Getting around Herceg Novi
From Tivat airport by bus with one change, through town on foot and up stairs, to the beaches by boat, and by car over the Kamenari–Lepetane ferry.
- From the airport
- bus from Tivat
- City bus
- €1.50
- 24-hour ticket
- none, single or monthly only
Herceg Novi needs transport twice: to arrive and to leave. Inside the town you go on foot and up stairs, and the beaches you reach by boat, so the car can stay at home.
From the airport to Herceg Novi
The nearest airport is Tivat, and no line runs from it to Herceg Novi. The way in is a short taxi ride of about four minutes to the bus station in Tivat, then a bus to Herceg Novi for €5.35–6.35, which takes 53 min – 1 h 15. Several companies share the line, among them Alo Express, Ellit Express and Krivokapić Tours, and each runs its own departures, so there is no single timetable. A taxi straight from the airport costs €30–80 per ride, shared by everyone in the car.
A second way goes through Budva, with a bus from the airport to Budva and another from there to Herceg Novi, for €6.35–9.70 and 1 h 8 – 2 h 5. From Dubrovnik the bus takes 1 h 5 – 1 h 30 one way, and it crosses the border at Debeli Brijeg, where every passenger needs documents. In summer the border can add time. For arriving in Montenegro Tivat is the easier airport, because the change is short and there is no frontier.
Taxi
- Taxi
- €30–80 per ride
Private transfer
- a driver meets you at arrivals
- booked ahead, late flights too
City bus and tickets
The city buses are run by Blue Line, and one fare applies across the whole municipality. A ride in the centre costs the same as one to Kamenari, and the line covers the coast from Sutorina and Igalo to Kamenari, plus the villages in the hills behind. 24-hour ticket: none, single or monthly only.
A taxi fare is shared by everyone in the car, and the bus price depends on the operator.
Stairs, the promenade, Savina
Herceg Novi climbs a hillside, and the old town is a matter of steps rather than ramps. The only flat stretch is the Pet Danica promenade from Igalo to Meljine, which follows the line of the old railway that once tied this coast to Sarajevo. A tunnel on the promenade lies between Škver and the Topla beach.
The Savina monastery sits about two kilometres east of the centre. You can walk there along the promenade or take a city bus. Anyone arriving with a suitcase should choose a bed by the number of stairs rather than by the view.
By boat to the beaches
Boats leave from Škver, the town harbour, about halfway along the promenade. Žanjice and Mirište lie on the Luštica peninsula across the mouth of the bay, around seven kilometres by sea, and hardly anyone drives there, because the road goes right round the whole bay. The sea route is simply the sensible one, and it turns a beach day into a short voyage.
The ferry and the border
Coming from the north, the car crosses the Verige strait on the Kamenari–Lepetane ferry, which charges €5 for a car. By day it sails about every twenty minutes and at night less often, and in summer a full ferry leaves without waiting for the timetable. The crossing itself is short.
From Dubrovnik you meet the border between Debeli Brijeg and Karasovići, and everyone in the car needs documents. Anyone who drives out for a day trip should leave a margin for the queue before the return.
Where to next
Herceg Novi in 3 days
→Day one holds the fortresses, the stairs and Savina Monastery, day two goes by boat to the beaches, and day…
Perast · 14 km
→Two hundred and thirty-seven residents, twenty baroque palaces and an island people built by hand
How well does Herceg Novi suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Nomadinho scores out of 100, the same ones behind “Where to go”.
If you like Herceg Novi
Three places with the closest scores, from any country.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
How do you get from Tivat airport to Herceg Novi?
Take a taxi of about four minutes to the bus station in Tivat, then a bus to Herceg Novi for €5.35–6.35, which takes 53 min – 1 h 15. The taxi from the airport straight to town costs €30–80 per ride.
Do you need a car in Herceg Novi?
No. The town is covered on foot and by city bus, and the beaches are reached by boat from Škver. A car makes sense only for trips outside town, such as Dubrovnik or the ferry across the Verige strait.
Is there a day ticket for the city bus in Herceg Novi?
24-hour ticket: none, single or monthly only. One ride costs €1.50 anywhere in the municipality.
Ready for Herceg Novi?
Front row for the next trip
Leave your email and we'll let you know when a new destination or story goes up.