How to get from Tirana to Kotor? Bus, Prices, Taxi, Distance

If you are planning a trip from Tirana to Kotor, this blog will help you plan your trip. I will describe how you can get from Tirana to Kotor by bus, by taxi or by car. 

How to get from Tirana to Kotor? You can get from Tirana to Kotor by bus, by taxi or by rental car. Buses from Tirana to Kotor depart at 6 AM and 8 AM, cost 25-27 EUR p.p and depart from the International Bus Terminal. A rental car costs at least 20-25 EUR, border crossing fee 0-50 EUR, Green card 15 EUR. A taxi costs 150-220 EUR.

In this blog post, I will discuss all you need to know about getting from Tirana to Kotor. I will describe where buses from Tirana to Kotor depart, where to buy a bus ticket, ticket prices, bus timetables, duration and bus terminals. I will also describe how much a rental car costs, border crossing permission, border crossing fees and getting a Green Card Insurance document. And finally, I will discuss how much it costs to hire a taxi from Tirana to Kotor. 

How to get from Tirana to Kotor by bus, by taxi or by car?

You can get from Tirana to Kotor by bus, by taxi or by car. Let me give you a quick summary of the best ways to get from Tirana to Kotor. If you scroll further down, you will find more detailed information. 

Tirana to Kotor by bus (summary)

• There are buses from Tirana to Kotor departing at 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM. 
• Buses from Tirana to Kotor depart from the International Bus Terminal in Tirana. 
• A bus ticket from Tirana to Kotor costs between 25-27 euros per person.
• The bus journey takes approximately 6 hours, so you will arrive in Kotor around 12:00 or 14:00. 
• You can find more detailed bus information from Tirana to Kotor below.

Tirana to Kotor by taxi (summary)

• A taxi from Tirana to Kotor costs between 150-220 euros. 
• I reached out to several taxi drivers in Tirana and some taxi drivers quoted 150 euros, others quoted 160 euros and others quoted 220 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Kotor. 
• So it does pay to do your research and compare prices between several taxi drivers. 

Tirana to Kotor by car (summary)

• Rental car in Tirana price: 20-25 euros per day for the most basic rental car
• You need permission from the car rental company to take their rental car across the border to Montenegro.
• Border crossing fee: 0 euros, 10 euros per day, 15 euros or 50 euros, some companies charge others do not
• Green card insurance for Montenegro at the border: 15 euros
• Rental car companies in Tirana expect you to bring their rental car back to Tirana, so you can make a trip to Kotor, but it has to be a round trip ending in Tirana. 

Tirana to Kotor by train (summary)

• There is no train from Tirana to Kotor. 
• Tirana does not have a train station or railway connection.
• Albania does not have international passenger trains.
• There are no passenger trains from Albania to Montenegro.

How to get from Tirana to Kotor by bus?

You can take a bus from Tirana to Kotor. Buses from Tirana to Kotor depart in the early morning at 6:00 AM and 8:00 AM. A bus ticket will cost you approximately 25-27 euros per person. 

To get on the bus from Tirana to Kotor, you must go to the International Bus Terminal in Tirana. The International Bus Terminal is located behind the Asllan Rusi Sport Palace. The International Bus Terminal is within a walking distance of the city centre of Tirana. If you book a hotel near Skanderbeg Square, you will be able to walk to the International Bus Terminal or you can take a short taxi ride.

You can see the location of the International Bus Terminal on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dyTfZfPawGpQz8LZ7 

There is a bus from Tirana to Kotor at 6:00 AM operated by Drita Travel. There is another bus from Tirana to Kotor departing at 8:00 AM operated by Osumi Travel. And there is another bus from Tirana to Kotor departing at 8:00 AM operated by Old Town Travel. 

You can also download the Albanian Bus Timetable App to check bus timetables for Albania here: https://albaniatourguide.com/albania-bus-timetable-app/ 

A bus ticket for each of those buses will cost you approximately 25-27 euros. Old Town Travel has a website where you can buy your bus ticket online. Bus tickets from Drita Travel and Osumi Travel can be bought in person with cash at the International Bus Terminal. 

The bus journey from Tirana to Kotor might take around 6 hours. So if you were to depart at 6:00 AM, you may be in Kotor around 12:00 PM noon. And if you were to take the 8:00 AM bus, you may be in Kotor around 14:00. The bus from Tirana to Kotor will drop you off at the Kotor Main Bus Station. 

How much does a taxi from Tirana to Kotor cost?

A taxi from Tirana to Kotor costs between 150-220 euros. I reached out to several taxi drivers in Tirana and some taxi drivers quoted 150 euros, others quoted 160 euros and others quoted 220 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Kotor. So it does pay to do your research and compare prices between several taxi drivers. 

Uber Taxi does not exist in Albania. The easiest way to get prices fast is by emailing or contacting taxi companies via WhatsApp. You may find contact details for well-known taxi companies like Speed Taxi, Merr Taxi, Green Taxi, Tirana Taxi, Lux Taxi or others online.

Can I rent a car and drive from Tirana to Kotor?

You can rent a car in Tirana starting from 20-25 euros per day. You would then need to ask the car rental company for permission to drive from Tirana to Kotor across the border.

Most car rental companies allow for driving to Montenegro, so they would give you a document showing you have permission to take the rental car across the border. Some car rental companies have a border crossing fee, others do not. So it is worth comparing prices. 

At the border with Montenegro, you do need to buy insurance for Montenegro. This Green Card Insurance Document at the border may cost you 15 euros. 

It is important to mention that car rental companies in Tirana will expect you to bring the rental car back to Tirana. So you could go to Kotor, but it would have to be a round trip. If you are looking for a one-way journey from Tirana to Kotor. Then your options would be a taxi or bus.

• Rental car in Tirana price: 20-25 euros per day for the most basic rental car
• Border crossing fee: 0 euros or 10 euros per day or 15 euros or 50 euros, some companies charge others do not
• Green card insurance for Montenegro at the border: 15 euros

You can find a reliable list of car rental companies on the website of Tirana Airport. For each car rental company you will find contact details, like a phone number and email address. I have found that the quickest way to get some prices is to add the car rental companies on WhatsApp and message them on the chat. You will have several car rental offers in 15-30 minutes. And you will also be able to ask about border crossing permission, border crossing fees and green card insurance.

Is there a train from Tirana to Kotor?

There is no train from Tirana to Kotor. Tirana does not have a train station. The former train station in Tirana was demolished in 2013, it is currently 2024 and no new train station has been built. So Tirana does not have a train station and there are no trains to and from Tirana. 

In the communist period, railways were constructed between Shkoder, Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Vlore and Pogradec. However, currently many of those railways are currently not in use. Some railways are visible in the landscape, but no trains run on those old railways. The only sections of railway that have trains are: Elbasan to Durres (2-3 trains per week) and Shkoder to Lac (1 train per week).

Albania does not have any international passenger trains. In the communist period, when the railways were constructed, Albania was isolated from the rest of Europe. So no international railways were built. There is no passenger train from Albania to Montenegro, only buses.

Is there a train from Albania to Montenegro?

There is no train from Albania to Montenegro. There are no passenger trains crossing the border between Albania and Montenegro. The only public transport available is bus travel from Albania to Montenegro.

What is the distance from Tirana to Kotor?

The distance from Tirana to Kotor is approximately 200 kilometres if you drive from Shkoder via Bar at the coastline of Montenegro. Or it is approximately 250 kilometres if you drive from Shkoder via Podgorica to Kotor. 

Related Questions

How to get from Tirana to Budva by bus? You can take a bus from Tirana to Budva. Buses depart at 8:00 AM and 10:15 AM from the International Bus Terminal in Tirana. A bus ticket costs 24-25 euros per person.

How to get from Tirana to Podgorica by bus? You can take a bus from Tirana to Podgorica. Buses depart at 6:00 AM, 8:00 AM and 10:15 AM from the International Bus Terminal in Tirana. A bus ticket costs 15-17 euros per person. 

How to get from Shkoder to Kotor by bus? You can take a bus from Shkoder to Kotor. Buses depart from Shkoder at 10:00 AM and 13:20 PM. Buses depart in front of Rozafa Hotel in Shkoder. A bus ticket costs 15-17 euros per person. 

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