How to get from Shkoder to Berat? Bus, Taxi, Rental, Car, Prices

If you are looking for the best way to get from Shkoder to Berat, this blog is for you. I will compare getting from Shkoder to Berat by bus, by taxi or by rental car.

How to get from Shkoder to Berat? You can get from Shkoder to Berat by bus (transfer), by taxi or by rental car. Step 1: Bus from Shkoder to Tirana (5 EUR, 6AM-17). Step 2: Bus from Tirana to Berat (5 EUR, 5:40-17:30). A taxi costs 140-200 EUR. A rental car costs at leasts 20-25 EUR per day.

In this blog post, I will describe all you need to know to travel from Shkoder to Berat by bus, like bus timetables, bus terminal locations in Shkoder, Tirana and Berat, how to transfer buses, bus ticket prices and how to pay for your ticket. I will also compare taxi prices of what taxi drivers in Shkoder charge for a taxi to Berat. And I will compare prices of car rentals, talk about driving routes, what it is like to drive in Albania and how to get a good deal. 

Getting from Shkoder to Berat by bus, taxi or car

You can get from Shkoder to Berat by bus, taxi or car. Let me give you a quick summary of the best ways to get from Shkoder to Berat. I have more detailed information if you scroll further down below.

Shkoder to Berat by bus (summary)

• There is no direct bus from Shkoder to Berat. So you must take a bus from Shkoder to Tirana and then transfer onto a bus from Tirana to Berat. 
• A bus ticket from Shkoder to Tirana costs 500 Leke (approximately 5 euros) per person. The bus from Shkoder to Tirana departs at 6:00, 7:00, 7:45, 8:30, 9:15, 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00. 
• The bus from Tirana to Berat departs at 5:40, 6:30, 7:15, 7:45, 8:15, 8:50, 9:20, 9:50, 10:20, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00 and 17:30. A bus ticket from Tirana to Berat costs 500 Leke (5 euros) per person.
• More detailed bus terminal information can be found below.

Shkoder to Berat by taxi (summary)

• A taxi from Shkoder to Berat costs between 140 and 200 euros. Several taxi companies mentioned 150 euros or 180 euros. So the most realistic expectation for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat is in the range from 150-180 euros.
• Below you will find a price comparison of what different taxi companies in Shkoder charge for a taxi to Berat.

Shkoder to Berat by car (summary)

• A rental car in Tirana or Shkoder will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day for a basic rental car.
• Rental cars will be more expensive in July and August, due to the high season. 
• Although International car rental companies are present in Albania. You may want to try reaching out to some of the local rental companies via WhatsApp for a more reasonable pricing offer.
• Driving in Albania can be a challenge for a foreigner, as Albanian drivers have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive style of driving. So you must be a confident and experienced driver.

Shkoder to Berat by train (summary)

• There is no train from Shkoder to Berat. 
• There is only 1 x train per week that departs from Shkoder. But this train only goes to Lac. It does not go any further south. 
• There is no train from Shkoder to Tirana. 
• There is no train from Tirana to Berat.
• There is no train from Shkoder to Berat.

How to get from Shkoder to Berat by bus?

There is no direct bus from Shkoder to Berat. If you want to travel by bus from Shkoder to Berat, you must transfer buses in Tirana. First, you take a bus from Shkoder to Tirana. And then at the bus terminal in Tirana, you take another bus from Tirana to Berat. 

• Step 1: Bus from Shkoder to Tirana 
• Step 2: Bus from Tirana to Berat

Step 1: Shkoder to Tirana bus

To get from Shkoder to Berat by bus, you must first take a bus from Shkoder to Tirana. 

Buses from Shkoder to Tirana depart from the “Shkoder bus station”. You can see the location of the Shkoder bus station on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8PkCS982B4zJyHJU8 

Although it is called “Shkoder bus station” on Google Maps, do not expect a bus terminal or a bus station or a ticket office. Instead, the “Shkoder bus station” is a bus stop next to the road with signage. You can wait alongside the road and the bus driver will stop to pick-up passengers. The bus stop from Shkoder to Tirana is near Sheshi Demokracia, which means Democracy Square in the English language.

A bus ticket from Shkoder to Tirana costs 500 Leke (approximately 5 euros) per person. The bus from Shkoder to Tirana departs at 6:00, 7:00, 7:45, 8:30, 9:15, 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00. 

You will pay for your bus ticket in cash with the bus driver when you board the bus. You cannot pay for your bus ticket by card, so I recommend you always carry cash euros and cash Albanian Leke with you, whilst travelling through Albania. 

By bus, it will take you approximately 2 hours to get from Shkoder to Tirana. The bus will drop you off at the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania. Once you are at the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania, you can transfer onto a bus from Tirana to Berat to continue your journey. 

You can see the location of the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/EPG792VjbCSdcqQz6 

Step 2: Tirana to Berat bus

Once you arrive at the bus terminal in Tirana, you can transfer onto a bus from Tirana to Berat. 

The bus from Shkoder to Tirana will have dropped you off at the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania. From this bus terminal, you can now get on a bus from Tirana to Berat. 

The bus from Tirana to Berat departs at 5:40, 6:30, 7:15, 7:45, 8:15, 8:50, 9:20, 9:50, 10:20, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00 and 17:30. A bus ticket from Tirana to Berat costs 500 Leke (5 euros) per person.

You will pay for your bus ticket in cash with the bus driver when you board the bus. You cannot pay for your bus ticket by card, so I recommend you always carry cash euros and cash Albanian Leke with you, whilst travelling through Albania. 

The bus journey from Tirana to Berat will last approximately 2.5 hours. Upon arrival, the bus driver will drop you off at the Bus Terminal Berat. You can see the location of the Bus Terminal Berat on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yrxEEN5VSQhRVDfn9 

It is important to mention that the Bus Terminal Berat is located outside the city centre of Berat. Therefore, you will need to take a bus or a taxi from the Bus Terminal Berat to the city centre of Berat to go sightseeing or to get to your hotel in the city centre. There is a bus from the bus terminal to the city centre of Berat every 30 minutes, it costs 30 Leke (0.30 euro cents).

How much does a taxi from Shkoder to Berat cost?

A taxi from Shkoder to Berat costs between 140 and 200 euros. Several taxi companies mentioned 150 euros or 180 euros. So the most realistic expectation for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat is in the range from 150-180 euros.

• Lux Taxi Shkoder charges 150 euros for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat city.
• Taxi Internacionale Shkoder charges 180 euros for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat. 
• Class Taxi Shkoder charges 140 euros for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat.
• Speed Taxi Shkoder charges 200 euros for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat.
• Premium Taxi Shkoder charges 150 euros for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat.
• Taxi Shkoder Luli charges 180 euros for a taxi from Shkoder to Berat. 

Albania does not have UBER taxi service, it simply does not exist (yet) in Albania. So the easiest way to request a taxi or inquire about taxi prices is via WhatsApp. You will usually get a response from several companies within minutes of sending a chat message via WhatsApp.

How to get from Shkoder to Berat by car?

You can get from Shkoder to Berat by rental car of course. If you are going on a road trip around the country, you could rent a car directly upon arrival at Tirana Airport. A rental car at Tirana Airport will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day for a basic rental car. 

Although International Branded Car Rental companies, like Hertz and Avis exist. You may also want to try to reach out to some of the local car rentals. There is a helpful list of car rental companies on the website of Tirana Airport. You can find mobile numbers and email addresses for all the car rental companies at Tirana Airport.

To give you an insight into what it would cost to rent a basic rental car, I did reach out to several car rental companies at Tirana Airport.

Tirana Airport car rental prices (starting from): 

• Albania Airport Rent a Car charges 20 euros per day for a manual Skoda Fabia from 2018.
• Avis Rent a Car Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for a manual Opel Corsa or 25 euros per day for an automatic Opel Corsa. 
• Pepa Rent a Car Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for an economy car, like a Skoda.
• RCA Rent a Car in Albania Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for a small manual car, like a Mitsubishi Spacestar or Citroen C1 or Peugeot 108.
• Green Motion Rent Car Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for the economy category. It can be an Opel Corsa or Dacia Sandero or Skoda Fabia.
• Viaggia Rent Tirana Airport charges 18 euros per day for a manual Fiat Panda from 2023.
• ARA Auto Rental Tirana Airport charges 17 euros per day for a small manual car or 20 euros per day for an automatic car. Brands like Citroen or Peugeot are available.
• G Rentals Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for a Dacia Stepway.
• Sixt Car Rental Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for a Mitsubishi Space Star. 

If you happen to travel in July or August, you can expect a rental car to be much more expensive. In the tourist high season, accommodation, car rentals and taxis tend to be booked up quickly.

Do reach out to several car rental companies before you travel. I have spoken to tourists who paid 50-70 euros a day for a rental car. So it is best to do your research before you travel.

IMPORTANT! Driving in Albania can be challenging for a foreigner. The Albanian drivers do have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive style of driving. So if you have any doubts about driving, do not do it! Hire a taxi, book a tour or travel by bus instead. Safety comes first.

The drive from Shkoder to Berat is quite straightforward. There is a national road that leads from Shkoder in the direction of Tirana. And then a highway via Durres to Berat. Avoid taking the old road from Tirana via Elbasan to Berat. This older road is not a good quality road, so it will slow your journey down. Drive via Durres is the best advice I can give you.

Is there a train from Shkoder to Berat?

There is no train from Shkoder to Berat. Berat does not have a train station or railway connection. So travelling to Berat by train was never possible. 

In the past, there used to be trains in operation between Shkoder and Tirana. So that would have covered the first leg of your journey south from Shkoder. However, currently, the train from Shkoder only goes to Lac 1 x time per week only. And it does not go any further south than Lac. The train never goes as far as Tirana. 

Train travel to Tirana is also not possible. The railway station in Tirana was demolished in 2013 and it is currently 2024 and no new railway station has been opened yet. 

Train travel within Albania is limited to 2-3 trains per week between Durres and Elbasan. And 1 x train per week between Shkoder and Lac. The railways and trains are very old fashioned. The rail network was built during the communist rule and since the fall of communism in 1992. There has been little investment, little maintenance and no refurbishment on the railway network.

Train Shkoder to Tirana

There is no train in operation from Shkoder to Tirana. Trains from Shkoder only go to Lac, one time a week. The train from Shkoder does not go any further than Lac and it never reaches Tirana. In the past, there were trains from Shkoder to Tirana. However, due to a lack of investment, many of the old railways are currently not in use. There are no trains to Tirana from anywhere.

How long does it take to get from Shkoder to Berat?

It will take you approximately 4 hours or 4.5 hours to get from Shkoder to Berat. The journey from Shkoder to Tirana is approximately 2 hours depending on traffic. And the journey from Tirana to Berat another 2 hours or 2.5 hours depending on traffic. 

The road from Shkoder towards Tirana only has a single lane for each traffic direction, so large trucks in front of you can slow you down. 

The best way to drive from Tirana onwards to Berat is via Durres at the coastline. This is a highway. Whereas the road from Tirana via Elbasan to Berat is an old national road. It may seem more direct to go via Elbasan, but it is actually slower.

Is Berat worth visiting?

Berat is absolutely worth visiting. Berat is a highlight and it belongs at the top of your list of the best places to visit in Albania. 

Berat is a very pretty and romantic historical town. There are two old neighbourhoods with little white houses that were built on the slope of the hills. When you stand in the valley all the little windows of the small houses look down on you. That is why they call Berat “The City of a Thousand Windows”. 

Berat is a UNESCO city. It has an enormous hilltop castle on the top of the mountain, an interesting museum about Iconography called “Onufri ” and the beautiful white houses in the valley. 

You will definitely enjoy Berat. There is a boulevard with lovely terraces, a variety of restaurants and cafes. Some restaurants, like Antigoni, have terraces that look out on the city of a thousand windows and the rushing river. There is an iconic bridge where you can take lovely pictures. And there are some pretty vineyards and wineries nearby too.

How many days do you need in Berat?

You need either 1 or 2 days in Berat. Berat is a very good day trip destination if you are staying in Tirana, Durres or Vlore. You can visit the Berat Castle in 1 hour and visit the Onufri Icon Museum in 30 minutes. Then you can visit the City of a Thousand Windows and take some beautiful pictures of the little white houses on the hill (30 minutes). And have some lunch at a restaurant with a beautiful view, like Antigoni Restaurant for instance!

That being said, Berat is beautiful in the evening. When all the little houses on the hill light up. The view from the valley is just magical. So you may want to stay 1 night in Berat to see that. Moreover, you may really enjoy visiting a local winery and vineyard near Berat the next day. If you spend 1 night and 2 days in Berat, you won’t regret it. Berat is beautiful, romantic and picturesque.

Related Questions

Can you get a bus from Tirana to Berat? You can get a bus from Tirana to Berat. The bus from Tirana to Berat departs at 5:40, 6:30, 7:15, 7:45, 8:15, 8:50, 9:20, 9:50, 10:20, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00 and 17:30. A bus ticket from Tirana to Berat costs 500 Leke (5 euros) per person.

How to get from Durres to Berat? There is a direct bus from Durres to Berat at 6:30 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM. But also, buses from Tirana to Berat make a stop in Durres approximately 35 minutes after departing Tirana. A bus ticket from Durres to Berat costs 400 Leke (approximately 4 euros). 

How to get from Berat to Gjirokaster? You can get from Berat to Gjirokaster by bus, by taxi or by car. The bus from Berat to Gjirokaster departs at 8:00 and 14:00 from the Berat Bus Terminal. A bus ticket from Berat to Gjirokaster costs 900 Leke (approximately 9 euros) per person. The Berat bus terminal is outside the historic city centre, so you must take a city bus or taxi to get to the Bus Terminal.

How to get from Berat to Himare? You can get from Berat to Himare by bus, by taxi or by car. There is no direct bus from Berat to Himare. So you must first get a bus from Berat to Vlore (400 Leke, 4 euros) departing at 6:00, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, 9:20, 10:00 and 13:00). Then you take another bus from Vlore to Himare (500 Leke, 5 euros) departing at 6:00, 8:00, 10:00, 11:30, 12:30 and 14:30. 

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