37 Tips for Renting a Car and Driving in Montenegro [2023]

Renting a car and driving in Montenegro is hands down the best way to explore this Balkan gem independently. Having your own wheels will give you the freedom to go on an epic journey along the panoramic coastline of Kotor Bay all the way to misty Durmitor peaks, and more. Before you go, here are 37 essential things to know about renting a car in Montenegro and super handy tips for driving in Montenegro (including money-saving advice). 

My driving experience in Montenegro counts for two amazing road trips so far. One of them was a 2-week road trip driving around Montenegro including must-visit places in Montenegro and fantastic hidden gems. We drove along the Adriatic sea coast, Bay of Kotor, scaling the heights of Lovcen, touring the shores of Lake Skadar, taking Durmitor’s panoramic route, and even exploring Prokletije National Park.

All the above would have been impossible without hiring a car in Montenegro- a number one travel tip for your Montenegro trip.

Together with Cyprus, Oman, UAE, and Sicily, Montenegro is one of those places in the world that are simply perfect for road-tripping. 

Nonetheless, to make sure you are well prepared to drive in Montenegro, let’s get straight to all the most important tips and essential questions you may have about car hire in Montenegro as well as driving conditions and rules to follow while on the road.

37 Useful Tips for Renting a Car and Driving in Montenegro

WHAT IT IS LIKE TO DRIVE IN MONTENEGRO: THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Do you need to rent a car to visit Montenegro?

If you are visiting the most popular tourist destinations such as Kotor Old town, Budva, Sveti Stefan, or other towns along the Adriatic coast, you might be just fine using public transport. However, if you are planning to explore more of what this diverse country has to offer and head to Durmitor National Park, Lovcen, Skadar Lake, or even as far as the Accursed Mountains, then you will definitely need to hire a car in Montenegro.

Public transport in Montenegro is limited to the main towns and many of the most incredible places in the country’s mountainous area are only easily accessible by private transport. Therefore, if you are in the country for longer, renting a car and driving around is the way to go.

Is it hard to drive in Montenegro? 

Driving in Montenegro is fairly easy, however, there are a few things to take into consideration. It is not the case for every driver, but the most challenging task for many visitors is driving narrow windy mountain and cliffside roads.

One of the most nerve-wracking sections in all of Montenegro is the (in)famous Kotor Serpentine road with over 25 hairpin bends leading to Lovcen National Park. If you can handle that, driving other roads in Montenegro will be a breeze.

Well, almost a breeze as the rural parts of the country most often have only one-lane roads fitting one car at a time. And occasionally you have to share the road with oncoming cars. Good news though, traffic in those remote places like Skadar Lake, for example, is very light if any at all. Therefore, it is likely that you will come across only a few other cars when driving along those roads.

Indeed, driving twisty roads can be energy-consuming. However, as a reward, you get to enjoy the fantastic ever-changing Montenegro scenery.

Other than bendy back roads, driving between the main cities on the highways is straightforward. 

How long does it take to drive around Montenegro?

Montenegro is a small country. Therefore, you can cover most of the highlights of Montenegro within 7 to 10 days at a slow pace.

Distances in Montenegro are relatively short. For example, in just under one hour you can get from Kotor Bay to Lovcen mountains, and in around 2.5 hours you can reach remote areas like Durmitor National park.

Nonetheless, although distances are quite short, the time required to drive them is much longer than you may expect. Thus, if you intend to go off the beaten path, for example to the Prokletje mountains-the easternmost point of the country, you will need 3.5 hours to tackle a mere 150 km when driving from Podgorica.

This is because the only way to get there is by following slow (yet very scenic) roads winding through canyons and mountains. 

Top Tip: you should budget some extra time for stops along the way. Montenegro is extremely picturesque and you may want to stop for photos along the way.

RENTING A CAR IN MONTENEGRO

I hired a rental car in Montenegro twice. Once I picked it up in Tivat, and the other time, in Podgorica.

In my experience, Montenegro is the easiest and the least stressful place to hire a car out of all the countries where I have rented a car before (I will tell you all about it in the following sections of this post).

For the best car rental rates in Montenegro (and a stress-free booking) compare prices between local suppliers

When booking a car, I always compare prices using different car search aggregators until I find the best deal possible. My top choices when I look for a rental car are Localrent and Discovercars.

I find that the lowest rates for car hire in Montenegro (also Albania, Cyprus, Georgia, and UAE), are offered by Localrent car search aggregator (and I scrolled through a lot of websites). Discovercars search engine usually comes second (unless Localrent runs out of the best supply).

Localrent compares car hire prices between local suppliers. Many of them are individuals rather than big international car rental companies. Therefore, the rates are very competitive compared to what you can find on other sites.

We are talking about 25% to even 40% cheaper car rentals! It depends how early you book to grab your best deal, but it is always a better deal to book with Localrent than anybody else.

Also, some of the bookings do not even require credit card deposits which is amazing! Even if they do, it can be as low as 50 EUR-100 EUR and a cash deposit is also accepted. To compare, many international car hire companies require 600-1200 EUR to be blocked on a credit card. A credit card must match the driver’s name, so if you don’t have one, or the credit limit is low, forget about renting a car after all.

Among other benefits, the additional driver is most of the time free of charge. You can even get an automatic transmission car for the same price as a manual when renting at Localrent.

As mentioned above, if Localrent runs out of supply, an alternative website that I also like using is Discovercars. This aggregator compares prices and offers some reasonable deals through international car hire companies (although at standard terms and conditions when it comes to deposits). Click HERE to compare car hire prices with Discovercars.

How much does it cost to rent a car in Montenegro?

The car rental price in Montenegro depends on how early you book, what type of car, which agency you book from, and also on the travel season. The highest demand for hiring a car in Montenegro is during July and August. It is a high season for traveling in Montenegro.

You can expect prices to double or even triple if you book last minute for the summer season.

Also, the longer the rental period, the lower the daily car hire rate.

To give you an idea of what to expect, a day rate for hiring a car in Montenegro for a week in high season is around 37 EUR per day, while off-season it is only 20 EUR per day or even less if you hire for one week or longer.

If you need a car just for 1 day, you will pay around 55 EUR per day in summer.

If you take a car for the whole month, the price will drop to around 28 EUR per day in summer.*

*I did this price comparison using Localrent website. As per my research, prices are much higher on other websites.

Book your car well in advance if you are travelling in the summer

Can’t stress this enough, but booking a car well in advance (2-3 months) can save you big bucks. If you are planning your holiday in Montenegro in July and August, try to get your car booked as soon as you decide on your travel dates.

By booking a few months ahead, I managed to hire a car for only 18 EUR per day for my 2-week Montenegro road trip in July using a local supplier.

If you are travelling in winter, you won’t have any issues finding a well-priced ride in Montenegro.

What is the best type of car for driving in Montenegro?

The best car for driving in Montenegro is a small sedan. However, do not pick the smallest car with a tiny engine as you will need some horsepower to bring your vehicle uphill.

It is recommended to have a car with no less than a 1.2 L engine. This tip is particularly important if you are planning to drive in the mountains. Having enough power will give you more confidence in going uphill, even in case of overtaking.

I drove 1.6 l manual car in Montenegro and it felt just right on the mountainous roads. For comparison, I had a small 2008 manual 1.5 liters Ford in Albania and it struggled to climb the hills (had to constantly switch between the first and second gear to “push” it up).

Nonetheless, newer cars even with smaller engines perform better. Thus, also make sure to check the year of production before hiring a car.

Moreover, a smaller size car is more convenient when you have to park tightly in Kotor Bay, Budva, or Ulcinj, or sometimes even on a side of the rural road. Also, most of the panoramic mountain or countryside roads are narrow. Therefore, if you rent a campervan, you won’t be able to drive there. For example, Durmitor ring- a must-drive scenic route- is not suitable for large trucks or campervans.

Unless you are planning to drive some serious offroad, you do not need a 4×4 car to get around Montenegro.

In which city should you rent a car – Podgorica, Tivat, Budva, or elsewhere?

A wonderful thing about car hire in Montenegro (which adds up to the list of reasons why it is so easy to rent a car here) is that you can pick it up from almost anywhere.

Usually, renting a car at the airport of the capital or other major popular city would make the most sense in terms of budget.

However, the pick-up point doesn’t matter that much in Montenegro. Prices for renting a car in Podgorica, or a smaller coastal town like Perast aren’t drastically different (we are talking a few euros per day).

Therefore, if you are landing in Podgorica, pick up your car there. If you are landing in Tivat (on the Kotor Bay), that is where you can collect your rental car.

Some of the most popular pick-up points for rental cars are located not only in the capital Podgorica but also along the Adriatic coast and Kotor Bay. Therefore, if you decide to hire a car at the later stage of your trip, you can do it from almost any town in Montenegro.

Do you have to choose the same pick-up and drop-off spot when renting a car in Montenegro?

In most scenarios, the best money-saving practice is to choose the same pick-up and drop-off spot to avoid additional delivery charges.

But again, it is not always the case in Montenegro. The country is so small that local suppliers are very flexible when it comes to picking up the car in one town and dropping it off in the other. Unless you are renting a car for only one day, or in a remote location, most of the time you won’t be charged for the delivery.**

On my last road trip, I picked up my rental car in Podgorica. I was travelling by bus from Albania to Montenegro (Shkoder to Kotor). The car rental company offered to pick up the vehicle from Podgorica bus station instead as it was more convenient both for them and for me (although I made a booking for a pick up in Tivat airport). When I finished my road trip, they came and collected the car from Dobrota (a small town on Kotor Bay next to Kotor town).

Note: as mentioned before, if you are renting a car in more remote places like Žabljak or Kolašin (up north in the mountains) but prefer dropping it off in Kotor (for example), additional delivery charges will most likely apply. But even those extra costs are relatively low (50-80 EUR).

**This information is based on the Localrent car hire terms and conditions. The same flexibility may not apply if you are renting through international companies.

Full insurance versus credit card deposit

In Montenegro, you can find lots of well-known international car hire brands like Hertz, Sixt, AVIS, Budget, Enterprise, and others. However, when hiring a car through any of these companies, you not only pay a higher rental price but always have to freeze a large deposit on your credit card (minimum 500 EUR, sometimes it can go over 1000 EUR) which is deducted in case of an accident.

CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) is usually included in the car rental price. However, it only covers third-party damage and car theft. Also, an excess amount in case of damage done to another car can vary a lot (this is a minimum amount you still have to pay in case an accident is your fault). Also, up to the full deposit amount can be charged to cover the damages done to your car (if it is your fault).

To have peace of mind and avoid losing the deposit, you have an option to purchase excess insurance that also fully covers damages done to your car- from minor scratches to major accidents. However, excess insurance most of the time doubles the car rental rate when you are getting it directly from the rental company.

To get full insurance for much less, you can buy excess coverage from an independent insurance company online before your rental period starts.

Top Tip: When you are renting a car in Montenegro, the best is to skip the international rental companies and hire your ride from a local supplier like Localrent. As discussed earlier, you will be able not only to save on the rental cost but also pay a significantly smaller deposit, if any at all, often accepted in cash (50-300 EUR), and even get full insurance at a lower cost.

Localrent offers a full insurance option called Super CDW which you can add during your booking online.

Do you need an international driving license to drive in Montenegro? 

Yet another great thing about renting a car in Montenegro is that you do not need an international driving permit (IDP). Any valid driving license is accepted for driving a rental car in Montenegro as long as it is written in the Roman alphabet (English). In case it is not, you will be required to present a legal translation or IDP.

At what age are you allowed to rent a car in Montenegro?

To be able to hire a car in Montenegro you have to be 21-75 years old. This requirement is applied by most of the rental companies in Montenegro.

Also, the minimum driving experience should be at least 2 years. Thus, if you have recently updated your old license, make sure to take the old one as proof of your driving experience.

There is an additional fee for renting a car if you are a young driver (21-25) or a senior driver (70-75). The exact rate varies from company to company and is based on the age group you fall under.

Crossing the borders- can you hire a car in Montenegro and drive to Croatia or other Balkan countries?

When hiring a car in Montenegro, you might also want to visit the neighboring countries like Croatia, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Serbia. On my first road trip to Montenegro, I have driven a rental car through the border.

Most of the time you will be allowed to take a rental car across the border. However, before doing so, you must inform the car hire company and obtain a so-called Green Paper or Green Card. Sometimes Green Card is already included in the agreement, but not always. Therefore, it is advisable to request for it to be issued in advance. This is usually possible during the booking process.

An additional fee for Green Card will be charged (but not all the time). The fee varies on average between 14-25 EUR as a fixed one-time payment. Moreover, you must also inform the car rental company which countries you are planning to travel to.

There might be restrictions on where you can take your car when driving from Montenegro. For example, some companies are hesitant to allow driving to Albania or Kosovo. Therefore, make sure to check this beforehand and have your country of visit indicated on the agreement.

Last but not least, if Green Card is included in your rental agreement by default, make sure to check the validity date, so there is no surprise of being turned back at the border in case the card has expired.

DRIVING IN MONTENEGRO SAFETY QUESTIONS AND TIPS

Is it safe to drive in Montenegro? 

Driving in Montenegro is safe as long as you adhere to the speed limits and are attentive on bendy roads. The majority of the roads in Montenegro are in really good shape. Although mostly a single lane, even remote countryside roads are maintained fairly well when compared to the roads which I saw, for example, in Albania. 

Driving at night is not advisable

Try to schedule your commuting timings during daylight and avoid driving at night in Montenegro. Many mountain roads and also tunnels have no street lights. This makes driving at night very exhausting and a bit dangerous. Take into consideration wildlife as well, as animals tend to run into the light- this is the scariest part to me.

On the other hand, when driving Kotor Bay Road after sunset, you may encounter lots of oncoming traffic. Some cars have their long beam lights on and are annoyingly blinding.

What is it like to drive in Montenegro in winter?

Although not many visitors decide to come to Montenegro in winter if you do so, then you will have some perks as well as may face some difficulties.

Coastal roads will be traffic-free in winter and the conditions driving them are usually good.

However, if you want to drive up North to the mountains, road closures might be a problem. For example, the scenic Durmitor Ring is often covered in a thick layer of snow and is inaccessible.

Driving in winter can get even more complicated. You will not only need winter tires but also snow chains to be able to pass those roads. Snow chains are usually available for hire for around 30EUR at the car rental supplier. You must check with the rental company to advise you on a suitable vehicle if you are willing to go to the mountains in winter.

Car safety: is there a risk of breaking into a car or even the car being stolen?

According to statistics, the car theft rate in Montenegro is 4.9 cases per 100000 population in 2018. This is a very low rate compared to other countries, like Italy, for example, scoring at 232 cases per 100000 population).

Therefore, it is highly unlikely that your rental car will get stolen in Montenegro. Of course, you should always aim to park in places that look safe- official parking lots, well-lit streets with lots of people passing by, and private parking at your rental accommodation.

Always remember to lock the doors and don’t leave valuables on display inside the car. These general car safety precautions apply anywhere in Europe.

Be careful when driving into blind curves

As mentioned above, one of the biggest challenges and risks when driving in Montenegro is entering blind curves. Montenegro is full of bendy roads and hairpins. Take extra caution and don’t rush, or overtake other drivers when approaching a sharp turn.

Locals tend to jump out of blind curves unexpectedly, but this is because they know the road by heart and are confident in their driving skills. As a visitor, it is better to go slowly but surely safely. You can even honk before the blind turn to inform other drivers.

ROADS IN MONTENEGRO

Quality and types of the roads in Montenegro

The majority of the roads in Montenegro are paved and in a good condition.

The easiest ones to drive are highways that connect bigger towns like Podgorica and Niksic, for example. Those are brand new sealed 2-lane highways with one lane for overtaking that opens and closes periodically along the way.

The Kotor Bay highway winds along the cliff with cement barriers on the waterside. Some parts of Boka Bay roads are quite narrow. Particularly the stretch between Muo and Lepetani waterfront towns (the street is officially called Jadranska Magistrala) gets quite narrow at parts and has no barriers at the waterside. However, there are openings to accommodate take over.

Mountain roads though might be a little older and rougher than highways but they are in a fairly good state. Some potholes may appear here and there but not excessively.

As expected in a mountainous country, most of Montenegro’s roads are bendy. You probably won’t find a road that goes in a straight course for longer than a minute.

Wherever you go, even on highways you will encounter many turns. You will definitely have to tackle countless bends and twists when driving in rural areas.

Be aware that roads in the mountains and countryside usually are very narrow. Most of them are suitable for one car only. Often there is no hard shoulder or extra space to pull over. This can be a bit of a problem if you meet with an oncoming car, especially on a bend.

While driving along the narrow panoramic cliff road above Lake Skadar, I had to stop and reverse up into the bend to let the oncoming cars pass. It was definitely a good test for my driving skills and an add-on to the overall experience.

How many tunnels are in Montenegro? 

Tunnels in Montenegro deserve a separate paragraph in this blog post. There are countless tunnels that you will come across when driving around Montenegro. Most of them are located along the canyons.

There is a famous stretch of a drive along Piva canyon that counts to over 65 small tunnels carved in the rocks.

When driving through the tunnels, make sure to have car lights on (although it is a requirement even during the daytime).

Also, rock falls might be a potential hazard. Thus, stay alert when passing close to the cliffsides.

Are there toll roads in Montenegro? 

Technically there are no toll roads in Montenegro except for one tollway passing through a 4 km long Sozin tunnel. It is located between Lake Skadar and the coast, north of the town of Sutomore, on E80 motorway.

The toll fee is 2.5 EUR one way for a regular car. Tickets can be purchased on the North side of the tunnel (Podgorica side) at any of the 6 toll booths that can be used in both directions.

This tollway is easily avoidable by taking the panoramic M2 road between Virpazar and Petrovac towns.

Does Google Maps work in Montenegro or do you need GPS?

Google Maps works perfectly in Montenegro and there is no need to hire a GPS device. Pick up an MTEL tourist SIM card for 15 EUR with a generous 500 GB of data (yes you can have Youtube running 24/7) and you are good to go.

DRIVING RULES IN MONTENEGRO

Montenegro adheres to similar traffic rules and road signage as most of Europe. Slight variations may apply.

You must switch car lights on during the day when driving in Montenegro

As usual in Europe, by law, you are obliged to drive with dipped lights on even during the daytime. Whether it is sunny or rainy, always switch the headlamps on. The best thing about this rule is that you never have to worry about forgetting to switch the lights before entering a dark tunnel.

What side of the road do they drive in Montenegro? 

In Montenegro, you drive on the right-hand side of the road.

Who has a priority on a roundabout in Montenegro?

In Montenegro, vehicles entering the roundabout must give the way for cars inside the roundabout.

Do you need to wear a seat belt in Montenegro?

Seat belts are compulsory both for the driver and the passengers (also in the backseat). The fine for not adhering to this rule is 40 EUR to 100 EUR.

Speed limits in Montenegro

Speed limits in towns in Montenegro are 50 km/h (30 mph), while on highways it is usually 80 km/h (50 mph) or 100 km/h (60 mph) on faster motorways. Speed limits can quickly change together with the upcoming bend and suddenly drop from 80 km/h to 30 km/h.

Speed fines in Montenegro range from 30 EUR to 2000 EUR (depending on how much you exceed the speed limit). You can get fined if you exceed the speed limit by more than 10 km/h (6 mph).

Note: Speed limits are displayed in kilometers.

DO NOT drink and drive

The acceptable alcohol in blood level is 0.2 permille. Not sure how many glasses of wine that is, probably no more than one small glass. Fine if caught drunk by the wheel is between 70 EUR to 2000 EUR or arrest. So watch out for the temptation as there are quite a few wineries along the way.

PARKING IN MONTENEGRO

Parking in Montenegro is mostly easy except for Kotor Bay and Budva.

Parking in Montenegro is often free and you can park almost everywhere on the streets unless there is a restriction sign. If the road doesn’t have a designated parking area, you can still park on the side of the road as long as it is safe and your car is not blocking the traffic.

A general rule of thumb is if not sure you can park or not in a certain place, just watch what the locals do. If you see them parking without hesitation, you can do that too.

The only challenging places to park are Kotor old town, and some places along Kotor Bay like Perast, and Budva. The streets are narrow and parking spots are limited. In Kotor’s old town they fill up extremely quickly, especially in summer. The same applies to Budva.

If you want to visit Kotor’s old town, your best bet is to park a little further away from the old town. I have found a parking spot on this street, and become our place to go when visiting Kotor.

In Budva, we parked in this parking lot just above the old town (had to walk down for around 15 minutes). Note that in summer, even at 7 AM it can be very difficult to find free parking close to Budva’s old town.

In Sveti Stefan (one of the must-see places in Montenegro) we had to leave our car on the side of the highway (locals do that too) as it was simply impossible to find anything in town at sunset hour.

Paid parking- figuring out how and where to pay

Some street parking is paid for in Montenegro. You can find paid parking spots in Budva, Ulcinj, Herceg Novi, and Kotor Old town. However, it is not always straightforward to figure out how to make a payment.

You may not find a ticket machine on the road as expected.

In an easy case scenario, there will be a parking attendant who will collect the parking fee (mostly in larger gated parking lots).

However, I had a very strange parking experience in Herceg Novi. As there was no ticket machine around, I asked a local where to pay for parking. They explained that I must get those ticket(s) in a shop (mini-market of some sort) nearby parking lot and display them under the window.

The funniest thing was that I had to purchase a bunch of tickets, each of which was valid for 30 min. Before putting them on display, I had to write down some information (cannot even remember what it was exactly, maybe exact timings). In total, I filled in 6 of those tickets to cover my 3 hours of parking in town.

A FEW MORE USEFUL TIPS FOR SMOOTH DRIVING AROUND MONTENEGRO

 What is the traffic like in Montenegro?

If you are traveling in summer (June, July, and August), expect heavy traffic on the Adriatic sea coastal road and Kotor Bay road. The heaviest traffic we have experienced was between Budva and Kotor, as well as between Kotor and Tivat.

Unlike the coast, mountain roads in Durmitor, Prokletije, Skadar Lake, and Biogradska national parks are completely free of traffic which is fantastic as you can drive the twisty-roads stress-free.

Important tip: whether you are driving a car or taking a bus or a taxi from Kotor Old Town to Tivat airport, be aware of rush hour. It is usually anywhere between 12 pm and 5 pm. Normally it takes 15min to drive between Tivat and Kotor. However, it can easily extend to one hour when there is traffic. The worst is that there is no escape route. Even if you take the road from Muo waterfront town on Kotor Bay to Tivat (avoiding the tunnel which is a shorter route), you will still end up spending one hour as it is a much longer way and also has traffic (this happened to us).

Choosing accommodation with parking when staying in Kotor Bay and along the Adriatic sea coast

If you are planning to spend some time in Kotor Bay or in Budva, Petrovac na Moru, or Sveti Stefan, make sure to book accommodation that includes parking.

The old town of Kotor is especially notorious when it comes to parking (as we already discussed). Therefore, since you are driving, it is even smarter to book accommodation in a nearby waterfront town in Kotor Bay. We stayed in Dobrota for 3 nights which is only 4 km from the Old Town of Kotor. It gave us the freedom to walk if we didn’t want to bother driving. It also made it easier to visit other small towns along the Bay as we didn’t have to deal with Old Kotor traffic.

You don’t have to be concerned about parking in the rural areas. Finding where to leave your car won’t be a problem.

Safe the time on Kotor Bay road by taking Lapetani Ferry

If you are driving from Tivat or Budva, or another town on the Adriatic coast to Herceg Novi (the westernmost town in Kotor Bay), you can save time by taking a ferry at Veriga Strait between the villages of Kamenari and Lepetani.

You can cut at least 30 to 40 minutes of driving time that you would otherwise spend on Kotor Bay coastal road.

The ferry is free for pedestrians and it costs 4.5 EUR one way for a regular car. The distance between the banks is 900 meters and takes only 10 minutes to cross it.

What is it like to drive in Montenegro in winter?

Although not many visitors decide to come to Montenegro in winter if you do so, then you will have some perks as well as may face some difficulties.

Coastal roads will be traffic-free in winter and the conditions driving them are usually good.

However, if you want to drive up North to the mountains, road closures might be a problem. For example, the scenic Durmitor Ring is often covered in a thick layer of snow and is inaccessible.

Driving in winter can get even more complicated. You will not only need winter tires but also snow chains to be able to pass those roads. Snow chains are usually available for hire for around 30EUR at the car rental supplier. You must check with the rental company to advise you on a suitable vehicle if you are willing to go to the mountains in winter.

Driving etiquette in Montenegro

Unwritten overtaking rules

If you are a slower driver on the road, chances are that there will be a line of cars trying to overtake you. You may get honked at quite a few times as Montenegrins might be impatient when driving. Keep your cool, and if the road is narrow, try to move to the side at the nearest opening and let a faster driver pass.

Locals drive really fast

Locals in Montenegro know every single bend and curve by heart and, therefore, they tend to drive really fast. This applies to bus drivers as well. My worst experience when driving in Montenegro was when I nearly crashed into the local bus which was flying at a much higher speed than the limit. The bus literally squeezed me one inch from the wall I could barely maneuver my way out.

Thus, if you aren’t Arnold Schumacher, take it slowly to be on the safe side. Especially on those twisty roads which are literally everywhere.

Petrol prices in Montenegro

Last but not least, however, something we can’t escape when renting a car is filling up the petrol. With the recent surge in oil prices, unfortunately, petrol doesn’t come cheap anywhere in Europe. Still, in Montenegro gasoline price per liter is on average 1.64 EUR (6.7 USD per gallon) [2022 May]. Diesel is slightly cheaper at 1.57 EUR per liter (6.4 USD per gallon).

Luckily distances in Montenegro are short, so it won’t be as expensive to drive around as in bigger European countries.

TO SUM UP: MY 5 MOST IMPORTANT TIPS ABOUT HIRING A CAR AND DRIVING IN MONTENEGRO

• Rent a car in Montenegro, even if it is for a day. Montenegro is a country where going on a road trip is something not to be missed. Even if you hire a car for a few days, you will be able to see some unbelievable scenery which usually you can’t reach just by using public transport.
• Search for the best car rental rates at Localrent– a website that provides car price comparisons between local suppliers.
• Drive at your own pace. Although locals tend to fly into blind curves, you don’t have to follow their lead. Go slowly, but steadily. You can honk before the blind bends– to warn of any possible oncoming cars.
• Count in some extra time needed to drive between different destinations in Montenegro. Distances are short but it takes longer to drive them due to lower speed limits on narrow and windy roads. Also, account for some more time for all the photo stops you will most certainly make.
• Avoid driving at night, especially in the mountains. Roads don’t have lights, thus to avoid this tiring experience, plan your time on the road during the day hours.

I hope that I have answered all possible questions about driving in Montenegro and provided some useful insights for your future road trip. If you still have anything else to ask, do not hesitate to leave your questions in the comments section below, and I will get back to you.

To plan your trip to Montenegro, make sure to check my other guides about Montenegro

• Start with 25 useful things to know before travelling to Montenegro.
• Get inspired and pick The best places to visit in Montenegro.
• Plan your road trip in Montenegro with my suggested 2-week itinerary (can be trimmed to one week if you have less time, suggested route included).
• Check my post about Hiking the highest peak in Montenegro-Bobotov Kuk if you love trekking and mountains.

Essential Montenegro Travel Resources for Your Perfect Trip

• Best flight deals: Use Skyscanner to find the cheapest and fastest flights to Oman from your location.
• Rent your wheels at THE BEST RATE with Localrent – a car search engine that provides very competitive prices across local suppliers.
• Find your PERFECT ACCOMMODATION in Montenegro on Booking.com, Expedia, or Hotellook (the latter provides the best price comparisons across the biggest hotel search sites).
• Remember to always get TRAVEL INSURANCE for peace of mind. Check SAFETY WING for the best rates. Safety Wing also offers insurance for Covid-related events! 
• Book the best-rated GUIDED TOURS in Montenegro on GET YOUR GUIDE.