How to get to Greece from Croatia?

It isn't as easy as it looks on the map if you are looking to take public transport. Maybe ok if you are driving.

Do a search for previous posts on the same question. Here is one I found
http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm?topic=6566

You should start your research on the thorn tree (lonely planet website) and also check out balkanology.com.

One way is Dubrovnik-Bar-Ulcinj-Skodhra?-Tirana-Greece. All depends on your mode of transport.

I just looked up train connections on the Deutsche Bahn website and you're right, it's not good -- 26 hours on a train, starting from Bar, Montenegro, up through Zagreb, and then down to Thessaloniki. We don't want to drive through that part of the world, so I'll check out flights next. Thanks for your help!

I would recommend checking a budget airline site. I really don't think train or bus are your best bet! If you do change your mind and consider air travel, check whichbudget.com or flybudget.com.

I always remember the line in response to directions, "you can't get there from here". OK, not that bad, but it is surprisingly difficult. Why? First, Greece is in the EU, Croatia is not. As such, budget airlines are basically non-existant for service between the two. Second, Both are competing vacation destinations, so what cheap transportation there is comes from tourist homebases (England, Germany, France). Third; In the recent past, Albania and Macedonia have been places not recommended for travel, and form a barrier between Croatia and Greece. As for options, Air: There are some direct flights, but on main carriers at premium prices. Indirect: Actually you may be able to find a budget that flies from Athens to a hub, then into Croatia. The hub may be Rome, Frankfurt(or Munich), or even London. Rail you figured out. Ferry: Nothing direct, even from Corfu as suggested, best bet would be Patras to Bari, Italy; then to Croatia. Since Albania is more friendly, the Lonely Planet backpacker types have blazed a route through Albania using mini-buses. I seem to recall it is lengthy, requires changes, and maybe is not yet for the novice traveller.

We're not exactly backpacking trailblazers, and Albania makes me a little nervous too, so I think we have a plan. Next summer, just before our trip, I'll check airlines to see if anybody is flying from Dubrovnik to Athens for a reasonable price. If not, I think we'll do the ferries -- Dubrovnik to Bari, and then Bari to Igoumenitsa, Greece. We'll then make our way across northern Greece (I'd love to stop at Meteora and Mt. Olympus) to Thessaloniki. Greece is safe, and takes Euros, and we're comfortable there.

Arnold's recommendation to try Thorn Tree was a great one, and much appreciated. I found this very helpful page, for anyone who might stumble across this thread in trying to figure this journey out in the future: http://www.balkanology.com/overview/article_croatia_to_greece.html.

Thanks everyone for your help!

If you are adventurous, then this is entirely possible - provided you have the time, patience and have done your homework. Albania was quite pleasant though travel information is almost impossible to come by. Hence, go well prepared.

We did most of the trip you are proposing last summer (2007). We were a family of 4 including 2 kids. However, we are very well traveled and like to go off the beaten path.

We started in Dubrovnik and traveled to Kotor, Montenegro (2 nights), then onto Ulcinj, Montenegro (1 night).

From Ulcinj, we got a small minivan to get to Shkoder in Albania (2 hrs), from where we hopped onto another minibus to Tirana (1-1.5 hrs).

We spent 2 nights in Tirana before making our way to Lake Ohrid in Macedonia. This part of the journey requires taking a minibus from Tirana to the border town of Pogradec (Albania) where you negotiate with someone to take you to the border (10 km?). It is an easy walk across the border (actually one of the prettiest borders I've crossed) into Macedonia. You can even visit the shrine at Sveti Naum (100mts inside the Macedonian border) and then catch a bus from the border to Lake Ohrid (30+ mins).

I would think you will be able to then get from L Ohrid to Thessaloniki quite easily. We ended up moving North to Skopje and then onto Bulgaria.

Obviously, if time is short, this route will not work. Again, the thorn tree is your best bet for detailed information on crossing the various borders.

That sounds really interesting. What did you do about visas for Macedonia? Or were they not required?

None of those countries require visas if traveling on a US passport