Crowning Tbilisi at roughly 770 metres above sea level, Mtatsminda Park is the city’s giddiest, most family-friendly viewpoint, part fairground, part panoramic terrace. You reach it by climbing aboard a heritage funicular railway that hauls you up the “Holy Mountain” in a few minutes, past a middle station where Georgia’s writers and heroes lie buried. At the top you’ll find a Ferris wheel, a cluster of rides, cafes and one of the best free-range views over the Old Town, the Kura River, Narikala Fortress and the golden dome of Sameba Cathedral. This guide covers the funicular route and fares, the card system, ride prices, the summit cafe, the Pantheon and the smartest time to go.
Mtatsminda Park at a glance
- What it is: An amusement park and viewpoint on Tbilisi’s highest peak, with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, carousel and dozens of rides.
- Elevation: The summit sits at about 770m; the funicular’s upper station is around 727m.
- Getting up: Historic funicular from the lower station on Daniel Chonkadze Street, plus a cable car and city buses.
- Funicular fare: About 10-12 GEL one-way, plus a rechargeable Mtatsminda Card (around 2 GEL).
- Funicular hours: Roughly 09:00 to midnight; summer schedules run later, winter hours are shorter.
- Best for: Families, couples and anyone chasing sunset views.
The historic funicular railway
The funicular is half the fun and a piece of living history. Opened in 1905, it climbs the steep slope of Mtatsminda on twin cable-hauled carriages that pass each other midway. The lower station sits on Daniel Chonkadze Street, a short walk from Rustaveli Avenue, and its handsome building, all arched windows and Art Deco flourishes, is a landmark in its own right. The line covers roughly 500 metres of track with an elevation gain of more than 250 metres, and the ride to the top takes only a few minutes. Carriages generally run every 10 minutes or so, and because it hugs the hillside you get a rising panorama the whole way up.
Payment works through a rechargeable plastic Mtatsminda Card. Buy the card at the ticket desk (around 2 GEL) and top it up with cash or a bank card, then tap for each boarding. According to the Tbilisi Local Guide, a one-way funicular ride costs about 10 GEL, and helpfully, two or more people can travel on the same card. The same card also covers the separate Rustaveli–Mtatsminda cable car and, at the top, the fairground rides, so it’s worth loading a little extra credit at the start.
Funicular hours and seasons
Hours shift with the season, so check before a late trip. Broadly, the funicular runs from morning until around midnight, with summer schedules stretching later into the night and winter hours closing earlier. The travel guide Wander-Lush lists summer hours of about 09:45 to 23:30 and winter hours of roughly midday to 21:00. If you’re aiming for the evening lights, arrive with a buffer so you’re not caught by the last descent.
The Mtatsminda Pantheon on the way up
The funicular makes one stop partway up the mountain, and it’s worth breaking your journey here. The Mtatsminda Pantheon of Writers and Public Figures, established in 1929, is the resting place of many of Georgia’s most celebrated poets, novelists, artists and scholars, including the national writer Ilia Chavchavadze and the mother of Joseph Stalin. Tucked around the small St David’s Church (Mamadaviti), the terraced graves are set with intricate carved headstones and offer a quiet, shaded viewpoint over the rooftops. The Pantheon is generally open daily from around 09:30 to 18:00, and entry is free, making it an easy, meaningful pause between the base and the summit.
Rides, the Ferris wheel and prices
At the top, Mtatsminda Park spreads across the plateau beneath the TV Tower. The signature attraction is the Ferris wheel, whose air-conditioned cabins deliver a slow, sweeping view over the entire city; expect to pay around 10 GEL for a spin. Beyond it you’ll find a roller coaster, a log flume, carousels, bumper cars, a haunted castle and gentler rides for little ones. There’s no general entrance fee to walk around the park itself, you simply pay per ride.
Rides are paid through the same card system: load credit onto your card and tap at each attraction. Individual rides typically run from about 1 GEL up to 5 GEL for the bigger thrills, so a family can spend an afternoon here without a large outlay. If you plan to ride a lot, top up generously at the start to save queuing at the recharge desk. Prices and ride availability can change seasonally, and some attractions close in winter or bad weather.
Cafes and the restaurant at the top
The summit isn’t short of places to eat. The grand Funicular Complex building houses a restaurant with terrace seating and those headline views, ideal for a leisurely lunch or a sunset drink. For something quicker and cheaper, Cafe Funicular is famous for ponchiki, Georgian cream-filled doughnuts, alongside coffee and snacks. Wander-Lush notes the cafe opens daily from around 13:00 (midday at weekends) until roughly 20:30. Scattered kiosks and bars around the park keep families fed between rides.
Best time to visit
Sunset is the golden hour here, quite literally. Arrive an hour or so before dusk to enjoy the park in daylight, then watch Tbilisi glow as the streetlights, Narikala Fortress and Sameba Cathedral light up below. Late spring through early autumn offers the warmest evenings and the fullest run of rides, while weekday visits are noticeably quieter than weekends. If you prefer atmosphere over crowds, a clear winter morning delivers moody, misty views, though some rides may be closed. Whenever you go, take a light layer, it’s cooler and breezier at the top than down in the city.
Walking up vs the funicular
You don’t have to take the funicular, though it’s the most atmospheric option. A well-trodden footpath winds up from near the base through pine woods, taking roughly 40 to 60 minutes at a steady pace and rewarding you with viewpoints along the way, a good choice for active travellers who want to earn their doughnut. Prefer wheels? Bus #390 runs up to the top from the Freedom Square area for about 1 GEL, and a ride-hailing taxi costs somewhere around 20 GEL. Many visitors take the funicular up for the experience and hop on the bus or walk down, or vice versa.
Getting to the base station
The lower funicular station sits on Daniel Chonkadze Street, an uphill 10-to-15-minute walk from Rustaveli metro station and Rustaveli Avenue. From the Old Town or Freedom Square it’s a pleasant stroll through the leafy streets below Mtatsminda, or a short taxi ride if you’d rather skip the climb to the station. Once you’ve had your fill of the summit, it’s easy to fold the trip into a wider day out; see our guide to the best things to do in Tbilisi, plan a family day with our Tbilisi with kids tips, or slot it into a longer 3 days in Tbilisi itinerary.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Mtatsminda funicular cost?
Budget roughly 10-12 GEL each way, on top of the 2 GEL or so for the reloadable park card that every rider needs. One card happily serves a whole group, and any leftover credit works on the cable car and the rides up top.
What are the funicular’s opening hours?
It depends on the season: expect service deep into the night in summer (to about 23:30) and a much shorter midday-to-21:00 window in winter. Leave yourself a comfortable margin before the final car heads down, particularly after a sunset visit.
Is Mtatsminda Park good for families?
Very much so. Walking in costs nothing, you only pay per attraction at pocket-money prices, and there is something for every age, from toddler carousels up to the big wheel and coaster. Kids usually rate the ride up the mountain as the best part.
Can you walk up to Mtatsminda instead of taking the funicular?
Yes. Allow somewhere between 40 minutes and an hour on the forest path, or catch bus #390 for about a lari. Going up by rail and coming down on foot is a popular way to get both experiences.
Last checked: July 2026. Prices, hours and ride availability can change seasonally, so confirm current details before you visit.
Featured image: Vyacheslav Argenberg (CC BY 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
Leave a Reply