|
Tbilisi Directory
- თქვენს მიერ წარმოდგენილი საიტი ნაწილობრივ მაინც უნდა შეეხებოდეს საქართველოს
- გთხოვთწარმოადინოთ საიტის ლოგო
- გთხოვთ მიუთითოთ საიტის შესაბამი კატეგორია.
|
|
Operation
Presently the system
consists of 2 lines, 22 stations on 26.4 kilometers
of track. 20 stations are below ground and two are
surface level. 16 Stations are deep level and 4
shallow level. Due to Tbilisi's uneven landscape,
the metro, particularly the Gldani-Varketili line,
in two cases goes above ground.
In 2005 it was
estimated that a total of 105.6 million people used
the Metro. Although the platforms are accommodated
for five-carriage train currently 4 and 3 carriage
trains are used on lines 1 and 2 respectfully. The
car models are identical to those of other ex-Soviet
Metros. The cost per token is 20 tetri and remains valid for the whole duration.
Trains run from 6:00 am till 1:00 am with intervals
ranging between 4 minutes and 2.5 during peak times.
History
Tbilisi (officially known as Tiflis until 1936),
capital of Georgia, was always considered to be the
fourth city of the Soviet Union, particularly of its
political position as being the capital of the
republic (Georgian
SSR) from which many of the top Soviet
politicians came from (notably Joseph Stalin). Also
the city grew quite rapidly during the 19th and 20th
century and apart from being a cultural centre and a
political one was also an important transport hub in
Transcaucasia and an industrial centre as well. All
this amounted to the need of a rapid transit Metro
system.
Construction began in
1952, and on 11 January, 1966, the Tbilisi Metro was
triumphantly opened becoming the first and only
Metro system in Georgia and the fourth one in the
former Soviet Union (after Moscow, Saint Petersburg,
and Kiev), when the first six stations were opened.
Since then the system has steadily grown to a two
line 22 station network.
During the 1990s, most
of the Soviet-era station names were changed,
although the financial difficulties since the
breakup of the Soviet Union hit the Metro
particularly hard in its infrastructure, operations
and extensions. Until recently, the Metro has been
lacking of funds and operated in severe difficulties
due to poor electrical supply.
It had also become
infamous for widespread petty crime, like pick
pocketing and mugging. In addition, there have been
several incidents at metro stations in recent years.
On October 9, 1997, a former policeman blew himself
up at Didube station. On February 14, 2000, a teenager threw a
homemade hand grenade into a metro station, injuring
several people. In March 2004, several people were
poisoned by an unidentified gas while using the
Metro. Tbilisi overview from TripAdvisor
However, the crime has
reduced as a result of security and administration
reforms in the system from 2004 to 2005. Other
services have also significantly improved.
Currently, the Tbilisi
Metro system is undergoing a major rehabilitation
process including the reconstruction of the stations
as well as modernization of trains and other
facilities. The city's 2006 budget allocated 16
million lari for this project. President of Georgia, Mikhail
Saakashvili, promised to make the Metro most
prestigious public transport and charged Director
General of Tbilisi Metro, Zurab Kikalishvili, in
late 2005, to bring the metro to European standards by 2007
Future
The system has also an
advanced extension plan, with a third line, amongst
other locations, encompass the district of Vake.
Forming a typical Soviet triangle with three-line
six radii layout intersecting in the city centre.
However, most of the construction sites remain
frozen, some dating to the Soviet times.
Read more about Tbilisi from TripAdvisor
|
|
|
Find the best deal, compare prices and read what other travelers have to say about hotels in Tbilisi
Read Articles and what other people are saying about Tbilisi |
|
 |
|
|
