Alexander wan2ted EvsinOn 4 October 2026 snow fell on the road to Tusheti, and the Roads Department of Georgia banned all traffic over the Abano Pass. Four days later the road reopened, but only for four-wheel-drive vehicles. Last year such interruptions went on until 6 November, and then the road was closed until summer.
In this article we explain which mountain roads in Georgia close in winter, when they reopened in spring 2026, what happens on the road to Kazbegi, and when the new road with a tunnel under the Jvari Pass will be finished.
How mountain roads are closed
Road closures in Georgia are announced by the Roads Department of the Ministry of Infrastructure. Every restriction, and every time traffic is restored, is posted in the restrictions feed on its website. The notices are published in Georgian, and road sections are given by kilometre. For sections with avalanche risk, the notices refer to the assessment of the National Environmental Agency.
A road is rarely closed all at once. Usually trucks with trailers and semi-trailers are banned first, then only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed through, and only after that is the section closed to everyone. The wording of the notices repeats, and it tells you whether an ordinary car will get through.
| Wording in the notice | What it means |
|---|---|
| ყველა სახის ავტოტრანსპორტის მოძრაობა აკრძალულია | Closed to all vehicles |
| დასაშვებია მხოლოდ მაღალი გამავლობის (ორი და მეტი წამყვანი ხიდის მქონე) ავტოტრანსპორტის მოძრაობა | Only vehicles with two or more driven axles, that is four-wheel drive, may pass |
| მოცურების საწინააღმდეგო ჯაჭვების გამოყენებით | Snow chains required |
| მისაბმელიანი და ნახევრადმისაბმელიანი ავტოტრანსპორტის მოძრაობა აკრძალულია | Vehicles with trailers and semi-trailers banned, cars may pass |
| გაუჩერებლად გავლის რეჟიმი | You may drive through but must not stop on the section |
| მოძრაობა აღდგა | Traffic restored |
A separate rule covers winter tyres. From 1 December to 1 March, tyres with the snowflake symbol are required on the sections listed in Government Decree No. 526, which include every road in this article. The requirements and fines are covered in detail in the article on winter tyres.
The Jvari Pass: the road to Kazbegi in winter
The Jvari Pass (Cross Pass) is at 2,379 metres. The Georgian Military Road crosses it on the way from Tbilisi to Stepantsminda (Kazbegi) and the Russian border at Upper Lars. Traffic is stopped most often on the section from Gudauri to the village of Kobi, between kilometres 93 and 107. Avalanches come down the slopes here, and vehicles pass this stretch through concrete avalanche galleries.
A gallery on the Georgian Military Road, January 2020. Photo: Robot8A, Wikimedia Commons
From January to April 2026 the department announced 13 times that the Gudauri – Kobi section was closed to all vehicles. Trucks were stopped even more often. In 12 of the 13 cases the reason was high avalanche risk, in one a blizzard and poor visibility. The longest closure lasted almost four days: traffic was banned on the afternoon of 26 February, and cars were let through only on 2 March.
The Gudauri resort itself lies before this section, so on such days it can usually still be reached from Tbilisi. The Mleta – Gudauri section is then usually open in no-stopping mode. The exception was 27 February 2026: because of avalanche risk the whole section from Mleta to Kobi was closed, and vehicles were let through to Gudauri again on the morning of 28 February.
When the pass is closed, trucks cannot reach the border at Upper Lars. In February 2025 the road through Lars was closed for six days in a row because of bad weather in Georgia, and according to Sputnik Armenia more than two and a half thousand trucks were waiting in the queue.
«Всего в очереди, по последним данным, зарегистрированы 2542 фуры из разных стран».
"According to the latest data, a total of 2,542 trucks from different countries are registered in the queue."
Sputnik Armenia, 22 February 2025
Kvesheti – Kobi: the new road is promised by the end of 2028
Since September 2021 a new road has been under construction from the village of Kvesheti to Kobi, bypassing the avalanche section. The department's notices say that once it opens, traffic towards Kobi will no longer need to be restricted in winter. According to Roads Department data as of 5 October 2026, the project is 23 kilometres of two-lane road, five tunnels and five new bridges. The 9-kilometre main tunnel has already been bored, and electromechanical systems are being installed in it. One of the most complex structures of the project is an arch bridge 166 metres above the floor of the gorge; the two halves of its arch are due to be joined by the end of October. The project costs 1.2 billion lari and is financed by the state budget, the Asian Development Bank and the EBRD. The contractor, according to Sputnik Georgia, is the Chinese company China Railway 23rd Bureau Group.
The opening date has been moved several times. In September 2025 Infrastructure Minister Revaz Sokhadze said that the section to Gudauri would open in early 2026 and the whole road in early 2027. In August 2026 he gave a different date.
„ვერ ვიტყვით, რომ კონტრაქტორთან პრობლემები არ გვაქვს. გვქონდა გარკვეული შეფერხებები ვადებთან დაკავშირებით, ასევე გვქონდა და გვაქვს შენიშვნები ხარისხთან მიმართებით. […] გვაქვს მოლოდინი, რომ პროექტი 2028 წლის ბოლოსთვის დასრულდება“.
"We cannot say that we have no problems with the contractor. There were certain delays with the deadlines, and we have had and still have remarks about quality. […] We expect the project to be completed by the end of 2028."
Revaz Sokhadze, Minister of Infrastructure of Georgia, 14 August 2026
The five-kilometre access road to Gudauri has not opened either: in July 2026 the department reported that construction was still going on. This means that in winter 2026/27 traffic to Kazbegi and the border will again use the old road over the pass. Once the new road opens, the department estimates that Kvesheti to Kobi will take 15 minutes instead of an hour, and Tbilisi to Stepantsminda 1 hour 45 minutes instead of 2.5 hours.
The Abano Pass: the road to Tusheti
The 72-kilometre road to Tusheti starts in the Kakhetian village of Pshaveli, crosses the Abano Pass and ends in Omalo. The National Tourism Administration calls it one of the most difficult roads in the country: in 2013 the BBC included it in its list of the most extreme roads in Europe. In winter the road is sometimes closed from late October to late May, and the only way out of Tusheti is by helicopter.
View of the Tusheti road from the Abano Pass, June 2018. Photo: Moahim, Wikimedia Commons
In 2026 the road opened on 20 June, and since then only four-wheel-drive vehicles have been allowed on it. In autumn 2025 traffic was first banned on 13 October, then the road reopened once more for four-wheel-drive vehicles, and on 6 November it was closed until summer. In 2026 snow came earlier: on 3 October chains became mandatory on the section near the pass, on 4 October the road was closed completely, and on 8 October four-wheel-drive vehicles were let through again. How dangerous this road is and why most people drive it with a local driver is covered in the article on off-road routes. Helicopter flights to Tusheti are described in a separate article.
The Datvisjvari Pass: the road to Shatili
The Datvisjvari Pass is at 2,676 metres on the road from Zhinvali via Barisakho to Shatili, a fortified village in Khevsureti near the border with Chechnya. The first 52 kilometres, up to the village of Korsha, stayed open last winter. Beyond Korsha the climb to the pass begins.
The Datvisjvari Pass, October 2015. Photo: Karel61, Wikimedia Commons
Part of this road was first closed by snow on 13 October 2025, the same day as in Tusheti: the Khakhmati – Lebaiskari section was closed to everyone, and only four-wheel-drive vehicles were allowed on the rest. On 2 December traffic was banned from Khakhmati to Shatili, and on 25 December on the whole section from Korsha. The road reopened on 9 June 2026, again for four-wheel-drive vehicles only. In autumn 2026, up to 14 October, no snow restrictions had been introduced here.
Goderdzi, Zekari and the road beyond Bakuriani
In the south and west of the country three passes close in winter. Each one is a short cut between regions, but each has a detour along the main roads.
Goderdzi: from Batumi to Akhaltsikhe
The Goderdzi Pass is on the Batumi – Akhaltsikhe road, on the border of Adjara and Samtskhe-Javakheti. The Goderdzi ski resort operates next to the pass. According to the National Tourism Administration, snow lies here from early November to April.
The Goderdzi Pass, late May 2016. Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, Wikimedia Commons
On 13 December 2025 a blizzard led to the closure of the section from the Goderdzi resort to the village of Utkhisubani, and below the resort only four-wheel-drive vehicles were allowed. Cars were let back onto this section on 27 April 2026. The road from the pass to the Beshumi resort was closed on 18 December and reopened only on 16 June.
In September 2026 the Minister of Infrastructure promised that the pass would no longer be closed in winter.
„გოდერძის უღელტეხილზე, როგორც იცით, ზამთრის პერიოდში მოძრაობა ხშირად იკეტება. ჩვენ შევიძენთ შესაბამის ტექნიკას და შემდგომში, ზამთრის პერიოდში განვახორციელებთ მოვლა-შენახვას, იმისთვის, რომ მოძრაობა მუდმივად იყოს გახსნილი“.
"As you know, traffic on the Goderdzi Pass is often closed in winter. We will purchase the necessary equipment and from now on maintain the road in winter so that traffic stays open all the time."
Revaz Sokhadze, Minister of Infrastructure of Georgia, 17 September 2026
When the pass is closed, drivers go from Batumi to Akhaltsikhe via Kutaisi, Khashuri and Borjomi.
Zekari: from Baghdati to Abastumani
The Zekari Pass links Imereti with Abastumani in Samtskhe-Javakheti. On 13 December 2025 heavy snowfall led to a traffic ban from the Sairme resort to Abastumani and on the road from Tskaltashua to the pass. In 2026 the highest stretch, kilometres 78 to 88, reopened on 9 June, and only for four-wheel-drive vehicles. In winter people reach Abastumani via Borjomi and Akhaltsikhe.
Bakuriani – Akhalkalaki
The road from Borjomi to Bakuriani was not closed last winter. The section that closed was further on, from Bakuriani over the Tskhratskaro Pass to the village of Ghadolari and Akhalkalaki. Last season this section was closed by snow on 13 December 2025 and reopened on 22 June 2026, for four-wheel-drive vehicles only.
Ushguli and the Zagari Pass
Ushguli in Upper Svaneti can be reached two ways: from Mestia, or from Lentekhi over the Zagari Pass. The road over Zagari, the Ushguli – Lasdili section, is closed in winter: last season traffic on it was banned on 27 December 2025 because of heavy snowfall.
The road from Mestia to Ushguli is not closed for the whole winter, but the Kala – Ushguli section is blocked because of avalanches and rockfalls. In February, March and April 2026 this happened five times, each time for between half a day and two days. From 23 April buses and vehicles with trailers were banned on the Mestia – Ushguli road, and cars on the Ulakhi – Ushguli section were allowed through only with chains.
Rikoti and Gombori: passes that stay open in winter
Not every pass closes for the winter. The main road from Tbilisi to Kutaisi and Batumi crosses the Rikoti Pass at 996 metres. A 1,722-metre tunnel runs under the pass. Last winter this road was never closed to cars. During snowfall only trucks with trailers and semi-trailers were banned from the section with the pass. Between late December 2025 and early March 2026 this happened six times, and each time the ban was lifted within a few hours or the next day. For example, on 26 February trucks were stopped in the evening and let through again on the morning of 27 February, once the road had been cleared.
The Gombori Pass on the direct road from Tbilisi to Telavi is open in winter, but during snowfall only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed on the Verona – Telavi section. This happened on 14 January and 27 February 2026, and on 28 February the section was closed to everyone for a few hours.
On the night of 7 October 2026 rocks fell onto the road at kilometre 26, and traffic was banned. On the morning of 8 October the road reopened, but the dangerous section may only be driven without stopping. The department has announced a tender to rebuild the first 26 kilometres of the road, including this section. When Gombori is closed, drivers reach Telavi along the Kakheti highway via Sagarejo and Gurjaani.
Frequently asked questions
When does the pass to Tusheti close? The road over the Abano Pass is usually closed for the winter in late October or November: in 2025 this happened on 6 November. It reopens in late May or June; in 2026 it opened on 20 June.
Can you drive to Gudauri in winter? Yes. Gudauri lies before the avalanche section, and on days when the pass is closed the resort can usually be reached from Tbilisi, driving the Mleta – Gudauri section without stopping.
Can you drive to Kazbegi in winter? Yes, but the Gudauri – Kobi section is closed because of avalanche risk. From January to April 2026 it was closed to all vehicles 13 times, and the longest closure lasted almost four days.
When will the new Kvesheti – Kobi road open? According to the latest statement by the Minister of Infrastructure, in August 2026, by the end of 2028. Earlier the date given was early 2027.
How do I check whether a mountain road is open? In the restrictions feed on the website of the Roads Department of Georgia, georoad.gov.ge. Notices are published in Georgian. The department's hotline is 032 2 31 30 76.
Do I need snow chains to drive in the mountains in winter? On a car, chains do not replace winter tyres, but during snowfall the department may allow traffic on a section only with chains. This happened on the roads to Tusheti and Ushguli.
What car do I need for mountain roads in winter? A four-wheel-drive one. When there is a lot of snow on a pass, the department often lets through only vehicles with two driven axles and bans everyone else.
The Tbilisi fleet includes four-wheel-drive cars for mountain roads: the Toyota Land Cruiser 300, the Lexus LX 600 and the Land Rover Defender. Cars are delivered anywhere in Tbilisi in about half an hour; the terms are on the delivery page. If you would rather not drive over the pass yourself, you can book a car with a driver.
The concierge answers on WhatsApp and Telegram at +995 557 437 034 and by email at concierge@autohub.ge. Name the model and the dates; documents and the deposit are checked before delivery.
Cover photo: trucks on the Georgian Military Road, January 2020. Robot8A, Wikimedia Commons
