Driving to Budva is easy. Parking in Budva in July and August is the part people remember. The old town sits on a small peninsula, the beaches are lined with hotels, and in summer everyone wants the same few hundred spaces near the water. With a little planning it is manageable. This page covers how parking works in Budva, how to pay, and how to avoid a fine or a towed car.
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How paid parking works in Budva
Public parking in Budva is run by the municipal company Parking Servis Budva. It operates street parking and car parks in Budva, Bečići and Petrovac, and the streets are divided into colour-coded zones (red, blue and yellow). In general across Montenegro, red is the most expensive and closest to the centre, with cheaper zones further out. Signs under the blue “P” show the zone, the price and the time limit.
Hourly prices in Budva are typically in the range of €1 to about €2.50, depending on zone and season. Car parks right by the busiest beaches can charge more in high summer. Prices change from season to season, so treat the sign on the spot as the only reliable source.
Two rules that catch visitors out:
- Car parks with a barrier charge per started hour. Three hours and five minutes is billed as four hours.
- Street parking usually has a time limit, commonly two hours. You cannot stay longer just by paying more at once; you renew after the first period ends.
Paying: SMS, app or machine
- SMS: send your number plate, without spaces, to the number shown on the zone sign. One hour is charged to your phone bill and you get a confirmation message in Montenegrin. This needs a Montenegrin SIM card; foreign numbers usually cannot pay by SMS. You cannot pay for half an hour.
- App: the official Parking Servis Budva app lets you choose the zone and pay by card or SMS. It is the easiest option if you do not have a local SIM.
- Machines and attendants: some streets and the car parks with barriers take payment on site or when you leave. Keep the ticket: a lost ticket is charged at a flat fee.
A cheap local prepaid SIM pays for itself quickly if you are staying a week. It also helps when you need to call the rental company.
Fines and towing
Parking fines in Montenegro range from about €15 to €150, depending on the offence. If your car is towed, you also pay the towing and storage. Towing is much more common in summer and in Budva’s centre. Cars blocking a driveway, a pavement crossing or traffic are the usual targets. If your car is missing, call your rental company first: they deal with this every season and know where cars are taken.
If you get a fine in a rental car, tell the company. It is far cheaper to settle it straight away than to have it passed on later with an admin fee.
Where to park: practical tips
- Choose accommodation with parking. In summer this matters more than anything else on this page. Ask the host whether the space is guaranteed or just “usually available”.
- Do not drive to the old town. The access road by the old town is controlled. Park in one of the car parks or garages around the centre and walk along the promenade.
- Use free parking further out. There are free spaces along streets and in bays, generally a 10 to 15 minute walk from the centre and the main beaches.
- Go early for beaches. Beach car parks near Bečići, Sveti Stefan and Petrovac fill up by late morning in July and August.
- Leave nothing on view. This is basic advice anywhere, but busy beach car parks are where it matters most.
Driving in and around Budva
Budva lies on the Adriatic coast road, the main road that links the coast from Herceg Novi down to Ulcinj. It is a good road, but in summer the stretch between the Jaz junction, Budva and Bečići is often slow, with traffic lights, pedestrians and buses. Plan day trips to leave early and return after the evening rush.
The climb out of Budva towards Cetinje and Lovćen is winding but well surfaced, and the views back over the coast are worth a stop. Keep to the speed limits, and drive with dipped headlights on during the day as a safe habit.
More for your Budva trip
- Local car rental companies in Budva, several of which deliver to your apartment.
- Tivat or Podgorica airport for a Budva rental car.
- Day trips along the coast and the Bay of Kotor: day trips by car from Tivat work just as well from Budva.
- Renting a car in Montenegro: the full guide.
Want prices from local companies in Budva? Send us your dates and we will ask two or three local rental companies for offers. Free for you, no obligation.
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