Where can I get the bus from and to?

From Albania, you can board a bus in Durres, Tirana or the Albanian side of Lake Skadar to Montenegro. In Montenegro, you can arrive at either Budva, Kotor or Podgorica.

How do I book a ticket to get the bus from Albania to Montenegro?

I used the website, Book Away. This is a booking agent that arranges tickets with different bus companies. I would strongly advise using this company and booking online, Albanian buses are notoriously unreliable.

What do I need to know about the bus station in Albania?

My experience of the bus stations in Albania is that they are chaotic. They are not really staffed, or sign posted. Get there early just to make sure you can figure out where your bus leaves from. If you need food or drinks, there are unlikely to be bus station facilities, but you’ll find street sellers with some refreshments.

At the bus station, you can expect to be approached by taxi drivers trying to offer you a car. They may try to scam you, telling you that your bus isn’t running or doesn’t exist. My best advice is to stick to your guns and ignore them. Yes, your bus may be late, and sometimes they don’t turn up, but these taxi drivers don’t know that, and they are just lying to you to make money! Look for fellow travellers getting the same bus if you need some reassurance.

What about the bus from Albania to Montenegro?

They are relatively clean, and seats will be available if you have a ticket. Some have toilets and WiFi and others don’t. Some of the buses will make a stop for a toilet break, but other’s will not. If you’ve booked a ticket online, in most cases you MUST print your ticket (even if you’ve also got a converted ticket in the bus station). If you don’t print it, the driver will either refuse to let you board or charge you a few Euros and probably shout at you. You’ll also need 1 Euro to store your luggage, which is pretty compulsory!

What’s the border crossing like from Albania to Montenegro?

There are two security check points, one leaving Albania and one entering Montenegro. At both points, we did not have to exit the bus. At the first, the driver took our passports and passed them to security. When we got to the Montenegrin border, a guard entered the bus and took our passports briefly, returning them 10 minutes later. Anyone with a visa had to exit the bus. Both check points were swift but are not always guaranteed to be so.

Arriving in Montenegro

After you’ve taken the bus from Albania to Montenegro, you’ll arrive at the main bus station in either Podgorica, Kotor or Budva. All of these stations are well organised and feel quite safe and easy to navigate. Most have shops and toilets if you arrive needing food or the loo!

If you want more advice on what to do in Montenegro, then check out our articles on Budva and Kotor. Or if you’d rather read a full guide on travelling in the Balkans, you can find our article here.

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