Albania Ferries
Albania ferry crossings include a number of international ferry routes from Durres, Vlora and Saranda ferry ports to Italian ports of Trieste, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi as well as to the Greek ferry port of Corfu where fast ferry boats cross the Ionian Sea channel to Corfu Island. There is only one domestic ferry route in Albania that crosses the Lake Koman connecting Koman and Fierze.
Albania International Ferry Crossings
International ferry ports in Albania are in Durrës (Drac), Vlora (Vlorë) and Saranda (Sarandë). From these ports, you can travel by direct ferry lines to several ports in Italy and to Greece (Corfu). At present there are no other international direct ferry crossings to or from Albania, however, there are connecting ferry routes via Italian and Greece ports that you can use to travel by ferry to other destinations. Most of the direct routes are run as an overnight ferry crossing while the short route to Corfu is a daytime ferry (check what to wear).
Albania to Italy Ferries
From Durres, Vlore and Saranda in Albania you can travel by ferry to Trieste, Ancona, Bari, and Brindisi in Italy. The shortest crossing is from Vlore to Brindisi (9 hours) and the longest one is from Durres to Trieste.
All journeys cross the Adriatic Sea and are mostly overnight ones, although there are some day crossings too.
If you are visiting Tirana or Northern Albania, the most convenient ferry port is Durres from where you can get a bus or taxi to Tirana. The journey lasts about 40 minutes and the distance is about 37 kilometres.
If you are visiting South Albania, the most convenient routes are to Vlore and Saranda.
All ferries connecting Albania and Italy are car ferries with onboard cabin accommodation with and without bathrooms as well as a restaurant and other facilities.
Find detailed info about Albania to Italy ferries
Albania to Greece Ferries
From Saranda in Albania, you can travel by ferry to Corfu in Greece. This is at the present the only ferry crossing between Greece and Albania. The ferry crosses the Ionian Sea.
you can have a choice of car ferry or a fast foot passenger ferry routes. They last between 30 minutes and just over one hour. Here is a brief schedule overview:
Saranda to Corfu (Greece) Ferry
- Car Ferry by Sarris Cruises & Lines: daily sailings; duration: 1 hour 10 min
- Car Ferry by Joy Lines: daily sailings; duration: 1 hour 30 min
- Fast Ferry by Finikas Lines: daily sailings; duration: 30 min
- Fast Ferry by Ionian Seaways: daily sailings; duration: 30 min
- Fast Ferry by Joy Lines: daily sailings; duration: 35 min
If you are visiting South Albania these ferry connections are much more convenient as you can fly to Corfu Airport instead to Tirana and get to Albania from there. Corfu Airport usually has better (and cheaper) flights than Tirana’s airport.
Albania to Montenegro by Ferry
Albania and Montenegro share their border on Lake Skadar and in the Adriatic Sea and it is surprising that there are no ferries connecting these two coasts. There are no direct ferries from Montenegro to Albania. However, there are connecting ferry options which you can use to travel between the two countries. Here are two of the options:
- Take a ferry from Durres, Albania to Bari, Italy and change there for another ferry crossing from Bari to Bar in Montenegro.
- Take a ferry from Durres to Ancona, Italy and cross from there to Split, Croatia and further via Dubrovnik to Montenegro.
Albania to Croatia by Ferry
Albania and Croatia do not share their borders on the mainland, however, the sea border in the Adriatic Sea is shared. It is surprising that there are no ferries connecting these two coasts. There are no direct ferries from Croatia to Albania. However, there are connecting ferry options which you can use to travel between the two countries. Here are three of the options:
- Take a ferry from Durres, Albania to Bari, Italy, and change there for another ferry crossing from Bari to Dubrovnik in Croatia.
- Another option is to take a ferry from Durres to Ancona, Italy, and cross from there to Split, Croatia.
- If you are traveling to Northern Croatia, consider taking a ferry from Durres to Trieste and getting a short ferry ride from Trieste to Porec or Rovinj in Istria.
Albania to Macedonia by Ferry
Albania shares its border with Macedonia on Lake Ohrid. In previous years there were some ferry boats sailing across the lake, however, in recent years those sailings were suspended. At the time of writing this article (February 2020), there are some indications that a new ferry line is going to be introduced again. It will sail between Ohrid in Macedonia and Albania. This is very good news, stay tuned for further details as they emerge.
In the meantime, check if these alternative options suite your travel plans:
- Bus from Skopje, Macedonia to Tirana: There is a daily bus service between Tirana and Skopje. The journey times are 7 hours, the ticket cost is 20 Euro one way.
- Bus from Pristina, Kosovo to Tirana: There is a daily bus service between Tirana and Pristina. The journey times are 4 1/2 hours, the ticket cost is 10 Euro one way.
- For both option check details and what is available for your dates on busradar.com
Domestic Ferry Crossings in Albania
So far the only ferry crossing within Albania is Lake Koman ferry route that connects Koman and Fierze, two towns in North Albania. This is an amazing and scenic ferry sailing along the narrow Lake Koman (see above photo and below video) that is in daily service. The total journey time is just under 3 hours. This is, no doubt, Albania’s most beautiful ferry ride!
