spots. For 90 seconds and 2.5 GEL you glide over the Old Town with a panorama of tiled roofs and the Kura river. This guide covers the price, how to pay, how the cable car differs from the funicular, and what to see at the top. For what else to do in town, see one day in Tbilisi.

The Rike–Narikala cable car: the basics

The city cable car connects Rike Park on the Kura riverbank with Narikala fortress on the hill. It opened in 2012 and quickly became a Tbilisi icon: modern glass cabins and a short but spectacular flight over the historic center.

The ride takes just 1.5–2 minutes, the cabins run continuously and there's almost no waiting. Up for the panorama and the fortress, and you can walk down through the Old Town and the sulfur-bath district. For a visitor it isn't just transport but a full attraction with the best views in the city.

Price, hours and payment

The key catch is payment. The cable car accepts only the Metromoney transport card: cash and ordinary bank cards are not taken at the cabin. The same card is used on the Tbilisi metro and buses, so it's worth buying anyway. You can buy and top it up at the Rike station, in the metro and at yellow kiosks. One card can pay for several passengers at once.

What you see from the cabin

The view is exactly why people ride it. In two minutes of flight, all of Old Tbilisi unfolds below:

• Tiled roofs of the old town and carved wooden balconies.
• The Abanotubani sulfur baths with their brick domes.
• The Kura river, the glass Bridge of Peace and Metekhi church on its cliff.
• Kartlis Deda (Mother of Georgia) — the 20-meter statue with a wine bowl and a sword.
• Narikala fortress — the end point where you land.

It's especially beautiful at sunset and in the evening when the city is lit. This is one of the most photographed panoramas in Tbilisi — have your phone ready before you even board.

Cable car vs funicular — don't confuse them

Visitors often mix up Tbilisi's two rides — they are different things in different parts of town:

• Cable car (cabins) — Rike Park → Narikala fortress. A short ride over the Old Town, 2.5 GEL, Metromoney card.
• Funicular — a rail carriage climbing Mtatsminda mountain to the amusement park, ferris wheel and a view restaurant. A separate route, its own card and ticket, more expensive.

In short: the cable car is about history and the Old Town, the funicular about the amusement park and the highest viewpoint. You can do both in one visit, but they are two different rides at opposite ends of the center.

What to see at the top

The upper cable car station is right by Narikala fortress, the start of a whole walking route:

• Narikala fortress — the symbol of Tbilisi, 4th-century walls with the best viewpoint. In detail in the Narikala fortress guide.
• Kartlis Deda statue — a five-minute walk along the ridge.
• Tbilisi Botanical Garden — a descent from the back of the fortress into a green gorge with a waterfall (botanical garden).
• Abanotubani sulfur baths — walk down into the historic bath district (sulfur baths).

Tips for visitors

• Get a Metromoney card first — at the Rike station or in the metro; you can't board without it.
• Ride up, walk down — you'll see more and save the return fare.
• Best time is sunset, but come early: there can be a queue in the evening.
• Sit facing the city — the view is over Old Tbilisi, not the slope.
• Mind the wind — the cable car closes in bad weather, so keep a backup plan.