Shkoder Travel Forum

Hello everybody! This is the first time i use virtualtourist.com, so i wish there is somebody to give me the advice i need. What I'm up to is a trip from Larissa,Greece to Dubrovnik,Croatia. I have found most bus links, but not yet anything referring to the route between Shkoder,Albania and Podgoritsa,Montenegro. Does anyone know something about this? And secondly, I think there are regular bus routes from Podgoritsa to Hergec Novi or Dubrovnik, but i haven't find some schedule in the net.

any information is most welcomed,
thanking in advance,
sotis

The only bus transport between Albania and Montenegro is from Shkodra to Ulcinj, usually there are a couple of minibuses per day. I did this a few years ago with no problems, but some travellers have reported not being able to find a minibus and having to take a taxi. There is some information in the In Your Pocket guide to Shkodra:
http://www.inyourpocket.com/albania/shkodra/arrival__transport/category/60645-.html

Unless you actually want to go to Podgorica, there is no need to go inland - if will be quicker to take the frequent buses along the coast through Bar-Budva-Kotor-Herceg Novi. From Herceg Novi there are a few buses a day to Dubrovnik.

I forgot to mention that the Dubrovnik bus station timetable is at
http://www.libertasdubrovnik.com/voznired.swf

Currently it shows 3 or 4 arrivals from Herceg Novi depending on the day of the week. One of these comes from Ulcinj/Herceg Novi/Kotor. But the schedules change depending on the time of year.

what you told me was my sense too. what i'm a bit anxious for is that i cannot organise my trip in a way to arrive in a city sometime before the next departure, since i can't be sure for the schedule. by the way do you know anything about a visa needed in albania? i'm a greek citisen. do i need it and where can i get it?

thanks a lot anyway,
enjoy your trips,

sotiris

The visa will be isued to you at the border.
Will cost you €10 + €1 a day turist tax.
Please keep your recept of the visa paymant, as you will need it to produce it on your way out.
I had misfortune to pay the visa of €10 for the 4 of us, and not ask for recept, as was my firts time in Albania, thinking that the stamp will prove that I payes the visa.
Well BIG mistake, as on the K'afasan border crossing between Ohrid and Elbasan,I was stoped and asked to poduce the recept, as I didin't know that I had to have one, I had truble with the autorities.
They kept me on the crossing for 3hrs! Finaly I was let go, but for the next time, I made sure that I ask for the prove of paymant.
Happy travels
MacedonianUK

for once more you were very helpfull. your notices are exactly what somebody couldn't know elsehow. whenever you need help for greece travelling don't hesitate.

thanks again,

sotiris

I was in Shkoder last year, and wasted a bit of time trying to find out how to get to Montenegro. Eventually someone pointed me in the direction of a travel agency in the same building as the Rozafa Hotel (big concrete block right in the centre of Shkoder, you can't miss it!). The travel agency have two buses a day to Ulcinj (Ulqini in Albanian), one early morning and one around 3pm. The staff were very helpful, spoke good English, and let me leave my bags in their office while I explored a bit of Shkoder.

Outside the travel agency, in the hotel car park, there are several taxi drivers who wait passengers and tell you that there is no bus to Ulcinj, but that they can take you for a lot of euros. Ignore them!

It takes around an hour and a half to get to Ulcinj, and you have to ask to be dropped off at the bus station, otherwise they'll take you to the Rozafa cafe in the centre of Ulcinj...it is a long walk with bags!

I took the 3pm bus from Shkoder, and needed to get to Dubrovnik for my flight the following morning. There was a bus from Ulcinj to Bar, then I had to wait several hours for another bus, getting to Herceg Novi just after midnight. so if you have to get to Herceg Novi the same day, it is just about possible.

Have a good trip...Shkoder is nice...quirky, but nice. ;@p

maykal, i am glad that i found somebody who has already done exactly the same trip with me. i can't say that i liked very much what you told me, but surely you have been very down-to-earth and helpfull. anyway, i have to make this trip and i just hope that it won't be very exhausting and expensive.

thanks a lot again,
enjoy travelling,

sotiris