Putnik

Are you flying into ATH and flying out DBV? If so, after your Greek island adventure, I would fly to BEG, spend a day or two there, then fly to ZAG. There, I would rent a car and start driving south towards Dubrovnik. If you have enough time, I would drive form Zagreb to Istria and then take the beautiful Adriatic coast road all the way to Dubrovnik while stopping at Zadar, Sibenik (Krka National Park), Split, Makarska etc.
If you are short on time, then I would drive on the faster, but less scenic A1 highway from Zagreb to Split. This option would allow you to stop at Plitvice Lakes National Park as well.
Once you are in Dubrovnik, it's a short drive to Mostar or Monenegro.

You should be OK with Croatian, Bosnian or Montenegrin plates in Serbia. You should also be OK with Serbian plates in Slovenia, Istria and Zagreb in Croatia.

TravelDoorsOut

Thanks all. Currently in Greece, will probably fly ATH to Tirana. Then bus to Lake Ohrid/Skopje and then is there a train to Belgrade? From Belgrade I was thinking train to Zagreb and Sarajevo from Dubrovnik? However, since you guys are saying skip Macedonia/Kosovo, I could do Tirana to Montenegro, train to Belgrade, than Sarajevo and onto Croatia? Is it better to do Tirana to Belgrade and save Montenegro when stationed in Dubrovnik? Need helpppp!

Besides Tirana, anything worth seeing in Albania?

Putnik

From a quick google search it does not look like there is a train from Skopje to Beograd right now. Train rid from Montenegro (Bar or Podgorica) to Belgrade is at least 8 hours. As someone said in the thread, there is not train from Sarajevo or anywhere else to Dubrovnik.
Yes, I would explore Montenegro when stationed in Dubrovnik.
If you must go to Tirana, then I would fly from there to Beograd, then train (slow) or fly to Zagreb or Split (even slower train, with a stop in Zagreb). There I would rent a car and explore Croatia and drive down to your destination of Dubrovnik.

Trains in Ex Yugoslavia are very slow, often late and unreliable.

pstm91

Normally I would tell you to drive south and head towards Sarande, as a few others previously mentioned, but you are obviously staying in the north based on that itinerary. Having been to Tirana a few times, I don't think it warrants more than a few days. I recommend taking day trips up into the mountains in the North, and there's even a UNESCO world heritage site, the Gashi River (I believe it's a national park). That's quite a hike (at least a few hours drive), but well worth it. I also recommend heading to see some small towns in Kruje or Dajti Mountain Park, which are much closer. I had the benefit of being with some Albanians so we went to see their families/friends, but it's easy to get up there. A quick google search will show you tons of restaurants and places to see in Northern Albania.
I actually disagree with the others who told you to skip Montenegro and Kosovo (apologies for making it more complicated for you ) - both are stunningly beautiful. There's just not much to do in Kosovo outside of Pristina - but it is a very nice, gentrified city. There's also some surprisingly great wineries. Montenegro I absolutely loved and there are some phenomenal towns on the Med that have a fraction of the tourists of say, Croatia. If you're feeling really crazy, you can even splurge and stay at Aman Sveti Stefan or the new One&Only Portonovi .

TravelDoorsOut

Thank you guys. Just another thought, what if from Tirana we do a day trip to Lake Ohred/Skopje and skip staying in North Macedonia and instead go onto Montenegro and Serbia before going to Croatia? (I’ve seen that north Macedonia can be skipped?)

I know you can do Montenegro from Dubrovnik but this may be easier? Opinions?

thanks all!

TravelDoorsOut

BunpBump

Romanianflyer

Nice idea. As some said, the Monetenegro (Bar, Podgorica) to Serbia (Belgrade) train is slow, but thats fine as its one of Europe's most stunning train rides. You will be glued to the window! Check seat61.com for details.

Btw, no trains currently from Serbia to Croatia due to track works/limited corona schedules. You have to take a bus from Belgrade or Novi Sad (as far north as the train from Belgrade currently goes). Or fly ofc.

TravelDoorsOut

what about driving from Belgrade to Zagreb?

TravelDoorsOut

what about albania car into north Macedonia? To day trip to Lake Ohrid.

13901

A quarter of Macedonians are ethnic Albanians, but at the same time there've been repeated clashes in the north between old UCK militiamen and the government since 2001, the latest in 2015 or '16. So, who knows.

Add to all this the question around insurance, the need for clearing borders, the conditions of roads and... frankly, I'd not bother or stick to the Albanian shore.

I really don't want to sound like a downer but I see this a lot with Americans, mostly in Central Asia: it's a long way from home, you want to cover as much ground as possible. But the reality is that Central Asia (and much less so the Balkans) aren't the US, or even Western Europe.

Maybe spend some time on the coast of Albania (I'd love to go see the Vjosa nature reserve, one of the few pristine riverine areas in Europe), take it easy. And if you want to get out of Albania to other countries in the region, please please please do it via plane. A car is asking for trouble, I doubt that train links exist and I'd very much go against taking a bus with a pregnant wife and a toddler.

Another completely left field idea would be to take the ferry across to Italy. Bari, Brindisi, Lecce - the whole Salento - are the real up-and-coming areas of Italy. The ride is fairly short.

3 problems:

1. Border. Croatia is in the EU, Serbia isn't, and since the 2015 migrant crisis the border checks might be a tad bit convoluted. It's definitely worse when entering Hungary.
2. Car plate. Again, history.
3. Insurance.

A plane ride between the two cities take half an hour.

TravelDoorsOut

There are a bunch of tours operated by Albanian companies into Ohred, its like 150euros, was hoping to rent a car and do it myself. The other component, its a one way rental to Zagreb, with 3 Americans, I definitely didn’t realize customs/border would be an issue.

hdogan

As you were already told, repeatedly, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY any rental company will allow you to do a one-way rental from Serbia to Croatia. Heed the FlyerTalkers' advice, make your life simpler, and fly between BEG and ZAG, BEG and SJJ, BEG and DBV...

TravelDoorsOut

yup, will fly between BEG and ZAG. But I thought it wasn’t an issue renting a car in Croatia and driving into Bosnia? Am I better off doing Serbia to Bosnia to Croatia? After Serbia plan was Croatia with a side trip to Bosnia for a few days from Dubrovnik. Should we do Bosnia before Croatia? What do you guys recommend?

13901

There's just a dozen posts of as many FTers telling you that it's probably not possible and, even if possible, probably not sensible but whatever, suit yourself. Just don't be cheap on the insurance.

TravelDoorsOut

no I definitely understand and appreciate the advice. I think you guys misunderstood me. I was asking between Croatia and Bosnia, what’s the best way to travel? Am I better off doing Serbia to Bosnia then Croatia? I’d like to be safe.