There is one more way of getting out of town by car and that's in a shared taxi; a hybrid mode of transport that balances the comfort of a standard sedan/passenger van with ride-sharing. You'll see tons of them lined up alongside buses and marshrutkas at the Northern, Kilikia and Sasuntsi Davit stations.

 

Shared taxis are a great option if:

1) you're not able to find seats on a bus or marshrutka headed in your direction (usually unlikely), or

2) you can't afford a private driver but want to get to your destination quickly and wouldn't mind riding with strangers.

 

This method of transport works best when you're headed to a major town or city, since demand for these routes are high. If your final destination happens to be near one (say within 10/15 km), drivers may be willing to get you there at no additional cost or a slightly higher price. And if they're not, you can always find a taxi from wherever you're dropped to continue your journey.

 

To take a shared taxi, look for drivers. They'll either be seated in their personal cars waiting for customers or conversing/congregating among each other over a cigarette and coffee nearby. Approach them and say where you're trying to go. And if your destination isn't a major town or city they're familiar with, show it to them on a map. It increases your likelihood of finding a driver who already has customers headed in that general direction.

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Fares in shared taxis vary by distance and number of ride-sharers. Once the car is full, you'll be on the road in no time, sharing snacks and laughs with complete strangers along the way.

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Geghard, 1.2016