What is Avenis car hire Dubrovnik like?
Avenis is a Croatian car hire company operating at Dubrovnik Airport (Čilipi), with pickups at five airports across Croatia. We hired from them in May 2026 for a 7-day, three-country drive through Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The total cost came to €218.75, including cross-border permits and an additional driver. This review covers the booking process, the car, road quality across all three countries, the border crossings, and whether Avenis delivered on price and service.
How do you book Avenis car hire at Dubrovnik?
We booked directly on avenis.hr, which is straightforward. You select a vehicle category rather than a specific model, so the car allocated on the day may differ. We booked a small car category and were given a Renault Clio 5th generation, which was spotless and well-presented. The booking confirmation arrived by email within minutes, with full details of the reservation and a clear breakdown of costs.
It is worth booking early in the season: Dubrovnik is a busy airport in summer, and small car availability is limited. The website is in English and the booking flow is clear, with insurance options, add-ons and cross-border permits selectable during checkout rather than at the desk.
How much does Avenis car hire cost?
Our 7-day hire broke down as follows. The base hire for a small car category came to €70.00. The cross-border permit covering Montenegro and Bosnia cost €105.00, and an additional driver was €43.75. The total was €218.75, paid in euros on arrival. There were no surprise charges at pickup or on return.
For context, that works out at around €31 per day all-in for two drivers with full cross-border access to three countries. We found Avenis the cheapest option for this specific multi-country itinerary when comparing against the major chains at the same airport. The cross-border add-on must be selected at the booking stage, not requested at the desk.
What is the Avenis pickup like?
Pickup was quick and genuinely friendly. The desk team processed the paperwork, checked licences and credit card, explained the fuel policy (full-to-full) and handed over the keys in well under 10 minutes. There was no upsell pressure on insurance, which was a notable contrast to some larger chains. The car was parked a short walk from the office in good condition, with a mileage check done together before we left the car park.
The office itself is a modern, clean building in the car hire cluster opposite the terminal. On a May weekday morning there was no queue. Staff spoke good English and answered questions about the cross-border documents without hesitation.
How was the drive through Croatia?
Croatian roads in the southern Dalmatian region are in excellent condition. The main D8 coastal road runs south from Dubrovnik toward the Montenegrin border and is well-surfaced, clearly signed and carries a manageable amount of traffic in May. The Renault Clio handled all of it without any drama: the 1.0 litre engine was adequate on the moderate gradients, and the ride was comfortable on the smooth tarmac.
Dubrovnik Airport is about 20 minutes south of the old town at Čilipi. From the airport to the Croatian border crossing at Vitaljina, following the coastal road south via Molunat, is a further 20 minutes. We filled the tank at an INA station near the border on the return leg, where petrol prices were comparable to western European levels.
What is the Croatia-Montenegro border crossing like?
We crossed at the Vitaljina-Kobila crossing, a quieter alternative to the main Debeli Brijeg-Karasovići crossing on the Adriatic Highway. Vitaljina is a secondary crossing for passenger cars only, reached via a short detour off the D8 near Molunat. Under normal conditions it is faster than Karasovići, but our crossing in May 2026 was slow: the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which launched at all Croatian Schengen external borders on 10 April 2026, required biometric registration (photographs and fingerprints) for non-EU and non-EEA travellers on their first crossing. Every car in the queue had to stop, and all occupants had to exit the vehicle at the Croatian checkpoint for photo capture.
The result was a tailback that added roughly an hour to the journey. The total drive from Dubrovnik Airport to Kotor took around 3 hours with the border wait; without it we estimate it would have been just over 2 hours for the 93km route. The Avenis cross-border paperwork caused no issues at either the Croatian or Montenegrin checkpoints. The staff simply checked the permit document alongside the usual vehicle registration and insurance. We cover the Montenegro driving experience in more detail in a our guide to driving in Montenegro.
How did the Clio perform on Montenegrin roads?
Montenegrin roads are noticeably rougher than Croatian ones, particularly on secondary routes heading inland. The surface quality varies: main roads between Herceg Novi, Kotor and the interior are reasonable, but smaller roads in the Montenegrin highlands include patchy tarmac, gravel sections and the occasional pothole. The Clio handled all of it reliably: we drove on rough gravel tracks, steep mountain passes and narrow village lanes without any mechanical concern. Ground clearance is adequate for the roads you are likely to take in a Clio-class hire car, though we would not take it on unmarked off-road tracks.
We stopped at a viewpoint above Lake Skadar on the road heading south, which gives a clear view over the 44km-long lake and the surrounding mountains at around 800m. The roads up to these viewpoints are narrow single-track in places, but passable in a standard small car. We also stayed overnight in Montenegro and parked at Rooms Dujeva Drago, a stone guesthouse we will review separately (see our Rooms Dujeva Drago review).
How was the Bosnia and Herzegovina leg?
We crossed into Bosnia and Herzegovina on the return journey. Bosnian roads are generally in acceptable condition on the main routes, though less consistently maintained than Croatia. The Avenis cross-border permit covered both Montenegro and Bosnia, and again there were no issues at the border. The permit document was checked alongside the vehicle papers and waved through without delay. Budget around €105 for the combined cross-border add-on covering both countries when booking.
How was the Avenis return?
Return was as smooth as pickup. The desk team did a brief external check of the car, noted no damage, confirmed the fuel level matched the collection condition, and processed the return in a few minutes. There were no hidden charges, no arguments over damage, and no pressure to buy anything. The deposit hold was released promptly. For a multi-country hire that included rough tracks, mountain roads and international border crossings, the zero-issue return was a good result.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Cheapest option we found for a cross-border hire from Dubrovnik Airport covering Montenegro and Bosnia
- Fast, friendly pickup and return with no upsell pressure
- Cross-border permits bookable online at the time of reservation, not just at the desk
- Clean, reliable Renault Clio handled varied road conditions without any issues
- No hidden charges: the total matched the booking confirmation exactly
Cons
- Cross-border add-on at €105 is a significant cost on top of the base hire
- You book a vehicle category, not a specific model, so the allocated car may vary
- Office hours are 8am to 8pm: no out-of-hours returns
Everything was well organised, the conditions were top-notch, and the whole process was quick and easy. I would especially like to commend Suzana, who was extremely kind, professional, and accommodating. A truly positive experience and I will definitely use this service again.
— Kelly Degirmendžić, Google Reviews
Excellent team, this is a new crew for a new brand name. They are super friendly, knowledgeable, and ready to help in any way possible. Strongly recommend them.
— Edin Bilalović, Google Reviews
Is Avenis worth it for a Balkan road trip?
Yes. For a multi-country drive starting from Dubrovnik, Avenis gave us the best price, a reliable car and genuinely straightforward service at both ends. The cross-border permit process is handled entirely online during booking, which removes one potential source of desk friction. The EES biometric system at Vitaljina added time to our May 2026 border crossing, but that is an external factor affecting all crossings into Croatia from non-Schengen countries, not anything to do with Avenis. We would use them again for a similar itinerary. If you have used Avenis on a Dubrovnik hire or driven the Croatia-Montenegro route with a different company, feel free to share your experience in the comments.
Can you take an Avenis hire car from Dubrovnik into Montenegro?
Yes. You need to add the cross-border permit at the time of booking on avenis.hr. The permit for Montenegro is part of the €105 combined add-on that also covers Bosnia and Herzegovina. Present the permit document at the border alongside the vehicle registration and your passport.
Can you take an Avenis hire car into Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Yes, provided you select the combined cross-border permit during booking. The €105 add-on covers both Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It must be purchased at the booking stage, not requested at the desk on the day of collection.
How long does the Croatia-Montenegro border crossing take?
Off-season and in the early morning it typically takes 20 to 30 minutes at Vitaljina. Since the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) launched on 10 April 2026, first-time crossers from outside the EU/EEA face biometric registration at the Croatian checkpoint, which has added delays. Our May 2026 crossing took around an hour.
Where is the Avenis office at Dubrovnik Airport?
The Avenis office is in the car hire row at Dobrota 24, Močići, just outside the terminal building at Dubrovnik Airport (Čilipi, DBV). It is open 8am to 8pm daily. There is no out-of-hours drop-off service. Allow 10 to 15 minutes from the terminal entrance to the desk on foot.
What vehicle category does Avenis allocate at Dubrovnik?
Avenis assigns vehicles by category rather than specific model. We booked a small car and were allocated a Renault Clio. The allocated car may differ but will be within the same category. Ours was clean, well-maintained and handled all three countries without any issues.
