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The Karasovići border crossing is the main road crossing between Croatia and Montenegro, on the D8 between Dubrovnik and Herceg Novi. On the Montenegrin side it is called Debeli Brijeg: one crossing with a name on each side. It takes passenger and goods traffic, coaches included. Below you'll find the border cameras, EBT's seasonal wait estimates, the documents you need and the cars-only alternative.
Two public sources show this crossing: HAK, the Croatian Auto Club, on the Croatian side, and Montenegro's Ministry of Interior (MUP) on the Debeli Brijeg side.
Croatian side: HAK camera, Karasovići
HAK shows two views here: traffic entering Croatia from Montenegro, and traffic leaving Croatia for Montenegro.
Source: HAK · Karasovići border camera on hak.hr
Camera images © HAK (Hrvatski autoklub), refreshed periodically by HAK. Camera links checked: 2 November 2026.
Montenegrin side: MUP cameras, Debeli Brijeg
Debeli Brijeg cameras (MUP Crna Gora, recent clips): entry and exit views, on the MUP site.
A camera shows the queue at one moment. It does not tell you how long you will wait. HAK posts still photos that it refreshes from time to time. MUP posts short recorded clips that are also refreshed periodically, so neither is live video. A queue that looks short on screen can grow before you get there, especially in EBT's worst window, 10:00 to 14:00 in season.
| Croatian side | Karasovići (also written Karasovici), Konavle municipality, state road D8 |
|---|---|
| Montenegrin side | Debeli Brijeg, Herceg Novi municipality, about 6 km by road from Igalo |
| Type | Permanent international road crossing for passengers and goods |
| Vehicles | Passenger and goods traffic, coaches included |
| Border | Schengen external border (Croatia joined Schengen on 1 January 2023) |
| Distances | About 17 km by road from Dubrovnik Airport; Herceg Novi is about 10 km beyond the Montenegrin post |
| Cameras | HAK on the Croatian side (refreshed still images); MUP on the Montenegrin side (recent clips, link) |
| Opening hours | Normally open around the clock. Check before you travel if the HAK notice says otherwise |
These are EBT's published estimates, typical for a private vehicle in the priority lane where one exists. They do not apply to the bus or coach lanes.
| Off-season (Oct–Apr) | Shoulder (May, Sep) | Peak summer (Jun–Aug) | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2–10 min | 15–30 min | 60–180 min | 10:00–14:00 daily |
Source: EBT seasonal estimates, not live conditions. For the queue right now, check the cameras above.
In EBT's experience the worst window is 10:00 to 14:00, when cruise excursions and day trippers reach the border. The best times to cross are before 07:30 or after 16:00. The same figures apply on the Debeli Brijeg side, because it is the same crossing.
Peak weekends can go far beyond the table. On 2 August 2026 the mayor of Konavle said drivers were waiting up to 10 hours at Karasovići to enter Montenegro, as Croatian media reported. That was an exceptional day, not a typical summer wait.
Planning a day out rather than a transfer? The Dubrovnik to Kotor day trip guide covers the rest of the day.
Croatia and Montenegro share only two road crossings. The other one is Vitaljina–Kobila, at the end of the D516, a road of about 14 km that leaves the D8 at Karasovići village, before the border post, and runs south. Vitaljina is open to passengers and passenger cars only, so buses, coaches and goods vehicles cannot use it (HAK).
When Karasovići is congested, your driver can use Vitaljina instead. That is a possibility, not a promise: it depends on your vehicle and on the queue at Vitaljina that day. If your group travels in a vehicle that doesn't count as a passenger car at Vitaljina, your driver uses Karasovići. Vitaljina's camera, wait estimates and limits are on the Vitaljina–Kobila border crossing page.
Croatia is in the Schengen area, so this is a Schengen external border with passport control on both sides. Since 10 April 2026, the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has registered non-EU short-stay travellers with fingerprints and a facial image instead of passport stamps. Carry a valid passport (EU citizens can also enter Montenegro with an ID card for up to 30 days). Read our full guide to Balkan border crossings and documents before you travel. For visa rules, see the Balkans visa guide.
These EBT private transfers cross at Karasovići–Debeli Brijeg. If your schedule allows, ask for a pickup time that reaches the border before 07:30 or after 16:00.
Longer routes through this crossing include Dubrovnik to Podgorica and Dubrovnik to Tirana.
Going from Dubrovnik to Kotor or elsewhere on the Montenegrin coast? Send your date and pickup time, and say if you'd like to avoid the 10:00–14:00 border window.
Yes. Karasovići is the Croatian name and Debeli Brijeg the Montenegrin name of the same road crossing. You pass a Croatian exit check and a Montenegrin entry check, or the reverse on the way back.
EBT's typical estimates for a private vehicle are 2–10 minutes from October to April, 15–30 minutes in May and September, and 60–180 minutes from June to August. These are seasonal estimates, not live figures, and they do not cover the bus or coach lanes.
In EBT's experience, before 07:30 or after 16:00. Avoid 10:00 to 14:00, when cruise excursions and day trippers reach the border.
There are cameras, but no live video. HAK shows still images of the Croatian side that it refreshes periodically, and MUP Crna Gora shows short recent clips of the Debeli Brijeg side. Use them to see the queue at one moment, not as a wait time. Links: HAK Karasovići camera · MUP Debeli Brijeg cameras.
Yes. Karasovići takes passenger and goods traffic, coaches included. The other crossing on this border, Vitaljina, takes passengers and passenger cars only.
There is one other road crossing: Vitaljina–Kobila, south of Karasovići at the end of the D516. It is for passengers and passenger cars only, with no buses or coaches. When Karasovići is congested, your driver can use Vitaljina instead, depending on your vehicle and the queue there. See the Vitaljina–Kobila crossing page.
It is normally open around the clock. There is no guarantee: check before you travel if the HAK notice says otherwise.
A valid passport. EU citizens can also enter Montenegro with an ID card for up to 30 days. Non-EU travellers are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System with fingerprints and a facial image. The Balkan border crossings guide has the full document list.
Send your date, pickup point and flight or ship time. If you'd like to cross outside the busy hours, say so in your request.