Why connect both cities

Albania is all the hype right now and many people travel the country for it’s unique culture, it’s pristine landscapes as well as for it’s cheap prices. Just across the border in North Macedonia though lies a highlight, which in my opinion cannot be missed out on, when visiting the southern Balkans: Lake Ohrid.

This unique mountain lake sits at an elevation of 693 meters and is shared between Albania and North Macedonia. It is, in fact, the oldest lake in Europe having been created roughly 2-3 million years ago by tectonic movements of the earths crust. Nowadays it is flanked by steep mountains on all sides and it’s shoreline is lined by cute towns such as Pogradec, Struga and the UNESCO world heritage town Ohrid.

Therefore, if you are traveling around southern Albania, this destination is a perfect stop if you want to add something more distinct to your otherwise more culture and beach-heavy trip. After traveling from Tirana to Ohrid it is easy to continue to Pogradec and on to Permet, Berat, Gjirokastra and so on, so it is perfectly integratable into any itinerary. In this guide I will explain in detail how to actually get to Ohrid though, as bus travel works not quite as we are used to in other parts of the world and there are a few things to watch out for, as I explained already in my guide on how to travel from Tirana to Teth in the Albania Alps.

If you want to travel onwards to Thessaloniki or Skopje after Ohrid, then click here for more information.

Route Overview: Tirana to Ohrid

How to book tickets

There are 4 companies serving the route from Tirana to Ohrid: Euro Bus, Nela Travel, Classic Company Ohrid and Drita Travel. Tickets can be booked in person at the station or online. On this route for some reason, booking in person does not save you any money. It is actually more expensive. We got quoted roughly 20€ both in Tirana and then on the way back in Ohrid and decided that booking online is the much cheaper option.

Apart from the bus companys own websites there are two more user-friendly ways to book your tickets: FlixBus and Bookaway. FlixBus is probably more straightforward and is what most users are used to as it is the largest bus company in all of Europe. On this route, they do not operate their typical green busses themselves though, but mostly serve as a ticket vendor for other companies, which in turn put a paper sign saying „FlixBus“ in their front window. They sell tickets for EuroBus and Nela Travel and offer the lowest fares on the route, sometimes as low as 12€. I would recommend booking with them, if the departure times offered there fit your schedule. They are most of the time, even cheaper than the bus operators themselves offer their seats on their websites.

Should they not fit in with your travel plans, try looking for other connections on Bookaway, which includes all 4 aforementioned companies, though paradoxically seems to miss some of the EuroBus connections. Here you can additionally see the schedules for the busses operated by Classic Company Ohrid and Drita Travel, which offer departure times in the early morning or in the evening, which can be helpful if you are on a tight schedule.

Start and End Points

Tirana East Bus Terminal

This station roughly 30 minutes south of the center of Tirana is the main station for many international connections to Greece, North Macedonia and Kosovo. Most busses going from Tirana to Ohrid depart from here. To reach it from the center of Tirana, take bus line 8 to „Terminali Juglindor“. It departs from several different stops on the central ring road around Sheshi Skënderbej. A ride costs 40 Lekë. Nela Travel, Classic Company Ohrid and EuroBus depart from here.

Tirana Shatervan Station

This station is basically the central bus station in Downtown Tirana, mostly served by inner-city bus lines. It has the main advantage, that you will not have to take a bus to get here as it is reachable on foot from basically anywhere in central Tirana. If the departure times fit your schedule it is best to choose this station. It is important to know, that the name „Shatervan Station“ is not a distinct bus terminal but more like a general term many companies use. Other names such as „Palace of Culture“ or „Katëshet Road“ can also be found. It is best advised to research the exact coordinates of your departure point upon booking to find your bus, as the area can get pretty crowded and confusing during the day. Nela Travel sometimes serves this station.

Tirana South and North Bus Terminal

This terminal is the main hub for busses to all parts of Albania, north or south, as the name implies. It is perfect if you want to connect to or from another bus within Albania. Let’s say you want to travel to Ohrid from Gjirokastra: most busses coming from there do not drop you off in Tirana East, but in Tirana North and South. If you were to travel onwards to Ohrid from the East Terminal, you will have to take either a long and expensive taxi ride or two city busses to get from one station to the other. I do not recommend this as the journey between both terminals can easily take over an hour if you are unlucky. Drita Travel utilizes this station and heads directly to Ohrid, though keep in mind, that their offer in the Tirana to Ohrid Route is limited. It can be reached from the center via bus lines 4 and 5 departing from different stops around Sheshi Skënderbej costing 40 Lekë.

Ohrid Bus Terminal

Ohrid Bus Terminal is not really a distinct bus terminal but rather a parking lot behind a mall with a ticketing counter in a steel container. EuroBus and NelaTravel always depart from here though other bus companies might pick you you somewhere at the side of the road at their own designated „stops“. In order to reach Ohrid Station you can walk their from the center of town which takes around 30 minutes. There exists no public transportation to the station, but a taxi will not cost more than 4€ (make sure the meter is turned on) and is probably the most comfortable option to reach your accomodation in Ohrid.

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