Long-distance private transfers to Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia

What is a private transfer from Dubrovnik?

A private transfer is a car or minivan with a driver, booked for your group alone, that takes you from one address to another at a price agreed in advance. Unlike a coach or a shared shuttle, it leaves when you want, carries all your luggage and stops only where you ask.

Most long-distance transfers from the city go in one of three directions: north along the coast to Split, Makarska and the ferry for Korčula; south-east into Montenegro for Kotor, Tivat and Budva; or inland to Mostar, Međugorje and Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Where can a private transfer take us?

North to Split and central Dalmatia

The road to Split follows the D8 coast road and then the A1 motorway: about 235 km and roughly 3¼ hours of driving. Since the Pelješac Bridge opened on 26 July 2022, the whole journey stays inside Croatia, so there is no border check on the way, as the European Commission’s announcement of the bridge’s opening explains.

Shorter rides on the same road go to Ston (55 km), Orebić for the car ferry to Korčula (110 km) and Makarska (160 km by the coast road). The page on transfers to Split covers the route, the stops and the alternatives in detail.

South-east to Montenegro

Kotor is about 92 km away by the road around the Bay of Kotor, roughly two hours before any border wait. Herceg Novi is closer, at 49 km, while Tivat Airport and Budva are reached most quickly with the short car ferry across the bay at Kamenari. Our page on transfers to Kotor and Montenegro has the full detail.

Inland to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mostar is about 146 km away: up the coast, then inland at Metković to the Doljani border crossing. The drive takes about 2½ hours without the border. Međugorje is a little closer, at 128 km, and Sarajevo is about 272 km. See the page on transfers to Mostar and Međugorje.

How do border crossings work?

Croatia is in the EU and the Schengen area; Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are not. Every trip into either country therefore crosses an external Schengen border, where Croatian police check travellers on the way out and the neighbouring country’s police check them on the way in.

Since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System has been fully running at these crossings. Visitors from outside the EU, including British and American travellers, are registered with a photograph and fingerprints on their first crossing. The Croatian Ministry of the Interior warns that road crossings take longer because some passengers must leave the vehicle to register. Travellers who arrived by air at Dubrovnik already have a record and need only a quick photo check.

What each passenger needs:

• British, American, Canadian and Australian visitors: a valid passport. Montenegro admits them without a visa for up to 90 days, according to the Government of Montenegro.
• EU citizens: a passport or a national identity card for Montenegro.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina: British visitors need a passport issued less than ten years before arrival and valid for at least 90 days after they leave, according to the UK Foreign Office.

The queue is the real variable. At the main crossing to Montenegro, Karasovići, waits are short in winter but can reach several hours on summer weekends, so we time departures to avoid the worst of it.

What is included in the price?

The confirmed price of a private transfer from Dubrovnik covers everything needed to complete the journey:

• the vehicle and driver for the whole route;
• fuel and motorway tolls;
• ferry tickets, such as the Kamenari–Lepetane crossing in the Bay of Kotor;
• waiting at the border, however long the queue;
• luggage that fits the booked vehicle, and child seats on request;
• VAT.

There is no charge per kilometre, no night surcharge and no fee for paying by card. If you want a stop on the way, tell us when you book, and the confirmed price will say what the stop adds.

Which vehicle is right for a long journey?

On a three-hour drive, space matters more than on a short airport run. A standard car suits up to four passengers with a suitcase each. A minivan suits five to eight passengers, or a smaller group that wants more legroom and room for bags. The premium minivan, a Mercedes-Benz V-Class, has leather seats for up to seven.

Can we go and come back on the same day?

Yes, but a same-day return is usually booked differently. Instead of two one-way transfers, you hire a car with a driver for a half or full day: the driver waits while you explore and brings you back. Mostar, Kotor and Perast, Ston and Korčula all work as day trips from the city, as our guide to day trips from Dubrovnik by car shows.

For every route and vehicle in one place, see the full transfer price list.