Garni

A minibus, known locally as a “marshrutka,” runs to Garni from the outskirts of Yerevan. For current departure times—which aren’t usually fixed—it’s best to use the Yandex Maps mobile app, both in Yerevan and in the surrounding villages and towns.

From the city center, you can get to the departure point for the minibus to Garni by taking bus numbers 5 or 44, for example. Get off at the Gai stop and then walk to the stop marked as “Masiv–Garni–Goght” on Yandex Maps. On Google Maps, you’ll find it under the name “The Real Gai Bus Station.” The stop for bus number 266 to Garni is actually located here, even though it doesn’t look like a typical bus stop at first glance. The fare is 500 AMD, and payment is accepted only in cash, so be sure to have change ready. Somewhat unusually, you pay upon exiting, in this case at the “Temple of Garni” stop. The trip takes about 30 minutes, and the bus should run roughly every half hour in both directions during the day. I recommend checking the current times on Yandex Maps or asking the driver.

Admission to Garni Temple is 1,500 AMD, and you can pay by card here. They also offered me a guided tour for an additional 1,500 AMD, but I didn’t take it.
After visiting the temple, I definitely recommend stopping by Garni Canyon. It’s a pleasant 2-kilometer walk from the temple through the village. Admission to the canyon is 300 AMD.

Marshrutka No. 266 back to Yerevan departs from the same “Temple of Garni” stop, just on the opposite side. This means you can easily get there and back by public transportation—which is intended for people from the local villages—for a total of 1,000 AMD. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy the authentic local atmosphere—at least outside of peak season, tourists rarely take this route.

Khor Virap

The minibus to Khor Virap Monastery departs from the bus station near the main train station in Yerevan. You can easily get there from downtown by metro—get off at the Sasuntsi Davit station and turn right in the underpass. On Google Maps, the station is marked as “Intertown Bus Station,” and on Yandex Maps as “South Bus Station.”

There aren’t many buses here. In my opinion, the best option is marshrutka number 467, which departed at 9:00 a.m. that day. The fare is 500 AMD, and payment is accepted in cash only. The trip takes about 45 minutes. Again, I recommend checking current departure times on the Yandex Maps app. The marshrutka dropped me off at the turnoff to the monastery just before the village of Lusarat. From there, it’s about a 15-minute walk to the monastery. Entrance to Khor Virap Monastery is free. I would recommend taking this trip only in clear weather, when Mount Ararat is visible—the view is truly magnificent. Afterward, I took a walk to the statue of Gevork Chavush, which stands on the outskirts of the village of Lusarat. It’s less than a 30-minute walk from the monastery.

On the day of my visit, there was only one minibus returning to Yerevan, and that wasn’t until late afternoon, so after a moment’s hesitation, I decided to take a taxi to the town of Artashat, from where minibuses run regularly to Yerevan. There were plenty of taxi drivers there, even though it was a weekday during the off-season. I recommend agreeing on a price in advance—I paid 2,000 AMD, and the price shouldn’t exceed 3,000 AMD. Alternatively, you can use the Yandex Go app, which is considered fairly reliable. The minibus from Artashat to Yerevan cost me 300 AMD.