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Car rental in Bar is the short cut from a medieval hill fort to the wine villages of Lake Skadar, and from the 12-kilometre Velika Plaža beach to a ferry across the Adriatic. Bar is the only Montenegrin port with seasonal sailings to Bari and Ancona, and the southern terminus of the Belgrade–Bar railway. That mix turns it into a useful hub, where a car stitches scattered places into a single trip.
About 270 clear days a year give Bar its reputation as Montenegro's sunniest town — the sea stays swimmable well into May and back through October.
Compared with Budva, prices in Bar are noticeably softer: accommodation, dinner and the car itself. The town sits a little apart from the coastal crowds — less noise, fewer queues, while everything tourists usually drive to is right next door: Stari Bar, the ancient olive tree at Mirovica, Sutomore, Ulcinj and the Albanian border.
What makes Bar different
Italy ferry from Bar
In summer, Jadrolinija sails from the Port of Bar to Bari (about 8 hours) and Ancona (about 13 hours). A passenger ticket costs around €78–80, taking a car across runs about €100. No other Montenegrin city offers this option.
A couple combined Apulia and Montenegro in one trip — picked the car up at the Jadrolinija quay at 6am after the overnight crossing, drove straight to Stari Bar before the heat. Saved a return flight and a day of logistics.
Stari Bar — open-air UNESCO
Five km uphill from the modern town stands Stari Bar, an archaeological site with 240 stone buildings from the 6th century, abandoned after the 1979 earthquake. Entry is a few euros, parking at the lower gate is free. Allow 1.5–2 hours.
Stara Maslina olive tree
A 2,000-year-old olive tree with a trunk of about 10 metres stands in Mirovica, 5 km from Bar. Entry around €1. Pairs naturally with a Stari Bar visit on the same loop.
Accommodation, coffee and car hire in Bar run roughly 30% below Budva. That gap is the reason travellers pick the town as a quiet base for trips around the south.
BMW 3-series Cabrio in Montenegro
In those conditions of the car there were small "nuances", but in general everything is ok. For the very process of renting, communication and the rest - everything is fine!
Opel Vivaro in Montenegro
Fine! We traveled all over the coast, the car for its age is in excellent condition. I especially liked the procedure for handing over the car - uniquely quickly and in full confidence)))
Opel Vivaro in Montenegro
We rented a minivan ( Opel Vivaro) in early september, everything was smooth and without problems. Staff (Goran) was very helpful and friendly. Good experience, thanks! ***. five strars
Volkswagen Touran in Montenegro
Turan was quite decent. Big plus for the very quick help regarding the flat tire. We had a spare help within a few hours.
Opel Vivaro in Montenegro
I would say that the majority of the rental was positive; the car and paperwork were ready when I arrived and the vehicle was very spacious, so perfect for what I needed with my family and the baggage we had. Moreover, the owner Goran was incredibly responsive and never far away if I needed to check something with him, which was greatly appreciated, especially since he has a full company to run. The only downsides were that the baby seats I had ordered were not really fit for purpose because they lacked some of the necessary straps one needs, so we could not use them and eventually had to find other ways to keep the two young children safe. Also, the headlights did not appear to work too well, which was not a problem because we did not drive at night but was equally not ideal. Overall, a solid 8/10 for the great price, reasonable vehicle and good service from the provider and I am mostly happy with how things turned out.
Opel Vivaro in Montenegro
It was very good.
Volkswagen Eos in Montenegro
My reservation was cancelled by car owner. I met him in the airport at 9pm. But he told that he has no car that we booked and proposed us car on manual and in terrible condition! And also I can’t drive manual car.
Citroen C4 in Montenegro
Instead of Citroen, there was a Skoda Octavia. Everything's fine. I recommend.
Citroen C4 in Montenegro
Not the first
Volkswagen Touran in Montenegro
In fact, there were two stressful situations that occurred during the rental car. 1) When we were still at the airport in Poland, the rental company wrote to us on WhatsApp that due to traffic jams they would not be able to arrive at Podgorica airport, but after about 15 minutes they replied that it was a mistake and the car would be there. 2) Upon arrival in Podgorica, a staff member came to pick us up and escorted us to a five-seater Opel Insignia sedan (there were six of us, each with a suitcase and backpack). We lost almost 30 minutes because the employee tried to convince us that we could ride in the car with six of us and that if we did, his supervisor would fine us even if we wanted to, because we wouldn't fit with our luggage. Finally, when I offered to cancel the contract and demand a refund of the deposit of about 30 euros, he offered an idea and gave us a second car, so we ended up with an Opel Insignia and a Citroen C3. The next day we spent several hours waiting for both cars to be exchanged for the agreed VW Touran. The car was generally in good condition, except for a warning to shut off the engine due to low oil pressure that came on about every 15 minutes. But overall, considering the price and the fact that after numerous requests the owner finally offered an alternative solution in the form of a second car to get to the hotel, it was fine.
Renault Clio 3 in Montenegro
Everything was good
Volkswagen Touran in Montenegro
we received a car about 1,5 hour later when we expected. So we had to rush after what. Car was in bad condition (visual). A lot of damages. Materials torn from the top of the car but in principle car ran fine.
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso in Montenegro
Everything went great, thanks to Goran!!! The car was upgraded to a Volkswagen Tauran, no problems at all) A big plus was that we were met by a girl at the airport with a sign.
Where to drive from Bar
Lake Skadar and Godinje
Thirty kilometres north sits the largest lake in the Balkans, ringed by family wineries. The village of Godinje, known for its Vranac, isn't reachable by public transport — only by car.
A family from Manchester drove out to Godinje on a Tuesday in August. Wine and smoked carp arrived on a long table in the courtyard; the host called ahead the day before. Worth doing on a weekday.
Velika Plaža and Ulcinj
Thirty to forty minutes south lies the longest sandy beach on the Adriatic — 12 kilometres of shallow-entry sand. Beyond it, Ulcinj keeps its Ottoman atmosphere; another half hour brings you to the Albanian border. Shkodër sits roughly an hour from Bar via the Sukobin crossing.
Sutomore and Sveti Stefan
The closest beach neighbour is Sutomore, 6–7 km away. Sveti Stefan is about half an hour along the coastal road. A useful half-day loop: a swim, a coffee, then back for dinner in Bar.
The hairpins between Bar and Budva look more dramatic on the map than on the road — the asphalt is good, the bends are predictable, and there are overtaking pockets on most of the climb.
How to get to Bar
Bar doesn't have its own airport, but three arrival points work well. Podgorica is the closest at 32–50 km, around 40 minutes by road, with one paid stretch — the Sozina tunnel at €2.50, which saves about 20 minutes. Tivat is further out at 47–60 km and 1–1.5 hours, but a sensible choice if your trip starts via Budva.
A guest landed in Podgorica at 23:40, met the host outside arrivals, signed the contract under the awning. In Bar by 00:30, suitcase in the apartment in Šušanj. Cheaper than a one-way transfer and no stress on the hairpins.
The third option is the Belgrade–Bar railway. Bar is the southern terminus of that famous line through Serbia and Montenegro's mountains, and suppliers will drop the car off at the station. The same goes for arriving by ferry from Italy — delivery to the port quay is a standard service.
If your accommodation sits in Šušanj or closer to Stari Bar, door delivery is usually free. On TakeCars the pickup point and the time appear in the listing, so there are no surprises on collection.
Rates in Bar vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length.
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How expensive is renting a car in Bar: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes.
Why TakeCars in Bar
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Delivery to the port, the railway or your door
Keys can be handed over at the Jadrolinija quay, the Belgrade–Bar station or your apartment in Šušanj.
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No-deposit options on the listing page
Selected cars in Bar carry a tariff with zero excess on the body, so you don't have to freeze a deposit on a card.
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Real reviews on the specific car
Not just an overall supplier rating, but feedback from guests who hired the very same Octavia or Yaris in Bar.
Parking, Sozina and rush hour
Parking in the centre
Central Bar charges €0.50–1.50 per hour — noticeably cheaper than Budva or Kotor. Paid bays line the seafront and the area by the fish market. Parking at Stari Bar is free, but in summer arrive before 11am or the lower lot fills up.
The Sozina tunnel
The single paid stretch on the Bar–Podgorica road, €2.50 for cars. It saves about 20 minutes versus the old mountain route through Virpazar. Pay by card or cash at the booth and keep the receipt.
The Jadranska Magistrala is predictable about traffic: 7:30–9am and 4:30–6pm. In peak season the short 7 km through Sutomore can stretch to half an hour inside that window.
Parking at the port
If you're catching the Italy ferry, the Jadrolinija terminal has a guarded car park at around €5–7 a day. Free spaces near the entrance fill up first thing on departure days.
Frequent Questions
Most suppliers in Bar block this by default — taking the vehicle out of Montenegro on a ferry has to be agreed in advance. A small number of tariffs allow it: a €100–150 cross-border supplement plus a Green Card. The car itself rides the Bar–Bari ferry for around €100 one way.
A passenger ticket to Bari is around €78 (8 hours), Ancona around €80 (13 hours). A car costs about €100. The line runs mainly July to September, with Jadrolinija schedules shifting week by week — check before you book and arrive 2–3 hours before departure.
The Jadrolinija terminal has a guarded car park at roughly €5–7 a day. Free spaces near the entrance are gone early on departure days. If you're only popping in for a ticket, park along the seafront and walk in 5–7 minutes.
It's 5 km uphill from modern Bar, 10–15 minutes by road. Parking at the lower entrance is free and almost always available outside the summer peak. In high season, arrive before 11am — later you'll have to park further down and walk 200–300 metres.
Around €3–5 per adult, children under 7 free. Inside, 240 stone buildings on four hectares of open ground. Wear sturdy shoes — the stonework is uneven. Allow an hour and a half to two, ideally in the morning before it heats up.
Stara Maslina sits in Mirovica, 5 km from Bar on the road towards Stari Bar. Parking is right at the entrance and usually free. Entry is around €1. Most travellers combine it with Stari Bar in one short loop, with about two hours total for both.
Yes. Bar is the southern terminus of the line from Serbia, and local suppliers routinely deliver to the station. On TakeCars the pickup point and time are shown in the listing. It's the simplest option if you're arriving by train and don't fancy hailing a taxi with bags.
32–50 km and around 40 minutes via the Sozina tunnel (€2.50). Podgorica is generally cheaper than Tivat, and for routes Bar–south–Lake Skadar it's the more sensible choice. Tivat makes sense only if your holiday is built around Budva and the Bay of Kotor.
On the coastal road and through the centre, peak hours are 7:30–9am and 4:30–6pm. Summer weekends add the flow towards Velika Plaža. Drive before 8am or after 7pm if you can, especially through Sutomore.
The Sukobin crossing is 30–40 km and roughly 40 minutes from Bar. It usually moves faster than the summer crossings near Lake Skadar. From the border, Shkodër is another 25 minutes. Albania is visa-free for most European nationalities.
Yes — Godinje is about 35–40 km via Virpazar and a short stretch of mountain road. There's no public transport to the village, so the wineries are essentially car-only. Tastings are best arranged in advance, particularly in August and September.
Sutomore is closer (6–7 km) with clearer water and a fine-pebble entry. Velika Plaža, 30–40 minutes south, is 12 km of sand with a gentle entry — easy with kids, though water is murkier from the sandy bed. Many travellers do both: morning swim in Sutomore, sunset on Velika Plaža.
Paid zones along the seafront and the fish market run €0.50–1.50 per hour, on average 1.5–2× cheaper than Budva. Pay at the meter by card or coins, or buy a paper ticket from a duvan kiosk. Pay-by-SMS only works on a Montenegrin SIM (+382).
Early November, usually in the first half of the month. It centres on Stara Maslina and the town centre — an oil market, tastings and local wines. During the festival the parking near Stari Bar fills early, so plan to walk in from Šušanj.
Yes. In Bar the standard meet-and-greet works by flight number at Podgorica or Tivat, by Belgrade–Bar train arrival, and by Jadrolinija ferry timetable. A 30–60 minute waiting buffer for late arrivals is built into the standard tariff.