Georgia has no land border with the UK, so a British-plated car gets there by driving through Europe and Türkiye — roughly 4,300 km from London to Tbilisi. This page answers the questions people actually ask before making that trip: the route, entry rules, your UK driving licence, insurance, cost, and what changes if you're in a campervan or staying a month.
~4,300 km
London to Tbilisi by road
5–7 days
realistic driving time, not rushed
365 days
visa-free stay for UK citizens
from 15 GEL
Georgian car insurance, 15 days
Georgia allows UK passport holders to enter visa-free for up to 365 days — one of the most open visa policies of any country reachable by road from Europe. Always check current entry rules before you travel: gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/georgia.
A full UK driving licence is accepted in Georgia for tourists for a limited period after entry. For a long overland trip or an extended stay, carrying an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your UK licence is the safer option — IDPs are cheap and quick to get from the Post Office before you leave.
Georgia drives on the right, so a right-hand-drive UK car works but overtaking on mountain roads (notably the Georgian Military Highway) needs more care. There's no legal barrier to RHD vehicles — just factor it into route planning.
Eurotunnel Le Shuttle (Folkestone–Calais, ~35 minutes) or a Dover–Calais/Dunkirk ferry. Both take a right-hand-drive car without any special paperwork.
Most drivers route through France, Germany or Austria, and the Balkans (or Italy → Greece) toward Türkiye — 2–3 days of driving depending on stops.
Enter Türkiye at Kapıkule or via Greece/Bulgaria, then follow the coast road east through Samsun and Trabzon toward the Georgian border — Turkish transit insurance is bought at the Turkish border.
The Sarp–Sarpi crossing is open 24/7 and is where your Georgian compulsory car insurance and travel medical insurance must already be active — have both ready before you reach the barrier.
Visa, customs, and border rules can change — always confirm current requirements directly with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/georgia) before you travel. Georgian insurance pricing and coverage figures on this page reflect current published rates. Last reviewed: July 2026.
Choose the cover that fits you. Prices are per policy.
Budget 5–7 days of actual driving if you want a comfortable pace with overnight stops — it's roughly 4,300 km from London to Tbilisi via continental Europe and Türkiye. Doing it in 3–4 days is possible but means very long driving days; most overlanders spread it over 1–2 weeks to actually see the countries en route.
Typically: UK → France (Eurotunnel or ferry) → continental Europe (commonly Germany/Austria and the Balkans, or Italy→Greece) → Türkiye → Georgia via the Sarp–Sarpi border crossing on the Black Sea coast, about 20 km from Batumi. That's 5–8 countries depending on your exact path through Europe.
No visa is required. According to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office's travel advice for Georgia (gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/georgia), British citizens may visit visa-free for up to 365 days. Always check that page before travelling, since visa policy can change.
Yes, for tourists a full UK driving licence is valid for a limited period after you enter. If you're staying long-term, doing an extended overland trip, or want a paper trail every local official recognises, get a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit from a UK Post Office before you leave — it's inexpensive and valid alongside your UK licence.
Yes. Georgia is not part of the Green Card system that covers most of Europe, so your UK car insurance policy — comprehensive or third-party — simply stops applying at the Georgian border. Every foreign-registered vehicle needs Georgian compulsory third-party liability insurance (APPA) for the entire time it's in the country, checked electronically by number plate.
Yes — that's the whole point of buying it in advance. Fill in your vehicle and driver details, pay by card, and the policy is emailed to you as a PDF within minutes, so it's sorted before you even leave the UK. No need to find an insurance kiosk at the Georgian border.
The digital PDF on your phone is accepted at the Sarpi crossing and by Georgian police — no printout required, though keeping a paper copy in the glovebox as backup is sensible in case of a dead phone battery at a remote crossing.
It's priced by duration, not vehicle value or driver age: roughly 15 GEL for 15 days, 30 GEL for one month, and 120 GEL for a full year — a few pounds to about £35 at current exchange rates. Payment is by card in GBP; Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay all work through the checkout.
Buy the duration that matches your actual stay — the 1-month policy if you're passing through on a longer trip, or the 1-year policy if you're staying long-term or plan to re-enter Georgia multiple times within the year. The annual policy works out far cheaper per day than repeatedly buying short ones.
The insurance requirement is the same — Georgian compulsory cover for the vehicle, sized to your stay. Practically: fuel and service stations along the Turkish Black Sea coast and in Georgia are used to larger vehicles, but book campsites in Georgia in advance during summer, and check your vehicle's height against tunnel clearances on the route through the Alps or the Balkans if you're driving a tall motorhome.
Since 1 January 2026, every foreign visitor to Georgia — regardless of how they arrive — must hold valid travel medical insurance for their whole stay, covering at least $5,000 of outpatient emergency care and $30,000 of hospital treatment. This is separate from car insurance and applies to every person in the vehicle, checked at entry.
Card payments are processed securely online — Visa, Mastercard, and Apple Pay all work, charged in GBP or your card's home currency at your bank's exchange rate. No UK bank account or Georgian payment method is needed.
At Sarpi you'll need: your passport, the car's registration document (V5C for UK vehicles), your UK driving licence (plus an IDP if you have one), and proof of both Georgian car insurance and travel medical insurance — digital copies on your phone are accepted. The crossing is open 24/7 but can be busy in summer, so morning crossings are typically faster.
No. Georgia is not a member of the Green Card system that covers most of Europe and parts of the Middle East, so neither a standard UK comprehensive policy nor a Green Card extends to Georgia. A separate Georgian compulsory policy, bought specifically for the trip, is required.
Yes — via the Black Sea ports at Poti or Batumi, or by transporter through Europe and Türkiye. However it arrives, Georgian compulsory insurance is required from the point the car is registered or driven in Georgia, regardless of how it got there.