The largest bus companies in Georgia have increased fares on most routes, citing rising fuel costs.
Metro Georgia increased the ticket price by 5 GEL on all routes, Georgian Bus raised the fare from 25 to 30 GEL from March 30, and Omnibus Express has so far limited itself to the Tbilisi-Kutaisi route, also adding 5 GEL to the ticket price in both directions.
Georgian Bus emphasized that despite the price increase, discounts for round-trip tickets and group trips are still available. Carriers attribute the price increase to the rise in fuel prices amid global tensions in the Middle East and rising oil prices in world markets.
Since the beginning of March, the cost of fuel at gas stations in Georgia has increased by 17–75 tetri per liter, which directly affected the prices of bus transportation. The company notes that further tariff adjustments are possible if the fuel situation continues to worsen.