Telavi is about two to three hours from Tbilisi by road, depending on whether you take the shorter Gombori Pass route or the longer road through Gurjaani. Marshrutkas run from Tbilisi's Ortachala area, and shared taxis are common when enough passengers gather.
Within Kakheti, Telavi is best handled by car or taxi. The distances to nearby monasteries and wineries are short, but public transport is thin once you leave the main roads.