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

Getting from Tivat Airport: 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 Tivat Airport and compared them side by side.

If the numbers point you to driving yourself, arrange your Tivat Airport car rental and skip the transfer wait at arrivals.

Tivat Airport → Kotor (20 min, 12 km)

• Hire car: Hire car: you keep the car all day and drive wherever you want. Park outside Kotor's walls (a few euros an hour) or free along the Dobrota waterfront. Your daily rate plus fuel and parking is usually less than a return taxi.
• 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 Tivat Airport 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.

Tivat Airport → Budva (30 min, 22 km)

• Hire car: Hire car: same rental. Drive to Budva, then continue to Sveti Stefan, Jaz Beach, or Przno without rebooking anything. Parking in Budva old town runs a few euros an hour 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 Tivat Airport 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.

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

• Hire car: Hire car: plus the Verige car ferry at Kamenari, it runs every 15 minutes and the crossing takes 5 minutes and costs a few euros. Stop at Perast on the way, your daily rate covers the rest of the 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 Tivat Airport 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 Tivat Airport 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.