Kotor Transport
Airport Transfers, Taxis, Buses, Scooter and Bike Hire and Car Rental in Kotor
Kotor sits twenty minutes from Tivat airport and midway along the bay road, which puts Perast, the beaches and the border crossings all within easy reach; the town itself you cross on foot in ten minutes. Summer is the only complication, when hire cars, transfers and the ferry queue all reward booking ahead.
Car rental in Kotor is widely available in town and at Tivat airport, with small cars from €25 a day outside the peak weeks. No-deposit rentals and bookings without a credit card are both on offer, unlimited mileage is common, and most operators issue a green card on request for cross-border trips into Croatia, Bosnia or Albania. Hotel delivery and one-way returns at the airports can usually be arranged.
Three airports feed the town: Tivat just 8 km over the bay, a 15 to 25 minute drive, Podgorica roughly 90 minutes inland, and Dubrovnik 90 km north across the Debeli Brijeg crossing, which adds 15 to 60 minutes in peak summer weeks. Pre-arranged private transfers cover all three, meeting arrivals at the terminal with a name board and flight tracking, so a delayed landing does not void the booking. Prices are fixed when booking rather than metered and child seats come on request, with shared shuttles running the Tivat leg for less.
Taxis in Kotor stand at the marked ranks by the Sea Gate, opposite Hotel Cattaro and at the bus station, running on the meter for hops around town. Phone-ordered cars from the licensed operators are more reliable than the ride-share apps, the larger firms take bookings over WhatsApp in English, and longer runs are agreed as a flat fare before setting off.
Inside the bay, the Kamenari to Lepetane vehicle ferry shortcuts the drive around the inner curve, saving around 40 minutes between the two shores. It runs around the clock through the season, dropping to a reduced overnight timetable in winter, and summer queues can add 20 to 30 minutes either way. Water taxis cover the rest of the bay's crossings on demand, hopping between Kotor, Prčanj, Perast and the inner-bay villages with pickups arranged by phone.
Scooter hire and bicycle rental cover the two-wheel end from bases just outside the walls, around the North Gate and along the bay road. Automatic scooters run from 50cc urban models to 125cc machines suited to the longer bay circuits, with helmets included and a valid driving licence required; bike fleets span city, mountain and hybrid models plus e-bikes, hired against photo ID with helmets, repair kits and route maps provided. Riding inside the Old Town is not an option either way, as the medieval centre is closed to traffic.
Local buses connect Kotor with Budva, Tivat and Herceg Novi along the coast, with onward departures to Podgorica and Nikšić inland and international coaches to Dubrovnik, Sarajevo and Belgrade. Tickets are sold online or cash in euros at the door, and the bus station sits five minutes' walk south of the Sea Gate.
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FAQ
Getting to Kotor and around the bay, answered.
How do you get from Tivat airport to Kotor?
Tivat airport is 8 km from Kotor, a 15 to 25 minute drive over the bay. Taxis wait at the terminal rank, private transfers meet arrivals by name board, and the car-hire desks sit in the terminal, so all three options start the moment you land.
How do you get to Kotor from Dubrovnik?
Kotor lies about 90 km south of Dubrovnik. The road crosses the border at Debeli Brijeg, which adds 15 to 60 minutes in peak summer, making the trip roughly two to three hours by car, coach or pre-arranged transfer.
How do you get to Kotor from Podgorica?
The drive takes roughly 90 minutes, either over the mountains or via the coast. Coaches run through the day from the Podgorica bus station, transfers can be pre-booked to meet flights, and rental cars cover it comfortably.
How far is Budva from Kotor?
About 23 km over the Trojica pass, which is 30 to 40 minutes by car. Buses connect the two towns throughout the day from Kotor's station five minutes south of the Sea Gate.
What needs booking ahead in summer?
Hire cars, especially automatics, and private transfers are the two that sell out; a week or two ahead is sensible for July and August. Buses need no reservation, and the Kamenari ferry takes traffic as it comes, with queues of 20 to 30 minutes at peak.