Book a night on an overnight sleeper train for a comfortable, safe and reliable way to get around Montenegro!

Our Montenegro Transportation guide tells you everything you need to know about getting to, from and around Montenegro. Taking a tour of Montenegro is an easy way to get around while experiencing the many exciting things to see & do across the region.

Check out our local transportation information in Bay of Kotor, Budva and Podgorica.

Montenegro Transportation Guide

Hundreds of planes land at Montenegro's Podgorica and Tivat airports during the high season, transporting thousands of visitors from the world over to enjoy Montenegro's beautiful summer. Getting to Montenegro by sea is a popular choice with many cruise ships docking at the port of Bar. Docking your yacht in one of the coastal zones marina's gives you the opportunity to explore the waters and towns at your leisure.

Getting to Montenegro

By Plane

Situated 12 kilometres south of Podgorica is the Podgorica International Airport. This is Montenegro's main airport. The airport now has a new and modern terminal building. Montenegro Airlines is the country's national carrier and there are regular flights from Podgorica to several important cities in Europe like Vienna, Paris, Rome, Belgrade, Zurich, Frankfurt, Budapest and Ljubljana. You can commute to and fro from the airport to the city centre by minibus which usually waits for its passengers in front of the terminal. You can also take taxis to the centre but they are definitely more expensive at 10+ Euros. There are also a few bus lines which connect the airport with other cities in Montenegro.

The Tivat Airport is the other important airport and this is located close to the city of Tivat on the Montenegrin coast. It is 20 kilometres from Budva and Herceg-Novi and 60 kilometres from Bar. The Tivat Airport has undergone terminal expansion and can now also handle night landings. There are regular flights to Belgrade from this airport. During the summer months there are additional charter flights to all major European cities.

You can also access Montenegro through the Dubrovnik airport in Croatia. This is a mere half-hour drive from the Montenegro border and from the coastal city of Herceg-Novi. All major airlines come to this airport and hence this is a good option for tourists to reach Montenegro.

By train

Travelling by train in Montenegro is the cheapest way to reach the country. There are regular passenger trains that start from Subotica and come via Novi Sad and Belgrade. The Belgrade-Bar railway connection is the main part of the Montenegrin Railway System. Trains also go through the cities of Bijelo Polje, Kolasin and Podgorica and terminate in Bar, Montenegro's main seaport. For 25 Euros you can also take overnight trains with sleeping cars, which must be booked in advance. These are a more comfortable alternative to travel to Montenegro.

When it opened in 1979, Montenegro had a state-of-the-art railway system including the Mala Rijeka viaduct (the highest railway viaduct in the world) and the 6.2 km long Sozina tunnel. But since 1990, the Montenegrin Railway System has faced a shortage of funds and this has resulted in the deterioration of the quality of service. Efforts are now underway to improve the railway system.

By Bus

Montenegro is also connected to neighbouring countries, with the exception of Albania, by bus transport on its highways. During summer more lines are added to meet the demand during the tourist season. Ticket prices are all under 25 Euros.

By Car

The European routes E65, E80, E762, E763 and E851 all pass through the country of Montenegro. However, if you are coming in from Serbia during the winter months then you have to be careful as the mountainous routes are not in very good condition. Roads in Montenegro do not match up to the standards of other European countries, mainly due to the economic crisis of the '90s. Hiring a cab to drive into the neighbouring countries can also be a problem as many car hiring companies do not provide this facility. Also, you will need a border pass to cross into these countries, which involves dealing with the bureaucracy.

By Ship

The main port in Montenegro is the Port of Bar. There are regular ferry lines which have operational services from Bar to places in Italy like Bari and Ancona. These are daily services and in summer the frequency is also increased. The average time taken to reach Bari is about 16 hours.

Getting Around Montenegro

By Train

There is a local train service which operates from Bar and goes through Podgorica and Kolasin and then through Mojkovac to Bijelo Polje. Though the quality of service may not be very high, it is still the cheapest way to travel from the north to the south and back. However, do exercise caution as the under-funding which has caused the deterioration in service and safety resulted in a major rail accident in 2006, causing the death of 47 passengers and 200 wounded casualties.

Tickets for train travel can be purchased even after boarding the train.

By Bus

Taking a bus is perhaps the best way to get around Montenegro. These are quite frequent, especially in the summer months. They are also safe and on schedule. Ticket prices to travel within Montenegro cost less than 15 Euros. Local buses in Montenegro usually have no air conditioning. It is also a common practice for people to smoke even on crowded buses.

Besides buses there are minibuses which stop at bus stations and are marginally cheaper. They are actually faster than regular buses and are also more comfortable.

By Car

There are no highways to talk of in Montenegro and all roads have only two lanes. The roads also do not measure up to European standards of roads. Drivers are loud and vocal and it is advised that you do not take things personally if a driver shouts at you.

The roads which take you from Podgorica to Bar and to Nisic are better than other roads and are also easy to drive on. The road which takes you from Podgorica through Cetinje to Budva is also fairly good condition, but since it is located in the mountains and is full of curves and turns, you can rarely go beyond 70 kilometres per hour.

During winter you have to be cautious while driving in Montenegro, especially on routes which take you northwards from Podgorica to Kolasin and also on the route which takes you to Zabljak and Serbia. The section which takes you through the Moraca Canyon is especially dangerous. However, since the bus drivers are fairly experienced, you can safely take buses to the north even on cold and wet days.

You can go up to a speed of 80 kilometres per hour on open roads, unless it is specified otherwise. Within the city, you have to conform to speed limits of 50 kilometres per hour. It is compulsory to buckle on safety belts and the use of cell phones while driving is not allowed. Signposts in Montenegro are similar to that found in other European Union countries. It is also compulsory to use headlights all 24 hours in Montenegro.