Europe's major airports sit 30-60 km from their city centres. Jumping into the first taxi can easily cost $80-110 — money easily saved with a bit of planning. This guide covers the quickest and most affordable transfer options at the airports most commonly used by travellers from Tbilisi.
Istanbul — IST Airport (New Istanbul Airport)
- Metro M11: IST to Gayrettepe (city centre) in 38 minutes, ~$2; the fastest and cheapest option
- Havabus airport shuttle: various city stops; $3-4; 60-90 minutes depending on traffic
- Uber/Bolt: $15-25; useful for late-night arrivals when metro is less frequent
- Official yellow taxi: three to four times the metro price — skip it unless you have heavy luggage
Paris — CDG Airport (Charles de Gaulle)
- RER B train: CDG to Gare du Nord in 35 minutes, ~$12; the standard choice for most travellers
- CDG Express (expected 2026): CDG to Gare du Nord in 20 minutes, ~$26; fast but pricier
- Roissybus: CDG to Opera in ~75 minutes; $18; departs every 15-20 minutes
- Taxi: fixed tariff — $58 to the Right Bank, $63 to the Left Bank; reliable but costly
London — LHR Airport (Heathrow)
- Elizabeth Line (Crossrail): LHR to Paddington in 30 minutes, ~$17; the best value fast option
- Heathrow Express: LHR to Paddington in 15 minutes, $40+; book online for the best price
- Underground (Piccadilly line): LHR to central London in 50-60 minutes, ~$8; cheapest but slowest
- National Express coach: LHR to Victoria Coach Station ~70 minutes; $11-18
Amsterdam — AMS (Schiphol)
- NS Intercity train: AMS to Amsterdam Centraal in 17 minutes, ~$6; every 15 minutes, right inside the terminal
- Taxi: $45-65; convenient for late-night arrivals or heavy baggage
- Bus 397: AMS to city centre in ~30 minutes; ~$6
Schiphol is Europe's most convenient transfer airport — the train station is directly inside the terminal building.
Other European airports: quick reference
- Barcelona (BCN): L9 metro — 32 min, $6; Aerobus — 35 min, $7
- Rome Fiumicino (FCO): Leonardo Express to Termini — 32 min, $16
- Berlin (BER): S-Bahn S9 to city centre — 45 min, ~$4
- Vienna (VIE): CAT City Airport Train to Wien Mitte — 16 min, $15; U-Bahn U3 — 25 min, $3
- Prague (PRG): Bus 119 + Metro A to centre — 40 min, ~$2; cheapest in Europe
Transfer strategy tips
For early-morning or late-night flights where public transport does not run, pre-booking a Bolt or Uber 1-2 hours before landing is the safest option. For destinations with a direct rail link inside the terminal — Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Zurich — the train is always the right choice. Travel365's city guides for Istanbul, Paris, Barcelona and London each include detailed transfer information for that destination.
Buy a multi-day transit card on arrival — it covers the airport transfer and all city travel, and usually works out cheaper than separate tickets.
Tags
