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Car rental in Podgorica is the most logical entry into Montenegro for anyone heading for the mountains, Lake Skadar or onwards into Albania. Podgorica airport (TGD) sits 11 km from the centre, and rates here run roughly 10–20% below Tivat — the tourist load is lighter, and suppliers price accordingly.
A guest from Manchester picked up an Octavia at TGD at 11pm, drove to Kolašin by half past midnight. The Tivat alternative would have meant an extra 1.5 hours on the Sozina road in the dark.
The city itself is a working capital, not a resort: wide boulevards, parks, an Orthodox cathedral and a calm rush hour. Most travellers treat it as a starting point for the rest of Montenegro, and for that it works.
Price, mountains, and the A1
Montenegro's mainland airport
TGD handles flights from European hubs and Turkey. The drive to the centre is 11 km, about 15 minutes, no tolls, no hairpins. Most suppliers meet you by flight number and hand the car over at the airport itself.
Podgorica suppliers undercut Tivat for one plain reason: less tourist load, less seasonal pressure, no August scarcity.
The best base for the mountains and Skadar
This is where the easy road north begins: through Kolašin and the Tara canyon to Durmitor, Žabljak and the Đurđevića Tara Bridge (the highest road bridge in Europe at 166 m). Lake Skadar and the wine village of Godinje sit about an hour away via Virpazar.
The new A1 motorway
Since 2022 the first stretch of the A1 has been open from Podgorica to Mateševo — roughly 40 km of tunnels and viaducts. Toll is €4.50 per car. It saves close to an hour and skips most of the hairpin descent towards Kolašin and Žabljak.
A1 limit is 100 km/h and there are speed cameras. In winter, ice on the higher sections is real — drive in daylight.
Audi A4 in Montenegro
everything was perfect. Both the car itself and the service, including the processes of receiving, returning, etc. Overall experience rating 10 out of 10. Thank you, it was one of the best car rental experiences!
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso in Montenegro
We rented a car on this site in August 2023, which we have never regretted! The car was delivered with a slight deviation in time due to traffic jams about what the driver reported in real time coming out all the time on the phone! We ordered a Citroen for 7 people, after payment reported that the car in the service and offered for the same money Mercedes Vito, which is very pleased!In the car was a booster and a child seat, as we were traveling with two children 3 and 8 years old, which we reported in the questionnaire! Acceptance and transfer of the car was as fast as possible and without problems! The whole family was very satisfied after such a vacation, because to be in Croatia and see all of its true beauty without a car is not real!We took the car for 4 days, on the penultimate day there was a small malfunction that we immediately reported to the lessor! Despite the fact that it was a day off and already evening, we immediately got in touch and offered technical inspection the next day, asking whether we can deliver the car or they will come in the morning and do the inspection, we refused the inspection and the next day in Podgorica handed over the car without any problems!We rented the car in Sutomore and handed it over in Podgorica, because from there we had a bus home! I would like to thank the lessor and his team in the rapid provision of services and in the maximum simplification of this process! Next time we visit Croatia, we will definitely turn to you! Thank you very much for a great vacation and a lot of positive emotions!!!!!.
Peugeot 207 in Montenegro
Everything went fine , I would recommend it 👌
Mercedes-Benz A180 cdi in Montenegro
Everything is ok. 🙂
Mazda 3 in Montenegro
it was excellent
Volkswagen Polo in Montenegro
Everything went great, the car was in good condition except for a couple of minor minor minor points. I was not asked to communicate in Russian, but it was nice that the guy spoke to me in Russian). Drop-off and pick-up went great, drove it to my house, picked it up at the specified place, everything was great, thank you!
Volkswagen Up! in Montenegro
Everything went perfectly. Drago is a punctual, pleasant young man. Met us at the airport upon arrival, the car was waiting in the parking lot. The car is compact, nimble, maneuverable, with low gas mileage. We drove it from Podgorica to Saranda along the coast, passed dozens of serpentines and back, he never failed. We are very satisfied with the service and the car! Just one small minus, there is no USB charging in the cabin, advise drivers to buy auto-charging for a cigarette lighter in advance, so that you don’t suddenly have a navigator. Otherwise, everything is fine. Thank!
Toyota Yaris in Montenegro
Excellent rental service. It is easier to schedule than dealing with companies located at the airport. The affordability cannot be beaten with this service. The car can be delivered right to you, we had ours meet at our hotel. The car itself was clean and in great condition. I also scheduled to have the car picked up from me and needed to change the hotel location- they were very accommodating and it was not an issue. I will definitely be booking another car next time I am in Montenegro.
Hyundai Accent in Montenegro
Thank you it was very good and solid car. No complaints and thank you for your help with it.
Citroen C3 Picasso in Montenegro
Generally everything was ok, but few days before arriving I sent an email for confirmation. Unfortunately they did not enter my reservation and I had long discus about a car. Finally I rent Seat. It was Ok, but I had to fight like lioness for bigger car than Peugeot 208 or older VW golf V. I also had a problem with returning the car at the airport at 7:30 in the morning. Nobody arrived on time and picked my phone. Finally one guy has appeared at 8:15 and picked up the car without any documents, just said, that everything is Ok :) I would like to add that I have payed 5€ extra for unusual service hours. But car was good, we did not have any problems, price was correct, girls who gave me car was nice, so generally 8/10 points :)
Opel Astra Sports Tourer in Montenegro
Took a car from 1 to 4 January of this year. Despite the holidays, everything was clear without delays and problems. Thank you Stefan. Car in very good condition. I recommend.
Renault Captur in Montenegro
Everything was perfect. The car and also the man who brought the car. He was very nice and helpfull. Thank you. Regards Simone
Volkswagen Polo in Montenegro
All good 👌 The car was in good and serviceable condition, clean. The renter is a nice person, had no problem adjusting to us when turning in the car. The process of pick up and drop off of the car was not time consuming! I am satisfied, thank you 🙏
Where to drive from Podgorica
North: Durmitor, Žabljak, Tara Bridge
The headline route runs north. Via the A1 to Mateševo and on through Kolašin, you reach Žabljak in about 2.5 hours. On the way: the Tara canyon, the Đurđevića Tara Bridge with its viewing platform, and Biogradska forest near Kolašin.
Plan Durmitor for at least two days. You can be there in 2.5 hours, but Black Lake, the Sedlo pass and the high villages all need slow time.
Lake Skadar and Godinje
An hour southwest via Virpazar lies the largest lake in the Balkans, the Crmnica vineyards, and the wineries of Godinje village. Boat tours run €20–30; the Godinje tastings are best booked ahead.
Albania: Tirana and Shkodër
Podgorica sits closer to Albania than Tivat or Kotor. Hani i Hotit, the Tirana crossing, is about an hour out. Shkodër via Sukobin runs about the same. Albania is visa-free for most European travellers, and a day trip from here is realistic.
A couple drove from Podgorica to Shkodër for lunch and were back by 6pm. From the coast that same trip needs a full day with the mountain roads thrown in.
How to reach Podgorica and pick up the car
Podgorica airport (TGD) is the country's mainland hub. The drive to the centre is 11 km and around 15 minutes on a straight road, no tolls. Most suppliers run a meet-and-greet by flight number right at the airport — straight pick-up, no chasing a town-centre office.
A family of four landed at TGD on a delayed Wizz Air flight at 1am. Supplier waited inside arrivals with the keys; they were in their Kolašin guesthouse by half three.
In the city itself there are few permanent rental offices, but free delivery is standard for most central hotels. On TakeCars the pickup point and time appear in the listing, so there are no day-of WhatsApp calls or address-swap surprises.
Tivat sits further out — about 90 km and 1.5 hours via the Sozina tunnel (€2.50). If the trip is mostly coast and the Bay of Kotor, fly into Tivat instead. A neat alternative: take the car at TGD on arrival and drop it on the coast as a one-way (supplement €30–60 depending on supplier).
Rates in Podgorica vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length.
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How expensive is renting a car in Podgorica: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes.
Why travellers choose TakeCars in Podgorica
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Immediate pick-up at TGD
The car meets you in arrivals by flight number; you skip the run to a town-centre office.
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No-deposit options visible in the listing
Selected cars in Podgorica carry zero excess on the body, so no card freeze.
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Reviews on the specific car
Feedback from guests who hired the very same Octavia or Yaris in Podgorica, not a generic supplier rating.
Parking, the A1 and rush hour
Parking in the centre
Podgorica runs colour-coded zones: red (centre) at around €1/h with a time limit; yellow and green are cheaper and without a hard cap. Pay at the meter by card or coins, or grab a paper ticket from a duvan kiosk. Pay-by-SMS only works on a Montenegrin SIM (+382), so most visitors stick to the meter or the kiosk.
A couple parked on Bulevar Svetog Petra Cetinjskog at 11am, paid by card at the meter, walked to lunch. Spaces were free even on a Saturday — this isn't Budva or Kotor.
A1 — the shortcut to the mountains
The Podgorica–Mateševo paid stretch (€4.50) cuts about an hour off the run to Kolašin, Žabljak and Durmitor. In winter, keep your receipt and check the supplier has fitted winter tyres before you sign — the A1 isn't somewhere to head out on summer rubber.
Rush hour
The city slows from 7:30–9am and 4:30–6pm, mainly on the approaches from Tuzi and Nikšić. Typical city density, easy enough to adapt to. The one thing to plan around is an early-morning airport run.
Frequent Questions
Podgorica is typically 10–20% cheaper than Tivat and is the better fit for routes into the mountains (Durmitor, Kolašin, Žabljak), Lake Skadar and Albania. Tivat works better if the bulk of the trip is coast and the Bay of Kotor. The TGD–Budva run takes about an hour via the Sozina tunnel (€2.50).
By licensed-taxi meter, €10–15; through Bolt, €7–10. The drive is 11 km and around 15 minutes. If you're hiring for more than two days, picking up the car at the airport is the better value — most suppliers offer a meet-and-greet by flight number with immediate pick-up.
Budva sits 65 km away, around an hour via the Sozina tunnel (€2.50). Kotor is 90 km and 1.5 hours along the same road plus the bay stretch. In summer add 30 minutes for the coastal-road queues. If the coast is the focus of your trip, flying into Tivat usually works out better.
Take the A1 motorway to Mateševo (€4.50, around 40 km), then on through Kolašin and Mojkovac — about 2.5 hours total to Žabljak. In winter, winter tyres and chains are essential. Allow at least two days for a serious Durmitor visit; turning round in one isn't worth the effort.
The Đurđevića Tara Bridge is the highest road bridge in Europe at 166 m above the canyon. From Podgorica it's two hours via Kolašin on the road towards Žabljak. Free parking at the bridge, with a viewing platform, café and a zip-line across the canyon. Naturally combines with a Durmitor day.
For a longer stay it's a workable strategy: rooms in Podgorica run 30–50% cheaper than Budva and Tivat, and so do groceries and dinner. The coast is an hour each way via the A1 and the Sozina tunnel. The downside is losing an hour each direction daily — worth it from two weeks upwards as a base for radial trips.
Take the A1 to Mateševo and continue on the regional road — about an hour to Kolašin in total. Biogradska Gora National Park sits next to Kolašin, with another 15 minutes on a forest road to the lake. Park-entrance parking is €3 per car. Up to 7 °C cooler in summer than the coast.
Hani i Hotit, the Tirana-bound crossing, is around an hour out (50 km). Sukobin via Bar runs about an hour and twenty. That's closer than from Tivat or Kotor. A day trip to Shkodër or Tirana from Podgorica is realistic — leave at 8am, back for dinner.
The city is divided into colour-coded zones: red (centre) at about €1 per hour with a time limit, yellow and green cheaper and without a hard cap. Pay at the meter by card or coins, or use a duvan-kiosk ticket. Major shopping centres (Delta City, Mall of Montenegro) offer 2–3 hours of free parking for guests.
A day, perhaps. The Stara Varoš old quarter, the Millennium Bridge, the Cathedral of Christ's Resurrection, lunch on Bulevar Svetog Petra Cetinjskog, a walk along the Morača river. Podgorica isn't tourist-coded in the classic sense, but as a contrast point between the sea and the mountains it's interesting.
Enter from the regular road on either the Podgorica or Mateševo side and pay at the exit — €4.50 per car, by card or cash. Speed limit 100 km/h with cameras. Many tunnels — automatic dipped headlights handle them. Short closures happen in winter due to weather; check the forecast.
Yes — most suppliers offer one-way: pick up at TGD, drop off in Tivat, Budva or Kotor. Supplement €30–60 depending on supplier and distance. Useful if your route is "mountains → coast": you don't lose a day on the return and you drive only downhill.
Via the old serpentine road — about an hour to Cetinje. From there it's another 30 minutes on a mountain road with hairpins to Lovćen National Park. A neat loop: Podgorica → Cetinje → Lovćen → Kotor → back via the Sozina tunnel. A full day, but you don't double back to any single point.
Virpazar is 35 minutes via the Sozina tunnel (€2.50) — the closest base for boat tours on the lake (€20–30 per person) and for the Crmnica wineries. Godinje village with its winery cellars is another hour, taking the serpentine along the western shore.
Yes, and it's the most convenient scenario. Most suppliers run a meet-and-greet by flight number with immediate pick-up in the arrivals area. Documents are signed at the supplier's desk or in the meet-and-greet zone, with the keys handed over against an inspection sheet. A 30–60 minute waiting buffer for delays is standard.