How to get to Abkhazia

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, draw up the optimal route and give some useful tips for those who travel from different parts of Russia. So, let us 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 Abkhaz border by bus or other land transport.

Of course, most of all those who want to walk the streets and beaches of the best resorts of our fathers in the post-Soviet space, in the capital. And it just so happens that the easiest way to get to Abkhazia is from Moscow. It is possible to use several types of transport at once, each of which has its own advantages. But there is something similar for all routes, regardless of where they originate from: there is only one point for the land crossing of the Russian-Abkhaz border - the Psou checkpoint.

Of the advantages of this route, it is worth noting the speed and cheapness: in just 2-3 hours of flight, you will find yourself at the Sochi Adler airport, paying only 4.5-7 thousand rubles for the service.

Next, you have to change to a regular bus, which will take you to the Abkhaz border. The distance is short - 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 procedure of customs and passport control awaits all holidaymakers. 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 air route will cost 13-15 thousand rubles, and the travel time will take about 4.5 hours. Next, tourists will need to change 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 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 were able to buy tickets in compartment or CB, the cost of tickets for which ranges from 7 to 17 thousand rubles, respectively. Well, you can have a tasty snack in the restaurant 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 of these options is to travel by bus. Again, we recall the 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 runs through Rostov-on-Don, Krymsk, Adler and other regions of Russia neighboring Abkhazia.

For those who like long trips, we recommend taking a closer look at the Moscow-Sukhum bus route. Buses leave 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 the regions adjacent to 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 from Adler. This route will probably be the easiest and fastest. After all, getting to the border of Abkhazia from the Krasnodar Territory is as easy as shelling pears.

By bus

Again, let us turn your attention to the bus service between Sochi and the Psou checkpoint. Overcoming the eight-kilometer distance will take no more than half an hour. Yes, 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 a taxi, bus, train, car, motorcycle and even a bicycle (for people with good physical fitness).

From the Sochi bus station, the bus leaves for Sukhum daily at 2:45 am. Travel time 4h 15m.

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

Let's 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. Train # 305 M (which, as we remember, departs from the capital railway station), departs daily from the Adler railway station.

Vacationers will spend only 5 hours on the road, and tickets for a reserved seat carriage start at 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 entertainments for tourists. By the way, you can also get to Gagra by train.

Transfer

For tourists, a transfer service is also available to one of the resorts of Abkhazia. You can agree on this in advance or on the day of the trip. As a rule, the average price is 5-6 thousand rubles. The advantages are that when ordering a transfer from Sochi airport, you can be sure that the car will be picked up at the specified time. The company's employees will track your flight and you will not have to worry about anything.

Another advantage is that the price is fixed. 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.

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 stopping, 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, to stop in picturesque places for relaxation and swimming.

Do not forget about the service for finding travel companions - Bla Bla Car. This travel option will allow you to save a lot on your trip. Most of all, hitchhikers use hitchhiking, who hitchhike almost the entire route.