How to get to the Shala River from Tirana? Bus/Taxi + Boat, Ticket, Pricing, How to get there

If you are planning a trip to the Shala River, you might be wondering how to get to the Shala River from Tirana. Let’s talk about the best ways to get to the Shala River from Tirana.

How to get to the Shala River from Tirana? You can get to the Shala River from Tirana by bus + boat, by taxi + boat or by car + boat. The bus departs at 5AM/5:30AM, costs 12 EUR p.p. The taxi costs 150 EUR. Buses and taxis drop you off at the Koman Lake boat terminal, where you can take a boat to the Shala River, costing 25 EUR p.p.

In this blog post, I will discuss all you need to know to get to the Shala River from Tirana. I will discuss bus timetables, bus tickets, booking and bus journeys. I will also discuss the Shala River boats, boat tickets, when the boat operates and the timings. And I will discuss taking a taxi to the boat terminal vs. a bus vs. a rental car. Let’s dive in.

How to get to the Shala River from Tirana by bus, by taxi, by car and by boat?

You can get to the Shala River from Tirana by taking a bus/taxi/car to the Komani Lake boat terminal. Then once you are at the boat terminal, you can get on a boat to the Shala River. This is a quick summary of the ways to get to the Shala River from Tirana. More detailed info can be found below.

Tirana to the Shala River by bus + boat (summary)

• You can take a bus from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal and then get on a boat to the Shala River.
• Buses depart from Tirana at 5 AM/5:30 AM from the Gazheli petrol station, and must be booked in advance.
• A bus ticket from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal costs 12 euros per person.
• Once you are at the Komani Lake boat terminal you can get on a boat to the Shala River, which costs 25 euros per person. 
• Boats to the Shala River operate between 13 April to 5 November. But it also depends on the weather conditions.

Tirana to the Shala River by taxi + boat (summary)

• You can take a taxi from Tirana to the Lake Koman boat terminal and then a boat to the Shala River.
• A taxi from Tirana to the Lake Koman boat terminal costs 150 euros for a one-way taxi.
• Book a taxi in advance, because the road to the Lake Koman boat terminal is a sandroad, so you need a 4 wheel drive taxi that is willing to offer this route.
• Once you are at the Lake Koman boat terminal, you can board a boat to the Shala River, which costs 25 euros per person.

Tirana to the Shala River by car + boat (summary)

• First, drive from Tirana to Shkoder. This is a one-lane road for each direction of traffic, so traffic in front of you will hold you up and slow your journey down (2-3 hours).
• Second, drive from Shkoder to the Lake Koman boat terminal. This is a sand road with rocks and potholes. Check if your rental car is suitable.
• Leave in the very early morning, because traffic and the sandroad make it impossible to drive this route quickly. It will definitely take you 3.5-4 hours to drive from Tirana to the Lake Koman boat terminal. 
• Boats to the Shala River depart from the Lake Koman boat terminal at 9:30 AM between 13 April to 5 November, depending on weather conditions, mud in the river and the number of bookings.

How to get to the Shala River from Tirana by boat?

You can get to the Shala River from Tirana by taking a bus/taxi/car to the Komani Lake boat terminal and then taking a boat from the Komani Lake boat terminal to the Shala River. So these are your 3 x options for getting to the Shala River from Tirana:

• Option 1: Bus from Tirana + Boat to the Shala River
• Option 2: Taxi from Tirana + Boat to the Shala River
• Option 3: Car from Tirana + Boat to the Shala River

Tirana to Shala River by bus + boat

Your first option is taking a bus from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal and then getting on a boat to the Shala River.

Buses depart from Tirana in the very early morning at 5 AM or 5:30 AM. If you are travelling between 1 May and 1 October, then the bus departs at 5:30 AM from Tirana. If you are travelling between 2 October and 31 April, the bus will depart at 5:00 AM. 

• 5 AM/5:30 AM – Bus from Gazheli Petrol Station in Tirana to Komani Lake boat terminal.
• 8:30 AM – Arrive at the Komani Lake Boat Terminal.
• 9:30 AM – Board a boat to the Shala River.
• 10:45 AM – Arrive at Shala Beach, to go for a swim, have lunch and relax.
• 14:00 PM – Take a boat back from Shala Beach to the Komani Lake boat terminal.
• 15:30 PM – Arrive back at the Komani Lake Boat Terminal and take a bus back to Tirana.
• 18:30 PM/19:00 PM – Arrive back in Tirana by bus.

To get on the bus from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal, you must go to the Gazheli Petrol station in Tirana. This petrol station is near the Ring Roundabout and the Ring shopping Centre. You will have passed this large roundabout with a silver art work in the middle of the roundabout by taxi/car/bus when you drove from Tirana airport to the city centre of Tirana.

A bus ticket from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal costs 12 euros per person. 

• Bus from Tirana to the Lake Koman boat terminal costs 12 euros per person.
• Boat to the Shala River costs 25 euros per person. 

The buses from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal are operated by Komani Lake Ferry Berisha. You are only able to take this bus if you book a seat on the bus in advance and you also buy a boat ticket via them. 

The bus from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal will drop you off at the boat terminal around 8:30 AM. 

The boats to the Shala River depart at 9:30 AM from the Komani Lake boat terminal. A boat ticket for the Shala River boat costs 25 euros per person. 

Bear in mind that Shala River boats only operate between 13 April to 5 November. So there are no boats to the Shala River in the winter season. 

Although, according to the boat operator the boats to Shala River run between 13 April and 5 November. It is still dependent on weather conditions. Should the weather be rainy or stormy, then the boats to the Shala River won’t run for safety reasons. And sometimes in the autumn, the Shala River can be blocked by mud in the river. Should this be the case, the Shala River boats won’t be able to make it to Shala Beach. 

Basically, if you are going in the summer months, like July and August, you have a good chance of getting to the Shala River. If you are travelling in the Spring or Autumn season, I would give the boat operator a call and ask about weather conditions and the likeliness of the boat to the Shala River running.

Tirana to Shala River by taxi + boat

The alternative to the bus is taking a taxi from Tirana to the Komani Lake boat terminal and then getting on the boat to the Shala River.

A taxi from Tirana to the Komani Lake Boat terminal costs 150 euros for a one-way taxi. The taxi driver will pick you up from Tirana at 5:00 AM. And you will be at the Komani Lake Boat terminal around 8:30 AM. Boats to the Shala River depart from this boat terminal around 9:30 AM.

• Taxi from Tirana to the Komani Lake Boat Terminal costs 150 euros.
• Boat to the Shala River costs 25 euros per person.

If you plan on taking a taxi from Tirana to Koman/Shala River, then you must book a taxi in advance. The main reason is that the road to Lake Koman is a sand road with rocks and potholes on the surface. Therefore, regular taxi drivers in Tirana may say they do not offer Lake Koman as a destination. That is why I recommend you book a taxi via the Komani Lake Ferry Berisha website. Those taxi drivers go to Lake Koman everyday, and they usually have a 4 wheel drive to get to Lake Koman via the sand road.

How to get on the boat from Koman Lake to the Shala River?

You can only get to the Shala River by boat, because the Shala River is a remote area. So there are no roads to reach the Shala River by car.

To get to the Shala River by boat, you need to go to the Lake Koman boat terminal. Boats to the Shala River depart around 9:30 AM, so it is best to get to the Lake Koman boat terminal before 9AM to be sure. 

You can book a boat ticket to the Shala River on the website of Komani Lake Ferry Berisha. They charge 25 euros per person for a boat ticket from the Komani Lake boat terminal to the Shala River. 

• 5 AM/5:30 AM – Bus from Gazheli Petrol Station in Tirana to Komani Lake boat terminal.
• 8:30 AM – Arrive at the Komani Lake Boat Terminal.
• 9:30 AM – Board a boat to the Shala River.
• 10:45 AM – Arrive at Shala Beach, to go for a swim, have lunch and relax.
• 14:00 PM – Take a boat back from Shala Beach to the Komani Lake boat terminal.
• 15:30 PM – Arrive back at the Komani Lake Boat Terminal and take a bus back to Tirana.
• 18:30 PM/19:00 PM – Arrive back in Tirana by bus.

Apart from the boat ticket to the Shala River, you will also need to book a bus or a taxi to get to the Komani Lake boat terminal before 9:30 AM. You can either start your journey from Tirana at 5 AM/5:30 AM or start your journey from Shkoder at 6:45 AM. 

• Bus ticket from Tirana to the Lake Koman boat terminal costs 12 euros per person.
• Taxi from Tirana to the Lake Koman boat terminal costs 150 euros per taxi one-way.
• Bus ticket from Shkoder to the Lake Koman boat terminal costs 8 euros per person.
• Taxi from Shkoder to Lake Koman boat terminal costs 70 euros per taxi one-way.

Shkoder is closer to Lake Koman and the Shala River than Tirana. So if you travel from Tirana to Shkoder the previous day and stay 1-2 nights in Shkoder, you won’t have to get up as early and your journey to the Shala River won’t be as long.

How to get to the Shala River from Tirana by car?

You can get from Tirana to Shala River by car. First, you must drive from Tirana to Shkoder city. Then when you drive from Shkoder to Lake Koman, you will face a sand road with rocks and potholes on the surface. That is something to bear in mind. Would you be comfortable driving the sand road with rocks and potholes? And is your rental car going to be able to deal with this road? 

Many of the taxis that regularly drive from Shkoder to Lake Koman are 4 wheel drive taxis, like Jeeps and Landrovers. If you do not want to expose your car to the sand road, you could drive to Shkoder yourself and then book a bus or taxi from Shkoder to Koman. 

Should you decide to drive to Lake Koman independently, I recommend you leave very early in the morning, depart Tirana at 5:00 AM. The road to Lake Koman turns and twists alongside the lake, so it is not possible to drive this section of road quickly. 

You could park your car at the Komani Lake Boat Terminal, so that you could drive it back around 15:30 PM, after you have finished your boat trip to the Shala River.

Can you swim in the Shala River?

You can swim in the Shala River, if the weather is sunny and warm in the summer months. If you take a boat from the Lake Koman boat terminal to the Shala River, you will be dropped off at Shala Beach, where you can swim.

Boats from the Lake Koman boat terminal depart around 9:30 AM. You will enjoy a pretty boat journey along the Shala River and you will be dropped off at Shala Beach around 10:45 AM. Once you are at Shala Beach, you can go for a swim if the weather is sunny and warm. You can also enjoy some lunch in one of the guest houses. You have until 14:00 PM to relax at Shala Beach, and then at 14:00 you must board the boat back from the Shala River to the Komani Lake boat terminal.

When can I go to the Shala River?

You can go to the Shala River between 13 April and 5 November, boats to the Shala River won’t operate in the winter months. That being said, Shala River boats can only operate if the weather is nice and there are enough bookings.

If the weather is stormy or rainy, the boat operator may choose not to run boats to the Shala River for safety reasons. Moreover, sometimes in September for instance, there can be mud blocking the Shala River. And as a result, Shala River boats may not be able to reach Shala Beach. 

In essence, you can be quite certain Shala River boats will operate in July and August. But if you are travelling in the spring or autumn, I recommend you give Komani Lake Ferry Berisha a call beforehand to check if boats to the Shala River are operating, shortly before you travel.

Do boats to the Shala River operate year round?

Boats to the Shala River do not operate year round. Boats to the Shala River are operational between 13 April and 5 November. This however, is dependent on weather conditions, mud in the river and the number of bookings. In the summer months, like July and August, boats to the Shala River are pretty much guaranteed to operate. But if you are going in the spring or summer, it is worth giving the boat operator a call before you book/travel there.

Do I have to book a ticket in advance to go to the Shala River?

As of 2024, the boat operator called “Komani Lake Ferry Berisha” recommends that you book tickets in advance for buses, boats to Koman and boats to the Shala River. Mainly due to the high demand in the summer season and operating more boats is not allowed, as this is a nature reserve under government supervision.

If the boat to the Shala River does not operate on the day of my visit, what is the alternative?

If the Shala River boat does not operate on the day of your visit, the alternative is taking the Lake Koman Ferry. The Lake Koman Ferry departs from the Koman boat terminal at 9:00 AM, it arrives in Fierze at 11:30 AM, it departs from Fierze again at 13:00 and it comes back to Koman at 15:30. 

Should I take the Lake Koman Ferry or the Shala River boat?

If you are going for a day trip, I would recommend the Shala River boat. Because the Shala River boat makes a stop at Shala Beach for swimming and eating at a restaurant. Basically, it is more enjoyable as a destination. On the other hand, the Lake Koman Ferry only stops in Fierze, where there is a basic coffee place.

Of course, if you are on your way to Valbona for hiking in the mountains, then it makes sense to take the Lake Koman Ferry to Fierze so that you can take a bus/taxi to Valbona.

Related Questions

How to get from Shkoder to the Shala River? You can get from Shkoder to the Shala River by bus, by taxi or by car. Buses depart at 6:45 AM, cost 8 EUR per person and must be booked in advance. A taxi costs 70 euros. The bus or taxi will drop you off at the Komani Lake boat terminal, where you can take a boat to the Shala River, which costs 25 EUR per person.

How to get from Fierze to the Shala River? From Fierze, you can take the Lake Koman Ferry to Koman at 13:00 or the Alpin Ferry from Fierze to Koman at 9:00 AM. However, you would miss the boat to the Shala River which departs from Koman around 9:30 AM. So you could only take a private boat on the same day or wait for the next day.

How to get from Theth to the Shala River? If you want to get from Theth to the Shala River by bus, by taxi or by car, you need to go to Shkoder first. Buses from Theth to Shkoder depart once a day at 11:00 AM, costing 12 EUR per person. Sleep in Shkoder 1 night. Next day take a bus to Lake Koman, costing 8 euros and boat to Shala River 25 euro per person.

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