Border crossing Albania / Croatia - What’s it like

[MartinK]

How have you guys found the Border crossings from Albania up to Croatia? (last time I took a motorcycle to Croatia was 2008!!!). If it all looks difficult with Insurance/Green Card issues, and lengthy/difficult Border crossings, may as well just get ferry direct to Dubrovnic, but would sadly miss the coastal route to Dubrovnic which looks lovely!

Cheers

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I have started you a separate thread.

Richard

 

[MartinK]

Chaps - just looking at booking ferry from Bari to (hopefully) Durres on 2nd May 2023

We'll be getting the ferry Newcastle - Amsterdam, and then winding our way South through the Mosel area (Cochem way), the Black Forest, the Alps, Tuscany and then to Bari. Planning to use the Albania (Durres) option as it looks most interesting and has best choice of ferries on the dates we're looking for. It'll depend on how the 4 of us get on with our insurance etc, which may force us to go Dubrovnic instead (at least one of our team won't want to risk insurance at the border)... Still to be confirmed, however we're all bought into getting a ferry from Bari, it's just that it will hopefully be to Durres in Albania, but the back-up plan is Dubrovnic...

Anyway - back to the point - Reviving this thread for a quick bit of advice please... I will book cabins and pre-book before leaving UK as per advice from experienced friends... We'll probably book the ADRIA ferry as that seem to get best reviews and prices are similar anyway between the varous operating companies...

But - can anyone confirm whether to take our own Ratchet Straps please? Do they make a good job of tying down, or is it just a bit of damp, smelly old rope like you sometimes get? I'm tempted to pop one in anyway, but just looking for guidance...

Any other suggestions/tips? How have you guys found the Border crossings from Albania up to Croatia? (last time I took a motorcycle to Croatia was 2008!!!). If it all looks difficult with Insurance/Green Card issues, and lengthy/difficult Border crossings, may as well just get ferry direct to Dubrovnic, but would sadly miss the coastal route to Dubrovnic which looks lovely!

Cheers

 

[MartinK]

Thanks Richard!

 

[OnHellas]

My only experience of that ferry was with a support truck on the way to Rallye Albania in 2015.
It was all a bit rough and ready on board. Certainly not Brittany Ferries standard. A cabin was paid for in cash once on board as the person booking the crossing had ‘forgotten’ about that bit. No receipt was forthcoming.

For what room they’d take I would take two small ratchet straps just in case.
I’d rather have them and not need them rather that be looking at my bike on its side wishing I’d had them.

 

[stever1]

I did it in 2018. There’s no problem, but make sure you have all your documents to hand. It’s a proper old fashioned border post. My pal’s green card didn’t cover Albania so he had to buy insurance at the border. Again, no problem.
If you are going through Albania I can recommend the SH8 road between Vlore and Sarande. It goes through the Logarra national park and is worth seeing.

 

[MartinK]

That looks very good Steve - just had a look at "streetview" on the SH8 and it looks cracking

 

[MartinK]

Thanks OnHellas - I will suggest to the guys to pack them. I was leaning towards putting one in anyway, could come in useful for all sorts of things... even a washing line when I'm rinsing my "smalls"

 

[stever1]

Sorry, I should have read it again. We went south, not north. But it’s the same crossing.

 

[MartinK]

Sorry, I should have read it again. We went south, not north. But it’s the same crossing.

Looking at that road it may be worth the detour. I know one of our team is very nervous about Albania - the stories of lawlessness and mafia, but the vast majority seem to suggest Albania is well worth a visit. It's making me think about getting the ferry to Greece and doing the coast road the whole way up to the Dolomites

 

[stever1]

Go the whole hog. Go Bari to Igoumenitsa, Greece. Superfast ferry quite good for what it cost.

 

[Bigcats]

Remember that as of beginning of the this year Croatia became part of the Schengen so going into Croatia should be no different to entering France from the UK and you do not require a green card.

 

[stever1]

Remember that as of beginning of the this year Croatia became part of the Schengen so going into Croatia should be no different to entering France from the UK and you do not require a green card.

Correct,firstly you need to check what countries your insurance covers as standard. You need it for a few countries in that region and even then some companies won’t cover it.
For instance, my insurance covered me for Albania, bot not for Bosnia. My pals was the other way round. Go figure

 

[MartinK]

Go the whole hog. Go Bari to Igoumenitsa, Greece. Superfast ferry quite good for what it cost.

I am very tempted. I think we have the time. One or 2 of the guys (4 of us) are nervous about going outside EU because of green cards, insurance, border crossings and general concerns about safety... We will have 11 days to get back to Amsterdam, once we get off the ferry on 3rd May (current plan to sail on 2nd May from Bari).

It'll be a question of more touring (the extra miles of riding all the way from Greece), or stopping in the Dolomites for a few (2-3) days and heading out on mountain passes (on day trips without luggage having booked a central hotel to explore the passes)...

I'll have a session with the gang when I get chance. I'm arming myself with the facts first

 

[Bigcats]

Correct,firstly you need to check what countries your insurance covers as standard. You need it for a few countries in that region and even then some companies won’t cover it.
For instance, my insurance covered me for Albania, bot not for Bosnia. My pals was the other way round. Go figure

You do not need an green card for any EU countries, there was an initial arse around after Brexit but they all agreed you will be covered...again I state EU countries

https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-insurance/driving-abroad

 

[Wapping]

I am very tempted. I think we have the time. One or 2 of the guys (4 of us) are nervous about going outside EU because of green cards, insurance, border crossings and general concerns about safety... We will have 11 days to get back to Amsterdam, once we get off the ferry on 3rd May (current plan to sail on 2nd May from Bari).

It'll be a question of more touring (the extra miles of riding all the way from Greece), or stopping in the Dolomites for a few (2-3) days and heading out on mountain passes (on day trips without luggage having booked a central hotel to explore the passes)...

I'll have a session with the gang when I get chance. I'm arming myself with the facts first

When it comes to insurance, first look at the countries listed on your certificate of insurance. Do you see the country / countries you are going to listed?

Yes? Great, off you go.

No? OK, no need to panic just yet. Call your insurance provider, to ask if they will extend your policy to cover the country you will be visiting. Many will do it, sometimes for free, other times for a charge.

All set now? Great. Off you go.

No? Now start to look at buying insurance at the border crossing point or through one of several insurance providers based in mainland Europe, who can assist you.

In other words, start with your own insurer, here in the UK first. Then, only if they fail to help you, start to look at alternatives.

 

[MartinK]

Thanks, Bigcats, Thanks Wapping...

Much appreciated.

I have checked mine (mine is a BMW policy which is actually Devitts behind the BMW veneer), and mine covers Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, but NOT Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania and also Montenegro . I'll ask my insurer regards the Green Card/Extension once I get back to UK from this current trip!

One of the guys seems to be "basic legal minimum" insurance (third party only I assume) anywhere in the EU outside UK!!! He did Spain and Portugal with me on that policy last year! And he never thought to check before!

I've also mentioned this to the other guys. They have vowed to check with their insurer too,

Whilst I am happy to take the "risk" of minimal legal cover in some countries, at least one of the guys (with a brand new 1250GS) is concerned about the "buy at the border" insurance. My understanding is the buy-at-the-border insurance is basic third-party-only? Doesn't cover fire and theft? The guy with the new £18k bike is of course a bit nervous about leaving his bike unattended if it's not covered for theft...

Still some work to do...

Again - thank you chaps.

 

[paintman]

Border insurance in non EU countries is third party at best I would say, I would have no idea how successful you would be in the event of a claim in a country where there are most likely going to be language difficulties.
Having said that we have driven (very carefully!) through B&H Albania and Montenegro in a Motorhome towing a box trailer containing my GS and a few enduro bikes without full insurance, and wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. The scenery is breathtaking in places, great roads for biking and I would thoroughly recommend the trip.
I do recall many vehicles getting a comprehensive customs check entering Croatia from Montenegro, however they looked at our passports and waved us through.

 

[MartinK]

Sounds good paintman.

I also did a road trip last year to Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania. I had my Passport, V5 and insurance checked but it was pretty quick all in all. However it was a large border crossing on the motorways. I didn't worry about theft cover as I was sleeping in the Van

Leaving Albania was hope to be on back roads, so I hope for similar speediness

I'll need a meet/session with the boys to discuss, I know at least one will push back, maybe a bit worried...

As before I will get the guys to check their own insurance companies to see what cover they can get from their UK insurers, prior to leaving

 

[wessie]

Sounds good paintman.

I also did a road trip last year to Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania. I had my Passport, V5 and insurance checked but it was pretty quick all in all. However it was a large border crossing on the motorways. I didn't worry about theft cover as I was sleeping in the Van

Leaving Albania was hope to be on back roads, so I hope for similar speediness

I'll need a meet/session with the boys to discuss, I know at least one will push back, maybe a bit worried...

As before I will get the guys to check their own insurance companies to see what cover they can get from their UK insurers, prior to leaving

just be aware, entering Schengen from a third country like Albania might mean using a major crossing. This was a problem for people leaving Croatia into Slovenia until 31 Dec 2022. The "problem" will have moved to the Croatian, Schengen boundary further south/east. The smaller crossing might only be available to those making local journeys i.e. residents or workers. It's all to do with the crossing having the computer system to check your biometric data and log your travel.

 

[stever1]

Also, check your travel ins covers you for motorcycling. Many policies don’t nowadays.