Kotor taxis and transfers
Kotor is a walled town with one road along the water, a cruise terminal that can double the population for a day, and no vehicle access inside the walls. Knowing where cars can actually reach you is most of the battle.
7 min readUpdated
What is the best way to get from Kotor to Budva?
Kotor to Budva is 22 km and about 30 minutes by road over the Trojica pass. A taxi or app-booked transfer is the fastest and only door-to-door option; intercity buses run the route more cheaply but connect bus stations rather than accommodation. In summer, allow extra time for traffic on the Budva approach.
- Kotor → Budva: 22 km · ~30 min
- Kotor → Tivat Airport (TIV): 10 km · ~15 min
- Kotor → Perast: 12 km · ~15 min
- No vehicle access inside the Old Town walls
- Kotor → Budva
- 22 km · ~30 min
- Kotor → TIV
- 10 km · ~15 min
- Kotor → Perast
- 12 km · ~15 min
- Typical city fare
- €3–10
How to get a taxi in Kotor
The Old Town is pedestrian. Cars cannot come to your apartment door if that door is inside the walls, so every pickup happens at one of a handful of points just outside.
Requesting through an app removes the main friction here, because you can set the pickup pin on the exact gate rather than describing a location in a town where the streets have no useful names.
The Sea Gate (main entrance)
The obvious meeting point, on the waterfront side. Busy, easy to describe, and where most drivers expect to collect from.
The cruise terminal
A short walk from the Sea Gate. On cruise days this area is congested; give yourself a few extra minutes.
Dobrota and the shore road
North along the bay, where much of the apartment accommodation sits. Normal kerbside pickup, no walk required.
The North Gate
Quieter, over the small bridge. Useful when the waterfront is solid with tour groups.
Kotor to Budva: the options
The two towns are close in distance and completely different in character, so a lot of visitors staying in one will visit the other. The road climbs out of the bay at Trojica and drops into Budva.
| Option | Time | Door to door | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi or app transfer | ~30 min | Yes | Groups, evenings, luggage, comfort |
| Intercity bus | 40–60 min | No | Solo budget travel in daylight |
| Rental car | ~30 min | Yes | Trips with several stops |
| Boat (seasonal) | Varies | No | Scenery rather than transport |
Kotor and the airports
Kotor is unusually well placed for an airport transfer: Tivat is barely fifteen minutes away through the tunnel, which is closer than many city-centre hotels are to their own airports.
| From Kotor to | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Tivat Airport (TIV) | 10 km | ~15 min |
| Perast | 12 km | ~15 min |
| Budva | 22 km | ~30 min |
| Cetinje | 33 km | ~45 min |
| Herceg Novi | 43 km | ~50 min |
| Podgorica | 87 km | ~85 min |
| Podgorica Airport (TGD) | 90 km | ~85 min |
Around the bay: Perast and beyond
Perast is the classic half-day trip from Kotor — fifteen minutes along the shore, two islets offshore, and a town small enough to see properly in an afternoon. The shore road is narrow and parking in Perast is limited, which makes being dropped off considerably more pleasant than driving yourself.
The other direction takes you to Herceg Novi at the mouth of the bay, about fifty minutes. Both make sense as a return trip with a wait, or as two separate rides if you would rather not watch the clock.
What rides around Kotor cost
Short rides around Kotor and along the bay typically fall in the €3–10 range. Longer transfers such as Budva or the airport are priced by distance, and intercity runs use the offer system: you name a price, nearby drivers respond, and the agreed figure is fixed before the trip.
The practical advice in a cruise-port town is simple. Get the number before the car moves. In the app that happens automatically; at a rank or with a tout on the waterfront, ask and get a clear answer first.
Common questions
By road it is 22 km and about 30 minutes. A taxi or app-booked transfer is the only door-to-door option and the most practical with luggage or in the evening. Intercity buses run the route more cheaply but link bus stations rather than accommodation.
Request one in an app and set the pickup pin at the Sea Gate, the North Gate, the cruise terminal or your address in Dobrota. Vehicles cannot enter the Old Town walls, so every pickup happens just outside them. Licensed street taxis also wait near the main gate.
Yes. MonteGO covers Kotor and the whole Bay of Kotor, including cruise terminal pickups, Tivat Airport runs and transfers to Budva, with the fare shown before you confirm and live tracking during the ride.
Tivat Airport (TIV) is 10 km from Kotor, roughly 15 minutes through the tunnel — one of the shortest airport transfers on the Montenegrin coast.
Perast is 12 km along the shore road, about 15 minutes. Parking in Perast is very limited, so being dropped off and collected is usually easier than driving.
Yes. The terminal is a short walk from the Sea Gate and is a standard pickup point. On busy cruise days the waterfront is congested, so allow a few extra minutes and confirm the fare before setting off.
Related guides
Move around the bay without the haggling
Licensed Boka drivers, the fare on screen before you book, and a pickup pin you can drop on the exact gate you are standing at.
Free to download. Card or cash.