How to get from Tirana to Komani Lake?

If you are planning to travel from Tirana to Komani Lake, you might be wondering how to get to Komani Lake. In this blog post, I will outline how to get from Tirana to Komani Lake by bus, by taxi or by car.

How to get from Tirana to Komani Lake? You can get from Tirana to Komani Lake by mini-bus, by 4 wheel drive taxi or by car. The mini-bus from Tirana to Komani Lake departs at 5 AM from the Gazheli Petrol Station. A bus ticket costs 10 euros. A taxi from Tirana to Komani Lake costs 100 euros.

Komani Lake was described by Bradt Travel Guides as “one of the world’s greatest boat rides”, so it is definitely worth a visit! I will discuss the best ways to get to Komani Lake by bus, by taxi or by car. I will also discuss day trips to Komani Lake or the nearby Shala River!

How do you get to Lake Koman from Tirana?

You can get to Lake Koman from Tirana by bus, by 4 wheel drive taxi or by car.

Tirana to Lake Koman by bus:

  • Bus departure time 5:00 AM
  • Departure location: Gazheli Petrol Station
  • Ticket price 10 euros or 1400 Leke
  • Reserve online
  • 4-hour mini-bus journey
  • More details below

Tirana to Lake Koman by taxi:

  • Taxi price is 100 euros
  • Book online
  • 4 wheel drive taxi
  • More information below

Tirana to Lake Koman by rental car:

  • Consider booking a taxi instead, due to the condition of the road
  • 4 Wheel drive advised
  • Wake up at 4 AM, because you are not familiar with the route and may lose time

How to get from Tirana to Komani Lake by bus?

You can get from Tirana to Komani Lake by mini-bus. The mini-bus from Tirana to Komani Lake departs once a day at 5:00 AM. A bus ticket from Tirana to Lake Koman costs 10 euros or 1400 Leke.

You must reserve your bus ticket online via the website of the Komani Lake Ferry. On the website of the Lake Koman Ferry, there is a reservation form that you can use to book your ferry boat ticket. In the notes section of the reservation form, you can request transportation by bus from Tirana.

If you want to travel from Tirana to Komani Lake by bus, you must be at the bus station at 5:00 AM. The minibuses from Tirana to Komani Lake depart from the Gazheli Petrol Station. The address of the bus station is Gazheli Petrol, Rruga Asim Vokshi, Tiranë, Albania. You can see the location of the bus station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/8xJ9VeJSbob6eop16

The mini-busses from Tirana to Lake Komani do not pick up from hotels in Tirana. So if you plan on travelling directly from Tirana to Lake Koman by bus, you must be at the Gazheli Petrol Station at 5:00 AM.

You might be thinking, why is there only a bus at 5 AM in the morning? This is very early for my holiday! This is due to the fact that there is only 1 x ferry boat departure per day.

The ferry boat departs from Koman at 9 AM. From Tirana, it takes approximately 4 hours to drive to Komani Lake. So regardless of whether you travel by car or bus, you will always need to wake up at 5 AM if you are starting your trip from Tirana.

Bear in mind that a trip by mini-bus from Tirana to Komani Lake is not a luxury trip. The minibuses operating in Albania are usually old minibuses.

Furthermore, the first two hours of your journey from Tirana to Shkoder city will be relatively comfortable. However, the road from Shkoder to Koman is a rocky sand path. So the old minibus will shake a lot during your trip. You will get to your destination, but it is not a luxury trip.

How to get from Tirana to Komani Lake by taxi?

You can get from Tirana to Komani Lake by taxi as well. A taxi from Tirana to Komani Lake costs 100 euros.

The taxis that drive to Komani Lake are 4 wheel drive taxis. The road from Tirana to Shkoder is a regular asphalt road. However, the road from Shkoder to Koman is a stony sand path. So it is actually safer and more comfortable to go there by 4 wheel drive taxi.

Always book your taxi from Tirana to Komani Lake beforehand. Because regular taxis may not be willing to take you to Lake Koman, because they know how the road is. You can reserve a 4 wheel drive taxi online on the website of Lake Koman Ferry.

I am a private tour guide in Albania and I always book 4 wheel drive cars for my guests if they travel to Koman, Theth or Valbone. Because these areas in the North of Albania have dirt tracks as roads. And there are many uneven spots and rocks on the dirt tracks.

Can I drive from Tirana to Komani Lake in my rental car?

Of course, you can drive from Tirana to Komani Lake independently with a rental car. However, there are a few points to consider.

1) Consider hiring a 4 wheel drive with a driver
2) Rent a 4 wheel drive
3) Schedule extra time for your journey
4) What do you do with the car when you get on the Lake Koman Ferry?

I would recommend that you consider hiring a 4 wheel drive car with a driver instead of driving yourself. The road from Tirana to Shkoder is an asphalt road and in acceptable condition. However, the road from Shkoder to Komani Lake is a dirt track with gravel and big stones. Also, the road turns and twists along the lake through the mountains.

If you do decide to drive from Tirana to Komani Lake independently, consider hiring a 4 wheel drive car. The roads in the Mountain areas in the North of Albania are very often unpaved dirt tracks. If you are driving to Komani Lake, Valbone and Theth. I can only recommend travelling by 4 wheel drive.

If you will be driving independently from Tirana to Komani Lake, schedule some extra time for your journey. It usually takes 4 hours to drive from Tirana to Komani Lake. However, as a foreigner, you are not familiar with the route. The route from Tirana to Shkoder is straightforward. But the stretch from Shkoder to Lake Koman is more remote and through little villages. Also, this stretch of the road has a lot of turns and twists and steep stretches. So you will need to drive slowly for your safety. And you certainly do not want to miss the Lake Koman Ferry, which only departs once per day.

And finally, consider what you will do with the rental car once you board the ferry boat. If you are planning to travel from Tirana via Koman to Valbone, you will need to pay extra to take your rental car on the ferry. And then from Valbone, you can only walk to Theth, so you are once again “stuck” with your rental car. If you are only going on a 1-day trip, you won’t have this issue, but then it is worth considering if you really save money by renting a car and paying for petrol, as supposed to book a 1-day trip by bus or taxi.

What is the distance from Tirana to Koman?

The distance from Tirana to Koman is 134 kilometres. This journey will take 4 hours of driving time.

How long does it take to travel from Tirana to Koman?

It takes 4 hours to travel from Tirana to Koman.

Attention! If you use Google Maps to navigate your journey from Tirana to Komani Lake, you will see the journey takes 3 hours and 5 minutes according to Google Maps. However, this information is not correct! It takes 4 hours to drive from Tirana to Koman by bus, by taxi or by car.

This is mainly due to the fact that the last leg of the journey from Shkoder to Koman is on a dirt track road. Moreover, the dirt track road turns and twists alongside the lake. So for safety reasons, your driver must drive slowly. Although Koman is only about 50 kilometres from Shkoder, it will certainly take you 2 hours of driving time.

How do you get from Shkoder to Komani Lake?

You can get from Shkoder to Komani Lake by mini-bus, by 4 wheel drive taxi or by rental car.

You can book a seat on the mini-bus from Shkoder to Koman. A bus ticket for the mini-bus from Shkoder to Koman costs 6 euros or 700 Leke for a one-way journey.

The mini-bus from Shkoder to Koman will pick you up at 6:30 AM so that you can board the Lake Komani Ferry at 9:00 AM.

You can book a spot on the mini-bus on the website of the Komani Lake Ferry. When you reserve your ticket for the ferry boat, you can request transportation by mini-bus in the notes section. The mini-bus will pick you up from your hotel in Shkoder. Simply state the name of your Shkoder hotel in the notes section, so that the driver knows where to pick you up.

If you do not know the name of your hotel yet, you can also get on the mini-bus from Shkoder to Komani Lake at the bus station. The bus departs from this location: Bus Station to Koman, Valbonë, Gur i Zi, Rruga Revolucioni Antikomunist Hungarez, Shkodër, Albania. You can see the bus station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/fTdAQrxmqWgHZdLT7

Alternatively, you can book a 4 wheel drive taxi to get from Shkoder to Komani Lake. A 4 wheel drive taxi costs 60 euros. I would highly recommend booking a 4 wheel drive taxi from Shkoder to Koman because the road to Koman is a dirt track. There are many stones and uneven spots on the road, so you will certainly feel safer and more comfortable in a 4 wheel drive.

It is actually an advantage to stay in Shkoder instead of Tirana before you go to Komani Lake. Because you won’t need to wake up as early. There is only 1 x Komani Lake Ferry departure per day. Therefore, if you depart from Tirana to Komani Lake, you must be on the bus or taxi at 5:00 AM. However, if you depart from Shkoder to Komani Lake, you only need to depart at 6:30 AM.

How to get from Tirana to Valbona by bus?

You can get from Tirana to Valbone by bus via the Komani Lake Ferry.

Step 1: Take the bus from Tirana to Koman
Step 2: Take the Lake Komani ferry from Koman to Fierze
Step 3: Take the bus from Fierze to Valbone

A combined bus and ferry boat journey from Tirana to Valbona costs 22 euros or 3000 Leke.

If you want to travel from Tirana to Valbone by bus, you must be at the bus station in Tirana at 5:00 AM. The minibusses from Tirana to Valbone depart from the Gazheli Petrol Station. The address of the bus station is Gazheli Petrol, Rruga Asim Vokshi, Tiranë, Albania. You can see the location of the bus station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/8xJ9VeJSbob6eop16

The bus from Tirana to Valbone will depart once a day at 5:00 AM. This is due to the fact that there is only 1 Lake Komani ferry per day, which departs at 9:00 AM.

  • 5:00 AM Bus from Tirana to Valbone departs from the Gazheli Petrol Station. You will spend 4 hours in the minibus to Koman.
  • 9:00 AM Board the Lake Komani Ferry from Koman to Fierze
  • 11:30 AM Ferry arrives in Fierze, transfer to the bus to Valbone. You will spend 2.5 hours in the minibus to Valbone
  • 14:00 PM Arrival in Valbone. You will be dropped off at Hotel Rilindja in Valbone, where the bus stop in Valbone is.

If you decide to travel by taxi from Tirana to Valbone it will cost you 157 euros. As per the price breakdown below.

Taxi from Tirana to Koman costs 100 euros
Ferry boat from Koman to Fierze costs 7 euros per person.
Taxi from Fierze to Valbone costs 50 euros

How much time do I need to visit Lake Komani?

You can visit Lake Komani as a 1 full day trip OR you can visit Lake Komani on your way to Valbone.

Option 1: Lake Komani Day Trip
Option 2: Shala River Day Trip
Option 3: Lake Komani Ferry and travel onwards to Valbone for a hiking trip

Lake Komani Day Trip

You can visit Lake Komani on a 1 x day trip if you do not want to go to Valbone or the Albanian Alps.

You can start your Lake Komani Day Trip from Tirana or Shkoder.

  • 5:00 AM – Depart Tirana to go to Lake Komani
  • 6:30 AM – Depart Shkoder to go to Lake Komani
  • 9:00 AM – Take the Lake Koman Ferry from Koman to Fierze
  • 11:30 AM – Arrival in Fierze. Drink a coffee at the little cafe. Be sure to bring your own lunch, because the options are very limited.
  • 13:00 PM – Take the Lake Koman Ferry from Fierze back to Koman
  • 15:30 PM – Arrive back at Koman. Get on the bus/taxi back to Shkoder or Tirana
  • 17:30 PM – Back in Shkoder
  • 19:30 PM – Back in Tirana

However, if you want to go on a day trip to Lake Koman. I would actually recommend booking the Shala River Boat because it is a great day trip destination!

Shala River Day Trip

If you want to go on a 1 x day trip to Lake Komani, I do recommend booking the Shala River Boat Trip.

Instead of the “car ferry” on Lake Koman, you take one of the little boats to the beautiful Shala River. The boats to the Shala River depart from the same departure point as the Koman Lake Ferry.

You will first sail across a piece of Lake Koman and then you will sail on the Shala River.

The Shala River is also known as the “Thailand” of Albania. It is a beautiful undisturbed river that can only be reached by boat. It has perfect blue water and gigantic cliffs. The nature surrounding the river is almost tropical.

The reason why the Shala River is more enjoyable as a day trip is that it makes a stop at Shala Beach. You can swim in the Shala River, drink a coffee and have a nice lunch at one of the cafes. And after you have relaxed a bit, you can take another little boat back to Koman.

If you were to take the Lake Koman Ferry instead on a day trip, you spend 5-6 hours on the ferry. Although the ferry stops in Fierze, there is only a “shack” restaurant. Fierze is not really a destination as such, more a transfer point for busses. The Lake Koman Ferry boat journey is beautiful, but the Shala River is even more pretty!

Lake Komani Ferry to Valbone

Many people take the Lake Komani Ferry as a means of transportation to get to Valbone. You can stay overnight in a guest house in the small Valbone village. And the next day, you can hike across the 1800 metre high Valbone Pass. At the end of the hike, you will arrive in Theth village. Stay two nights in Theth, so that you can explore the Blue Eye of Theth and the Grunas Waterfall the next day. Before travelling back to Shkoder or Tirana on your final day.

At what time does the Lake Koman ferry depart?

The Lake Koman ferry only departs 1 x time per day at 9:00 AM.

If you are planning a trip to the Lake Komani ferry, it will always take you 1 x full day. You simply cannot combine the Lake Komani ferry with any other sightseeing attractions on the same day.

If you are travelling from Tirana or Shkoder to Valbone, you will spend your day travelling to Valbone. You may have some time in the late afternoon to go on a short hike around Valbone upon arrival. But you may very well be tired after a long day of travelling.

If you go on a day tour with the Lake Koman Ferry or the Shala River Boat, you will spend your whole day in the bus to the boat, on the boat itself and then back with the bus to your hotel.

How much do Komani Lake tickets cost?

A ticket for the Komani Lake Ferry costs 7 euros per person for a one-way journey from Koman to Fierze.

Can you swim in Lake Koman?

You cannot swim in Lake Koman, but you can swim in the Shala River. So if you want to go for a swim, book the 1 x day boat tour to the Shala River. The Shala Riverboats also depart from Koman, will take you from Lake Koman to the Shala River and make a stop for lunch and swimming at Shala Beach.

Related Questions

How to get from Tirana to Theth? You can get from Tirana to Theth by bus, by car or with a local driver/guide. By bus, first take a bus from Tirana to Shkoder (1 h 45 min, 3.30 euro). Stay overnight in Shkoder. At 7 AM the next morning, take a bus from Shkoder to Theth (3 hours, 10 euros). By car, I recommend hiring a 4 x4 car for your safety. And finally, the best way to go to Theth is booking a local driver or guide, who knows the terrain.

How do you get from Shkoder to Theth? You can get from Shkoder to Theth by bus, by car or with a local driver. The bus from Shkoder to Theth departs at 7 AM, the journey takes 3 hours and a bus ticket costs 10 euros. You can drive yourself, however, it is better to hire a local driver with 4 wheel drive due to the condition of the road.

Can you drive to Theth? You can drive to Theth, but for safety reasons, it is better to hire a local driver with 4 wheel drive. The drive from Shkoder to Theth takes 3 hours, but the last hour of the road is a stony dirt track. So it requires manoeuvring in the mountains, on the top of the cliff and handling traffic from the other direction.

About me

About me

I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania. I arrange your transportation and I am your English speaking guide. So that, you get to experience the most beautiful places in Albania!
Kind regards, Manon

Welcome to Albania!

I am a Tour Guide in Albania

I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania.

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