Travel to Montenegro

Flying to Montenegro

The national airline is Montenegro Airlines (http://montenegroairlines.com). Flights to Montenegro depart from various European capitals (Belgrade, Moscow, Paris, Rome and Vienna) year-round for Podgorica Airport and Tivat Airport. In summer there are additional flights, including a direct service from London Gatwick to Tivat.

Alternatively, you can fly from London to Vienna with Austrian Airlines (www.austrian.com) and catch a connecting flight to Podgorica. Prices vary dramatically depending on demand and availability.

Notes

Dubrovnik, in neighbouring Croatia, is better served by flights from the UK, so many visitors choose to fly to Dubrovnik, then drive 16km (10 miles) south, over the border into Montenegro.

Airport Guides

Flight times

To Tivat: from London - 2 hours 40 minutes.

To Podgorica: from London - 4 hours 15 minutes (including stopover); New York - 10 hours 30 minutes (including stopover).

Departure tax

€15.

Travelling to Montenegro by Rail

Montenegro has direct rail links with Serbia (freight and passenger) and Albania (freight only), but not with Croatia. Trains run from Belgrade, Serbia to Bar (two trains daily; journey time - 11 hours; couchettes available on the night train) via Podgorica. Timetables are available from Railway Transport of Montenegro (www.zcg-prevoz.me).

Rail passes

InterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 29 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The Global Pass allows travel for 15 days, 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia & Herzegovina and Montenegro.

Travel is not allowed in the passenger's country of residence. Reductions are available for travellers under 26. Children under 12 are free when travelling with an adult using an Adult Pass. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from Voyages-sncf.com (tel: +44 844 848 5848, in the UK; www.voyages-sncf.com).

Eurailpass: offers unlimited train travel in up to 28 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months, three months, five days in 10 days, 10 days in two months or 15 days in two months. The Global Pass allows travel across all participating countries. The Select Pass is valid in four bordering countries. The Regional Pass lets you travel in two bordering countries. The One Country Pass offers travel in one of 27 countries.

Adult passes are valid for first-class travel, while youth passes (under 26) are valid for second-class travel. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult using an Adult Pass. The passes cannot be sold to EU citizens or residents. Available from Eurail (www.eurail.com).

Driving to Montenegro

Driving note

The Adriatic Highway is being incorporated into the long-awaited Adriatic-Ionian motorway, which will run all the way from Croatia down into Greece. However, the building of the Belgrade - Bar motorway, passing through Podgorica and incorporating dozens of bridges and tunnels, is currently a priority for Montenegro.

Getting to Montenegro by boat

The main ports are in Bar (www.lukabar.me) and Kotor (www.portofkotor.co.me).

Cruise ships

Many cruise ships travelling down the Adriatic from Venice to Greece sail into the Bay of Kotor and make a port of call at Kotor.

Ferry operators

Ferries link the Montenegrin Adriatic coast with Italy, operating between Bar and Bari. The ferry company Montenegro Lines (tel: +382 30 303 469; www.montenegrolines.net) runs year-round overnight ferries between Bar and Bari.