Shkodër

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Earth > Europe > Southern Europe > Balkans > Albania > Shkodër
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Template:Shkoder is the major city of Northern Albania. It will most likely be your first/last stop in Albania if you cross from/to Montenegro. In whole Albania the people are amazingly friendly, but in Shkoder sometimes it seems even more extreme. If you thumb on the road you will get all kind of (positive) reactions, probably even a driver stops to apologize he can not take you because there is a cow on the backseat of his car.

Hitching out

North towards Montenegro

There are two border crossings not far away from Shkoder. The first (Hani i Hotit) goes directly to Podgorica but sees only a few traffic due to the fact that the other road is in much better condition. To go to the direction of Ulcinj and Bar just walk the main road SH1 in Southern direction until you reach a very old wooden bridge. You might be surprised that this is possible, but yes, this is the road to Montenegro. After you pass the bridge turn left and walk a little but until you reach a petrol station. Start thumbing from here.

If you decide to go to Podgorica, walk the SH1 in Northern direction and start thumbing as soon as you see a convenient spot where cars can stop. An alternative would be to take a minibus to the villages nearby in that direction like Shtoj or Boric.

Those information are from 2011 and this time it was much more recommended to go via the Southern road. Internet sources say that the constructions of the Hani i Hotit road are more or less finished and so traffic might be better there now. It is adviceable to just ask local people about this issue.

South towards Tirana

Follow the SH1 road in Southern direction. As soon as you see the old wooden bridge (as described above) start hitchin' right after it. DO NOT cross it, as this would lead you to Montenegro. Keep in mind that there are a lot of Minibuses and shared taxis going that way. This of course does not make normal drivers less helpful.

Accommodation and Sleep

Hospitality networks are not very common used in Albania. Still you might have some luck with foreigners working in Shkoder for a period of time.

The train station seems to be closed at night.

If there is no other chance, the prices in that stalinist hotel bunker in the center seem to be quite fair.

Alternatives

If you need a break from hitchin' or also enjoy a nice ride in a half destroyed old fashioned train with local people, once a day there is a train for around 1 Euro to Tirana. Smashed windows, old Italian or German waggons and a locomotive from Czecheslovakia make this a particular and cheap ride in Europe.