Budget hotel - hotels : Hotel Iliko, Gamsakhurdia
42, not far from Mashrutka (mini bus) stop Sarp. Dirty rooms, quite clean shower. 15 lari per night, possible to bargain down the price to 12 lari. In the west of Georgia you sometimes have to abruptly leave the business transaction and walk out to be able to bargain, these people will not easily let themselves do. There is drinking water on the inner court of the hostel.
Internet cafes in Batumi : Abachidze 48
Travel by train Batumi - Kutaisi : the train departs at 9:00, 4 hours. To travel to Kutaisi by this train is not recommendable for any other reason that the atmosphere in the wagon. The train moves very slowly and the arrival station is very far outside the centre of Kutaisi, from where you have to catch a bus. There is a television and Vcr on board but during my trip it was out of order.
Ferry Boat Batumi (Georgia) - Sochi (Russia) (see also Poti) : on tuesdays the small but fast Kometa boat leaves at 10am, arrival around 21:00 in Sochi. On fridays the small but slow ferry Svetlov departs at 17:00
(tickets 102 Lari) arriving around 8am
in Sochi. Both ferries pick up extra passengers in Poti before continuing to Russia. The tickets have to seat number, there for make sure that you are standing at the front and enter the boat among the first so that you can grab a seat. In Poti a second deck is opened for the new passengers. Info Batumi, phone 893-315481.
The Georgian customs asked for a fooi which is a "gift", they wanted 10$, I gave 4 Lari which they seamed happy with. Perhaps they would have let me through but in that moment I didn't feel like risking it. The Russian customs in Sochi was professional, although it took 3 hours to let off all the passengers. No questions where asked weather i was a businessman as it said on my Russian Visa.
The boat ride was not very pleasant, there was very little space and if the sea is as rough as in the case of my trip it's possible that you may be feeding the fish most of the trip.
In august is there often tornados on the Black sea. On Svetlov
is there only 1 WC for 180 passengers and a small snack room with sausages,
mashed potatoes and sauerkraut on a plastic plate. For more information about traveling in Russia,
see the Travel guide
Russia.
Budget hotel - hotels : Hotel Iliko, Gamsakhurdia
42, not far from Mashrutka (mini bus) stop Sarp. Dirty rooms, quite clean shower. 15 lari per night, possible to bargain down the price to 12 lari. In the west of Georgia you sometimes have to abruptly leave the business transaction and walk out to be able to bargain, these people will not easily let themselves do. There is drinking water on the inner court of the hostel.
