Car rental in Montenegro

Car Rental in Montenegro: Traveling the Land of Black Mountains

One of Europe’s newest countries after its recent break from Serbia, Montenegro has existed in some governmental form or another for over 1000 years, making the marks of civilization across its gorgeous landscape fascinating for the history buff and the vaguely interested tourist alike. Make the most of your visit by booking your rental car today and see gorgeous rugged mountains and the beautiful beach-speckled coastline in addition to Montenegro’s hip and colorful cities!

The best time to visit Montenegro is between April and September, though be aware that the coastline will be quite crowded in July and August, and that winter comes early in the northern mountainous regions of the country.

Montenegrin is the official language of the country, a language that is quite similar to Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian. English, Russian, German, and Italian are the primary second languages of Montenegrins, though the frequency of these language speakers depends on the region. English is most likely spoken along the coast. Road signs are likely to be in the Latin alphabet.

Montenegro is in the Central European Time Zone, UTC+1.

The currency is the euro. ATMs are now quite frequent throughout the country, particularly in major cities. While restaurants and large shops will accept credit cards, you’ll want to have cash on hand for all other exchanges.

If you are arriving by plane, you will likely land in Tivat or Podgorica. Both of these airports are great places to pick up your rental car. There is no public transportation available from Podgorica to the coast. Even if the coastline is your primary destination, take a day or more to visit the country’s mountains, particularly National Park Durmitor, two to three hours north of Podgorica.

Automobile hire is available in over 15 cities throughout Montenegro. The most popular locations for pickup are Tivat, Podgorica, and Budva.

Visa Regulations

Citizens from over 60 different nations can visit Montenegro visa-free for up to 90 days. Travellers with valid Schengen and US visas are also permitted to enter for up to 7 days without a visa. It is prudent to check visa regulations for your nationality before you plan to travel.

Driving in Montenegro

Due to its mountainous landscape, highways in Montenegro are fairly narrow, single carriageway, and limited to 80 km/h – which is all the more reason to take your time and enjoy the gorgeous views from the road!

Right-Hand Driving

• As in the rest of continental Europe, traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road.

Speed Limits

• Highways: 80 km/h
• In cities and towns: 50 km/h
• Because highways are narrow, roads can get crowded during busy times of the day or the year. Don’t be tempted to pass as haphazardly as the locals do!
• Particularly in cities, keep an eye out for frequent jaywalking.

Other Regulations

1. Parking can be challenging in larger Montenegrin cities, particularly Podgorica, so book a hotel with off-street parking to make your stay more comfortable.
2. While an international driver’s permit is not legally necessary in Montenegro, most rental car agencies will require that you have one in addition to your valid domestic driver’s license in order to rent a car.
3. Headlights and seat belts are obligatory at all times.
4. At the time of writing, there were no toll roads in Montenegro.
5. The minimum driving age in Montenegro is 18, and while some car rental agencies will rent to drivers this young, one or two years of driving experience is required. Drivers under the age of 25 are also likely to face surcharges.

Other Tips

• Mountain highways, such as the northward-bound highway from Podgorica to Kolasin, can be particularly dangerous in wet or cold weather conditions. Make sure your car is properly fitted with all-weather or winter tires for any winter-weather explorations, and whenever you are descending, shift into a lower gear rather than depending on the brakes.

Cheap Car Rental in Montenegro

Automobile hire in Montenegro typically starts at around $12 a day. Here are some of the best deals:

• Chevrolet Spark or similar (mini class) – $12/day
• Toyota Yaris or similar (economy class) – $14/day
• Citroen C4 or similar (compact class) – $15/day
• Mazda 3 Sedan or similar (intermediate class) – $24/day
• Hyundai I30 or similar (standard class) – $32/day

Note that prices vary depending on the availability of each specific car and the season in which you rent. For the most accurate offers, use the search bar above.

Tips for Renting a Car Inexpensively in Montenegro

While there is no substantial difference in rental car prices between seasons in Montenegro, you will want to book your car at least a month in advance to save up to $11 per day.

You can also save upwards of $2 a day when you extend your rental period to over a week.

The cheapest rental brands in Montenegro are SurPrice Car Rentals and Green Motion, and you can save around $23 a day by renting from these companies in any of their locations, such as in Budva and at the Tivat and Podgorica airports.