Looking for how to get from Montenegro to Albania because you’re doing a Balkans road trip or flying into one but exploring the other? This is exactly what I did recently by driving from Montengro to Albania and it was super easy to do!
We recently flew into Podgorica Airport in Southern Montenegro, did the super quick drive into Northern Albania and spent 3 days exploring there (and Kosovo) before flying home.
So in this Montenegro to Albania guide, I’ll give you my tips on driving from Montenegro to Albania, especially regarding the fact that you need a GREEN CARD from your car hire company which is super IMPORTANT!
Where to fly into in Montenegro to visit Albania?
Podgorica is actually Montenegro’s capital city and is in the very south of the country. I’d never heard of it before because its not a city for tourism and if you want to visit the main tourist spots in Montenegro, it’s easiest to fly into Tivat which is closer to the Bay of Kotor,
However, to visit Albania, Podgorica Airport is just a short 40 minute drive to the Albanian border and is therefore the best airport to use!
Search flights to Podgorica Airport on Skyscanner here!
Can you drive from Montenegro to Albania?
Yes, there is a border crossing from Montenegro to Albania called Border Crossing Hani i Hotit – Bozhaj (google maps link) which is right on the edge of Shkodra Lake, a lake that covers both countries, although mainly Albania.
It’s very possible to drive a hire car over the border but there’s one important thing you must know!
I always use Rental Cars to book my car hire as they search all the top car hire companies for the best price and quality, search rental cars in Montenegro here!
Car Hire in Montenegro for Albania
Firstly, I recommend using a site like Rental Cars to book your car hire and once on their site, I recommend going for a company like Budget, Avis, Hertz, Sixt who are international companies and you recognise their names, because often, local companies really mess you around when you pick up the car.
We went with a local company and although we paid for full insurance online, they still made us pay for insurance again otherwise they wouldn’t give us the keys which was an extra €100 or so and I still don’t know if this was right or not!
And, they could only accept a Mastercard credit card as a deposit card which we didn’t have and not a Visa or American Express, so we had to pay the insurance in cash.
So although it feels nice to go with a local company when we travel, I do think with car hire companies, especially in Eastern Europe, an international brand is better!
I always use Rental Cars to book my car hire as they search all the top car hire companies for the best price and quality, search rental cars in Montenegro here!
THE IMPORTANT BIT…
When hiring a car in Montenegro you need to purchase in advance, a GREEN CARD which is an insurance document stating that your foreign (from Montenegro) car is insured in Albania.
Now, we didn’t know / do this, so when we arrived at Podgorica Airport, the guy from the car hire company asked us about it, we said we didn’t have one, and not only did he say that we had to pay for it now (which was fine), but it was a case of..
‘I don’t have a green card on this car to give you and because its past 6pm I can’t give you it until tomorrow..’
This was a problem for us as we had plans to drive straight into Albania that night with non-refundable accommodation booked.
Initially, we drove off with no other choice other than to drive into Podgorica city, find internet and book a hotel there for the night, however LUCKILY, he called us up 5 minutes after we left the airport and said if we could wait 30 minutes, he could give us a different car which had the green card!
Green Card for driving into Albania
A Gren Card is needed when driving abroad to prove you have the minimum insurance required and there are only a handful of countries that need it. See the UK Gov website here for more info!
The best way to avoid any issues when driving from Montenegro into Albania is when you buy your car hire is to contact your car hire company and firstly check:
- They allow you to take the car from Montenegro into Albania
- Buy a green card from them so it’s ready when you pick the car up
This post has a lot more information about the Green Card for Albania. They do say you can drive to the Albanian border and get one from the office there but I feel that could be a risk and if they don’t/can’t issue it, you have to drive back into Montenegro and speak to your car hire company.
I always use Rental Cars to book my car hire as they search all the top car hire companies for the best price and quality, search rental cars in Montenegro here!
You might also be ok arriving in Montenegro in the middle of the day without the green card as like I said, we had an issue as we arrived after 6pm and offices were closed.
Or, if you plan to stay in Montenegro a few days and then cross into Albania you’ll have time to sort it one way or another! Just be cautious if you arrive without one and plan to head straight into Albania.
Most car hire companies give you a good cancellation period, so book your car hire, then contact them and if they don’t allow one of the two above, you can cancel it and try again!
How much is a green card for Albania?
You’re looking at around €40-50 to get this depending on who you get it through.
Montenegro Albania Border Crossing
We found driving the border crossing from Montenegro to Albania through the ‘Border Crossing Hani i Hotit – Bozhaj (google maps link)‘ really easy and very quick (we did do it on a Friday evening).
There are more border crossings but Han i Hotit is the main one.
The border is right on the edge of Shkodra Lake, a lake that covers both countries although mainly Albania so the views driving there are really beautiful!
Montenegro to Shkodar
If you’re driving from Montenegro to Albania, a good place to stop and stay first in Albania is Shkodar, or even better, right on Shkodar Lake.
I stayed in this beautiful boutique hotel with an incredible view of the lake, and the hotel had a swimming pool for £60.00 a night called RUSTICO Hotel. Check out rates and availability here.
From here, we did a day trip to Theth, you can also visit Komani Lake aka the Thailand of Albania from here on a day trip or use it as a starting point!
Bus from Montenegro to Albania
Public transport wise, there are no trains into Albania from Montenegro but there are plenty of buses.
Flixbus is a great company to use and they run many routes from popular places in Montenegro like Kotor, Budva and Podgorica to Shkoder, Tirana and Durres in Albania.
I hope this posts helps you with how to drive from Montenegro to Albania!
- For more of my posts see:
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