miguel2661
Traveller
7 comments
Posted 13 years ago
Hello everyone
So I'll be going on my second interrail this July and will pass through Albania. However i know very little about the country other than it has no train and that it is very beautiful.
Anyone has some tips about what to visit or not? We'll be entering from Montenegro (Kotor before probably) and wil be exiting to Ohrid, Macedonia. I was thinking of passing in Tirana and another city probably.
Where should i go to maximize the short journey?
Cheers for the effort on the website
Miguel
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi!
First, there [b]is[/b] a railway network in Albania! However, there are no international passenger trains.
Network map :arr: ...
Timetable :arr: ...
If you are coming from Montenegro, take a taxi from Podgorica to the border at Hani i Holt, cross the border and get another taxi on to Shkoder from where you can continue by train.
To leave the country to Ohrid, take the train to Pogradec or Prennjas and cross the border again by taxi. I guess there is no public transport cross-border.
What to visit? Well, if you are going by train within Albania, choice is limited. Think about Durres, Vlore, Tirana (the big cities), all well connected by train. Lake Skadar/Shkoder is also nice...most other places are not directly accesible by train.
Flo 8)
gasparzinho
Traveller
20 comments
[quote]
If you are coming from Montenegro, take a taxi from Podgorica to the border at Hani i Holt, cross the border and get another taxi on to Shkoder from where you can continue by train.
To leave the country to Ohrid, take the train to Pogradec or Prennjas and cross the border again by taxi. I guess there is no public transport cross-border.[/quote]
Hi Flo,
From Macedonia (Ohrid) is the same thing? Train to the border (where?) and taxi inside Albania?
And another doubt: And to get out (by north to Montenegro)? Again taxi?
How much can cost this taxis? Expensive?
And the trains/buses in Albania? Expensive?
Many thanks,
Gaspar
Flo
Traveller
10724 comments
Hi Gaspar!
Have a look at the map linked here :arr: [u]https://rail.cc/en/maps[/u]
So, no train to/from Ohrid within Macedonia, you'll probably have to use bus/taxi to get there. Cant provide further details (but I'll have a look next week).
To leave the country go to Shkoder and then try to get a taxi/bus to the border. You'll have to cross the border on foot and then look again for a ride to Podogrica... ;)
Dont know exactly how much a taxi would be for this trip, I've read about 15€ each way Shkoder - border and border - Bar/Podgorica...depends probably on your skills and on luck to get a good fare ;)
Price examples for trains in Albania:
Tirana - Pogradec: 2€
Tirana - Shokder: 1€
Flo 8)
nltrainer
Traveller
1404 comments
1.the very few trains are very cheap-likely the cheapest in Europe (maybe with Moldova).
When you see them, youll understand why. Most Albanians travel by minibus, the name is furghon, they go everywhere and it goes when full.
2. there IS some public transport by BUS-direct-over the border:
many buses to about any major Greek town from Tirana-via Durres. Must prebook-there are agents on every streetcorner in Tirana.
Better buses/links to Kosovo-for fairly obvious reasons. Also even overnight-not recommended.
also 2 buses daily to Macedonia- TETOVO=north of Ohrid, with direct connection to Skopje (in Sk I think you can buy through ticket), via Struga=north side of that lake.
To Cerna Gora (=black mountains, or Monte Negro) there are 2 daily minibuses to ULCINJ and NOT to Pogradec-whcih would seem the beter road on maps, but it is not. these leave from the northern town of SHKODRA and cost 5 eur/single. From Ulc you take a bus to BAR=end of railline, ev. hour or so. or reverse.
the best general site-and local booklet is INYOURPOCKET-has also other edtitions for many obscure balkan areas.
of course you can also take taxi's to/fro borders (over borders will add the price sky-high), in ALB these are all stolen Mercedes, as it is inconceivable that a real man would drive anything else.
Due to foreign work, many ALBanians speak german/Swiss or Italian, english is not that widely used.
gasparzinho
Traveller
20 comments
[quote]1.the very few trains are very cheap-likely the cheapest in Europe (maybe with Moldova).
When you see them, youll understand why. Most Albanians travel by minibus, the name is furghon, they go everywhere and it goes when full.
2. there IS some public transport by BUS-direct-over the border:
many buses to about any major Greek town from Tirana-via Durres. Must prebook-there are agents on every streetcorner in Tirana.
Better buses/links to Kosovo-for fairly obvious reasons. Also even overnight-not recommended.
also 2 buses daily to Macedonia- TETOVO=north of Ohrid, with direct connection to Skopje (in Sk I think you can buy through ticket), via Struga=north side of that lake.
To Cerna Gora (=black mountains, or Monte Negro) there are 2 daily minibuses to ULCINJ and NOT to Pogradec-whcih would seem the beter road on maps, but it is not. these leave from the northern town of SHKODRA and cost 5 eur/single. From Ulc you take a bus to BAR=end of railline, ev. hour or so. or reverse.
the best general site-and local booklet is INYOURPOCKET-has also other edtitions for many obscure balkan areas.
of course you can also take taxi's to/fro borders (over borders will add the price sky-high), in ALB these are all stolen Mercedes, as it is inconceivable that a real man would drive anything else.
Due to foreign work, many ALBanians speak german/Swiss or Italian, english is not that widely used.[/quote]
Thanks nltrainer :)