brumbrum

Hi folks, I´m giving it the last try. The night Tbilisi-Yerevan train should run each second day (and the other day back). But since there is NO online timetable nor online tickets (for international trains), I got stuck with this info (odd/even days). Does anyone here know how do they count it there? I´m interested in how it is going next week, would anyone here know? Thanks in advance

Palal

Look at the calendar - you have days starting from 1 to 28, 30 or 31. About or exactly half of them are odd, the other half are even.

Railway Timetable (Georgian Railways)
timetable Armenian railways

So it looks like Yerevan-Tbilisi runs on even days, and Tbilisi-Yerevan on odd days. Don't expect to get much sleep on this train, as you'll have to go through the border and you'll get woken up twice.

There are also minibuses that take 4-5 hrs, and according to a 2013 posting on this forum leave from the bus station every hour starting at 8AM, and you can always get a private car there as well (I assume they'll take less time).

brumbrum

well, I can count from 1 to 30. I just wanted to know if it is counted since the start of each month. And what if it does not have 30 days? 31. is a free day, one-way or both directions?

JayhawkCO

I'm guessing it's never both directions since it's probably the same train. Unless you're a major rail aficionado, just take a marshrutka and get a cheap hotel in Yerevan. I think the marshrutka cost my wife and me $15 apiece and we got a nice private room in a hostel for $25 a night. $40 can save a lot of headaches.

Chris

brumbrum

exactly my opinion, so they probably have holiday on non 30-days months :-)
hmmmm....I am enough aficionado to try this train :-)

sushanna1

I also hope to ride it one of these days so would appreciate a report.

brumbrum

Well, I will report as soon as any wifi is close ;-)

Btw. I discoveted this:
https://vimeo.com/106784723

Does anyone have been lately in Chiatura? Seems to be wonderful hidden industrial gem.

Track

I rode the train in 2005 from Yerevan to Tbilisi, and it was a pretty much broken-down collection of cars, even with some broken windows. On the border Georgian customs agents evidently caught some smugglers, and we sat there for 3-4 hours until television crews (and probably politicians) could arrive from Tbilisi to milk the situation for all it would give. There was no dining car, only a snack car with drinks but no food available. I hear that the service has been greatly improved in the last 10 years. The Tbiliisi-Baku train was much better, but when leaving Baku airport, the Armenian visa in my passport caused some grumbling and questions on why I had visited the enemy.

brumbrum

Haha, I think that we're going there exactly to see it happening "the wild way". Not Japanese nor Swiss "Alles muss in Ordnung sein" system :-)
Choosing the train definitely ;-)

MichaelBaku

Let us know how you get on. I'd like to do this trip next year.

brumbrum

sushanna, MB: sooo, I´m back from the trip, and the train went on 3rd from Tbilisi and on 4th back. There´s only one train doing this trip (3 coaches, double loco) and we were confirmed that the days of running are counted since the start of each month (what they do at the end of non 30-day months was over our translating possibilities). There was only around 10 people each way in plackartnyj, so the sleep was great. The price is some 17/19USD in plackartnyj (upper/lower bed but they give you the lower (longer and more comfortable one) if you don´t ask for the upper one. Anyway, we bought one lower and one upper and slept on the two lower beds, since the train was empty. Other prices are some 38USD 4-bed compartment and 58USD 2-bed one.
People in these countries are generally great and helpful, but only when not at work :-)
We were buying our tickets in Yerevan 30 minutes before departure, the only people there, and the cashier made huge hassle and stress from it (she probably wanted to go home sooner). Both trains departed some one minute ahead (probably everyone was on board, haha), but not more:-)
The only not-so-pleasant thing are the "taxi drivers" approaching you at each airport and train station, and totally full public transport in the cities.
Other trains in Georgia are also unbelievably slow (and cheap), we tried Kutaisi-Tbilisi (5,5 hours, 8 lari) and Chiatura-Kutaisi (2,5 hours, 1 lari), but much much more comfortable that marshrutkas (which are, on the other side, faster than cars usually).
On the way to Yerevan, all the empty space in our coach was stuffed with pampers nappies and cookies, with the main smuggler grandma even cooking potatoes on the gas stove :-)
And for those wanting to use the train in the summer: summer prices are some 1-2USD higher.

sushanna1

brumbrum--Thanks for the report. Here's hoping that I get there one of these days. And can persuade my friend(s) to take the train(s)!

brumbrum

It is certainly worth it, especially plackartnyj is cheap and interaction with locals is included. If you´re into retro, than Chiatura cable cars are even much more interesting (and free:-) ).