The statue of Skėnderbeg, Albania's national hero, in Skėnderbeg Square in Tiranė |
Visiting Albania by train
Albania, known to Albanians as Shqipėria or Land of the Eagles, was once Europe's most mysterious country. A Stalinist dictatorship from 1946 to 1991, it shut itself off from the rest of the world. The Communist regime was finally overturned in 1991 and most of Albania is now safe to visit. It's easy to reach from western Europe by train to Italy then ferry across the Adriatic, or it can be reached overland by train to Montenegro then bus or taxi across the border into Albania. It's a fascinating country that will challenge your pre-conceptions of things Albanian.
London & Paris to Tiranė
via ferry from Italy
London & Paris to Tiranė
overland via Belgrade
Train
times & fares within Albania
Travel between Albania & neighbouring
countries
General European train
travel information
Luggage
Taking bikes
Taking dogs
Useful country information
There are no international passenger trains between Albania and the rest of Europe, and travel in some of the border regions is inadvisable (see www.fco.gov.uk), so the fastest, easiest and most comfortable way to reach Albania is to take a train to Bari in Italy and sail to Durrės by overnight ferry. The journey from London to Albania is quite straightforward and can all be booked online. If you'd rather travel overland by train to Montenegro then by taxi or bus, see the next section.
London ► Tiranė
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Day 1, travel from London to Paris by Eurostar, leaving London St Pancras at 09:31, arriving Paris Nord 12:48.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare de Lyon (2 stops on RER line D).
Tip: By all means book an earlier Eurostar and have lunch at the remarkable Train Bleu restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon.
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Important update 2024: The direct Paris-Milan line via Modane was blocked by a landslide on 27 August 2023 and is likely to remain blocked until March 2025. The afternoon Paris-Milan train shown below is running, but with a bus around the landslide and later arrival in Milan, until further notice. Alternatively, until the line is reopened you can travel via Switzerland instead, with an earlier departure from London, see the alternative timetable here, more information here.
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Day 1, travel from Paris to Milan by high-speed TGV, leaving Paris Gare de Lyon at 14:48, arriving Milan Porta Garibaldi 21:49.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a relaxing and comfortable journey, passing directly from France into Italy via Modane and the Mont Cénis tunnel through the Alps. What's the journey like? See the Paris-Milan TGV video guide.
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Stay overnight in Milan. The AC Milano Hotel (a Marriott Lifestyle Hotel) is 350m from Milan Porta Garibaldi station and gets good reviews.
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Day 2, travel from Milan to Bari by Frecciarossa, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 10:13, arriving Bari Centrale 17:27.
The high-speed Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. The train follows the Adriatic coast for much of the way, past small towns and seaside resorts. In Bari, you can walk (25 minutes) or take a taxi to the ferry terminal, which is next to Bari's attractive old town.
Tip: Check the ferry check-in procedures shown on your ticket. GNV requires you to check in and get a boarding pass at their office in the new port (Porto Nuovo) to the west of the old port, before taking a free shuttle bus back to the old port for boarding.
If you'd like to reach Bari earlier, there's an earlier 08:05 Frecciarossa train from Milan Centrale (a short taxi ride or 25 minute walk from Milan Porta Garibaldi) arriving Bari Centrale at 15:27.
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Day 2, sail from Bari to Durrės in Albania by overnight ferry, usually sailing around 22:00 and arriving around 07:00 or 08:00.
The easiest way to check ferry times & prices for all ferry operators on this route is at www.directferries.co.uk, which checks all operators at once. Grandi Navi Veloce (GNV, www.gnv.it) sail daily overnight departing Bari at 22:00 or 23:00 and arriving Durrės at 08:00 (day 3 from London), Ventouris Ferries (www.ventouris.gr) also sail daily overnight to similar timings. Adria ferries (www.adriaferries.com) sail overnight too, also leaving at 22:00 or 23:00 and arriving at 08:00. Whichever operator you choose, a range of comfortable cabins is available on the overnight crossings.
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Day 3, morning: See the timetable below for train service within Albania from Durrės.
Tiranė ► London
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Day 1, sail from Durrės to Bari by overnight ferry, usually sailing around 22:00 and arriving around 07:00 or 08:00.
The easiest way to check ferry times & prices for all ferry operators on this route is at www.directferries.co.uk, this checks all of them at once. Grandi Navi Veloce & Ventouris Ferries both sail daily leaving Durrės at 22:00 or 23:00 and arriving in Bari at 07:00 or 08:00 next morning, see www.gnv.it & www.ventouris.gr. You can also try Adria ferries (www.adriaferries.com) who also sail overnight. Whichever operator you choose, a range of comfortable cabins is available.
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Day 2, travel from Bari to Milan by Frecciarossa leaving Bari Centrale at 10:30 and arriving Milan Centrale 18:10.
The Frecciarossa has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. In Milan, it's a 25 minute walk, 5 minute metro ride or 8-minute taxi ride from Milan Centrale to Milan Porta Garibaldi, more info about the transfer here.
Stay overnight in Milan, a beautiful city that's well worth an extra day for a stopover. The AC Milano Hotel (a Marriott Lifestyle Hotel) is 350m from Milan Porta Garibaldi and gets good reviews.
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Day 3, travel from Milan to Paris by high-speed TGV, leaving Milan Porta Garibaldi at 06:00 and arriving Paris Gare de Lyon 13:16.
The TGV has a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. It's a scenic journey through the Alps via the Mont Cénis tunnel, Modane and Chambéry. What's the journey like? See the Paris-Milan TGV video guide.
Cross Paris by metro or taxi to the Gare du Nord, 2 stops on RER line D.
Important update 2024: The direct Milan-Paris line via Modane was blocked by a landslide on 27 August 2023 and will remain blocked until March 2025. The train above is cancelled until further notice. Until the direct line is reopened. you should travel from Milan to Paris via Switzerland instead, see the alternative timetable here, more information here.
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Day 3, travel from Paris to London by Eurostar, leaving Paris Gare du Nord at 15:03 & arriving London St Pancras 16:39.
How much does it cost?
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London to Paris by Eurostar starts at £52 one-way or £78 return in Standard, £97 one-way or £168 return in Plus (1st class).
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Paris to Milan by TGV starts at 29 each way in 2nd class, 44 each way in 1st class.
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Milan to Bari starts at 29.90 in 2nd class or 39.90 in 1st class, each way.
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All these fares are dynamic, they vary like air fares depending how popular that date & train is, and how far ahead you book.
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Bari to Durrės by ferry: The cost varies by operator, season & type of seat/berth/cabin. For example:
47-65 each way in a reclining seat, depending on season (Adria).
51 each way with bed in outside 4-berth cabin (Ventouris Ferries).
74-101 each way with a bed in a 2-berth outside cabin (Adria).
How to buy tickets
 The 09:30 train to Durrės at Tiranė. |
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Step 1, start by booking the ferry
Check prices & sailing dates for all Italy-Albania ferry operators using the Direct Ferries website. The price you initially see is for a 'deck place', you can add a cabin at the next stage. When you book, you are emailed a confirmation which you present at check-in to exchange for your boarding pass.
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Step 2, book the trains at www.raileurope.com.
There's a small booking fee but all tickets can be booked easily in plain English all in one place. Anyone from any country worldwide can use raileurope.com as all international credit cards are accepted. Who are Raileurope.com?
Booking for Eurostar opens up to 6 months ahead, for the TGV & Italian trains usually up to 4 months ahead, although British domestic trains usually only open around 90 days ahead.
First book from 'London (any station)' to 'Milan (any station)', looking for the journey by Eurostar & TGV listed above which will be shown in the search results as having 1 change. Add this to your basket. It can help to read the detailed booking tips here. Raileurope.com can book from any station in Britain, not just London.
Use the suggested Eurostar times on this page as a guide, but feel free to choose an earlier Eurostar from London southbound, or a later Eurostar returning from Paris northbound, if these have cheaper seats available or if you'd like to stop off in Paris. To stop off and perhaps have lunch in Paris, run a London to Milan enquiry after clicking More options, entering Paris and setting a stopover of however many hours you want.
Second, book from Milan to Bari for the following day, add this to your basket and check out, paying for all your tickets as one transaction.
You'll get print-at-home tickets for the Eurostar & the TGV, the Trenitalia train is ticketless, you print the booking reference or show it on your phone. Easy!
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Alternatively, each train can also be booked at www.thetrainline.com, easily in plain English, in , £ or $, also with print-your-own, show-on-phone tickets or ticketless. Who are Thetrainline.com?
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Alternatively, you can book each train separately direct from the relevant operator with no booking fee, although this means more work and the fares will be the same. First book your London-Paris train at www.eurostar.com, and the Paris-Milan TGV at www.sncf-connect.com. Both sites give print-at-home tickets with no booking fee. You can then book the Milan to Bari train at the Italian Railways website www.trenitalia.com (requires Italian-language place names and has a few quirks, but no booking fee, see this advice on how to use it), looking for a cheap Economy or Super-Economy fare. You pay online and quote your reservation reference to the conductor on the train.
How to book by phone
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To book train tickets by phone, try Ffestiniog Travel or International Rail, see here for phone numbers & opening times.
Let Byway.travel arrange it for you
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Byway (Byway.travel) is a UK-based eco-holiday firm with a 5-star TrustPilot rating.
They offer a flight-free package from London to Albania with trains, ferry & overnight hotels booked for you as a package. Go to Byway.travel, click Destinations and then Albania. Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.
Or they can build a trip to your requirements, call 0300 131 7173 (open 09:00-17:00 Monday-Friday, from outside the UK call +44 300 131 7173) or email them or use this contact form. Please say you heard about them from Seat 61.
Byway includes package protection, 100% Covid refund guarantee, free disruption & re-planning and WhatsApp support while you're away.
What's the journey like?
1. London to Paris by Eurostar
Eurostar trains link London & Paris in 2h20, travelling at up to 300 km/h (186 mph). There are two bar cars, power sockets at all seats and free WiFi. Plus and Premier fares include a light meal with wine (or breakfast, on departures before 11:00). There's a 30-minute minimum check-in as all border formalities are carried out before you board the train. More about Eurostar & check-in procedure. St Pancras station guide. Paris Gare du Nord station guide. How to cross Paris by metro or taxi.
Lunch in Paris at the Train Bleu restaurant?
The trains to Italy leave from the magnificent Gare de Lyon in central Paris. Why not have lunch (or at least a drink in the bar) at the fabulous Train Bleu Restaurant inside the Gare de Lyon (pictured above right) before catching the train to Turin or Milan? Paris Gare de Lyon station guide.
SNCF (French Railways) operates three daily 186 mph TGV trains from Paris to Milan. Previously operated by Artesia, a consortium of Trenitalia & SNCF, they are now operated entirely by SNCF, officially via a new Italian subsidiary, Societą Viaggiatori Italia. On leaving Paris they sprint over the high-speed line at up to 186 mph (300 km/h) as far as Lyon St Exupéry, but they then slow right down to meander through the scenic Alpine foothills on conventional lines via Chambéry, crossing into Italy at Modane and heading through Turin to Milan. These TGVs have 1st & 2nd class seats and are fully air-conditioned, with new interiors designed by Christian Lacroix. There are power sockets for laptops and mobiles at every seat and there are baby-changing facilities and designated spaces for passengers in wheelchairs. There's a cafe-bar serving drinks, snacks & light meals, or feel free to bring your own food & wine along for the journey. In first class you can order a 3-course meal with wine, served at your seat. You can now buy Paris metro tickets from the bar car, too. 1st class TGV passengers can use the Grand Voyageurs 1st class lounge at Paris Gare de Lyon. Incidentally, SNCF's experienced in-house designer still hasn't forgiven Christian Lacroix for breaking the unwritten rule and using warm colours in 2nd class, cooler colours in 1st class, so see what you think! Paris Gare de Lyon station guide. Milan Porta Garibaldi station guide.
3. Milan to Bari by Frecciarossa 500
The Frecciarossa 500 has 4 classes, Standard, Premium, Business and Executive. There's a cafe-bar, power sockets at all seats & free WiFi. Business class includes complimentary coffee, juice or prosecco and snacks. Executive class includes a more comprehensive food & drink service.
4. Bari to Durres in Albania by ferry
Traveller's reports
Traveller Gwylan Williams sailed from Bari to Durres with GNV in 2019: "The ferry was very good, and we had a smooth crossing. There were a lot of staff available to help with luggage etc, all in crisp, clean, uniforms. The bunk beds were nice and wide, comfortable and clean, we both slept very well. The en suite shower room was good too, with a decent shower and plenty of hot water. Although the sailing was late at night, there was freshly cooked food available, they seemed geared up to cater for the lorry drivers. Good breakfast too. We couldn't change money for Leks on board but they told us where to go once we landed at Durres and we had a perfectly good exchange rate there."
You can also travel overland to Albania, by train from London & Paris to Belgrade, then the spectacular railway from Belgrade to Podgorica or Bar in Montenegro, then by bus or taxi to the border and on to Shkodėr, for the daily Albanian train to Tiranė. There may be security concerns in some border areas of Albania, so check the latest Foreign Office travel advice at www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. The overland option generally takes a day or two longer than the more straightforward train & ferry option via Italy, but you can stop off and see some remarkable parts of the Balkans on the way, such as Belgrade and Montenegro. Why not go out by ferry and back overland, or vice versa? Here's how to travel overland:
London ► Tiranė
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Step 1, travel from London or Paris to Belgrade as shown on the London to Serbia page.
The journey takes 2 days and 1 night, or 2 nights. Arrange train tickets as shown on that page. Allow at least 2 or 3 hours in Belgrade for onward connections (or stop overnight) as trains may arrive in Belgrade late.
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Step 2, then take a train from Belgrade to Podgorica or Bar in Montenegro over the fabulous Belgrade-Bar railway, see timetable.
There's a choice of daytime train or overnight sleeper train. The daytime train (currently summer-only) is a long ride but it's a good choice for the fantastic scenery along this remarkable rail line. However, it requires an overnight in Podgorica or Bar. The sleeper train is more time-effective and it puts you in Podgorica or Bar in the morning with time to make your way to Shkodėr in Albania that day, and you'll still see the best scenery at the southern end of the line. Buy your ticket at the station.
See the Belgrade to Montenegro page for times, fares, photos & info. You can check train times at the Serbian Railways website www.srbvoz.rs.
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Step 3, you have a choice of going via Bar or Podgorica, as follows:
Option 1, get off at Podgorica
Buses link Podgorica with Shkodėr & Tiranė once or twice a day, try busticket4.me/EN.
Alternatively, take a Montenegrin taxi from Podgorica to the Albanian border at Han i Hot for around 20, cross into Albania, then take an Albanian taxi from Han i Hot to Shkodėr for around 20 more. The total distance from Podgorica to Shkodėr is 59.7 km, the journey should take about 90 minutes including a change of taxis at the border crossing. Stay overnight in Shkodėr. Next day, take a bus to Durrės & Tiranė. Map of Podgorica/Bar/Shkodėr area.
Option 2, get off at Bar
Walk 250m from Bar station to Bar's main bus station. Buses run from Bar to Ulcinj every hour or two from 08:50 until 22:45, journey time about half an hour, fare around 2.50. Then there are three buses a day from Ulcinj (Montenegro) to Shkodėr via the Muriqan border crossing, departing Ulcinj main bus station at 06:00, 12:30 & 16:30, taking an hour, fare around 6, or you can take a taxi from Ulcinj to Shkoder for around 15-20. You can then stay overnight and travel on to Tiranė. Map of Podgorica/Bar/Shkodėr area.
Tiranė ► London
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Day 1, take a bus from Tiranė & Durrės to Shkodėr, as the train is not currently running.
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On day 2, you have a choice:
Option 1 is to travel by taxi to Podgorica in Montenegro as follows: Travel by taxi via the Han i Hot border to Podgorica in Montenegro, or travel by bus to Ulcinj then another bus to Bar in Montenegro. If you choose the taxi option, the total journey from Shkodėr to Podgorica is 59.7 km, and should take about 90 minutes including the need to change taxis at the border. Each of the two taxis should cost in the region of 20. Map of Podgorica/Bar/Shkodėr area.
Option 2 is travel by bus to Ulcinj in Montenegro then onwards by bus to Bar. There are three buses a day from Shkodėr to Ulcinj in Montenegro via the Muriqan border crossing, at the time of writing these were at 09:00, 14:15 & 16:00, fare around 6, journey time around an hour. There are then regular buses from Ulcinj to Bar every hour or two, journey time half an hour, fare around 2.50. Alternatively, a taxi from Shkodėr to the border at Muriqan and on to Ulcinj should cost about 15-20. Map of Podgorica/Bar/Shkodėr area.
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Two daily trains link Bar & Podgorica with Belgrade, one a daytime train (currently summer only), the other an overnight sleeper with sleeping-cars and seats, see the Belgrade to Montenegro page for times, fares, photos & info. The sleeper train will save you time as you can leave in the evening of day 2 and arrive in Belgrade on the morning of day 3. But staying overnight and taking the day train is good because of the fantastic scenery along this route (you'd then arrive in the evening of day 3). You can check train times at the Serbian Railways website www.srbvoz.rs, and book the train from Belgrade to Podgorica or Bar at the station.
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Travel from Belgrade to Paris or London as shown on the London to Serbia page.
The journey takes 2 days and 1 night, or 2 nights. Buy train tickets as shown.
Feedback from travellers would be very welcome.
 The view from the train from Durrės & Tiranė to Pogradec. Photo courtesy of Gabriel Chew |
Travelling by train in Albania is an experience not to be missed. Second hand coaches from Italy, Austria or Germany hauled by Czech-built diesels clickety-clack across the countryside at about 35 mph (or less!). Don't be surprised by torn seats or broken windows, but then, what do you expect for 50p? You may be able to check these train times at www.hsh.com.al, but please also double-check locally. All trains are one class only.
Update 2025: Back in December 2023 there appeared to be no trains running at all The Durres-Kashar line is closed for rebuilding, it partly reopened in late 2023, but seems to have closed again. A Fri/Sat/Sun Durres-Elbasan train is running, but using a station called Plazh near Durres, not Durrės station. Check the current situation. Feedback appreciated!
Kashar station is 7.6 km from central Tiranė, local city buses available. Map showing Kashar station.
In 2015 a new service started between Durres & Kashar, 7.6 km from Tiranė. The old station in Tiranė was closed in September 2013 and since then there have been no trains at all between Durrės & Tiranė. But from 26 May 2015 a service resumed between Durres and a station on the outskirts of Tiranė called Kashar, details shown here. In the longer term a new Tiranė station is allegedly being built, allegedly near the Hygeia Hospital, see this map. If you have any more details, please email me. There were previously 7 or more daily trains in each direction between Durres and Tiranė, the service shown here follows the fuel shortages and reduction in service. On a good day you can find the latest timetable at http://hsh.com.al.
* = There have been no trains to or from Pogradec since 2012.
??:?? = check exact time locally.
Fares & how to buy tickets
Fares are incredibly cheap. Durrės to Kashar one-way costs 70 Lek, or about 50p, with the city bus between Kashar and central Tiranė costing an extra 30 Lek. Durrės to Shkodėr is 160 Lek, about £1. Tickets are not sold in advance, only for the next train.
What are Albanian trains like?
There are no international trains to or from Albania, but here's how to travel to or from neighbouring countries by bus, taxi or ferry.
Travelling from Tiranė to Bar (Montenegro), Podgorica (Montenegro) & Belgrade (Serbia)
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Day 1, take the afternoon train from Tiranė to Shkodėr (if running) and stay overnight. See the train times above. Take a bus if the train isn't running.
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On day 2, you have two options: Travel by taxi via the Han i Hot border to Podgorica in Montenegro, or travel by bus to Ulcinj then another bus to Bar in Montenegro.
If you choose the taxi option, the total journey from Shkodėr to Podgorica is 59.7 km, and should take about 90 minutes including the need to change taxis at the border. Each of the two taxis should cost in the region of 20.
If you choose the bus option, there are three buses a day from Shkodėr to Ulcinj in Montenegro via the Muriqan border crossing, at the time of writing these were 09:00, 14:15 & 16:00 (in the other direction, buses leave Ulcinj for Shkodėr at 06:00, 12:30 & 16:30). There are then reasonably frequent buses from Ulcinj to Bar.
Alternatively, a taxi from Shkodėr to the border at Muriqan should cost about 10-15, and a taxi from Muriqan to Ulcinj around 20-25.
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Two daily trains link Bar & Podgorica with Belgrade, one a daytime train (currently summer only), the other an overnight sleeper with sleeping-cars and couchettes, see Montenegro-Belgrade page. The sleeper train will save you time as you can leave in the evening of day 2 and arrive in Belgrade on the morning of day 3.
Trains link Belgrade with other European destinations, see the international trains from Belgrade page.
In the other direction for travel to Albania, simply reverse the steps shown above.
Ferries from Albania to Bari or Ancona (Italy)
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Check Tirrenia Line (formerly Adriatica Line) www.tirrenia.it (Bari-Durrės daily, several per week Ancona-Durrės) & www.agoudimos-lines.com (3-5 sailings a week Bari-Durrės), www.venezialines.com (fast ferry). For onward trains within Italy see www.trenitalia.com.
Buses from Tiranė to Athens & Thessaloniki (Greece)
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There are at least two daily buses between Tiranė and Thessaloniki in Greece. Tiranė to Thessaloniki is a long journey with frequent delays at the border, so it's not to be undertaken lightly. Just ask at any travel agency locally in Tiranė or Athens. Fare around 30 one-way. Departures from Tirana at 05:00 (journey time 10h30) & 08:15 (journey time 11h00). Departures from Thessaloniki at 09:00 & 20:30, journey time 9h00. To book, try ktelmacedonia.gr/en/routes/&tid=43. From Thessaloniki you can take a comfortable train to Athens in about 5h, see details here.
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Feedback from anyone using these bus services would be very welcome.
European Rail Timetable & maps
The
European Rail Timetable
(formerly the Thomas Cook European Timetable)
has train & ferry times for every country in Europe plus
currency & climate information. It is essential
for regular European train travellers and an inspiration for armchair
travellers. Published since 1873, it had just celebrated 140 years of
publication when Thomas Cook decided to pull the plug on their entire publishing
department, but the dedicated ex-Thomas Cook team set up a private venture and
resumed publication of the famous European Rail Timetable in March 2014.
You can buy it online at
www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses) or
www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide).
More information
on what the European Rail Timetable contains.
Rail Map Europe is the map I recommend, covering all of Europe from Portugal in the west to Moscow & Istanbul in the east, Finland in the north to Sicily & Athens in the south. Scenic routes & high-speed lines are highlighted. See an extract from the map. Buy online at www.europeanrailtimetable.eu (shipping worldwide) or at www.amazon.co.uk (UK addresses).
