Rustavi

The local steel mill is working at a fraction of its former Soviet production capacity. However, a big income comes from the local car market, which is the biggest one for used cars in the southern Caucasus. It is on the western side of the Tbilisi-Baku highway.

By bus:

There are loads of marshrutkas going to Rustavi. A marshrutka ride between Tbilisi and Rustavi costs 2.50 lari (Sep 2022). From Tbilisi, marshrutkas load at the Station Square (Sadguris moedani) metro station and also at the Politeknikuri metro station. They will all have a sign reading რუსთავი (Rustavi) in their windshield. Marshrutka no. 19 (yellow) starts in the Saburtalo (საბურთალო) district and goes straight through the capital to Rustavi.

At Station Square, the Rustavi-bound marshrutkas can be found parked behind the cluster of stores directly in front of the metro entrance/exit.

From Politeknikuri, the Rustavi-bound marshrutkas will be loading just outside the northeast exit of the metro. They will be waiting in the thin parking lot adjacent to the university.

On their way to Rustavi, these marshrutkas will invariably take the main riverside thoroughfare (President Heydar Aliyev Embankment/Gorgasalis St). If you see one coming, just wave at it. It will stop if there's room.

The marshrutkas will run down the main street in Rustavi (Megobroba Street) upon entering town. You will know when you are in Rustavi when you see hundreds of 9-story, Soviet-style apartment buildings absolutely everywhere. Just yell out "Gaacheret" for the driver to let you off. Anywhere is a good place to stop, really.

You'll enter new Rustavi first. Old Rustavi is past a bridge over the river Mtkvari. More is happening in the new part than in the old part.

Marshrutkas from Tbilisi to Rustavi begin their routes early in the morning and run until midnight (at least at the Politeknikuri and Station Square sites).

By train:

There are two trains daily to the 1 Rustavi Railway Station, 1.5 km north of the town hall square. Also, the Tbilisi–Baku night train (suspended as of June 2025) used to stop in Rustavi, departing Tbilisi at 17:55 in winter.