Montenegro
Car rental in Tivat
Tivat is the main gateway to the coast: from the airport it is 25–30 minutes to Budva and 15 to Kotor. Cars are brought right to the terminal and handed over in the car park opposite the exit. Porto Montenegro, where many yachts set out from, is here too.
from €25 per day
- TIV airport, pick-up at the terminal
Search and book
A live catalogue with prices and availability for your dates. The rental contract and payment are handled directly with the rental company at pick-up.
How pick-up works at Tivat airport
The airport is small: fifty metres from the arrivals exit to the car park. The car is brought straight to the terminal and handed over in the lot opposite the exit — there is no separate office to hunt for. Add your flight number when booking: the person meeting you then sees the actual landing time and waits if you are delayed.
Driving times from Tivat
Fifteen minutes along the bay to Kotor, 25–30 minutes over the pass to Budva. Herceg Novi is closer than the map suggests if you take the Kamenari–Lepetane ferry: under ten minutes on the water instead of the drive round the bay, which saves about 30 kilometres and anywhere from half an hour to an hour. Podgorica is about an hour and a half away.
Parking and what is nearby
Parking in Tivat itself is calm all year — this is a marina town, not a resort anthill. Porto Montenegro is within walking distance of the centre. Boats into the bay leave from here too, if you want one day without the wheel: yacht and boat charter. Where to drive next, day by day, is in the five-day road trip.
What is near Tivat
Porto Montenegro is a walk from the centre: the marina, the promenade and boats you normally only see in films. Nearby is the Island of Flowers, joined to the shore by a narrow spit. Twenty minutes across the Luštica peninsula brings you to Plavi Horizonti — a sandy beach, which is rare in Montenegro.
When to come here
Tivat is calmer than its neighbours all year: it is a marina town rather than a resort. Even in August it lacks Budva's density. The airport works year-round, but winter flights are far fewer and some rental desks move to shorter hours — in January it is worth agreeing the pick-up time in advance.
Before you set off
From Tivat almost every route starts along the bay and then climbs into the mountains. Worth reading first: rules and fines, where to park and where the signal drops — it disappears on the Lovćen serpentine. For a day without the wheel, boats leave the local marina.
Prices by class
Starting prices in low season. July and August cost more. The final amount is calculated at booking for your dates.
Economy
2–4 people, manual
Fiat Panda, VW Polo, Opel Corsa
from€25per day
Compact & estate
4–5 people, room for suitcases
VW Golf, Škoda Octavia
from€35per day
SUV
mountain roads, Durmitor, Lovćen
Dacia Duster, Nissan Qashqai
from€45per day
7-seat minivan
a family or two couples with luggage
VW Touran, Citroën Berlingo
from€60per day
Premium & convertible
the coast and Porto Montenegro
BMW 5, Mercedes E, convertibles
from€90per day
By city
Common questions
Will the car be brought to the Tivat airport terminal?
Yes. The airport is small, the car comes to the terminal and the keys are handed over in the car park opposite the exit — no separate office to find. Add your flight number when booking and they will wait if you are delayed.
How long is the drive from Tivat to Budva and Kotor?
Fifteen minutes along the bay to Kotor, 25–30 minutes over the pass to Budva. Herceg Novi is quicker via the Kamenari–Lepetane ferry: under ten minutes on the water instead of the drive round the bay, saving about 30 kilometres and anywhere from half an hour to an hour.
Do I need a car if I am staying in Tivat?
Not for the town itself — Porto Montenegro and the promenade are walkable. You need one for the bay, Lovćen, Lake Skadar or the north: buses either do not go there or run only rarely.
Can I pay for parking in Tivat by text from a UK phone?
No: paying by text only works from a Montenegrin SIM. Parking in Tivat is among the cheapest on the coast at €0.60–1.00 an hour, and a local tourist package costs €15 for 500 GB over 15 days, with eSIMs on sale too. Montenegro is outside the EU, so European roaming allowances do not apply here — check your own tariff before you fly.
Hire car or transfer from Tivat airport: which is cheaper?
For the airport run alone, the transfer: from €44 to Kotor and from €58 to Budva, per car and one way. A hire car pays off once day trips are on the plan — economy from €25 a day in low season, €45–80 in July and August.
My flight home is at dawn. Can I return the car at Tivat airport?
Usually, yes: give the return time when you book and agree an early-morning or night drop-off in advance, as some desks keep shorter hours in winter. Booking times are local, an hour ahead of the UK, and the car goes back with a full tank, as you received it.
How much are the deposit and the excess?
Local firms usually hold €100–300 and return it as soon as you hand the car back; international chains block €900–2,000 on a credit card, and the hold takes 5–30 days to clear. The excess is €100–300 with local firms and €300–1,000 with the chains.
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