How to get to Montenegro?
The journey to Montenegro
Now you have read, seen or heard a lot about Montenegro and maybe you would like to come here yourself. The question arises: How or on which ways do I actually get to Montenegro? What are the possibilities and how it all works, we will explain below shortly and in further blog articles in more detail.
You can actually get to Montenegro in many different ways. Basically, you have the possibility to come to Montenegro by car, bus, train, ship or plane. First of all, it depends on which way of traveling you prefer. Some prefer to fly because it is fast, others prefer full flexibility and travel by car. So in the end, the choice is up to each person.
First of all, I will briefly introduce you to the possibilities of getting to Montenegro. As I said, in further blog articles will follow the somewhat more detailed description.
Arrival by plane
Apart from traveling by train, car, bus or boat, traveling to Montenegro by plane is of course usually the most relaxing and fastest option.
Montenegro has basically two airports – one in Podgorica – the capital of Montenegro – and one in Tivat, a small city directly on the coast. In terms of size, the airports do not differ too much. However, there are more flights and airlines flying to Podgorica.
There are direct flights from Germany – mostly from Frankfurt or Berlin. Otherwise, it is usually necessary to change flights once. The airports in Montenegro are modern, small and manageable. You can quickly find your way around and find everything you need, including car rentals. By direct flight from Germany it takes about 2-2.5 hours, with a change of planes a little longer depending on your stay.
From the airport you can get to your accommodation either by rental car, if you want to drive yourself, by cab or by shuttle service – depending on whether your accommodation offers this or not.
We always recommend to take a rental car so that you are also a bit more flexible and can look at/visit a few things during your vacation here. But again, of course, the choice is yours. Perhaps you would like to make also completely consciously times no excursions and simply the time and rest only in your accommodation and in the city located there spend.
Arrival by car
Traveling to Montenegro by car is really highly recommended. Especially if you want to spend your vacation on the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, the route by car along the coast is already worth the trip per se. The coastal region of Montenegro is so beautiful that you are tempted to stop every 5 minutes, take pictures and linger a bit with such overwhelming views.
The car route really runs directly along the coast, so you can enjoy a breathtaking sea view virtually throughout.
But now briefly something about the route “before”. If you are coming from Germany, you usually drive through Austria, Slovenia, Croatia – a tiny bit of Bosnia-Herzigovina – Croatia again and then Montenegro. This is the route if you want to travel to the coastal region.
Of course, you can also get to Montenegro via Serbia. It depends a little bit on where exactly you want to travel in Montenegro.
The route to the coastal region described above is connected with highway fees in Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and also Montenegro itself. In addition, there are possible overnight costs, unless you arrive with a motorhome and then stay overnight in it.
From Germany, you have about 24 hours of pure driving ahead of you, which you can spread over as many days as you like.
On the route along the coast is also, for example, the beautiful city of Dubrovnik in Croatia (just before the Montenegrin border). Many stop here for 1-2 days to visit the city and take a short break from driving.
One advantage of traveling by car is, of course, that you have the highest flexibility. You do not need to rent a car in Montenegro and can drive through the country at any time and make relaxed day trips.
Montenegro’s road network is not as well developed as in Germany. There are significantly fewer roads and the signage is sometimes not quite satisfactory – but more about that in a separate blog article. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Arrival by ship
When we talk about arriving to Montenegro by ship, we mean first of all by ferry. Of course, you also have the possibility to arrive with your own ship, if you have one. Montenegro has many ports where you can dock.
Well, the arrival by ferry is possible from Italy. There is a ferry connection between Bari (Italy) and Bar (Montenegro). The ferry sails overnight with very little maintenance. The travel time is about 9 hours. But you usually don’t get much of this, as you will be sleeping in sleeping cabins. You have the possibility to check in with your own car or as a traveler without a car.
The ferry runs in season (May-September) quite regularly. Out of season it usually does not run at all or only very rarely.
So if you are traveling in Italy, make a small round trip by car, then you have the opportunity to cross the ferry and then see a little bit of Montenegro by car round trip.
The cost of the ferry is not very high – here, of course, it depends again on whether you arrive by car (and with which car …), alone or with several people, whether you book round trip and at what time you want to go.
More about this in a following blog article.
Arrival by train
The possibilities to get to Montenegro by train are unfortunately not as diverse as one is used to from Germany or Europe in general.
There is a train connection via Serbia, more precisely from Belgrade (Serbia) to Bar (Montenegro). This train connection is a bit like the Orient Express – an exciting, adventurous journey with super beautiful views. Unfortunately, there are not too many stops, so flexibility is not the order of the day here. You have then here on site but of course the possibility to borrow a rental car, so that then the flexibility during your vacation in Montenegro is again given.
The costs are again clearly within limits, also depending on the number of travelers and whether round trip or not, etc..
So, traveling by train involves a bit more time, as you would have to get to Belgrade first, and then get to Montenegro from there. But for adventurous people it is definitely a highly recommended way to travel.
Arrival by bus
Unfortunately, getting to Montenegro by bus is a bit more difficult. There are not too many bus connections and often it takes multiple changes in different cities to get to your destination.
There is actually a direct bus connection to Montenegro from Hamburg. Twice a week the bus line goes back and forth here. Cost is about 150 euros, which is very affordable. Travel time is about 24 hours, depending on where you get on and where exactly in Montenegro you want to go.
Alternatively, there are of course coach tours to Montenegro, which can be booked. Here, the entire trip is then planned through and you would not have to worry about anything.
To get to Montenegro with something like Flixbus is rather difficult. You would have to change buses several times and the journey would then mostly go via Serbia again and not really along the coastal region.
Also here – more about this in a separate blog article.
