A visit to Montenegro always pleases Russian tourists. But to enjoy all the delights of this country, you need to know well its airports. Let's try to deal with this topic in more detail.
basic information
Montenegro or Montenegro is a small Balkan state. On the territory of 14,000 square meters. km annually rests about 1.5 million tourists. Those who want to have a rest on the Adriatic Sea with minimal expenses come here. In Montenegro, a lot of lakes, mountains, canyons.
The magnificent nature in a relatively calm and quiet country is exactly what the inhabitants of the megalopolises of Russia are very lacking.
Key air terminals of the country
The most important of the international airports of Montenegro is located 12 km south of Podgorica. This is not surprising, since it is Podgorica that is the official capital of the country, as well as the most economically and politically important settlement. No other settlement of the country can compare with Podgorica and the total number of inhabitants. But the closest to this airport is the small town of Golubovtsy.
That is why a number of sources found the name Golubovci Airport. Locals often say more poeticly - “The Heart of Montenegro”. The air terminal operates 24/7. 0.5 million passengers pass through it annually. But the possibilities are much greater - the new terminal, which has been operating since 2006, can miss a million travelers a year.
This discrepancy is simply explained - the runway at Podgorica airport is too short (2.5 km). Not all airplanes can land and take off. The peak load of the airport predictably falls on the second half of spring, summer and early autumn. Then regular and charter flights are flying to Podgorica. But there is another problem - tourists traveling to the beaches of Montenegro should choose places closer to the sea.
Therefore, we consider the next arrival point in our list - airport near Tivat. Even in itself it is beautiful. And from there it is convenient to travel to different places throughout Montenegro. The main part of the tourists who arrived here goes to Budva, which is only 3 km away. The airport terminal of the city sends regular daily flights to Tivat.
Airplanes fly to Moscow all year round. Fly to the Russian capital is also possible every day. Tivat Airport, like Podgorica Airport, is the property of the state company "Aerodromi Crne Gore". The literal translation of its name - "Airfields of Montenegro." Initially, the Tivat Air Harbor was commissioned in the post-war period.
The airport was not intended for civil scheduled flights. Parachutists trained there, and parachuting competitions were held there. The first civilian planes Tivat airport began servicing since 1957. In September 1971, after a three-year renovation, it opened again. A runway of 2500x45 m was created.
The new airfield was asphalted. This has significantly increased the capacity of the airport. Now it is not enough - however, Montenegro cannot offer something more perfect. From Tivat organized regular flights to Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo.
All other destinations are served mainly in the summer.
Charter flights from Tivat are sent to other cities on the Adriatic coast. The airport is used by such Russian airlines as:
- S7 Airlines;
- Nordstar Airlines;
- Aeroflot;
- "Victory";
- "Russia";
- Yamal;
- Ural Airlines;
- Red Wings;
- MetroJet.
Also at Tivat airport there are 1 Belgian, 4 Ukrainian and 2 German air carriers. Air Serbia flies here. National airline Montenegro Airlines organizes flights to Belgrade, Paris, London, St. Petersburg and Moscow. Tivat air terminal is located at a rather small height above sea level.
Therefore, from a plane taking off or landing, a very beautiful view opens up. But we must remember that over the past 48 years, the infrastructure is very outdated. The strip, as in Podgorica, has a length of only 2.5 km. Because the landing of large Airbus is impossible. Choosing the airport on the map closer to the sea, do not forget that the hourly capacity of Tivat is only 6 flights. In the winter months, it runs from 6 to 16 hours, and in the summer - from 6 hours before dark.
The airport terminal occupies 4000 square meters. m. But at the same time it has only 11 check-in counters. Because at the peak of the season often occur overload. To some extent they are smoothed out due to the correct and operational style of work of employees. In the terminal you can:
- visit the duty-free shop;
- sit in a small cafe;
- buy tours and excursions;
- use the services of the bank;
- rent a car.
Returning to Podgorica airport, it is worth saying that in 2006, repairs were not limited to an increase in terminal capacity. At the same time they conducted a deep modernization of power supply systems and external lighting devices. Taxi and aircraft parking areas were reconstructed. The new airport building looks original, the use of glass and aluminum alloys helped to improve its appearance.
Podgorica Airport Terminal is convenient for those who are going to go to Bar, Petrovac or Ulcinj. The bus stop located at the main entrance usually saves you by not taking a taxi. You can come to the capital of Montenegro for 2 euro 50 cents. For comparison: taxi drivers charge an average of 15 euros on the same route.
Podgorica Airport accepts regular flights since 1961.
Initially, the area of the terminal building and the airfield was 4000 square meters. In a day, up to 1000 passengers could fly through the air terminal, arriving and departing on short-haul aircraft. Overhaul and modernization were carried out by 1977. This allowed Podgorica airport to become one of the most modern in Europe. Then he could take all categories of passenger liners, and after the reconstruction of 2008, the airport became even more perfect.
Subtleties of choice
Regardless of whether tourists choose Tivat or Podgorica, it is advisable for them to arrive at these airports 90-120 minutes before the end of check-in. This solution will eliminate many problems. The distance from Podgorica to Budva is 64 km, and about 25 km from Tivat. If you go to other resorts, the distance will be:
- to Kotor - 85 and 11;
- Herceg Novi - 142 and 21;
- to Kolashin - 72 and 161;
- before Ulcinj - 78 and 88;
- Cetinje is 36 and 56 km away, respectively.
These figures show that it is more practical to travel from Tivat to Budva, Becici, Petrovac, Pržno and Miločer. Also, this airport is good for those who are going to rest in the northern part of the Adriatic coast. But in winter the situation is changing. To the most important ski centers of Montenegro, it is more convenient to go from Podgorica. If tourists are going to go on excursions around the country, visiting Cetinje and other ancient centers, then for them the specific airport does not matter.
There is no internal air traffic in Montenegro. The reason is simple - the distance between two international airports is about 80 km. If the first place for vacationers is not so much the convenience of travel to the resort as the comfort of the terminal itself, then they need to choose Podgorica. In 2007, according to the International Airports Council, it was named the best in its category.The terminal, which opened a year earlier, can offer travelers parking and cafe services.
Upon arrival at any of the two airports in Montenegro, you can reach the desired resort by taxi or by rental car. It is quite realistic to save money if you use regular buses. Compared with the transfer costs are reduced many times.
If, however, decided to use the services of the transfer, it is advisable to order a car in advance.
Doing it on site is not economically viable. It is best to apply via the Kiwitaxi website or similar large resources. Many tourists do just that, because there are no stops near Tivat airport. Buses slow down only at the request of waiting people. It’s a dubious pleasure to stand on the Yadranska highway in anticipation of transport.
Further, see the advice to tourists about the airport Tivat in the next video.
