In Yerevan, getting around won't dent your budget at all. There is a tidy Soviet-built metro line, brand-new city buses, and app-based taxis that often cost less than a cup of specialty filter coffee. Here is how city transit works, how to get from Zvartnots Airport without getting ripped off, and how to catch cheap rides to Lake Sevan or Garni Temple.
011. Yerevan Metro: Clean, Fast, and 100 AMD
The Karen Demirchyan Metro is your ultimate lifesaver during evening traffic jams. It consists of a single line: 10 stations stretching 12 kilometers from north to south. No confusing labyrinths, no overwhelming crowds. Trains have just two cars, run every 4–6 minutes, and offer a cool underground escape from the blistering summer heat.
- Price: A flat 100 ֏ (~$0.25). Grab an orange token at the booth or scan a QR code at the turnstile.
- Key tourist stops: 'Yeritasardakan' (Opera House and Cascade), 'Hanrapetutyan Hraparak' (Republic Square), and 'Sasuntsi David' (Central Railway Station).
- Operating hours: Daily from 06:30 AM to 11:00 PM.
022. City Buses, Trolleybuses, and Minivans
Yerevan has modernised its bus fleet with sleek green and blue MAN and Zhongtong buses. Equipped with air conditioning, they reach every hilly neighborhood across town that the metro doesn't cover.
- Fare: 100 ֏ flat. Pay with exact coins when boarding or tap a transport card/QR code at the digital validator.
- Trolleybuses: Nostalgic, slightly slower, but charming and cost the exact same 100 AMD.
- Navigation: Bus routes and live arrival times work seamlessly on Yandex Maps and 2GIS.
033. Taxis: Yandex Go & Armenia's GG Taxi
Honestly, for most intra-city hops, taking a taxi is the easiest option. Cars arrive in 2 to 4 minutes anywhere downtown, and the bill rarely tops 3 or 4 dollars. The number one rule: never accept rides from unmetered touts waiting at street corners.
- Apps: Yandex Go and local favorite GG Taxi dominate the market (both support international bank cards and cash).
- Typical fares: A quick hop across Kentron (downtown) runs 800–1,200 ֏ ($2–3); longer trips to outer suburbs reach about 1,800 ֏.
- Local flavor: Yerevan drivers are famously chatty — by the time you reach the Matenadaran, you'll know where to eat the best khorovats in town.
044. Getting from Zvartnots Airport (EVN) to Downtown
Zvartnots International Airport is just 12 km west of central Yerevan. Transfers take roughly 20–25 minutes and operate 24/7.
- Express Bus №201: Runs around the clock every 30 minutes from outside the terminal directly to Yeritasardakan metro station. Cost: just 300 ֏ (~$0.75).
- App Taxi: Book via Yandex Go or GG Taxi to the designated pickup lane for 2,500–4,500 ֏ ($6–11).
- Official Airport Taxi Desk: Located inside the arrival hall, offering fixed-rate rides (around 4,000–5,000 ֏) if your phone lacks mobile data.
055. Day Trips: Intercity Minivans (Marshrutkas)
You don't need to rent a car or book an expensive tour to visit Garni pagan temple, taste Areni wine, or eat crawfish kebab at Lake Sevan. Minivans depart regularly from specific hubs around town.
- Northern Bus Station (North Bus Station): Minivans to Dilijan, Lake Sevan, Ijevan, and Vanadzor (1,000–1,500 ֏).
- Sasuntsi David Station (South): Transport heading south towards Khor Virap Monastery, Areni, and Yeghegnadzor.
- Gai Avenue Stop (Gai Poghots): Minivans №266 and №284 run every 30 minutes straight to Garni Temple for 400–500 ֏.
066. Trains: The Gyumri Express & Summer Sevan Line
Yerevan's neoclassical Sasuntsi David Railway Station is an architectural gem on its own. South Caucasus Railways operates clean, comfortable trains connecting the capital with key destinations.
- Yerevan — Gyumri Express: High-speed electric train reaching Armenia's cultural capital in 2 hours for 2,500 ֏.
- Summer Lake Sevan Train: Runs on weekends in July and August all the way to Shorzha on the eastern shore.
- International sleeper train: Year-round overnight service to Tbilisi (extending to Batumi's Black Sea coast in summer).
077. Car Rental & Mountain Driving Tips
For ancient cliffside monasteries like Tatev or canyon hikes, renting a car offers unmatched freedom. Highways to Sevan, Garni, and Dilijan are freshly paved and smooth for standard sedans.
- Driver's License & Rules: Standard foreign licenses are accepted; driving is on the right-hand side.
- Yerevan Parking: Downtown spots marked with red stripes are paid parking zones (100–200 ֏/hr, payable via SMS or street parking meters).
- Rental rates: Compact cars start around 12,000–18,000 ֏ per day.
Transport Fares in Yerevan (2025–2026)
- Single metro ride (token / QR): 100 ֏ (~$0.25 / €0.23)
- City bus or trolleybus ride: 100 ֏ (~$0.25 / €0.23)
- Airport Express Bus №201 (Zvartnots to city center): 300 ֏ (~$0.75)
- Taxi ride across city center (Yandex Go / GG): 800–1,500 ֏ ($2–4)
- Taxi from Zvartnots Airport to center via app: 2,500–4,500 ֏ ($6–11)
- Minivan (Marshrutka) Yerevan — Lake Sevan: 1,000–1,500 ֏ ($2.5–4)
- Minivan to Garni Temple (from Gai Ave): 400–500 ֏ (~$1)
- Daily compact car rental: from 12,000–18,000 ֏ (~$30–45)
What matters
- Between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM, bypass surface gridlock between Baghramyan and Republic Square by hopping on the metro for 100 AMD.
- Yandex Go accepts international cards seamlessly, but keeping cash on hand is handy for smaller local cabbies.
- Skip the airport arrival hall touts offering 'cheap taxi, my friend' — order through an app to the terminal drop-off level instead.
- For minivans to Garni Temple, head to the bus stop opposite the Mercedes showroom on Gai Avenue; they leave every half hour.
- Keep a few 100-AMD coins in your pocket: city bus drivers prefer exact change over breaking large 5,000-AMD banknotes.
- If you rent a car to explore the south (Tatev, Jermuk, Goris), opt for a crossover with extra ground clearance for rugged scenic detours.