Being in the travel space, you tend to see new trends and hot destinations come and go. So, when at the start of the year Montenegro kept cropping up on my radar with increasingly affordable flights and hotels, it was one of the easiest booking decisions ever.
Montenegro is a relatively small country between Croatia and Albania on the Mediterranean coastline. It’s a lot cheaper and less touristy than Croatia at the moment – although that is changing pretty quickly. With cheap direct flights from the UK into both Podgorica and Kotor, it’s getting more and more accessible for us budget-loving travellers.
As I was traveling with my sister and we were only there for four/five days, we opted not to hire a car, so Montenegrin public transport became our best friend. So, here’s how to explore Montenegro without a car!
Strategically pick your base
So, we stayed in the beautiful coastal town of Budva which is around 45 minutes to an hour from the airport in Podgorica. Our flight landed relatively late, so we pre-booked a taxi which only cost us around 30 euros.
The reason we stayed in Budva was primarily that there were a ton of hotel deals there, a great beach, and a quaint old town neighbourhood to explore. Honestly, it’s the perfect base for exploring Montenegro because it’s smack bang in the middle of Kotor and Bar on the coast so it’s not much of a hassle to get to either on public transport.
Check seasonal transport
This is a big one because not every single route goes all year round, especially to some of the more touristy places. We tried to go to Skadar National Park on the fast bus to Podgorica only to find that it wasn’t running for another month, so instead we got the bus to Sutomore and switched to a train to Virpazar on the edge of the park.
For the most up-to-date info, you’ve got to check out the Montenegrin bus website Busticket4.me. Here you can see all the different routes and times so you don’t get stuck on the way back. If you’re looking for initial inspiration, Omio is a good place to start, and then cross-reference it with the seasonal information on Bustickets4.me.
Some places will require transfers
Although the public transport network is decent on the coast, it’s pretty much non-existent if you want to get to Podgorica airport. In fact, even from the centre of Podgorica (the capital city), you need to get a taxi which costs around 12 Euros one-way.
We ended up getting a taxi from the airport to Budva with Go Montenegro for around 30 euros each way and they were honestly so great. They were on time, helped us get into our hotel after the gate was locked and we couldn’t contact reception and even took us to a scenic viewpoint on the way back to the airport.
Don’t expect everything to be on-time
Being from the UK, I’m used to public transport being late, delayed, or just plain cancelled, but if you’re coming from a more organised and prompt country, the laidback attitude to scheduling might come as a surprise.
It’s not uncommon for buses and trains to be 10-20 minutes late in Montenegro, so don’t worry, you probably haven’t missed your connection. Of course, the one time you are late to the station will be the one time the bus or train is on time…
Cash is king
You cannot use your card to buy public transport tickets in Montenegro, everywhere we went it was cash only, and we hit up a lot of the major sights like Kotor, Lake Skadar, Sveti Nikolas, and down to Sutomore.
I brought around 50/50 cash to my card on this trip, and that was just about right. A lot of restaurants, hotels, and bars accept cards, but smaller shops, cafes, and tour operators only accept cash, so bring enough to last you!
Book a tour
Although we didn’t pre-book any formal tours on this trip, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the public transport network or just want to save time, I’d recommend using Viator for day trips. I’d especially recommend heading out to Lake Skadar for the day if you’re into wildlife, boat trips, or hiking.
For reference, we booked a two-hour boat tour from a local operator in Virpazar when we arrived and it only cost us 10 Euros each. The public transport getting there took around two hours with the changes and cost about 15 Euros each roundtrip.
If in doubt, just ask
Everyone we met in Montenegro was really friendly and helpful when we needed advice. Especially on the days when we were trying to get to Skadar and trying to get a boat out to Sveti Nikolas, locals were upfront about pricing, how frequent buses and boats were, and the peak seasons.
Don’t be afraid to ask because it might save you from getting stranded in a random town or wasting money on a ticket for an out-of-season bus or train.
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