Overview
As of summer 2024, this border crossing looks like it's completely fallen apart. Since grocery shopping in Turkey is much cheaper than in Georgia, especially the poorer segments of the Georgian population come here daily to do their shopping. Our guide warned us it would be bad on the way there, but we really weren't expecting this. People literally hop on a bus in the morning, ride to the border crossing, walk across, get on another bus to the nearest BIM or A101 (discount supermarkets), grab their strained yogurt, and head back home. At the border, you'll see all sorts of characters hauling massive black garbage bags stuffed with goods.
Getting There
Unlike European border crossings, everyone except the driver has to get out and go through the border on foot in a queue. Inside it's a chaotic, sweltering mess with no air conditioning and absurd lines. The Turkish side at least maintains an orderly queue, but the Georgian side is a complete disaster. No queue whatsoever, everyone crammed together, people looking for any chance to cut in line. If you're even slightly non-confrontational, there's no way you're getting through — that's how chaotic it is. Since the daily shopping crowd tends to be from Batumi's least educated demographic, things get even more complicated.
I've crossed borders overland through plenty of countries that could be considered developing nations (Peru-Bolivia, Zimbabwe-Zambia for example), and I've never seen a border crossing this poorly organized and chaotic. Best of luck to anyone crossing with small children.
Tips & Advice
Do yourself a favor and absolutely do not enter Batumi by road. Fly.