Despite having a rich and ancient history, a delicious cuisine, a lively arts scene and beautiful natural landscapes, Armenia remains a woefully under-visited destination. Make the journey, though, and you’ll come away feeling like you’ve unearthed a closely guarded secret.
Your gateway to Armenia is Zvartnots International Airport (EVN), often called Yerevan Airport. Located just outside the capital, it’s a relatively small operation with a single terminal.
Zvartnots originally opened in 1961 but got a major makeover in 2011, complete with a sleek new terminal with glass panels in red, blue and yellow – the colors of the Armenian flag. Zvartnots mostly handles flights from Europe and the Middle East.
How to get to and from Yerevan Airport
Zvartnots International Airport is located on the southwestern edge of Yerevan, a short distance from downtown. You’ve got a couple of easy options to get into the city, depending on your budget and tolerance for adventure.
Getting to and from EVN by public transportation
The N201 Elitebus express bus runs between EVN and the city center. You’ll find it outside the arrivals hall. The airport sits on Yerevan’s southwestern edge, only 7 miles from downtown. The bus runs every 30 minutes from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm. Overnight service continues with the N100 route, running every 60 minutes from 10:00 pm to 6:50 am.
Payment is flexible - you can use cash (Armenian drams), electronic QR tickets through TelCell, paper QR tickets, or bank cards (VISA/Mastercard) right on the bus. The N201 fare is just 300 AMD, which is very inexpensive. The bus makes several convenient stops throughout the city center.
Getting to and from the airport by taxi
Taxis offer another option for getting into the city. While more expensive than the bus, if you’re used to US or Western European prices, it’s still cheap.
If you don’t want to figure out how to get to your hotel after the bus drops you off, a taxi is worth it.
Inside the arrivals hall on the first floor, you’ll find an Eco Taxi counter that’s open 24 hours. They offer clear pricing for rides into the city.
Outside the airport, you’ll find independent taxi drivers. A bit bleary-eyed after a late-night arrival, I accidentally stumbled into their world on my first visit and had to haggle down their quoted prices. It wasn’t ideal, but even if your bargaining skills are as bad as mine, these taxis still won’t bust your budget.
Essential services at Yerevan Airport
Zvartnots isn’t flashy, but you’ll find all the essential services you need. I was mildly apprehensive before my first visit since Armenia isn’t a common tourist destination, but the airport delivered on the basics.
The arrivals hall has everything you need to get started, including banks and ATMs for currency exchange, cell service providers for local phone service, and other essential services.
The storage service is handy if you’re in and out of Yerevan quickly.
Hopefully you’ll be sticking around this fascinating country a bit longer, though. If you are and need help with planning, the tour company Hyur Service has an outlet in the arrivals area. It can arrange hotels, transportation and tours to monasteries, wineries and other popular sites.
Airport lounges at Yerevan Airport
Yerevan Airport has two lounges: the Business Lounge and the VIP Lounge. The Business Lounge sits on the fourth floor of the departures hall and stays open 24 hours.
Business class passengers get automatic access. You can also enter with Priority Pass, LoungeKey, DragonPass, or a Diners Club International card.
If you don’t tick any of those boxes, you can purchase a three-hour pass on the airport website for 20,000 AMD or directly at the lounge for 25,000 AMD cash. The lounge has large windows overlooking the runway, which is great if you’re a plane buff. It also has showers, a smoking room and complimentary snacks and drinks.
All in all, the lounge offerings are pretty basic. For a price that’s comparable to what you’d pay for some lounges at JFK or Heathrow (LHR), it’s probably not worth the splurge.
The same goes for the VIP Lounge, which costs double what the Business Lounge does but doesn’t give you double the amenities. You get a bottle of local wine, a nice touch, but the vibe is more upscale dentist office waiting room than luxe jet-setter space. The main step-up is the service, which includes a dedicated check-in counter, security and customs, plus baggage porter service.
Things to do at Zvartnots International Airport
When I flew through Zvartnots, I found it more functional than fun. While check-in and security were a breeze, there wasn’t a whole lot to do before my flight.
You’re better off eating before heading to the airport. Food options are limited, with just a few cafés and restaurants in the terminal.
Besides, Armenian food is excellent, and you won’t find many places outside the country serving proper lavash (flatbread) and khorovats (shish kebabs).
If you need to grab some last-minute souvenirs, there’s a duty-free shop. I recommend skipping the usual stuff and grabbing a pakhlava (Armenian baklava) from the town of Gavar and a bottle of the country’s famous brandy or local pomegranate wine.
Be sure to also stop by the ArtAm Gallery on the second floor of the departures hall. It displays painting and photography by Armenian artists, from established creators to talented youngsters.
Other airports in Armenia
Zvartnots is Armenia’s primary airport, but the country does have two other, much smaller airports. If you’re traveling to the northwest, you might transfer through Zvartnots to Shirak Airport (LWN) in Gyumri. Besides Yerevan, Shirak also services flights to and from Moscow.
In the country’s far southeast, tiny Syunik Airport (YUK) in Kapan connects with Yerevan. Intrepid travelers who venture this way can explore the 9th-century Tatev Monastery and medieval cave dwellings in the town of Goris.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
