How to Get From Tirana to Valbona (2024 Guide)

How to get from Tirana to Valbona? Traveling from Tirana to Valbona can be done by bus, ferry, taxi, or car. The bus from Tirana to Lake Koman costs 10 EUR. The ferry from Koman to Fierze costs 8 EUR. A bus from Fierze to Valbona costs 7 EUR. Taking a taxi costs 180 EUR. Driving to Valbona can be done via Lake Koman, Kosovo, or Albania by land.

Valbona is a remote mountain destination, so planning your trip carefully is important. Visiting Valbona is definitely worth it. Here is all the information needed to get from Tirana to Valbona, including minibus schedules, Lake Koman ferry details, taxi options, and car routes, along with timetables, ticket prices, and travel routes.

Read also: Best Things to do in Shkoder, Albania (2024 Guide)

Getting From Tirana to Valbona

The following sections provide detailed instructions on traveling from Tirana to Valbona by bus, taxi, or car. The specific topics covered include:

• How to travel from Tirana to Valbona by bus (via the Lake Koman Ferry)
• How to travel from Tirana to Valbona by taxi (via the Lake Koman Ferry)
• How to drive from Tirana to Valbona (via Lake Koman, via Kosovo, or via Albania without using the Koman Ferry)
• The time required to travel from Tirana to Valbona
• The cost of traveling from Tirana to Valbona

Additionally, the blog post addresses related questions such as:

• How to travel from Shkoder to Valbona
• How to travel from Valbona to Shkoder
• How to reach Komani Lake from Tirana or Shkoder

How to Get From Tirana to Valbona by Bus?

To travel from Tirana to Valbona by bus, follow these steps:

1. Bus from Tirana to Koman
2. Ferry from Koman to Fierze
3. Bus from Fierze to Valbona

Step 1: Bus From Tirana to Koman

Take the daily bus from Tirana to Koman. The bus leaves from Gazheli Petrol Station, which is near Tirana Ring Center. You can find the location here: Gazheli Petrol Station on Google Maps.

The bus departs at 5 AM to ensure you catch the Lake Koman Ferry at 9 AM. The journey from Tirana to Koman takes about 4 hours. A bus ticket costs 10 euros, or you can purchase a package for 24 euros that includes the bus, ferry, and bus to Valbona.

The bus is a shared minibus. For more information or to book, visit the Koman Lake Ferry website. The bus will drop you off at the Lake Koman Ferry terminal: Koman Ferry Terminal on Google Maps.

Step 2: Ferry From Koman to Fierze

The Lake Koman Ferry leaves daily at 9 AM and takes about 3 hours to reach Fierze. The ferry ride costs 8 euros. You can also book the full package from Tirana to Valbona for 24 euros, which covers the bus to Koman, the ferry, and the bus to Valbona. The ferry starts at the Koman Ferry Terminal and ends at Fierze: Fierze on Google Map. The ferry trip is a scenic highlight and is often recommended by travel guides.

Read also: How do I Get From Shkoder to Shala River (2024 Guide)

Step 3: Bus From Fierze to Valbona

After arriving in Fierze at around 11:30 AM, you can take a bus to Valbona. The bus costs 7 euros, or you can book the total package from Tirana to Valbona for 24 euros.

The bus from Fierze to Valbona is a shared minibus. For more details or to make a reservation, visit the Koman Lake Ferry website. The bus drops you off at Hotel Rilindja in Valbona: Hotel Rilindja on Google Maps. Booking a stay at Hotel Rilindja can make your trip easier.

How Much Does a Taxi From Tirana to Valbona Cost?

A taxi from Tirana to Valbona costs 180 euros per car. Here are the details:

Instead of taking the shared mini-bus from Tirana to Koman, you can book a private taxi. The taxi from Tirana to Koman costs 120 euros per car. The taxi will pick you up in Tirana at 5 AM because the drive takes 4 hours, and the ferry leaves at 9 AM every day. So, even with a taxi, you need to wake up early.

Read also: How to Get From Shkoder to Tirana Airport (2024 Guide)

From Koman, you take the ferry to Fierze, which costs 8 euros per person for a one-way trip. The ferry is shared and very popular, especially in the summer.

When you arrive in Fierze, you can book another private taxi from Fierze to Valbona for 60 euros per car. You will arrive in Valbona in the early afternoon around 1 PM or 1:30 PM. In total, the taxi from Tirana to Valbona will cost 180 euros per car, plus 8 euros per person for the Lake Koman Ferry.

Can I Drive From Tirana to Valbona?

Driving from Tirana to Valbona offers three different routes:

• Drive to Koman, take the car on the ferry, then drive from Fierze to Valbona.

• Drive from Tirana to Valbona via Kosovo, avoiding the Komani Lake Ferry.

• Drive from Tirana to Valbona via Albania, also avoiding the Komani Lake Ferry.

Before deciding on a route, consider if you need a car in Valbona. If you plan to hike from Valbona to Theth, your car will be left behind in Valbona because only a hiking trail connects the two villages, not a road. This means you will need to return to Tirana the same way you came.

Many travelers prefer buses and boats because they plan to hike from Valbona and do not want to leave their car behind. Additionally, driving from Tirana to Valbona is long and tiring, with mountain roads that are often dirt tracks, which can make an uncomfortable journey.

Option 1:

Drive to Koman, take the car on the ferry, then drive from Fierze to Valbona. For this route, you can take your car on the Lake Koman Ferry. The cost depends on the size of the car. For a regular car (1.5 meters wide and 3.2 meters long, totaling 4.8 square meters), the cost is 28.8 Euros (4.8 sq. meters x 6 Euros/sq. meter). You can book a spot for your car on the Komani Lake Ferry website here. Be aware that the roads from Shkoder to Lake Koman and from Fierze to Valbona are rough dirt tracks, making for a bumpy ride and a dirty car.

Option 2:

Drive from Tirana to Valbona via Kosovo. If you prefer not to take the ferry, you can drive through Kosovo. This route takes you from Tirana to Milot, then onto the highway to Kukes. From Kukes, you cross the border into Kosovo, driving through Prizren and Gjakova to the Qafa e Morines border pass. Re-entering Albania, you drive to Bajram Curri and then to Valbona.

Option 3:

Drive from Tirana to Valbona via Albania. Alternatively, you can drive entirely within Albania. The start is the same: from Tirana to Milot, then onto the highway to Kukes. From Kukes, take the road through Has village towards Bajram Curri, and then to Valbona. Although this route may seem shorter on the map, it is actually longer due to poorer road conditions and many twists and turns.

How Long Does it Take to Get From Tirana to Valbona?

It takes 8 hours to go from Tirana to Valbona if you use the Lake Koman Ferry. Here’s the schedule:

• 5 AM: Leave Tirana by bus or taxi.
• 9 AM: Reach the Lake Koman Ferry terminal and get on the ferry.
• 11:30 AM: Arrive at the Fierze ferry terminal, get off the ferry, and take a bus or taxi.
• 1 PM: Get to Valbona.

Even though you have to start your day early, you’ll arrive in Valbona early afternoon. That gives you plenty of time to explore the Valbona Valley!

How Much Does it Cost to Get from Tirana to Valbona?

The bus ride from Tirana to Valbona costs 24 euros for each person. If you take a taxi, it’s 180 euros for the whole car, and then 8 euros per person for the ferry ticket from Tirana to Valbona.

How to Get From Shkoder to Valbona?

From Shkoder to Valbone, you have a couple of options for travel. One way is to take the shared minibus and then hop on a ferry. Another option is to hire your own driver instead of using the shared minibus.

Starting from Shkoder has its perks. You don’t have to wake up as early compared to starting from Tirana. If you leave from Tirana, you’ll need to catch a 5 AM bus to make the 9 AM ferry. But from Shkoder, since it’s closer, you can catch a bus at 6:30 AM. That means you might want to travel from Tirana to Shkoder the day before and spend the night there.

The trip from Shkoder to Valbone, including the minibus and ferry rides, costs 21 euros per person. This covers the shared minibus from Shkoder to Koman, the ferry from Koman to Fierze, and then another shared minibus from Fierze to Valbone.

You can book this package online on the Komani Lake Ferry website. Just make sure to mention your hotel in Shkoder when booking so they can pick you up. Alternatively, you can head to the bus station in Shkoder where the bus to Koman departs. You can find the location of the bus station on Google Maps here: Map Link. You can book the minibus and ferry package from Shkoder to Valbone on the Komani Lake Ferry website here: Booking Link. If you prefer a private taxi, you can arrange that too. It’ll cost you 70 euros from Shkoder to Koman and 60 euros from Fierze to Valbone.

How to Get From Valbona to Shkoder by Bus?

To travel from Valbona to Shkoder, you have a few options. You can hop on a shared minibus and then catch the Lake Koman Ferry. Alternatively, if you’d rather not share the ride, you can arrange for a private taxi. The combined bus and ferry ride from Valbona to Shkoder costs 21 euros per person. This covers the bus journey from Valbone to Fierze, the ferry ride from Fierze to Koman, and finally, the bus from Koman to Shkoder. The bus leaves Valbona at 10:30 AM from Hotel Rilindja. You can find the bus station near Hotel Rilindja on Google Maps here: Valbona Bus Station.

Read also: Most Beautiful Lakes to Visit in Albania

If you prefer, the minibusses can also pick you up from your hotel in Valbone. Just provide the name of your hotel when booking your ferry ticket. After dropping you off at the ferry terminal in Fierze, the bus journey ends. The ferry sets off from Fierze around noon, heading towards Koman at 1:00 PM.

The ferry trip from Fierze to Koman lasts 2.5 hours, so you’ll reach Koman around 3:30 PM. From there, minibusses wait for ferry passengers, ready to take them to Shkoder. The drive typically takes about 2 hours, meaning you’ll arrive in Shkoder around 5:30 PM or 6:00 PM. To book your minibus and ferry ticket, visit the Lake Koman website here: Lake Koman Booking.

If you’d rather go by private taxi, you can also arrange that through the same website. The taxi ride from Valbona to Fierze costs 60 euros, the ferry from Fierze to Koman is 8 euros per person, and the taxi from Koman to Shkoder costs 70 euros.

How do I Get to Komani Lake Albania?

You can reach Komani Lake in Albania by bus or taxi from either Tirana or Shkoder. Komani is a small village in a faraway area. The nearest city to Komani is Shkoder. Even though Shkoder and Komani aren’t too far apart, it takes about 2 hours to drive from Shkoder to Komani because the road is rough and bends a lot along the river.

If you start from Tirana, it takes about 4 hours to reach Komani. That’s because Tirana is farther to the south of Shkoder, and therefore farther from the Komani village. Here’s a guide on how to get to Komani Lake from either Tirana or Shkoder.

How to Get From Tirana to Komani Lake?

If you’re starting your journey from Tirana, you should leave at 5 AM. It takes about two hours to reach Shkoder city, so you’ll arrive around 7 AM. From there, it’s another drive to Koman to catch the 9 AM Komani Lake Ferry.

You have the option to book a seat on a shared minibus from Tirana to Komani Lake. The minibus leaves from the Gazheli Petrol station in Tirana at 5 AM. You can find the exact location on Google Maps here: Gazheli Petrol station location

A bus ticket from Tirana to Komani Lake costs 10 euros per person. Alternatively, you can take a private taxi, which costs 120 euros per car. Both bus and taxi bookings can be made on the website of the Komani Lake Ferry.

How to Get From Shkoder to Komani Lake?

To travel from Shkoder to Komani Lake, you have a couple of options. You can hop on a shared minibus or hire a private taxi. The minibus leaves Shkoder at 6:30 AM. Booking a spot on the minibus is easy. Just visit the Komani Lake Ferry website. Provide your hotel name in Shkoder, and they’ll pick you up there. Alternatively, you can head to the bus station in Shkoder. Here’s where it is on Google Maps: Shkoder Bus Station. The shared minibus ride from Shkoder to Komani costs 7 euros per person. If you prefer a taxi, it’ll be 70 euros.

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