thetrainfamilyWith a certain degree of nervousness, we embarked on our journey from Utjeha to Shkodër in Albania. Before the trip, we had read quite a bit on various travel blogs about how others had done it. We also noticed on Google Maps that we were quite close to the Montenegrin-Albanian border in Utjeha, so it seemed feasible.
The bus from Utjeha to Ulcinj
On busticket4.me, we saw that we could take a bus from Utjeha to Ulcinj. It would take between 10 and 20 minutes. I went to the shop in Utjeha where we had gotten off the bus when we arrived to check that it was indeed the departure point. I also went down there to see if a bus actually came at the time indicated on the website. A lady in a swimwear shop confirmed that it was the right place, and a few minutes later, a large, handsome white bus passed by, just as the website had indicated. I quickly returned to the rest of the family, and together, we went to the bus and stood ready when the next bus to Ulcinj was due. When the time came, there was no bus, but we waited patiently in the scorching 35-degree sun. After about 5 minutes, an overcrowded minibus roared past. What! That wasn’t the plan. The next bus wouldn’t come for another hour.
The Taxi from Utjeha to Ulcinj
Coincidentally, a taxi pulled over a couple of minutes later. He offered to take us to Ulcinj for 10 Euros. We agreed, happy to escape the blazing sun. Just before a dark tunnel, we overtook a couple on a cycling trip. There was no way we would risk our lives on Montenegro’s roads, where drivers do everything but drive while driving (including our driver, who both texted and talked on the phone). After about 20 minutes of driving, we were dropped off at the bus station in Ulcinj.
The Busstation in Ulcinj
It was a newer building that housed a ticket counter, a small shop, a restaurant, waiting chairs, and a decent toilet, available for 0.50 Euros, but it had both toilet paper and soap (which is quite a good standard in Montenegro). We bought tickets for the bus to Shkodër from a friendly English-speaking lady, who even took the time to explain the difference in pronouncing Shkodër and Skadar.
Ulcinj to Shkodër by Minibus (Furgon)
We kept a close lookout for the bus, which departs at 12:30 and 16:30 from Ulcinj. When it was 12:10, we hadn’t yet seen the bus, but we knew from earlier in the day that we had to be patient. Nevertheless, I looked again – and this time, at the little heap of a minibus / furgon parked at the bus stop (in the shade of the elegant Bosnian coach to Sarajevo), and to my horror, it read “Shkodër” on it! We hurried over to it and, to our horror (the second one), saw that the bus was practically full. The girls squeezed onto a shared seat at the back, and our son, my husband, and I shared two seats behind the driver. Things were worse for a young German, who didn’t get a seat at all but had to sit on a stool in the aisle. We managed to fit our two large bags into the packed luggage compartment. Before departure, one of the drivers went around collecting one Euro per bag. Precisely at 12:30, we rolled out of the station. Luckily, the drive proceeded at a leisurely pace and without reckless overtaking. As we neared the Albanian border, we could see many Albanian flags outside shops. The border crossing went smoothly. The passports were collected by the driver, and we could stay on the bus. It all took about 15 minutes, and then we were on our way again.
First Sights of Albania
On the Albanian side, we didn’t have to drive far before we spotted the first bunkers. A total of 700,000 bunkers were built all across Albania from 1967 to 1986. They were intended to help the country withstand attacks from its enemies. Another distinctive feature was the mosques with their minarets, which we passed by regularly. As we approached Shkodër, the traffic came to a complete standstill, and next to the line of cars, Romani mothers with their children were begging or selling water and grapes. After what felt like an eternity of slow-moving traffic, we arrived at the Shkodër bus station, which was essentially just a street corner opposite the Ebu Beker Mosque. We were dropped off and said goodbye to the kind Frenchman our daughters had practiced English with in the back seat and the friendly German we had talked to while he was squeezed on his stool in the middle row.
