Transport

During our tour, we will travel in an air-conditioned bus.

Although the map shows that Armenia is a small country, distances can take longer to travel than expected. Not many highways exist and it takes time to wait out cattle crossings, dodge potholes and wind our way up narrow mountain roads. In general the main roads are OK, but some parts can be in poor repair or under construction. What this means is that initially holes are drilled in a rectangular shape and then filled months later over a stretch of several kilometres. The problem is solved by creative slalom driving. Luckily traffic is not very dense in the countryside.

Outside Yerevan fuel and spare parts supplies are limited. It is possible to rent a car but not recommended if one doesn’t understand Armenian. Driving standards of the average Armenian can be described as ‘creative’ and unpredictable.

Minibuses run on standard routes. They leave from bus terminals spread over the city and leave when the bus is full. Fares are very low.

In Yerevan there are buses, minibuses (standard fare is about €0.20) and taxis.

The destination is marked on the minibuses, but then you would have to be able to read Armenian!

The easiest choice is to use taxis. They are very inexpensive. Rides in the centre of Yerevan cost 600-1000 dram. Outside the centre, 100 dram per kilometre.

A good option is to rent a taxi for a half- or full-day tour. Taxis do have meters, although solo drivers might not have one. If a company’s telephone number is printed on the taxi door, then most likely the car has a meter.