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Voykit pocket guide · Montenegro
Bar
Бар
Give Bar one night, not three: Stari Bar ruins in the morning, Susanj beach in the afternoon, then move on to Ulcinj or Budva.
Bar is Montenegro's working port, not a resort. Most of it is open all year for locals, and the tourist side runs May–September. The reason to stop is Stari Bar, the ruined old town 4 km inland, plus cheaper beds than Budva and a train line to Podgorica. Two nights is enough; one is often enough.
- Country
- Montenegro
- Local name
- Бар
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowds, heat, higher beds)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Montenegro uses the euro (EUR) although it is not in the EU. Cards work in hotels and coastal restaurants; mountain villages, taxis and markets often want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget €35–55 excl. bed · Mid €60–95 excl. bed · High €110+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- One (formerly Telenor), Crnogorski Telekom and m:tel sell prepaid SIMs; passport required.
- Emergency
- All emergencies 112 · Police 122 · Fire 123 · Ambulance 124
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin.
- Tipping
- Café: Round up.; Restaurant: About 10%.; Taxi: Round up.; Rafting or hiking guide: €5–10 per person.
- Water
- Tap water is generally safe; in summer some coastal towns have supply problems — ask your host.
- Toilets
- Cafés for customers; bus stations €0.50.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a centre café | €1–2 |
| Ćevapi or a grilled-meat plate | €6–12 |
| Pizza at a budget pizzeria | €5–9 |
| Draught beer / supermarket can | €2–3.50 / €1–1.50 |
| Bus Bar → Ulcinj | €2–3 (check) |
| Train Bar → Podgorica | about €2.40 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | €10–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TIV · Tivat
- About 1 h by road; taxi transfer quoted around €40
- TGD · Podgorica
- About 45 min by road; taxi transfer quoted around €30; train link to Bar station
- DBV · Dubrovnik (Croatia)
- Cross-border drive, roughly 2.5–3 h; taxi quoted around €110
Typical fares
- Taxi centre → Stari Bar
- about €4
- Taxi Bar → Tivat airport
- about €40
- Bus Bar → Kotor
- about €6.50
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The centre is walkable; centre to Susanj beach is about 30 min on foot or a short taxi. A summer local bus runs hourly between Sutomore and Bar. Buses from the station (2 km (1.2 mi) from the centre, 300 m from the train station) go to Budva, Kotor, Tivat and Ulcinj; pay cash. Taxis cover the rest.The centre is walkable; centre to Susanj beach is about 30 min on foot or a short taxi. A summer local bus runs hourly between Sutomore and Bar. Buses from the station (1.2 mi (2 km) from the centre, 300 m from the train station) go to Budva, Kotor, Tivat and Ulcinj; pay cash. Taxis cover the rest.
See and do
Known for
- Stari Bar old town ruins
- Stara Maslina olive tree
- Port of Bar and the Belgrade train
- Susanj beaches
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stari Bar | Taxi from the centre (about €4) or the hourly Mediteran Expres bus (about €1) | About 20–30 min |
| Ulcinj | Bus from Bar bus station, about 30 min | About 45 min |
| Sutomore | Hourly summer local bus north along the coast | About 20 min |
| Budva | Coastal bus from Bar bus station | About 1 h |
| Kotor | Bus from Bar bus station | About 1 h 45 min |
| Podgorica | Train from Bar station (about €2.40) or bus, about 1 h | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Bar centre (Topolica)
- Walk to the promenade, cafés and the bus station area; best for one night with bags.
- Susanj
- Coastal strip north of the centre; 30 min on foot or a short taxi, quieter and closer to the beach.
- Šušanj and Sutomore side
- Summer-only guesthouses and apartments; hourly local bus along the coast.
- Stari Bar
- A few small stays by the ruins; only worth it if you have a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Dobar danDOH-bar dahn |
| Thank you | HvalaHVAH-lah |
| How much is it? | Koliko košta?KOH-lee-koh KOHSH-tah |
| The bill, please | Račun, molimRAH-choon MOH-leem |
| Where is the bus station? | Gdje je autobuska stanica?gdyeh yeh ow-toh-BOOS-kah STAH-nee-tsah |
| Help | Upomoćoo-POH-mohtch |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'dobar dan'; avoid: Rushing straight to business
- Pace: Accept slow service and long coffees; avoid: Snapping fingers at waiters
- Churches and monasteries: Covered shoulders and knees; avoid: Swimwear, loud talk
- Conversation: Nature, food, history of the bay; avoid: Declaring Montenegrins to be Serbs (or the reverse)
Scams and watch-outs
- Bus station is 2 km from the centre: budget a taxi or a 25-min walk with bags.
- Bus tickets are cash only; small notes help.
- Stari Bar entry is charged at the fortress gate; the surrounding lanes are free to walk.
- Beach water and space are better at Susanj than in front of the port.
- Summer beds and taxis cost more in Jul–Aug; book ahead or come in Jun or Sep.
Bar is a normal working town and feels safe by day and evening. Watch traffic on the coastal road, keep to lit streets near the bus and train stations at night, and agree taxi fares or use the meter before you set off.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Bar yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Stari Bar old town ruins
- Stara Maslina olive tree
- Port of Bar and the Belgrade train
- Susanj beaches
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Bar tourist organisation: www.bar.travel/
- Montenegro Railways (ŽPCG): www.zpcg.me/
- Wikivoyage: Bar, revision 5243689 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5243689
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
BarБар
Na ovu adresu, molim
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Montenegro has no US or UK embassy in Bar; embassies are in Podgorica. Consular help for most EU states is also in Podgorica.
Cash is still common at bus windows and small eateries; keep small euro notes.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/bar). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.