Montenegro on a Swedish Licence — Narrow Coast Roads, No Side Switch

Montenegro feels close to home for a Swedish driver in one respect: traffic keeps to the right. Almost everything else needs a moment of preparation, from the permit in your wallet to the kit in the boot and the road along the coast itself.

Paperwork first

Montenegro is not an EU member, so the rule that lets a Swedish licence travel freely around the EU and EEA stops at the border. Carry a 1968 International Driving Permit with your licence and passport. The UK government lists the 1968 IDP for Montenegro, and Canada tells its visitors they must carry an IDP; Sweden and Montenegro have both signed the 1968 Vienna convention, which is why that version is the right one. Arrange it before you leave, and check the details with the Driving Permit Checker.

The coast road

Much of a holiday route runs along the coast: two lanes clinging to the cliffs above the Bay of Kotor, short tunnels and steep climbs inland. Canada’s advice notes that many roads are poorly maintained and secondary roads are narrow. In July and August the coast fills with coaches and hire cars. Let faster drivers pass where there is space rather than being pushed into an overtake you would not make at home.

Rules that differ from Sweden

Priority to the right applies, so a car from a side road on your right can have right of way. The alcohol limit is 0.03%, against 0.02% in Sweden. WHO records 50 km/h in towns, 80 on rural roads and 130 on motorways. Police can fine you for going 10 km/h over a limit. Penalties range from EUR 20 to EUR 6,000, and a fine may have to be paid at a bank or post office within eight days or before you leave the country. Use the speeding fine calculator for a rough figure, and the guide to who pays driving fines abroad explains how hire firms pass tickets on.

Kit and winter

The car must carry a reflective vest, an accident report form, spare bulbs, a first-aid kit and a warning triangle. From 15 November to 31 March it also needs winter tyres or snow chains, and snow and ice can make mountain roads hazardous. The emergency number is 112. The Montenegro driving guide covers the rest.

Sources

• GOV.UK, international driving permit table (Montenegro: 1968): gov.uk
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Montenegro (fines for 10 km/h over; penalties EUR 20-6,000; payment within 8 days; alcohol limit below half of England’s): gov.uk
• GOV.UK foreign travel advice, Montenegro, emergency number 112: gov.uk
• Government of Canada travel advice, Montenegro (IDP must be carried; required equipment; winter tyres or chains 15 November to 31 March; priority to the right): travel.gc.ca
• UN Treaty Collection, parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic: treaties.un.org
• WHO Global status report on road safety 2023, Montenegro and Sweden profiles (50/80/130 km/h; 0.03 and 0.02 g/dl): who.int, who.int