Hearse hire explained - what the service actually covers
A hearse service means dignified, safe and lawful transport of the deceased in a specialised vehicle built for exactly that purpose. Sanitary rules do not allow a body to be carried in an ordinary car or van, and doing so would also be emotionally hard on the family. Our funeral vehicles are fitted with coffin restraints, a refrigerated compartment and a separate cabin for the people travelling with the deceased, and each one is disinfected after every journey.
People often think of a hearse as just a car, but for us it is a complete service. It includes the driver, two staff members to carry the coffin, fuel, waiting time and all the equipment needed: a stretcher, a spare shroud, gloves, disinfectant and a protective covering for staircases. The crew brings everything a family might need in those first hours, so you do not have to phone a second time.
Transport of the deceased is possible in any direction:
- from a hospital, clinic or forensic morgue to the family home or to a funeral hall;
- from the home to a morgue, if no farewell at home is planned or if embalming needs special conditions;
- on the funeral day itself: house or hall first, then church, then cemetery, with the vehicle waiting through the panikhida (the memorial service);
- from the cargo terminal at Tbilisi or Kutaisi airport in repatriation cases;
- from Tbilisi to the regions, from the regions to Tbilisi, and by road to neighbouring countries;
- within Georgia for exhumation and reburial from one cemetery to another.
If you prefer, you can hire the hearse for the whole day, so the vehicle stays at the family's disposal at every stage of the procession and you do not need to plan each trip separately from morning to evening.
Fleet overview: which vehicle suits which occasion
Our fleet is chosen so that different tasks are matched by different vehicles. Every car is in sound mechanical order, black or dark in colour, clean and disinfected inside, and our drivers are trained in the rules of driving in a funeral procession.
| Class | Vehicle | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Standard refrigerated hearse | Mercedes Vito, Mercedes Sprinter | Collection from a hospital, morgue or home; two to four seats for relatives; a cooled compartment for long distances |
| Extended hearse | Long-wheelbase Mercedes Sprinter | The funeral day, when up to six family members travel together; wreaths and flowers carried in the same vehicle |
| Premium black Mercedes | Built on the Mercedes E-Class and S-Class | A formal procession, the funeral of a public figure, or a family's wish to show particular respect |
| Bus for mourners | 20-seat Mercedes Sprinter, 50-seat Isuzu | Carrying mourners church-to-cemetery and afterwards to the wake, keeping the whole procession together |
Each hearse has a hydraulic or rail-mounted platform, so the coffin is loaded quickly and smoothly, and the restraints prevent any jolting on the road. In summer the refrigerated compartment is switched on for every single trip, and for journeys to the regions it runs regardless of distance.
Step by step: from your call to arrival
- A call to our hotline: the operator asks only as many questions as are truly needed - where from and where to, which floor, whether there is a lift, whether a coffin has already been chosen, and where the medical death certificate is right now. From these answers we choose the vehicle and the crew and give you the final price during that same conversation.
- The crew sets off: the hearse leaves from the base nearest to your district and arrives anywhere in Tbilisi in 40 minutes to an hour. On the way, the crew leader phones you to confirm the approach, the way into the courtyard and where to park.
- Documents checked on the spot: a staff member checks the medical certificate of death or the morgue's release form. If the certificate has not yet been issued, we contact the ambulance service or the hospital administration ourselves and sort it out, so the family is not left hanging on the phone.
- Placing in the coffin and loading: the deceased is wrapped in a shroud and laid in the coffin, and the crew carries it carefully out of the building to the hearse, with the staircase covered for protection. Relatives may be present or wait in the next room, whichever feels easier.
- The journey: the hearse drives at a moderate speed, with no detours and no sudden manoeuvres. Relatives ride in the cabin, and if you wish the procession can stop briefly by the house or the church for a short farewell.
- Delivery and payment: at the destination the crew places the coffin on its stand or in a refrigerated coffin, or hands it over to the morgue, and gives all accompanying papers to the responsible family member. Payment can be cash, card or a transfer - exactly the amount agreed on the phone.
Hearse prices in Tbilisi and what each fee includes
Our principle is full transparency: the price is fixed during the call, confirmed in writing, and nothing is added to it at night or on public holidays. There are no hidden charges, and fuel, the driver, two staff members and up to 30 minutes of waiting are part of every tariff.
| Service | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Standard hearse within Tbilisi, one way | from 150 GEL | Refrigerated hearse, driver and two staff, stretcher and equipment, up to 30 minutes of waiting |
| Funeral day: home, church, cemetery | from 250 GEL | Hearse for the whole procession, waiting during the panikhida, coffin carried to the graveside |
| Premium black Mercedes | from 400 GEL | Executive vehicle, floral decoration, seats for the family, an escort car on request |
| Airport reception | from 200 GEL | Meeting the coffin at the cargo terminal, help with customs paperwork, transport home or to a hall |
| Regions and all of Georgia | 1.5 GEL per kilometre | Distance counted both ways from Tbilisi, on-site waiting of up to two hours, refrigeration included |
| Bus for mourners | from 180 GEL | A 20-seat or 50-seat bus for the whole route of the procession, including the wake |
| Additional crew to carry the coffin | from 120 GEL | Four to six people for high floors, buildings without a lift or a heavy coffin |
Four things shape the final price. The first is distance: within the city the tariff is fixed, while trips to the regions are charged per kilometre. The second is the class of vehicle, since a standard and a premium hearse are priced differently. The third is waiting time, if the panikhida or the graveside ceremony runs longer than half an hour. The fourth is whether an extra crew is needed for upper floors. The operator clarifies all of this during the call, so no new figure appears when the vehicle arrives.
Paperwork you will need
Transport within Tbilisi needs only a few documents, but they cannot be skipped: moving a body without paperwork is against the law and causes trouble at any roadside check. For transport out of Georgia a full set is required, and our lawyer prepares it without you having to be involved.
- the medical certificate of death (form IV-106/a). After a death at home it is issued by the ambulance doctor or the family doctor; in hospital, by the attending physician or the clinic's administration;
- the ID card or passport of the deceased, which together with the certificate is needed by the morgue and by the Public Service Hall, which many locals still call the House of Justice;
- the ID of the applicant, meaning the family member who orders the service and signs the handover record;
- after a sudden or accidental death, or where the cause is unknown, permission from the forensic bureau or the police to release the body, which our representative obtains on your behalf;
- for transport outside Georgia, a civil death certificate (issued at the Public Service Hall), the embalming report, a sanitary permit and the record confirming that the zinc coffin was sealed.
If you do not have one of these documents yet, please do not worry: our staff member will go to the hospital, the forensic bureau or the Public Service Hall and collect it for you. The Public Service Hall usually issues the death certificate on the same day.
Special situations and the places we collect from
Collection from a hospital or clinic
After a death in hospital, the body is usually moved to the clinic's refrigerated unit. Our crews know how every major clinic in Tbilisi works: which window issues the certificate and which entrance is used to carry the body out. The family member only needs to show an ID and sign.
Collection from the forensic morgue
After a sudden death the body undergoes a forensic examination, and the investigator's permission is needed before it can be released. We know whom to contact, the opening hours of the release office and how to speed things up within the law. In such cases our crew is already waiting for the family at the morgue at the agreed time.
Meeting a flight at the airport
In a repatriation, the coffin lands at Tbilisi airport and is released through the cargo section. Our hearse is parked there an hour before the plane lands, a staff member receives the customs declaration and the sanitary documents, and the coffin goes straight home or to the funeral hall without any needless wait at the terminal.
Tbilisi districts and the regions
In the city we are equally quick in Saburtalo, Vake, Didube and Digomi, Gldani, Nadzaladevi, Isani and Samgori, Varketili, Ortachala, Krtsanisi and Old Tbilisi. Outside the capital our most frequent trips are to Rustavi, Mtskheta, Gori, Telavi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi and Batumi, and to high mountain villages, where our drivers have experience on mountain roads.
Reasons families choose us
- Round the clock, 24/7: we answer at three in the morning and on Easter morning alike. Our vehicles are spread across different parts of the city, so 40 minutes to an hour is not a promise but everyday practice.
- Hands-on know-how: our crews know exactly how to bring a coffin down the narrow stairwell of a Soviet-era block, from a twelfth floor with no lift, or out of a courtyard a vehicle cannot enter.
- Transparency: the price is fixed during the call and confirmed in writing. No surcharges for night-time, holidays or an urgent call-out.
- Emotional support: our staff are trained to help relatives calmly and respectfully without asking unnecessary questions. Nobody will hurry you or push you into decisions.
- Mechanical reliability: every vehicle is inspected monthly, and a reserve hearse is always ready, so an unexpected breakdown can never disrupt your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly does the hearse arrive in Tbilisi?
Anywhere in Tbilisi within 40-60 minutes, whatever the hour. To Rustavi and Mtskheta within an hour, to other nearby towns in one to two hours; for distant regions we agree the departure time during the call, and the crew rings you back while on the road.
Is there room for family members in the hearse?
Yes - a standard hearse seats two to four relatives and the long-wheelbase version up to six, in a cabin separate from the coffin. For a large procession we offer a bus that follows the hearse to church, then to the cemetery and finally to the kelekhi, the traditional Georgian wake meal.
Do you take the deceased to another city or country?
Yes, we work throughout Georgia and also travel by road to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. For long distances we use air repatriation and take care of all the paperwork from start to finish.
Can we move the body in our own car?
The law and sanitary rules do not allow it: a body may only be transported in a specialised funeral vehicle with a refrigerated compartment that is disinfected after use. Besides, at a roadside check you would need the death certificate and the carrier's documents.
Is there a surcharge at night, at weekends or on holidays?
No. Our tariff is the same seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day. The amount we quote on the phone is final.
What if we have not chosen a coffin yet?
The crew brings a standard coffin and shroud so that transport is not delayed. Later, when things are calmer, you can choose a different model and we will deliver it to the home or the hall, deducting the cost of the first coffin.
You are not alone in these minutes. Our round-the-clock hotline, +995 568 33 03 18, is answered straight away: a hearse will be with you within the hour, the price is settled while you speak, and the crew will handle the journey gently and calmly, so your thoughts can stay with your family.