Balkan roundtrip


At first travel to Italy then take the ferry to Albania. Afterwards visit the countries North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro Serbia or Bosnia. In Balkan there are almost no good train connections so that you need to take the buses.

Useful websites for research of bus connections in Balkan:


Germany - Italy

  • https://www.oebb.at/ 
  • Most ferries leave from Ancona 
  • Departure 8 pm nighttrain Munich – Rome (arrival Bologna at 6 am and change train to Ancona) 
  • Departure 12 pm night train Munich  - Venice (arrival at 8:30 am and here change train to Ancona). In summer the train mostly continues to Rimini or Bologna. 
  • Regular ticket around 100 Euro and surcharge of 10 – 20 Euro for couchette. Saving ticket mostly not much cheaper because there is a high demand for this train tip. 
  • Other option is Flixbus if there are not rain tickets available anymore (here no change of train necessary)


Ferry to Albania

  • https://www.directferries.de/
  • 1. Option ferry Ancona – Durres with Adria Ferries: almost daily departure at 7 pm and arrival at 11 am (16 hours) 
  • 2. Option ferry Bari – Durres: daily for 45 Euro departure 10 pm and arrival 8 am (10  hours); three different ferry companies Adria Ferries, Grandi Navi Veloci and Ventoriuous Ferries 
  • 3. Option: From Bari or Brindissi there are also many ferries to Sarranda and Vlora 
  • 4. Option: ferry to Igoumensita / north Greece: many connections from Bari, Brindissi, Ancona and Venice. Igoumensita is only 30 km / 1 hour away from the Albanian border 
  • 5. Option: Ferry to Korfu / Greece. Many connections from Bari, Brindissi, Ancona or Venice. The ferry Korfu to Sarranda only takes 1,5 hours and costs 20 Euro.


Albania – North Macedonia (Ohrid Lake)

  • Research Bus connections for day trips in Albania: https://travel.gjirafa.com/en
  • Homepage Albanian railway for railway fans (almost no train connections):  https://hekurudha.al/
  • 1. Option: Bus trip to Pogradec (3 hours from Durres). Pogradec is on the Ohrid lake in Albania and is only 7 km away from the border to North Macedonia. Directly after the border is the famous Church Sveti Naum. Here you can take the local bus to the city Ohrid (1 hour). 
  • 2. Option: Bus trip to North Macedonia. Most busses stop at Struga at the Ohrid lake. If you want to continue to the city Ohrid then you have to take the local traffic (half an hour). At least four daily bus connections from Tirana for 15 – 20 Euro.


Skopje – Pristina (Kosovo)

  • Hourly bus takes 2 hours and costs around 10 Euro
  • Maybe there is a daily train connection to Pristina and it takes around 3 hours. Homepage of the north Macedonian railway only in local language and in Kyrill:  https://mzt.mk/


Pristina – Podgorica (Montenegro)

  • 1. Option: night bus Pristina to Podgorica
  • 2. Option: bus to Peja / Pec (2 hours close to the border of Montenegro). There are 2 – 3 daily buses to Montenegro (maybe change bus in Berane / 2,5 hours and then continue to Podgorica / 3 hours)
  • Price between 15 – 20 Euro


 Montenegro – Bosnia or Beograd

  • Railway Montenegro:  https://zpcg.me/en/red-voznje/medjunarodni
  • Daily night train Bar – Beograd in 10 hours for around 40 Euro (21 Euro + 16 Euro surcharge for couchette and 24 Euro for double room)
  • Podgorica – Sarajevo: at least 4 daily bus connections (6 hours and 20 Euro)
  • Kotor – Mostar: 2 daily bus connections and one night bus between 6 – 9 hours (depends upon the travel route) for around 20 Euro

 

Bosnia - Germany

  • At least 1 daily bus Mostar – Jajce / Banja Luka in 4 – 5 hours for 15 Euro 
  • Almost no train connections in Bosnia:  https://www.zfbh.ba/en/
  • At least 4 daily bus connections Sarajevo – Zagreb in 8 hours for 40 Euro 
  • Sarajevo – Munich in 15 hours for around 60 Euro 
  • Jajce / Banja Luka – Munich in 16 hours for around 60 Euro. One direct connection otherwise change of bus in Zagreb necessary. 
  • Daily night train Zagreb – Munich in 11 hours; saving tickets for 30 Euro / regular ticket 92 Euro / couchette 6 persons + 25 Euro / couchette 4 persons + 35 Euro





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