Yerevan + Tbilisi: two Caucasus capitals in one trip
250 kilometres apart and a shared border. Flying into one and out of the other beats two separate tickets — and puts an overnight mountain train inside your itinerary.
Why it works
Yerevan and Tbilisi are two of the cheapest destinations out of Russia, and the flights cost about the same. Taking them separately means paying for a return flight twice; combined, you fly once and cross between the capitals overland. For Russian passports both are visa-free with room to spare: Armenia 180 days per year, Georgia 365 days in a row.
How to split the days
Four nights in Yerevan, five in Tbilisi. Four is enough for the Cascade, the Matenadaran, Garni and Geghard in one trip out, and a day at Lake Sevan. Tbilisi wants more because Mtskheta, Kakheti and Kazbegi are all within reach. Do Yerevan first: Tbilisi has more return flights and they are cheaper.
Getting between them
The overnight Yerevan–Tbilisi train takes about 10 hours and runs every other day (more often in summer) — the calmest option: you go to sleep in one country and wake up in another. A minibus does it in 6 hours for less; flying saves almost nothing once you count the airports. Tick “Train” next to “Plane” in the form and the planner will show the overland leg with a link to the timetable.
When to go
May–June or September–October. Yerevan regularly passes 35 °C in summer and handles it worse than Tbilisi — there is little shade. Autumn brings the grape harvest in Kakheti and pomegranates plus open mountain passes in Armenia. Winter is cheap, but the roads to Sevan and Kazbegi can close.
Moscow → Yerevan → Tbilisi
Route and nights go into the form — adjust the date and passengers.