Getting from the airport to Kotor and returning for a flight are both covered here. A direct ride from Tivat is compared with the bus connection through the town station, keeping their details in one place. If you land in Podgorica or Dubrovnik, separate sections explain the longer onward journey to Kotor and the connections it requires.
Useful information
| Information you need | Open or call |
|---|---|
| Flight status | |
| Airport website | |
| Airport location | |
| Airport contacts | |
| Bus stations and departures |
From Tivat Airport to Kotor
| Transport | Price | Departure and arrival | Journey time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus via Bonici | 2.50-5 €Bus ticket per passenger. Transport to Bonici is paid separately. | Bonici → Kotor Bus Station | Bus 10 min Full details |
| Taxi | 30 € with Red TaxiPer vehicle to the Old Town or Muo. | TIV → Kotor | Drive 15 min Full details |
| Car hire | According to the offer and datesDepends on the vehicle and hire duration. | TIV → Kotor | Drive 15 min Full details |
Transport drawbacks and limitations
| Bus via Bonici | |
|---|---|
| Departure gaps | 3 hours between some morning departures |
01Arrival from the airport in Kotor
Arrival from the airport in Kotor
From the TIV terminal, you can continue to Kotor by taxi or hire car. The bus is another option, but its journey starts at the station in Bonici. The differences are explained below, with links to the full transport details.
Bus via Tivat station
The bus to Kotor leaves from Tivat Bus Station in Bonici. You first take a local taxi there from the terminal, then get off at the station in Skaljari, outside Kotor Old Town. The low bus fare covers only the intercity ride. The first transfer is paid separately, and some morning bus departures are three hours apart.
Taxi transport from the airport
Red Taxi connects TIV with the Old Town, Muo, Dobrota and Prcanj. For accommodation within the walls, tell the driver which city gate suits your address, as taxis cannot enter the pedestrian centre. For other parts of Kotor, book to the specific address. Local taxi services and contacts are listed in the practical information.
Car hire at the airport
If you plan trips from Kotor to Perast, other parts of the Bay of Kotor or Lovcen, a car collected at TIV can be useful beyond the airport ride. You explore the Old Town on foot, so a stay within the walls also requires somewhere to leave the vehicle. That arrangement determines whether the car serves daily excursions or spends most of the holiday parked.
Details and a recommendation for your arrival
You will find the connection through Tivat station and locations for both directions in transport and parking. For a direct ride or a car to use during your stay, transport recommendations cover local taxi fares and hire conditions.
02Returning from Kotor to the airport
Returning from Kotor to the airport
The return from the Old Town starts with a meeting outside the walls, while elsewhere in Kotor you are collected at an agreed address. Cruise arrivals slow traffic along the Riva, affecting the journey towards TIV. This section covers the deadline for reaching the airport and the arrangements for a return ride or car handover, while bus connections are described in the shared transport section.
When to arrive at TIV
You should reach TIV at least two hours before scheduled takeoff. Check-in opens 120 minutes and usually closes 30 minutes before the flight. If your airline requires an earlier arrival, its deadline applies. The drive from Kotor, parking and hire-car handover must be completed before the time you set aside for the terminal.
Return ride and car handover
For a return taxi, agree on a meeting point outside the walls or a specific address in Dobrota, Muo or Prcanj. Cruise arrivals slow traffic along the Riva, so the approximate 15-minute drive is not a time you can always rely on when leaving for a flight. Confirm the fare and pickup time for Kotor-TIV, as the airport arrival booking does not automatically include the return. With a hire agency, establish where the car is handed over and when the inspection must be finished, especially if collection and return are at different locations.
Transport details for your return to the airport
You will find the connection through Tivat station and locations for both directions in transport and parking. For a direct ride or a car to use during your stay, transport recommendations cover local taxi fares and hire conditions.
03Bus, train and parking
Bus, train and parking
Transport from TIV to Kotor
- ×Metro
- ✓Bus via Bonici
- ×Train
- ✓Taxi
- ✓Car hire
The bus journey to Kotor links two town stations and a separate ride from the terminal to Bonici. This section explains those stages and departures in both directions. TIV parking follows the transport information, for meeting passengers or leaving a vehicle near the terminal.
Where the bus arrives in Kotor
The bus from Tivat ends at Kotor Bus Station on Put Prvoborca in Skaljari. Intercity services from Podgorica and Dubrovnik, described farther down the page, arrive at the same station. It is outside the Old Town walls, so arriving there differs from a direct ride to your chosen city gate or an address elsewhere in Kotor.
- Kotor Bus Station
Put Prvoborca bb, Skaljari
Bus - first reach the station in Bonici
The intercity bus to Kotor does not leave from outside the TIV terminal. First take a local taxi to Tivat Bus Station in Bonici, where the bus journey begins. You can buy a ticket at the station or through BusTicket4.me.
A one-way Tivat-Kotor ticket costs 2.50-5 € per passenger, depending on the departure. The shortest bus journeys between the stations take about 10 minutes. This is the intercity leg, excluding the ride from the terminal to Bonici and the wait for the bus. The local taxi to the station is paid separately.
Departures are not evenly spaced. Some morning services are three hours apart, so a short ride does not necessarily mean a quick departure from the airport. Tivat-Kotor departures list services for arrival, and Kotor-Tivat those for the return to Bonici, from where you continue to the terminal. You can contact Kotor station for information on +382 32 325 809.
Parking at Tivat Airport
Parking at TIV costs 2 € per started hour, or 15 € for a day. The hourly rate suits meeting or seeing off passengers, while the daily rate allows the car to remain near the terminal during a trip.
Parking is open 24 hours, and charging starts on entry. After payment, you have 10 minutes to leave. A lost ticket costs 50 €, which is a separate charge from the daily parking rate.
04Transport recommendation
Transport recommendation
This section compares a direct ride to Kotor with hiring a car for the whole stay. It first explains using a car for excursions and parking outside the walls, then gives specific taxi fares for different Kotor addresses.
Car hire - a vehicle for your whole stay
Hiring a car at TIV makes sense when you plan to travel from Kotor to Perast, Lustica, Lovcen or farther through Montenegro. The same vehicle then covers the airport journey and the following days of exploring. Its role is different for a stay devoted to the Old Town, as you cannot drive within the walls and the car remains parked outside the pedestrian centre.
Clarify parking with your accommodation in advance, and agree on collection, the procedure if your flight is delayed and handover conditions with the agency. The total price and deposit relate to the specific offer. The Kotor parking guide shows public spaces on approaches to the Old Town, so you can plan a hire alongside the actual place where you will leave the car.
Taxi transport from the airport
With Red Taxi, a ride from TIV to the Old Town or Muo costs 30 €, and to Dobrota or Prcanj 35 €. These are that service's prices per vehicle. The exact destination affects both the fare and where the ride ends, particularly if the address is within the walls.
You can reach the Red Taxi dispatch centre in Kotor on +382 67 019 719. When booking, provide your flight number, passenger count and destination. For accommodation in the Old Town, the arrangement includes access to a city gate. A return to TIV is booked for the pickup location in Kotor and the time of your departure.
Podgorica and Dubrovnik as alternatives
05Podgorica Airport
About 86 km to Kotor, by direct ride or bus via Podgorica.
Podgorica Airport
About 86 km to Kotor, by direct ride or bus via Podgorica.
Podgorica is an alternative within Montenegro when its flight suits you better. You can continue to Kotor directly by car or taxi, or take buses via Podgorica Main Bus Station. Both routes are explained here, with separate costs and the conditions for returning a hire car at another airport.
From the TGD terminal to Kotor
Podgorica Airport is about 86 kilometres from Kotor, with a direct drive of approximately one hour and 40 minutes. The route towards Kotor passes through Cetinje and Budva. The bus connection starts with a trip to the town station in Podgorica, so its total duration should not be confused with this driving estimate.
- Podgorica Main Bus Station
Trg Golootockih zrtava 1
- Kotor Bus Station
Put Prvoborca bb, Skaljari
Car hire at Podgorica Airport
A car collected at TGD can cover the longer journey to Kotor and subsequent trips through Montenegro. If you fly home from TIV, request a booking with return at that airport. Collection in Podgorica and return in Tivat should be confirmed in the same offer, including any surcharge, to avoid driving back just to hand over the vehicle.
Taxi transport from the airport
A direct TGD-Kotor ride with Zeta Taxi costs 100 € per vehicle. You can arrange collection on +382 67 995 757. This fare applies to that service and direction. When booking, give your flight number and exact destination in Kotor, including the city-gate access if you are staying within the walls.
Bus through Podgorica
A ticket from TGD to Podgorica Main Bus Station costs 3-5 € per passenger. You can buy it on the bus or through BusTicket4.me. The bus leaves from outside the terminal, and the second stage starts at the town station.
Bus station outside the TGD terminal
The second stage needs a separate Podgorica-Kotor ticket costing 7.50-10 € per passenger each way. Podgorica-Kotor departures include journeys of approximately one hour and 35 minutes. That covers only the intercity leg, excluding the trip from TGD and waiting at the station. The two bus tickets together cost 10.50-15 €. For the opposite direction, open Kotor-Podgorica, then Podgorica-Podgorica Airport.
Parking at Podgorica Airport
Parking at TGD costs 3 € per started hour or 10 € per day. A lost ticket costs 30 €. The daily rate is for leaving a car near this terminal, rather than parking in Kotor.
06Dubrovnik Airport
An onward journey across the border to Kotor, directly or by bus via Gruz.
Dubrovnik Airport
An onward journey across the border to Kotor, directly or by bus via Gruz.
Dubrovnik makes sense for a trip that includes Croatia or a flight that suits you better than arriving in Montenegro. The onward journey to Kotor crosses an international border. A direct transfer and a bus connection through Gruz are described separately, along with the hire-car conditions for this route.
From the DBV terminal to Kotor
A direct transfer from Dubrovnik Airport to Kotor takes approximately one hour and 30 minutes without a long wait at the border. The bus route first goes from the terminal to Gruz, then continues on another service to Kotor. Both options cross between Croatia and Montenegro, so driving time alone does not guarantee an exact arrival time.
- Dubrovnik Bus Station, Gruz
Obala pape Ivana Pavla II 44 A, Dubrovnik
- Kotor Bus Station
Put Prvoborca bb, Skaljari
Car hire at Dubrovnik Airport
For a car collected in Dubrovnik, you need written permission from the agency to enter Montenegro and confirmation of suitable insurance. If you want to return it at TIV, request confirmation of international drop-off as well. Crossing a border and returning a car in another country are different hire conditions and may incur separate charges.
Taxi transport from the airport
A DBV-Kotor transfer with TTM costs 140 € per vehicle, including luggage and a welcome in arrivals. The ride is arranged to a specific destination in Kotor. Approximately one hour and 30 minutes refers to driving time, while a wait at the border may extend the journey. Confirm the fare and time separately for a return transfer from Kotor.
Bus through Gruz
Platanus leaves from outside arrivals and travels to Dubrovnik Bus Station in Gruz. A one-way ticket costs 10 € per passenger, and the ride to Gruz takes approximately 35 minutes. You can buy a ticket at the airport counter or through Platanus. Departures from the airport follow flight arrivals.
From Gruz, you can continue to Kotor with FlixBus, with a one-way fare from 36.98 € per passenger. The shortest journey on this leg takes two hours and 10 minutes. With the 10 € airport ticket, the total starts at 46.98 €, excluding time between connections. On the return Kotor-Dubrovnik route, the shortest journey takes two hours and 20 minutes, and departing from Kotor station also incurs a 2 € platform-entry fee. Platanus provides the Gruz-DBV connection and flight-linked departures.
Parking at Dubrovnik Airport
At P1, P2 and P5, a stay from ten minutes to one hour costs 4 € from 1 May to 31 October, and 3 € from 1 November to 30 April. For 12-24 hours, the price is 20 € or 14 € respectively. P10 has a daily rate of 13 € in the first period and 8 € in the second. The rate depends on the exit date. The DBV parking layout and rates help you choose parking near this terminal.
Collect a car at TIV for the journey to Kotor and subsequent trips around the bay. View vehicles for your dates, the total price and the hire and return conditions.
