Transfers vs. Other Ways to Get from Tivat Airport
Tivat Airport is one of the two air hubs in Montenegro. Tourists arrive here to transfer to Budva, Kotor, and dozens of other small resorts. From Tivat Airport one can travel by bus (which departs from the highway and from a bus station 1 km away from the airport terminal), local taxis and airport transfers.
How to get from Tivat Airport to the city and the other way round
There are three ways to get from Tivat Airport to the downtown or vice versa:
- by a public or private bus, both to Tivat and the nearest resort towns: Budva, Sveti Stefan, Rafailovici and others;
- by taxi, by calling on the phone (you need to know numbers in advance), writing in Viber online chat or flagging down on site. There are no taxi services in Montenegro, which could be called via app, like Uber;
- by airport transfer, booked online.
Transfer from Tivat Airport vs. Taxi called via online chat
Advantages of a private transfer
No need to buy a local sim card. In order to call a taxi in Montenegrin popular taxi services like RED or Terrae, you need to know their local number in advance and buy a sim card at the airport to avoid using the expensive internet in roaming. If you book a transfer in advance, you will not have to care about it.
No worries about the slow Internet. If you decided not to buy a sim card, but to connect to a free Wi-Fi at Tivat Airport instead, keep in mind that its speed leaves much to be desired (128 kB/s). You will have to reserve a car in a constantly buffering online chat. In case of a transfer, there is no need to contact the driver as he/she is already waiting for you with a sign by the airport exit.
Reliable driver, comfortable car. Calling a taxi via an app gives no guarantee of a clean car or a calm taxi driver. Many local taxi drivers, having accepted your order, may pick up other passengers on the way.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
25–30% more expensive. When ordering a taxi in an online chat, you can expect an old car, but Kiwitaxi service in Tivat is performed only with new and fast cars driven by professional drivers. Your order is given to the drivers with the best rating, based on the feedback from our clients and the offered price.
Transfer vs. Taxi from Tivat airport called on site
Advantages of a private transfer
Your taxi will not be blocked. There are several official taxi services in Tivat Airport, from different Montenegro regions. Taxi drivers from one region often do not let taxis from other regions park and block the exit. Kiwitaxi transfers from Tivat Airport operate on the territory of the terminal officially and no local taxi driver can prevent them from driving in or out.
The price is known in advance. Every taxi service in Tivat operates according to its own tariff. Drivers are empowered to define the price of the ride, so it can fluctuate depending on the season, number of passengers, luggage, traffic situation and etc. There are as well obligatory fees: starting fee — €0,5, every km — €0,8. But the price for our service is always fixed and you know it in advance.
Disadvantage of an individual transfer
10-20% more expensive. If the destination is close to the airport, a local taxi service may be cheaper than the transfer. You will pay to a taxi driver for the distance, whereas Kiwitaxi works on a single rate basis for Tivat, regardless if you travel to the city center or to the suburb.
Transfer vs. Bus and shuttle bus from Tivat Airport
Advantages of a private transfer
Three times as fast. Buses do not run regularly. If to take into account the time you will spend to get to the bus stop, wait for the bus and travel to the city, our transfer will bring you to the apartment door or to the hotel three times faster.
From airport straight to hotel. One of the major problems in Tivat Airport is that the buses do not stop near the terminal. The nearest stop is located on the highway (circa 200m from the terminal), and the majority of buses run from Tivat bus station (800m from the airport). You will have to cover this distance on foot with your heavy luggage. The transfer driver, however, will meet you at the arrivals hall exit, walk you to the parking lot, and will bring you to your hotel.
No flagging down on the highway. Buses do not stop at Tivat Airport on their route, and the bus stops are not marked by timetables or signs. Potential passengers need to find the right place and give a driver a sign with a hand to show he/she wants the bus to stop. If one does not know this details and tries to stop the bus heading not to Tivat (but to the south), the chances are that one can wait on the highway for long or go in the wrong direction.
Disadvantage of a private transfer
Up to five times more expensive, when calculated for two tourists in the comfortable class transfer. For eight people traveling together, transfer price from Tivat Airport for every passenger will be only twice as high as the public transport ticket price.
