Transport & Accessibility

Getting to Oni is fairly straight-forward, but has its limitations. The 2021 Sackhere-Oni road has enhanced connectivity, shortening the distance and time to travel from Tbilisi, though considerations about road signs and capacity are pertinent. Oni is approximately 300 km from Tbilisi (about a 6 hour journey), accessible by driving or taking a marshrutka from Didube Station for around 25 GEL. Marshrutkas departing from Tbilisi and Kutaisi provide a cost-effective mode of travel. Driving distances to major cities like Kutaisi (100 km, 3-4 hours) contribute to the overall accessibility of Oni. 

Public transport to more remote areas within the destination, such as Shovi or Glola, is limited and typically requires personal transport arrangements with Oni being the closest accessible point for reliable public transport. The marshrutkas sometimes continue on to Glola, but it must be requested of the driver. There is an Oni-Glola local marshrutka route, but may have limited availability except on market days (Wednesday). While hitchhiking is feasible during peak traffic periods, transportation options may vary, emphasizing the need for flexibility and planning.

It should be noted that 42% of stakeholders selected road maintenance and construction as a top 5 priority in municipal services and infrastructure needs. Especially considering the reconstruction needed along the Glola-Shovi road after the 2023 landslide.

Opened in 2017, the Ambrolauri airport, situated 30 km away, was revived in efforts to stimulate tourism. It is owned and operated by United Airports of Georgia, a state-owned company.  Vanilla Sky Airlines operates out of the airport and flies several times a week to one destination, Natakhtari airfield, which is about 40 minutes north of Tbilisi.  A one-way ticket costs 50 GEL. 

Developing transportation infrastructure and services to and within the region may be considered a key strategy or objective to pursue.  Action items may range from road maintenance to information distribution, from adding more consistent or standard public transportation within the destination (such as a tourism loop route in peak season) to capacity building and training of transportation service providers in customer service and other topics. Distn