Tivat Airport Transfers: Hire Car vs Taxi vs Public Bus Compared

Getting from TIV: Three Options Compared

Every passenger landing at Tivat Airport faces the same choice: hire car, taxi, or public bus. Each has a place depending on your budget, group size, and itinerary, but for most visitors exploring Montenegro beyond a single resort, one option pulls clearly ahead.

We've priced up the three most popular routes from TIV and compared them side by side.

TIV → Kotor (20 min, 12 km)

• Hire car: Hire car: from €20/day, you keep the car all day and drive wherever you want. Park outside Kotor's walls (€2/hr) or free along the Dobrota waterfront. Total cost for a full day exploring Kotor and the bay: €20, €25 including parking and fuel.
• Taxi: Taxi: €25, €35 one way. Fixed price, no meter. You'll pay again for the return, so €50, €70 for a round trip that only covers Kotor. No stops along the way unless you negotiate.
• Public bus: Public bus: No bus from TIV terminal. Walk 800m to the Adriatic Highway to flag down a passing Tivat, Kotor bus, or taxi to Tivat bus station (2 km, ~€5). Schedules are inconsistent and there's no luggage storage. Not a realistic option for airport arrivals with bags.

TIV → Budva (30 min, 22 km)

• Hire car: Hire car: same €20/day rental. Drive to Budva, then continue to Sveti Stefan, Jaz Beach, or Przno without rebooking anything. Parking in Budva old town: €3, €5/hr in summer.
• Taxi: Taxi: €30, €45 one way. The Budva taxi rank charges separately for the return. A round trip costs €60, €90 and you're locked to Budva.
• Public bus: Public bus: No bus stops at TIV terminal. Walk 800m to the Adriatic Highway (Jadranska magistrala) to flag down a passing Tivat, Budva bus, or taxi to Tivat bus station (2 km). Schedules are inconsistent. Once on the bus, it drops at Budva bus station, 15 min walk from the old town. No stop at Jaz or Sveti Stefan.

TIV → Herceg Novi (40 min, 45 km via Verige ferry)

• Hire car: Hire car: €20/day + €5 ferry crossing. Take the Verige car ferry at Kamenari, it runs every 15 minutes and the crossing takes 5 minutes. Stop at Perast on the way. Total: €25, €30 for a full day along the bay.
• Taxi: Taxi: €45, €60 one way. Most taxi drivers go the long way around the bay (no ferry), adding 30 minutes. Round trip: €90, €120.
• Public bus: Public bus: No bus from TIV terminal. Walk 800m to the main highway or taxi to Tivat bus station (2 km), then catch a Kotor-bound bus and change for Herceg Novi. Schedules are unreliable, the route goes around the bay (no ferry), and total journey time is 2+ hours with the transfer.

The Verdict

For a solo traveller going to one destination and back, a public bus is technically cheapest, but there's no bus stop at TIV terminal, schedules are unreliable, and you'll walk 800m with luggage just to reach the highway. For everyone else, a hire car saves money and hassle from day one.

The real advantage isn't just price. It's flexibility. A hire car lets you stop at Perast on the way to Kotor, swing by Jaz Beach before Budva, or take the Verige ferry shortcut to Herceg Novi. A taxi locks you into a single route with a single destination, and the public bus doesn't even serve the airport.