Dubrovnik Airport car hire companion
Your arrival at DBV in four stops: what to have ready, where to collect the car, how the deposit and excess work, and whether your agreement lets you cross into Montenegro or Bosnia.
At a glance
- IATA / ICAO
- DBV / LDDU
- Distance to Dubrovnik
- 20 km (about 30 minutes by car on the D8 coast road)
- Location
- Čilipi, in the Konavle valley, south east of Dubrovnik
- Car hire desks
- Arrivals hall of the single terminal. Shuttle and off site suppliers meet you elsewhere, as your voucher says
- Driving side
- Right. Left hand drive hire car
- Currency at the desk
- Euro (Croatia joined the euro area in 2023)
Have ready before you land
Everything you need in your hand when you reach the desk or the meeting point.
Collecting the car at DBV
Dubrovnik has one passenger terminal, with arrivals and departures side by side in the same building. Car hire desks sit in the arrivals hall. Off site and shuttle suppliers meet you at the point your voucher names.
- Arrivals hallDesk suppliersFollow the car hire signs from baggage reclaim. Where a company is not shown by name on the airport website, the voucher is the only reliable list.
- Off site or shuttleMeet and greetThe voucher gives the meeting point and a phone number to call when you land. The desk cannot help you if you booked through an off site supplier.
With an off-airport supplier, the car may sit in a nearby lot rather than at the terminal. If your voucher says shuttle, budget extra time between landing and getting the keys.
Deposit and excess checker
Maths only, from the numbers on your own voucher. We never guess a price, and the figure a Croatian supplier blocks varies by car, by cover and by payment card.
Held, not spent. Released after return, on the supplier's timetable.
Per day price times rental days.
Under 100% the cover costs less than the excess it removes.
Your numbers stay in this browser. Deposit, excess and cover terms are set by your rental agreement; read the exclusions before you decide, especially the ones on tyres, glass and the underside.
Road out and the border question
How far Dubrovnik is from the airport, and the cross-border rules to check before a day trip.
- Dubrovnik old town20 km30 min
Distance from Dubrovnik Airport (42.5614, 18.2682) to Dubrovnik city centre, following the D8 coast road, rounded.
Crossing into Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dubrovnik sits at the southern tip of Croatia, next to both borders. Kotor in Montenegro and Mostar in Bosnia are tempting day trips, but do not assume your hire car from DBV is allowed across the border.
Three things decide whether you can cross. Your rental agreement must list the countries you are allowed to drive in. The supplier has to issue a green card (a border insurance document) for the car, and some will not for Montenegro or Bosnia. And the deposit and the cover usually change when the car leaves Croatia.
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What to do at the desk
- Ask the desk clerk directly: "Is cross border travel to Montenegro or Bosnia allowed on this contract?"
- If the answer is yes, ask for the green card and any written permission for the border police.
- Get the answer, or the refusal, in writing on the contract before you drive away.
- If the answer is no, plan a day trip by bus or on a guided tour. Taking the hire car over anyway is a contract breach, and the insurance will not cover you.
Compare Dubrovnik Airport car hire
- Set Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) as the collection point.
- If you plan to cross a border, check the cross-border policy in each offer's terms.
- Compare the deposit, excess, fuel policy and pick up type, not just the headline price.
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Questions about Dubrovnik Airport car hire
Where are the car hire desks at Dubrovnik Airport?
In the arrivals hall of the single passenger terminal at Čilipi. Follow the car hire signs from baggage reclaim. If your voucher names a shuttle or meeting point instead, follow those instructions.
How far is Dubrovnik Airport from the city?
About 20 km, roughly 30 minutes on the D8 coast road. The road is single carriageway most of the way, so allow more time in the summer season.
Can I drive a hire car from Croatia into Montenegro?
Only if your rental agreement lists Montenegro and the supplier issues the cross border documents, including a green card. Some agreements exclude it. Ask the desk before you drive away and get the answer on the contract.
Can I drive a hire car from Croatia into Bosnia and Herzegovina?
The same rule applies. The countries you may drive in are written in the rental agreement. If Bosnia is not listed, you cannot take the car across, and your insurance will not cover you if you do.
Do I drive on the left in Croatia?
No. Croatia drives on the right, and the hire car is left hand drive. If you are used to the UK, take extra care turning left at junctions and joining roundabouts.
What should I check before leaving the car park?
Damage, fuel level, mileage and return instructions. Photograph every side of the car, the wheels, the windscreen, the dashboard and the fuel gauge before you drive away.
Sources
Approximate driving distance to Dubrovnik on the D8. Cross-border rules: general guidance only; your supplier's rental conditions apply. Speed and fuel terms vary by supplier and are on the voucher; we do not print a figure we have not confirmed.