Podgorica, Montenegro, June 2024
At Nomad Negs, we tell the truth about travel, including the dark side. Unlike many fake bloggers and Instagrammers, we show you the real negatives. In this article, we show you the shocking reality in 2024 (that no one tell you about it) for tourists landing at Podgorica Airport, Montenegro. The Aerodrom train station is a disaster from the Soviet Union era—a total catastrophe and disgrace. If I didn’t say this was Montenegro, you’d think it was a very poor country. Even parts of Africa have better, cleaner infrastructure. What a shame !! What a shame !! It’s unbelievable that Montenegro, with its arrogant and corrupt politicians, thinks it can join the European Union with such low standards. Absolutely there’s no way Montenegro can join the EU like this.
This is What Awaits Tourists when they land: Airport Train Station is Like a Dirty Public Toilet + Aggressive Taxi Drivers Mafia
Tourists arriving at the “Aerodrom” train station in Podgorica, Montenegro face a very frustrating reality: the station is a tiny space with a few benches, no shade, no drinking water fountain, and no toilet, all accompanied by very smelly odors in the summer heat (all the streets dogs and drunken idiots leave their shits there). Aggressive taxi drivers, often without proper taxi markings, try to convince tourists to pay 20 euros (the actual cost 6 to 7 euros max) to avoid the wait for a shabby train. After a long flight, an exhausted tourist with a huge backpack exits the airport and searches online for a way to the city center or a transfer to the seaside. Unaware of the chaos around him, he faces illegal taxi drivers fighting to offer rides. If he avoids them, he finds the “Aerodrom” train station a few hundred meters from the airport, from where he can reach Podgorica or Bar cheaply. Following directions, he starts filming small landfills, bushes, branches, and a graffiti-covered space with no doors or windows. He realizes it’s the station, still without shade, drinking water, or a toilet.
As he posts videos and exchanges impressions with other tourists waiting for the train, the Criminal Mafia taxi drivers return to him, trying to convince him and others that for 20 euros per person, they can avoid the shabby train. The longer the wait, the higher the taxi fares go.
This is the first impression many tourists get of Montenegro: dirt, unpleasant smells, and a lack of basic facilities at the station. The Railway Infrastructure of Montenegro blames “irresponsible individuals in Government” for the poor conditions. What a shame !
Civic activist Aleksandar Dragićević says Montenegro relies heavily on tourism and needs to improve the first contact tourists have with the country. He suggests the station, which sometimes has dozens of waiting tourists, could be fixed in just one or two days to improve impressions but nothing is done since more than 30 years ! Welcome to Montenegro !
The problem of illegal taxi drivers is also highlighted by the state company Aerodromi Crne Gore, which repeatedly asks for help from authorities. These drivers damage the country’s reputation by overcharging and mistreating passengers. Despite continuous warnings, the airport’s security service lacks the authority to prosecute them.
Travelers arriving in Montenegro and entering the Podgorica airport terminal are greeted by a chaotic mess of transportation. They’ll face taxi drivers with different license plates, shady negotiations over prices, and the unsettling prospect of hopping into unmarked vehicles…
Even though the Road Traffic Inspectorate from the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs recently cracked down on taxi drivers operating without a license in another municipality, issuing 13 fines, the issues persist. The inspection fined eight companies a minimum of 2,300 euros each and one entrepreneur 1,500 euros. According to the state company, this wild and criminal taxi drivers break the rules daily. They cause conflicts, hurl insults, and sometimes even threaten violence just to avoid paying for parking. And occasionally, they’re even the troublemakers at the Podgorica Airport border crossing.
This dismal state of affairs in Montenegro in 2024 is the product of abysmal services and rampant corruption in the government. Basic technologies like PayPal or Uber are non-existent, leaving the door wide open for chaos and inefficiency. If Uber had been available, none of this would have ever occurred.
Montenegro’s 2024 Tourist Season: A Complete Rip-off for Visitors this summer !
The National Tourism Organization of Montenegro keep blabbering about infrastructure, but those lazy Montenegrin woman bureaucrats just sit on their butts, cashing paychecks without lifting a finger! Corruption? It’s all in the heads of Montenegrins! Until they wake up and stop being lazy, nothing’s gonna change! No action for over three decades! People love lounging in their comfort zones, ripping off tourists every darn summer!
Tourists often complain on social media about the station and airport transport. They’re embarrassed and disappointed by the poor conditions, aggressive taxi drivers, and the struggle to get from the station to the airport. Many share videos and stories about these poor conditions and especially walking 10 minutes in the road with heavy luggage to reach this nightmare station (a dangerous road without a pedestrian sidewalk really !). It’s a complete hassle and risk of life even ! And even though the train is cheap and offers nice views, the overall experience is a big letdown.
In summary, the state of the airport train station in Podgorica is not unique but reflects the chaotic conditions in many stations across Montenegro. For over 50 years, the responsible authorities at the train company ”ŽICG” have failed to act, instead blaming each other from one generation to the next. The true victims are the tourists, enduring these poor conditions, which tarnish Montenegro’s reputation as a tourist destination aspiring to be the new Monaco or join the EU. However, these dreams seem distant, as authorities persist in self-delusion, refusing to face the harsh truth.