Dubrovnik to Kotor is 58 km and about 1 h 25 from Dubrovnik Airport by routed time using the Kamenari ferry, or 71 km and about 1 h 50 driving round the Bay of Kotor. Both times are rounded up and include no border wait.
The drive leaves Croatia and the Schengen area at the border with Montenegro, so a rental car from Dubrovnik Airport needs permission from the booking help desk before it goes. Every traveller is checked at the crossing on the way out and on the way back.
Can I take a Croatian rental car to Montenegro?
Only with permission arranged before the trip. The rental terms for Croatia ask renters to arrange permission to travel outside the country by email with the booking help desk, and say prices and conditions vary with the length of the trip, the type of car and the rental company's policy.
Do I need a green card to drive into Montenegro?
Not for a Croatian-registered car. Montenegro's National Bureau of Insurers recognises the registration plate as valid proof of third-party insurance for vehicles from the countries in its Table 2, and Croatia is on that list. Cars from Table 1 countries, among them Albania, North Macedonia, Turkey and Ukraine, need a paper green card, and cars with no valid international insurance must buy border insurance.
Permission to take a rental car into Montenegro is separate from the insurance rule, and is arranged by email with the booking help desk before the trip.
Which border crossing is it?
The main coast road crosses at Karasovići-Sutorina, which the Croatian police list as an international crossing for passengers and goods. On the Montenegrin side the post is commonly called Debeli Brijeg. A second crossing, Vitaljina-Njivice, is for international passenger traffic only.
This is an external Schengen border. Every traveller is checked on leaving Croatia and again on coming back, together with belongings and the car, and non-EU nationals have their days in the Schengen area counted. The EU Entry/Exit System, fully operational since 10 April 2026, registers non-EU nationals on a short stay at each external crossing.
| To | Distance | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Trebinje | 41 km | 50 min |
| Kotor (via the Kamenari ferry) | 58 km | 1 h 25 |
| Kotor (round the bay) | 71 km | 1 h 50 |
How long is the wait at the Montenegro border?
It varies. The Croatian Automobile Club (HAK) warns that waits of several hours are possible at the busiest crossings in summer, and it lists Karasovići among the busier southern crossings. HAK advises checking current conditions before setting off. The routed times above include no wait.
Is there a ferry on the way to Kotor?
Yes, if you want it. A car ferry crosses the Bay of Kotor between Kamenari and Lepetane, and the fastest routed path from the airport to Kotor uses it. Montenegro's coastal zone agency publishes the timetable; its 2023 summer timetable ran departures every 20 minutes from 06:00 to midnight and every 30 minutes overnight.
Without the ferry, the road runs round the bay through Risan to Kotor. It is 13 km longer and about 25 minutes slower by routed time, with no ferry queue.
Who pays tolls, parking and fines on the trip?
The renter pays for fuel, parking, fines and toll roads under the terms for Croatia. A fine that reaches the rental company after the return is charged to the deposit, with administrative costs added, and some companies keep the deposit for 30 to 45 days after the car comes back.
The terms do not mention ferry fares. Reporting an insured event follows the rental insurance conditions for Croatia: notify the rental agent immediately and obtain a police report unless the agent agrees otherwise.
Can I return the car in Montenegro?
Cars collected in Dubrovnik are offered for drop-off in Split, Zagreb, Zadar or Pula, all in Croatia. The car goes back to the drop-off place named in the voucher.
