I am planning a trip in Balkan area. Here are the places I plan to go;
Fly in Tirana Albania, then --> Skopje --> Sofia --> Bucharest --> Brasov --> Kiev
1. How do I go from Tirana to Skopje, bus or train? Anyone have the timetable for those options?
2. From Brasov to Kiev. what are the options, bus or train? I also like to have information on timetable.
Thanks
Train schedules are on the Deutsche Bahn train link at Looking Up Train Schedules and Routes Online, the same site you probably used for earlier trips. There are no trains on your first two routes.
Bus companies will vary in each area, so use info from the Lonely Planet and other guidebooks, or each country's tourist information office, try www.rome2rio.com, or simply Google routes such as "Skopje Sofia bus." You'll also have to reconfirm bus schedules in each location as you go.
Look for flights to Kiev at www.skyscanner.com. Trains take 33 hours.
Thank you very much for al your information.
Kaeleku,
I browsed the cities you list. I agree they are beautiful. Yes, I have limit days for this trip. Unfortunately, these cities in Albania are out of the way. I can put in Ohrid, and another city in Bulgaria that is easy to access. Thanks for your suggestion.
I've sent you a Private Message.
First Question 2:
Google maps says Bucharest to Kiev is about a 15 hour drive by the safe route. I doubt that. I would bet every bit of 20 hours. So I figure trains and busses might get you there in 24 hours if you are lucky. On the other hand, Bucharest to Brasov is about 2.5 hours on the train, then a taxi to the airport might take another 45 minutes all things considered. From the airport your can fly
to Kyiv in about 1.75 hours for 3 032 UAH, direct, non-stop on Dniproavia airlines. The flight is only 3 or 4 days a week so you have to schedule it accordingly. Afternoon departure so plenty of time to get to Bucharest.
I've been everyplace you mention but Tirana and Skopje. Tirana is in the plan for September; but I will be getting there by car from Podgorica so cant help much.
I enjoy Kiev a lot. Enough for return trips; but its the history making in progress and the kindness of the people that account for about half of my interest. If you are a church and tower guy then its good for 2 full days. If you have more time run down to Odessa for a Thrus, Friday or Saturday evening. Pretty amazing.....
Brasov didn't light my fire like it does for many.
I enjoy Sofia a lot; but there is so much in Bulgaria that is amazing that its hard to spend much time in Sofia.
Bucharest is one of those places you will be glad you spent a full day in. The experience will stick with you a long time. But after that full day you may be wondering how the hell do I get out of here.
Kaeleku
If I go to Plovdiv, do you know any transportation from Plovdiv to Bucharest> Or I have to go back to Sofia and then take the bus from Sofia to Bucharest?
Rome2Rio.com indicates that there is both train (11 hours) and bus (9 hours) service from Bucharest to Plovdiv, not requiring you to go through Sofia. I have not attempted to confirm that independently. I took that train as far as Veliko Trnovo in 2015, and I don't think there was any food available during the trip except at a brief stop where we were able to buy bottled water. There may have been some packaged snacks available. In any case, at least take some water with you.
