Car Rental in Herceg Novi

Renting a car in Herceg Novi

Herceg Novi is the largest town of the western bay and its natural hub, a layered hillside settlement of stairways and terraces that earned it the nickname the city of 100,000 steps. It is also the first proper town you reach coming south from the Croatian border, which makes it a logical place to collect a car rather than carry on by bus or transfer into the rest of Montenegro.

Picking up here puts you on the right side of the bay for the western shore and the road north, with none of the old-town driving restrictions that make Kotor awkward. Free delivery to your hotel or apartment in town is available on most cars, and from Herceg Novi you are straight onto the Jadranska magistrala coastal road without a pedestrian zone to negotiate first.

Fortresses, steps and the mimosa coast

The old town climbs the hillside in tiers, watched over by three fortresses: seafront Forte Mare, the bulk of Kanli Kula above the squares, and the Spanjola fort higher up the slope. It is a town built for walking once you arrive, but the steep terraces and limited central parking are exactly why having the car waiting at the edge of the centre, or delivered to your door, saves the hassle.

Herceg Novi also catches the mildest climate on the bay, warm enough that the Mimosa Festival fills the streets in February when the rest of the coast is still quiet. With a car you can use that long shoulder season properly, dropping down to the promenade in the morning and driving out along the coast in the afternoon.

Pickup and delivery in Herceg Novi

Collection is simple: meet the car at an agreed point in or above the town, or have it delivered to your accommodation along the seafront. You need the usual documents for Montenegro, a passport, a driving licence and a card for the refundable deposit on the lower insurance tiers (around EUR 100, with no deposit on Full Coverage Plus), and most cars in the fleet can be collected without a credit card.

Every booking includes free Minimum third-party cover, with paid upgrades if you want to reduce the deposit and excess. Herceg Novi works well as a one-way point too: many travellers cross the border, collect here, tour the bay and drop the car at Tivat or Kotor, and the relocation fee for a short hop inside the bay is usually small or waived.

Driving from Herceg Novi

The coastal road curves around the western bay through Igalo, Bijela and the Verige strait to reach Kotor car rental in about 40 minutes, roughly 43 km, where the Old Town and the main pickup hub sit at the head of the bay. The Croatian border is the other way, only about 15 minutes north, which keeps Dubrovnik within easy reach for the day.

Heading toward the bay mouth, the ferry at Kamenari shortcuts the crossing to the Tivat side and the airport, while the magistrala runs south past the Lustica turn-off toward Budva, so the open coast is genuinely simple to reach from here.

Day trips from Herceg Novi

With a car, Herceg Novi is a strong western base for both countries. Dubrovnik and the Konavle valley are a morning over the border; the Lustica peninsula, Rose and the quiet beaches at the bay mouth are a short scenic drive; and Tivat, Budva and the open Adriatic coast all sit under an hour south. The Kamenari ferry also lets you loop the whole bay without backtracking.

When to visit

Thanks to its sheltered, sun-trapping position, Herceg Novi has the gentlest weather on the bay and a season that runs long. February brings the mimosa blossom and its festival, spring and autumn give clear roads and warm light, and summer fills the promenade with swimmers; even in winter the coastal road and the border crossing stay open and easy, which suits a relaxed self-drive trip.

Herceg Novi car rental FAQs

These answer what comes up when renting a car in Herceg Novi: where pickup happens, parking around the Old Town, one-way drop-offs elsewhere on the bay, and the documents you bring to collect the keys.