Can You Drive a Rental Car From Batumi to Turkey?

A tourist cannot drive a rental car from Batumi to Turkey: at DRACARS only a driver with a Georgian residence permit may take the car across the border. The same rule applies to Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Can you drive a rental car from Batumi to Turkey: the short answer

Without a Georgian residence permit, the answer is no, whatever the car and the length of the rental.

With a residence permit, the trip abroad is a separate service: it needs a deposit, it is paid separately, and its price depends on the length of the rental. Mention it in your request with the dates you will be across the border, and we will quote the price and deposit for the whole rental. Requests are confirmed in WhatsApp or Telegram within 15–20 minutes, from 9:00 to midnight.

How to get to Turkey without a rental car

• By bus or minibus — they leave Batumi for Turkey every day, and Trabzon is a few hours away.
• By transfer to Sarpi — go to the border crossing and continue on Turkish transport.
• On foot for a day — cross at Sarpi, see the Turkish side and return the same evening.
• With a car rented in Turkey — the easiest option if you want to drive on the Turkish side.

Leave the bulk of your luggage at the hotel in Batumi and ask at reception where the nearest departure point is, and check the last bus back if you return the same day. If you plan to stay a night or two in Turkey, time the rental so it starts after you come back, and the car will not stand idle in Batumi.

Gonio, Sarpi and the road to the border

The road south from Batumi runs along the sea to Gonio, with its Roman fortress, and on to Sarpi, the last village before the border, known for its clear sea. It is one of the easiest drives from the city, with beaches and seaside cafés along the way. Even if you do not cross, this stretch is worth half a day. In summer, parking near the fortress is limited, so go in the morning or towards evening.

A plan that includes both

Five days are enough to see Adjara by car and still spend a day in Turkey, and a five-day rental comes with a discount shown on the site:

• Day 1 — Batumi, the boulevard and Gonio Fortress on the southern coast, with a swim at Gonio beach.
• Day 2 — Makhuntseti waterfall and Queen Tamar Bridge in the Adjara mountains, an easy half-day with a picnic by the river.
• Day 3 — a bus to Trabzon and back, with the car resting at the hotel for the day.
• Day 4 — the Botanical Garden on Green Cape and the calm beaches of Kobuleti.
• Day 5 — Kutaisi and the canyons on the road towards Tbilisi, or a slower day by the sea.

Mileage is unlimited, so the days by car add no charge for kilometres. Mountain roads are allowed on all our cars except premium models and low sedans. The insurance never covers tyres or the underbody, and you pay for their repair, so drive rough stretches slowly. If the sea is rough on the beach day, swap it with the mountains.

What to check before crossing the border

• Your passport — check the minimum validity Turkey requires for it.
• A visa — if your nationality needs one for Turkey; check it before the trip.
• Medical insurance — worth having one that is valid in Turkey.
• Cash or a card — Turkish lira or a card for the bus, food and small purchases.
• The return timetable — saved on your phone, in case the signal drops.

Keep your hotel address in Batumi on your phone for the way back, and pack a power bank: a timetable saved on a dead phone is no help.

In short

Send a request through the Batumi page with your dates, and mention a Georgian residence permit if you plan to drive abroad.