Metromoney and Bank Cards: Tbilisi's Bank-Run Fare Payment System

🤖 AI-generated summary · ◆ 16 sourced claims · 🔎 Last verified

This overview was generated with AI from the public sources listed below and checked against them before publication. It has not had a complete human fact-check — treat it as a starting point and follow the sources.

16 sourced claims on this page, none individually verified yet — turn on “Sources in the text” to see each one.

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Tbilisi's bus ticket machines were bought by a bank, not the transport operator. In 2022 the city doubled the single fare to GEL 1 and tied it to 90 minutes of free transfers.

Evidence🏛️ Official
what does this mean?The strongest source is the operator's or the city's own reporting — an official report, dataset or press release. It grades who did the looking — not how well the project went. All four grades →
Scale🏙️ City-wide
FundingThe 2008 ticket machines for Tbilisi's buses were purchased by Bank of Georgia, not by the transport operator.

Part of 1001 Smart Cities — 1,222 documented projects · 🏙️ 5 more in Tbilisi · 🎫 Smart ticketing guide · 🚲 Mobility projects

Tbilisi's metro, bus and cable-car fares run through a payment system the city has left to a commercial bank. In 2008 the buyer of 1400 ticket machines for its buses, taking contactless cards and coins, was Bank of Georgia rather than the transport operator, and in 2017 the bank won the exclusive right to upgrade the payment system. Riders tap the Metromoney card or a bank card; in July 2019 cards from Bank of Georgia, VTB and Cartu bank were accepted, with TBC to follow. Since 1 February 2022 a fare of GEL 1 buys 90 minutes of unlimited travel, passes run from a day to a year, and minibuses joined the joint payment system. Paying by mobile app or cash forfeits the 90-minute package. In 2019 the bank also completed a trial of paying by face at metro gates.

Live 📅 since 2008

Sources

↗ Evertiq — Mikroelektronika delivers new ticketing system for Tbilisi (2008)Published 9 September 2008Trade press report that the Czech manufacturer Mikroelektronika signed a contract to supply 1400 compact ticket machines for Tbilisi's local buses, accepting contactless cards and coins, with implementation from October; it notes that the purchaser was not the transport operator but Bank of Georgia.
↗ Georgia Capital — JSC Bank of Georgia wins the exclusive right to upgrade the public transportation payment system in Tbilisi (2017)Published 1 August 2017Company news item from the bank's former parent group, dated 1 August 2017, announcing that JSC Bank of Georgia won the exclusive right to upgrade Tbilisi's public transport payment system. The archived page carries the headline and date only.
↗ The Messenger — Tourists to pay with foreign bank cards in Tbilisi busses, metro (2019)Published 12 July 2019Report on the Deputy Mayor's statement that fares could already be paid with the Metromoney card and with bank cards of Bank of Georgia, VTB and Cartu bank, that TBC would be added shortly, and that the city aimed to accept foreign cards; the one-way fare was then 50 tetri.
↗ Biometric Update — Georgia completes trial of face biometrics payments for subway system (2019)Published 18 December 2019Trade press, based on the vendor Riddletag's announcement: testing of face-recognition payment in the Tbilisi metro was completed in partnership with Bank of Georgia, which provides financial services to the transit system; riders enrol through the bank's app, the system was expected to go live at one station and the bank planned to extend it to 30 more stations.
↗ Civil.ge — Public Transport Prices to Hike as Tbilisi Introduces Subscription System (2021)Published 22 December 2021News report on the Mayor's announcement of a subscription-based fare system from February 2022, unified across buses, metro and blue and yellow minibuses: a 90-minute pass for GEL 1, twice the previous tariff, plus daily, weekly, monthly, three-month, six-month and yearly passes, with discount categories kept.
Show 2 more sourcesShow fewer
↗ FactCheck.ge — Pensioners and the new Tbilisi transport passes (verdict on an MP's claim, 2022)Published 14 February 2022Independent fact-check of an MP's claim that pensioners would need loans to buy the new passes: it states that from 1 February 2022 the single fare became GEL 1 instead of GEL 0.5, that minibus service was included in the joint payment system, and that pensioners keep the reduced 20-tetri fare and need no pass; verdict: lie.
↗ Tbilisi Transport Company — Standard tariffThe operator's current fare rules: GEL 1 for 90 minutes of unlimited travel on metro, bus, minibus and the Bagebi-University ropeway, payable with the Metromoney card or bank cards; passes from 1 day (GEL 3) to 1 year (GEL 250); paying by mobile application or cash does not give the 90-minute package.

📅 How old is the evidence?

Two clocks, kept apart: when this entry’s sources were published, and what has happened to its record in the atlas. Documented span: since 2008. 6 of 7 sources carry a publication date, from 9 September 2008 to 14 February 2022.

When the sources were published

  1. Evertiq · pressEvertiq — Mikroelektronika delivers new ticketing system for Tbilisi (2008)
  2. Georgia Capital · vendorGeorgia Capital — JSC Bank of Georgia wins the exclusive right to upgrade the public transportation payment system in Tbilisi (2017)
  3. The Messenger · pressThe Messenger — Tourists to pay with foreign bank cards in Tbilisi busses, metro (2019)
  4. Biometric Update · pressBiometric Update — Georgia completes trial of face biometrics payments for subway system (2019)
  5. Civil Georgia · pressCivil.ge — Public Transport Prices to Hike as Tbilisi Introduces Subscription System (2021)
  6. FactCheck Georgia · ngoFactCheck.ge — Pensioners and the new Tbilisi transport passes (verdict on an MP's claim, 2022)

Every source, with links ↑

What happened to this record

  1. Entered the record
  2. Sources last read

Every revision, permanent →

Show your work What this page rests on and what it can’t tell you · all 16 claims with their sources · the forensic record

Evidence file · public beta 16 addressable claims, 7 source dossiers, one permanent baseline. The file is unreviewed — an AI-assisted structural migration, not a human or expert endorsement. Every revision keeps a permanent copy under revision history.

Inspect the claims, one by one — verbatim text, sources and caveats for all 16

The text below is copied verbatim from the published record. Each claim names the source dossiers that carry it; caveats stay attached to the claim they qualify.

Claim 1 clm-1d5dd5bbb613db37 descriptive
Tbilisi's metro, bus and cable-car fares run through a payment system the city has left to a commercial bank
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The bank's group announced that JSC Bank of Georgia won the exclusive right to upgrade Tbilisi's public transport payment system.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Georgia Capital — JSC Bank of Georgia wins the exclusive right to upgrade the public transportation payment system in Tbilisi (2017)
Claim 2 clm-5bcf4a7a9c601776 quantitative
In 2008 the buyer of 1400 ticket machines for its buses, taking contactless cards and coins, was Bank of Georgia rather than the transport operator
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The trade report names Bank of Georgia, not the transport operator, as purchaser of 1400 compact ticket machines for local buses that accept contactless cards and coins.
Caveat
The report describes the contract and a planned start in late 2008; it does not record the system going live.

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Evertiq — Mikroelektronika delivers new ticketing system for Tbilisi (2008)
Claim 3 clm-4b1b813ed2c971a2 quantitative
in 2017 the bank won the exclusive right to upgrade the payment system
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
Dated 1 August 2017, the item announces the bank's win of the exclusive right to upgrade the payment system.
Caveat
The archived item preserves only the headline and date; the terms of the right are not stated there.

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Georgia Capital — JSC Bank of Georgia wins the exclusive right to upgrade the public transportation payment system in Tbilisi (2017)
Claim 4 clm-98ec8b9982da6984 descriptive
Riders tap the Metromoney card or a bank card
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The operator's fare rules say the fare can be paid with the Metromoney card or with bank cards.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Tbilisi Transport Company — Standard tariff
Claim 5 clm-78ca5588889456c9 quantitative
in July 2019 cards from Bank of Georgia, VTB and Cartu bank were accepted, with TBC to follow
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The Deputy Mayor said cards of Bank of Georgia, VTB and Cartu bank were already used for fares and TBC would be added shortly.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Messenger — Tourists to pay with foreign bank cards in Tbilisi busses, metro (2019)
Claim 6 clm-64a9a552b68a6ec6 quantitative
Since 1 February 2022 a fare of GEL 1 buys 90 minutes of unlimited travel
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The fact-check dates the new fare to 1 February 2022; the operator's tariff gives GEL 1 for 90 minutes of unlimited travel.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. FactCheck.ge — Pensioners and the new Tbilisi transport passes (verdict on an MP's claim, 2022)
  2. Tbilisi Transport Company — Standard tariff
Claim 7 clm-3c12910d2b15367b descriptive
passes run from a day to a year
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The tariff lists passes from 1 day (GEL 3) to 1 year (GEL 250).
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Tbilisi Transport Company — Standard tariff
Claim 8 clm-7bf6bb944704ec70 descriptive
minibuses joined the joint payment system
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The fact-check states that minibus service was included in the joint payment system; Civil.ge reports the system unified across buses, metro and blue and yellow minibuses.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. FactCheck.ge — Pensioners and the new Tbilisi transport passes (verdict on an MP's claim, 2022)
  2. Civil.ge — Public Transport Prices to Hike as Tbilisi Introduces Subscription System (2021)
Claim 9 clm-4d0ba55f24e90134 quantitative
Paying by mobile app or cash forfeits the 90-minute package
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The operator's fare rules exclude the 90-minute package when paying by mobile application or cash.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Tbilisi Transport Company — Standard tariff
Claim 10 clm-762b4f3e05216892 quantitative
In 2019 the bank also completed a trial of paying by face at metro gates
Published field
snippet · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The report says testing of face-recognition payment in the Tbilisi metro was completed in partnership with Bank of Georgia, with riders enrolling through the bank's app.
Caveat
The report rests on the vendor's announcement; the bank planned to extend the system to more stations, and no source here records how far it went.

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Biometric Update — Georgia completes trial of face biometrics payments for subway system (2019)
Claim 11 clm-6d2d26101387056c quantitative
The 2022 reform made a 90-minute ride cost GEL 1, twice the previous tariff
Published field
impact · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
Civil.ge reports the 90-minute pass at GEL 1, twice the current tariff for the same travel.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Civil.ge — Public Transport Prices to Hike as Tbilisi Introduces Subscription System (2021)
Claim 12 clm-1f6900948a0451af quantitative
FactCheck.ge, testing an opposition MP's claim that pensioners would need loans to buy passes, found that the discounted fares were kept: pensioners still pay 20 tetri and need no pass, and it rated the claim a lie
Published field
impact · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The fact-check finds pensioners keep the 20-tetri fare and need no pass, and rates the MP's claim a lie.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. FactCheck.ge — Pensioners and the new Tbilisi transport passes (verdict on an MP's claim, 2022)
Claim 13 clm-4b7dbea0ca253242 descriptive
The ticket machines were bought by Bank of Georgia and the upgrade right went to the bank
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
Evertiq names the bank as purchaser of the 2008 bus ticket machines; the 2017 item announces its exclusive upgrade right.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Evertiq — Mikroelektronika delivers new ticketing system for Tbilisi (2008)
  2. Georgia Capital — JSC Bank of Georgia wins the exclusive right to upgrade the public transportation payment system in Tbilisi (2017)
Claim 14 clm-ae75ba8efc27f03f quantitative
in 2022 City Hall rebuilt the tariff around a 90-minute fare and time passes and folded the minibuses into the joint payment system
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
Civil.ge reports the Mayor's subscription-based system from February 2022 with a 90-minute pass and time passes; the fact-check confirms minibuses joined the joint payment system.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Civil.ge — Public Transport Prices to Hike as Tbilisi Introduces Subscription System (2021)
  2. FactCheck.ge — Pensioners and the new Tbilisi transport passes (verdict on an MP's claim, 2022)
Claim 15 clm-49e03a1b52922543 quantitative
in 2019 the gates took cards from three banks while a fourth was still to be added
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
In July 2019 cards of Bank of Georgia, VTB and Cartu bank were in use, with TBC to be added shortly.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. The Messenger — Tourists to pay with foreign bank cards in Tbilisi busses, metro (2019)
Claim 16 clm-8138a2f6f2fe6d9b descriptive
the bank used the gates for its own face-payment trial
Published field
lesson · verbatim
Mapping
mapped · no interpretation or interpolation added by this file
What the mapping says
The face-payment test in the metro ran through a partnership with Bank of Georgia, enrolled via the bank's app.
Caveat
No claim-specific caveat recorded

Sources carrying this claim

  1. Biometric Update — Georgia completes trial of face biometrics payments for subway system (2019)
Forensic record — source dossiers, gaps, hashes and the exact revision this page renders

This layer records what is known about each source, what is still missing, and the exact snapshot this page is rendering. A missing date, archive or hash stays visible as missing.

unreviewed Revision 2026-11-04-baseline effective 2026-11-04 · created 2026-11-04

Awaiting operator and domain-expert review; publication of this revision implies neither.

sha256:d95c0cc16b5bdc42681faa85bf1f7445c82dbf940e786d0fd0d682fb27e49bba
16
of 16 claims mapped
7
source dossiers
6
publication dates recorded
0
archives linked
0
exact locators
0
content captures hashed

Governance facts carried by the record

Operator
Tbilisi Transport Company (owned by Tbilisi City Hall) runs the metro, buses and cable cars; Bank of Georgia holds the exclusive right, won in 2017, to upgrade the public transport payment system
Actor types
city-government, private
Funding model
Not recorded
Funding description
The 2008 ticket machines for Tbilisi's buses were purchased by Bank of Georgia, not by the transport operator.
Cost
Not recorded
Ownership
Not recorded
Decision rights
Not recorded
Exit conditions
Not recorded

7 source dossiers

Evertiq — Mikroelektronika delivers new ticketing system for Tbilisi (2008) evertiq.com · 2 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-0b3cb39da66f2492
Publisher
Name not classified · evertiq.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2008-09-09
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-11-04
Dossier created
2026-11-04
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Trade press report that the Czech manufacturer Mikroelektronika signed a contract to supply 1400 compact ticket machines for Tbilisi's local buses, accepting contactless cards and coins, with implementation from October; it notes that the purchaser was not the transport operator but Bank of Georgia.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Georgia Capital — JSC Bank of Georgia wins the exclusive right to upgrade the public transportation payment system in Tbilisi (2017) georgiacapital.ge · 3 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-4a2c3cf9fa5545d4
Publisher
Name not classified · georgiacapital.ge
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2017-08-01
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-11-04
Dossier created
2026-11-04
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Company news item from the bank's former parent group, dated 1 August 2017, announcing that JSC Bank of Georgia won the exclusive right to upgrade Tbilisi's public transport payment system. The archived page carries the headline and date only.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
The Messenger — Tourists to pay with foreign bank cards in Tbilisi busses, metro (2019) messenger.com.ge · 2 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-cf60f1c8cea8a109
Publisher
Name not classified · messenger.com.ge
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2019-07-12
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-11-04
Dossier created
2026-11-04
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Report on the Deputy Mayor's statement that fares could already be paid with the Metromoney card and with bank cards of Bank of Georgia, VTB and Cartu bank, that TBC would be added shortly, and that the city aimed to accept foreign cards; the one-way fare was then 50 tetri.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Biometric Update — Georgia completes trial of face biometrics payments for subway system (2019) biometricupdate.com · 2 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-fe1f551113eea544
Publisher
Name not classified · biometricupdate.com
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2019-12-18
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-11-04
Dossier created
2026-11-04
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Trade press, based on the vendor Riddletag's announcement: testing of face-recognition payment in the Tbilisi metro was completed in partnership with Bank of Georgia, which provides financial services to the transit system; riders enrol through the bank's app, the system was expected to go live at one station and the bank planned to extend it to 30 more stations.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Civil.ge — Public Transport Prices to Hike as Tbilisi Introduces Subscription System (2021) civil.ge · 3 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-09b3071fa9c494d7
Publisher
Name not classified · civil.ge
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2021-12-22
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-11-04
Dossier created
2026-11-04
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

News report on the Mayor's announcement of a subscription-based fare system from February 2022, unified across buses, metro and blue and yellow minibuses: a 90-minute pass for GEL 1, twice the previous tariff, plus daily, weekly, monthly, three-month, six-month and yearly passes, with discount categories kept.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
FactCheck.ge — Pensioners and the new Tbilisi transport passes (verdict on an MP's claim, 2022) factcheck.ge · 4 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-0252335342d3e676
Publisher
Name not classified · factcheck.ge
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
2022-02-14
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-11-04
Dossier created
2026-11-04
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

Independent fact-check of an MP's claim that pensioners would need loans to buy the new passes: it states that from 1 February 2022 the single fare became GEL 1 instead of GEL 0.5, that minibus service was included in the joint payment system, and that pensioners keep the reduced 20-tetri fare and need no pass; verdict: lie.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Tbilisi Transport Company — Standard tariff ttc.com.ge · 4 linked claims

Open original source ↗

Stable source ID
src-7d46a1ba90d21c46
Publisher
Name not classified · ttc.com.ge
Type / language
web-page · language not classified
Published
Not recorded
Updated
Not recorded
Source last checked
No source-level check date
Record last verified
2026-11-04
Dossier created
2026-11-04
Retrieved copy
No local capture recorded
Archive
No archived copy linked
Content hash
No captured content hash
Locator
Open the recorded source note

The operator's current fare rules: GEL 1 for 90 minutes of unlimited travel on metro, bus, minibus and the Bagebi-University ropeway, payable with the Metromoney card or bank cards; passes from 1 day (GEL 3) to 1 year (GEL 250); paying by mobile application or cash does not give the 90-minute package.

Descriptive only — not page/paragraph exact
Known limits of this file
  • Publisher names and source languages have not yet been classified; domains are recorded without guessing.
  • Existing source notes are descriptive locators, not page- or paragraph-exact citations.
  • A missing archive, publication date or content hash is shown as null rather than inferred.
  • The project-level evidence grade ranks the strongest source in the entry; it is not a truth score for every claim.
📎 Cite this project

1001 Smart Cities (2026). “Metromoney and Bank Cards: Tbilisi's Bank-Run Fare Payment System” — Tbilisi, Georgia. The Smart City Atlas. https://1001smartcities.org/projects/tbilisi-metromoney-fare-system/ (last verified 2026-11-04). Data: CC BY 4.0.

The underlying data is free to reuse with attribution — see the open data page.

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