BUS, TRAIN, AND FERRY SCHEDULES AND TIME TIMETABLES IN MONTENEGRO
BUS, TRAIN AND FERRY SCHEDULES AND TIMETABLES IN MONTENEGRO
TRAVELING BY BUS
BUS SCHEDULES AND TIMETABLES IN MONTENEGRO
Being the only link to most of the towns and villages, the bus network of Montenegro is comprehensive. Podgorica's bus station has departures for every town several times a day. Some are operated by coaches and other minibusses, the later have slightly cheaper fares. The quality of coaches and minibusses is variable, from the very comfortable new ones to the standard ones with basic facilities. Large items of baggage carry an extra charge and are stored in the trunk.
To get to the furthest point reachable by public transport and to villages off the main roads use local transportation. Each town has local bus lines operating to the villages that have any kind of road leading to them. If you cannot see the timetable it could be that there isn't one but the locals at the station should know it well. If the ticket counter is closed ( or there isn't one) it is usual to buy the ticket on board and this way is even cheaper as you are not charged for the service tax. However, if the counter is open buy the ticket there since the bus could be overcrowded. Additional care is needed because on some buses they will sell you a ticket even if they don't have any seating space left.
Look at bus schedules at the most important bus stations in Montenegro:
BUS SCHEDULES IN PODGORICA
BUS SCHEDULES IN BUDVA
BUS SCHEDULES IN KOTOR
BUS SCHEDULES IN BAR
BUS SCHEDULES IN ULCINJ
BUS SCHEDULES IN HERCEG NOVI
BUS SCHEDULES AND TIMETABLES IN TIRANA, MOSTAR, AND DUBROVNIK
To organize your itinerary look at the bus schedules in some bus stations close to Montenegro
BUS SCHEDULES IN TIRANA (Capital of Albania)
BUS SCHEDULES IN MOSTAR (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
BUS SCHEDULES IN DUBROVNIK (Croatia)
TRAVELING BY TRAIN
Though it exists on the map, the line to Shkoder in Albania has been abandoned for decades and there is only a country that you can come from the train in Serbia. There are daily departures from Belgrade. The ride from Belgrade should last around 12 hours but due to delays, it can easily prolong up to 1 hour. Therefore it is highly advisable to travel during the night and book a sleeping car. From mid-June to mid-September booking could be tricky as all the trains are packed full and you should try to do so well in advance. Note that the usual procedure is for the conductor to take your ticket in order to know when to wake you up in the morning when he gives it to you. In order to be sure that you will have a seat during your whole trip to an ordinary 2nd class compartment in the high tourist season, you should buy the reservation (rezervacija). The same goes for the trip in the other direction from Podgorica towards Belgrade. During the summer season, the evening train from Belgrade also carries cars.
Look at train schedules at the most important railway stations in Montenegro:
TRAIN SCHEDULES IN PODGORICA AND BAR
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURES
BAR-BELGRADE (SRB): departure at 7:10, arrival at 19:30
PODGORICA-BELGRADE (SRB): departure at 8:10, arrival at 19:30
INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS
BELGRADE (SRB)-BAR: departure at 9:10, arrival at 21:00
BELGRADE (SRB)-PODGORICA: departure at 9:10, arrival at 20:00
For all other information, please call:
Train station in Bar tel: +382 30/301-622, +382 30/301-615
The train station in Podgorica tel: +382 30/633-663
TRAVELING BY BOAT
There are regular car-ferry lines to the port of Bar from Bari and less often from Ancona (mostly only in July and August). Their frequency depends on the season but there is at least one a day during the summer and from mid-September three a week. Except in the high season when there are some daytime crossing, the usual time of sailing out of for both the ferry from Bari and the one from Bar is in the evenings; with a journey that takes 7 to 10 hours, they reach the cheapest seats are about 50 euro, bed in a cabin c. 60 euro, while the cheapest fare for the car is around 70 euro. Embarkation taxes are charged extra. If you plan to return the same way the return tickets will save you a good deal of money.
Look at ferry schedules at the only ferry port in Montenegro located in the city of Bar:
FERRY SCHEDULES IN PORT OF BAR
INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURES
BAR-BARI (ITALY): departure every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 22:00, arrival at 07:00
INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS
BARI (ITALY)-BAR: departure every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 22:00, arrival at 07:00
For all other information, please call:
Port in Bar tel: +382 30/ 303-469
Montenegro Hostel Team
TRAVELING BY AIRPLANE, CAR, BICYCLE, AND HITCHINKIG IN MONTENEGRO
TRAVELING BY AIRPLANE, CAR, BICYCLE, AND HITCHHIKING IN MONTENEGRO
TRAVELING BY AIRPLANE
Montenegro is served by two international airports. One is in the capital, Podgorica, the other is at the seaside in Tivat. Dubrovnik airport in Croatia is also very close to the Montenegrin border and many tourists use this route as well.
Podgorica airport, better known as “Golubovci” after a nearby village, is located 12km is located 12km southwest from the city center. It is rather small but very smart since it has been recently renovated. Here one can find all the tourist amenities such as a car-hire desk, a bank, duty-free shop, souvenir shops, two restaurants and the offices of airlines. From this airport, there are regular direct flights to Belgrade, London, Moscow, Rome, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Budapest, Zurich, Vienna, Frankfurt, Paris, etc, as well as many low budget and charter flights. The airport’s working hours are from 6:00 to 23:00. There is no public bus from the airport to the city of Podgorica, the only option is a taxi, which should cost you 15 euro to the center of Podgorica. Be sure to agree or negotiate on the price before getting in the taxi since overpricing can occur. Taxi costs from airport Podgorica to Kotor up to 50 euro, and to Budva up to 40 euro.
Tivat airport lies in the Gulf of Kotor, 3 km from the town of Tivat, and 4 km from Kotor. The airport is basic but has all facilities like the one in Podgorica including car-hire desks, a bank, and a restaurant. There are regular flights to Belgrade while other international flights are concentrated in the summer season only. Taking the taxi should cost you up to 15 euro to Budva and up to 10 euro to Kotor.
Dubrovnik airport “Ćilipi” is just 24 km away from Herceg Novi, the closest Montenegrin town. There are 2-3 buses per day for whole year departures from Dubrovnik to Herceg Novi, Kotor, and Budva.
TRAVELING BY CAR
By far the swiftest way to move around the country and the reach all but the remotest of its corners is by car. However, driving in Montenegro can be very demanding. Due to the mountainous landscape, most of the roads wind endlessly above the deep abysses of the canyons and at the same time, most of them are in not so good conditions. Furthermore, the local drivers are renowned for their perilous driving and care little for signs, restrictions, and rules. All of this means that one should not engage in the adventure of driving in Montenegro if not an experienced driver, and secondly that one should be extremely careful and always expect the unexpected from the fellow drivers.
The motorized tourists should have valid international drivers’ licenses. UK citizens need more than their valid driving license. If not in possession of a Green Card and if your insurance is not valid in Montenegro you will have to buy short term insurance at the border crossing.
Seat belts are obligatory in the two front seats. If not signposted differently, the speed limit is 80km/h on country roads and 60 km/h when passing through populated areas. The blood-alcohol level tolerated is up to 0,03% which is equal to a bottle of beer, a glass of wine or a shot of brandy. The use of mobile phones while driving is forbidden although you will rarely see anyone sticking to this rule. You should keep your headlights turned on at all times. On unmarked crossing, you should give way to the vehicles joining from the right. The flashing of the lights by on-coming drivers is almost always a warning of a police speed trap in front but could also be warning of a police speed trap in front but could also be a warning of some other approaching danger.
Petrol stations are mostly situated at the exits of towns while in rural areas they are few and far between. Check your gasoline meter when going deeper into the countryside. You will find the 24h petrol stations on our inner cover road map. The other stations open at 7 am and close at 8 pm. In the summer many extend their working hours to 10 o’clock in the evening. All of the stations sell premium super, unleaded, diesel and eco diesel while auto-gas you cannot find on every petrol station.
The circular road through Boka Kotorska is of good quality but curvy and passes through many towns and villages in some of which (such as Muo or Prčanj) the road narrows to just one lane. During the summer half of the year is congested, with lots of cars parked on its edges and pedestrians crossing it frequently. If in a hurry, you can shorten the route from Kotor to Herceg Novi by taking a Kamenari –Lepetani Ferry that connects the shores of the Gulf at is the narrowest point.
The Adriatic Highway (Jadranska magistrala) from Tivat to Ulcinj is in decent condition but the traffic on it is always heavy and taking a left-hand turn from the road getting back onto it can be very problematic. The part passing through Budva is jam-packed in the summer season and don’t be surprised if you stop for some minutes or move at a snail’s pace. From Bar, the road allows faster driving and the jams are less frequent except when in on the late afternoon the bathers from the Velika plaza beach all jostle on the road back to Ulcinj.
The Budva-Cetinje is used as the main route towards Podgorica and further on Serbia and is therefore packed with buses and sometimes even with heavy goods lorries. The ascent is often slow but the thing is better in the last stretch where the road gets the alternatively used third lane.
The modern Sozina tunnel (charged 2,5 euros for a car) connecting Petrovac with Virpazar drastically shortened the route from the seaside to Podgorica. From Virpazar onwards to the capital the road is mainly straight and clear but still bears a lot of traffic, especially near Podgorica where the city’s suburbs have grown along with it.
The road from Podgorica to Nikšić passes through the valley of the Zeta River and is mostly wide and undemanding. Keep to the speed limit as there are frequent speed traps along the way.
The road leading from Podgorica to Bijelo Polje (and further to Belgarde in Serbia) carries a huge volume of traffic with lots of trucks and busses. The part from Podgorica to Kolašin passes the spectacular canyon of the Morača River with many tunnels and curves.
From the two approaches to Žabljak the one from Mojkovac is much better condition although drivers won’t be able to enjoy the scenery of the Tara River canyon for the many curves and blind corners. The road from Nikšić is mostly of the tolerable quality but nearly without any markings.
The road from Biljelo Polje to Berane and further on to Plav follows the flow of the River Ibar and mostly clear and only with middle curves. The Berane-Rožaje road is somewhat more demanding.
Traffic signs follow the usual European pattern. Though many signs need renovation, the main roads are marked decently enough to keep your information on the driving conditions and your position but definitely less from the quantity of information that one finds in Western Europe.
In recent years much has been done to improve tourist signalization and their brown and white signs can be seen regularly. However, most of them will show you only the first turn that you need to take, leaving standard afterward. To carry on to your destination, you will need to study up a map or consult the locals which are often the only solution to find one’s way.
If you need roadside assistance call AMCG ( Auto Association of Montenegro) on telephone number 9807.
TRAVELING BY BICYCLE
Cycling is not a usual activity in Montenegro and there are no such things as cycle lanes on the roads. It is not recommended to cycle along mayor roads as they are narrow, bumpy and the drivers pay little attention to cyclists and pedestrians. Minor roads provide safer conditions but they are mostly full of potholes and bumps so additional care is needed. Bicycles can be carried onto the train provided that is not packed full and that you can find a place in which they won’t be a nuisance (usually by the entrance, facing the toilet). Conductors are usually tolerant of this but on some occasions, they might consider it a problem.
HITCHHIKING
In Montenegrin car-loving culture thumbing a lift is far from the usual method of traveling but it is also not unheard of. It might take you some time and patience but in the end, it will get you to the desired location. The number of people willing to stop is proportionally opposite to the number of cars passing by so that fetching a ride in the middle of nowhere is usually more effective. Don’t be surprised if in a place like this you are offered a lift without asking.
Montenegro Hostel Team