Werla is located in the coastal part of Albania in a place where the Adriatic and Ionian Sea are connected. It was built still antique Greeks - the first buildings in the city are dated to the VI century to N. Eh .. Like the whole territory of Albania, these lands survived many invasions - Roman, Byzantine, Turkish. In the XV century, the Welling coast was under the control of the King of Naples, until he was captured by the Turks again. Finally, the dear was freed in 1912 and at the same time for 8 years was declared the Albanian capital.

How to get

You can get from Tirana by car. The distance from the capital is 135km pretty good for Albania road. A somewhat expensive lead to the city also from neighboring Macedonia and Greece.

From Tirana on the Wlit coast a bus goes. The bus can be reached from Athens - daily day or night bus costs about 30 euros.

From Brindisi (Italy, South Bari), every night leaves the ferry, which arrives in the port of the deck in the early morning.

Transport

Like everywhere in Albania: buses and vans (minibuses). Taxi is also there.

Communication and Internet

There are several mobile operators in Albania, the most popular of them are Vodafone, as well as Telekom Albania. Consider a passport and indicating the place of residence in Albania, you can buy a local SIM card. You can also buy a sim card of the Eagle Mobile operator. It belongs to the state company Albtelecom and has a good coating, which makes it easy to save on calls. Roaming for subscribers of the largest Russian operators is available, but roads.

The Internet in Albania is generally not very developed due to the fact that for a long time it was one of the most isolated countries in the world. Wi-Fi connection can be found only in some large hotels and libraries. In tyran and some major cities There are Internet cafes.

Places of rest

Weller is the beaches. Their amount is almost 30% of the total beaches in the country. It starts the best seating area in Albania - Riviera colors, stretching to Saranda in the south of the country. You can swim from May to October, average temperature Water 22-25 ° C. Beaches, mostly small and sandy and developed infrastructure.

Treatment in the city

Almost not far from the city of Vlaire is the climatic resort of Uyet-e-Ftochta (which means "cold water"). There are many holiday homes and hotels here, in summer children's camps are organized here. Mountains located in the north-east block access to cold winds, creating a comfortable microclimate. In local health resorts treat diseases of the respiratory and nervous system.

In addition, in the neighborhood of chloride-sodium deposits mineral Water.also containing iodine and bromine.

What will bring

Traditional Albanian souvenirs: various crafts made of carved stone and wood, textile products. Local olives and oil from them, local wine from the grapes of Merlot and Cabernet.

What and where to eat

Here are the best seafood in Albania. Best octopuses, shrimps, fish and other marine animals are prepared in Paradise Beach and Makareshi restaurants.

Be sure to try local cuisine: Cooker (dish from the grilled by-products), Kumorshtor (dessert of milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar and flour) and harapash (meat pie with cheese and lamb, and corn flour). Very popular in these places lamb cooked on Spit - "Mish Nehell".

Local cuisine is typical for coastal and mountain areas - The highest quality products cooked on the grill. The best dishes of the region can be tried at the Kuju Baba restaurant. It is located on the terrace of the same name, towering over the city and has arisen under the influence of sea waves.

Prices in most restaurants, as well as throughout Albania, are quite low - from 7 to 11 euros per person per lunch of three dishes with local wine.

At the confluence of the Adriatic and Ionian seas Water poured into seaside water mineral sources. Local takes on the beach empty bottles to fill them with healing water.

Entertainment and attractions

Among the most visited attractions of Vlary - Ethnographic and Historical museumsMosque Muradia, Independence Museum.

In the city itself, there are many ancient castles around it, the most famous of which is Kanin. It is located in 6km from the deck in the village of the same name on the Guea Shushik at an altitude of 380 km above sea level. It is believed that it was built in the III century BC. e.

There are several caves around the city in which you can see cave drawings The times of Neolithic and Paleolithic.

Weather for months in Vlare

Climate on the coast of Albania is typical for Mediterranean Sea - Soft wet winter and dry hot summer. Weller receives 2000 sun hours annually - more than any region of the country. Summer heat softened sea breezeThe precipitation falls mainly in the fall and winter.

Detailed map of the city

The dynamics of the Albanian railway industry can be described in one word: primitorization. This refers to the railway network, passenger and freight transportation, guiding infrastructure, locomotive and car parks. In particular, passenger traffic that achieved in best years 4 million people per year, since the beginning of the century began to steadily and quickly decline, and now barely exceeds the figure of 300 thousand (Wikipedia). Cancellations and cuts of trains were accompanied by the physical degradation of the road network. So, at the end of 2013, railway Even left from the capital of the country: on the site of Vora-Tirana, the rails were dismantled, and the station and destroyed at all.

From the once developed network of railways, in fact, there are three plots with a passenger traffic: Durres-Vloe, Shkoder-Pozetto and Rogo Hams. The nodal stations remained only two: squall and rogozyme.

I intentionally left in this scheme a transbranary plot of Podgorica-Shkoder, in the vain hope for the return of the passenger communication between Albania and Montenegro, while there were not disassembled rails. According to my assessment, this train would use incredible demand among tourists, since there are no alternatives in the form of a reliable bus service between countries.

It is not known whether the railway will stretch for a long time at least in the current state, so without becoming waiting for her terrible end, I decided to dedicate the day on April 3, on the eyes of the disappearing type of transport. It was not about to choose from what: even based in the main railway center of the country - Durres, you can make only one route for day pokatushki there, namely, Durres Libera. Schedule of all Albanian trains is placed on one A4 page:

So, in all Albania, there are 4 (four) pairs of trains: two reports Durres-Elbasan, and one Durres-Shkoder and Durres-Vör. Interestingly, the turnover of these trains is compiled in such a way that they are all "overnight" they are all at different end stations, with the result that only one in the morning from Durres is sent to Libera; They can also go back on the same day. Treat this schedule to developed railway. The country, an attentive reader could assume that in addition to those mentioned, in Albania there is another HBU (Libe-Libera), and at the Elbasan station there is an honorable wagon. In reality, there is no permitting of the wagons: passengers from the wellers are simply jumping into a consistent train at the docking station, and in Libaren, they bring all the cars that they came out of Durres (and no matter what empty).

Libarem is so small that there is nothing to do in it even during the hour while the driver lies. Therefore, it was decided to drive not all the way, but only to Elbasana, using those three hours that the train turns around the final station for a walk through the city (there will be a separate post). The only complexity of all this plan was to get up at 5 am, but we coped, and for half an hour before the departure arrived at the start of the start - to the station of the city of Durres. The station building was designed with a calculation of a boiler life, and today the form looks unimprissant in its content:

The only feature of this two-story palace is the sale of tickets. Tariffs in Albania are extremely low: a trip to 100 km will cost you at a price of cappuccino - about $ 1. For my own ticket there, I gave just 230 lek - the light bulb overdoor on the eve and it cost more :)

Having bought tickets, go to the platform. Station, although great, does not particularly stand out on a general background:

Pay attention to the indoor viaduct on the left side of the frame - this is the transition to sea \u200b\u200bport, and compared to the neighboring entrance in ZH.D. Station, it is much more lively in the morning hour - from Italy, the first ferry has just arrived. But let's return to our platform. Here, absolutely nothing has changed for the year, since I visited here for the first time:

Even in the list of directions, they did not blame the unactual city of Tiran and the border :)
And our train is already standing on the first (or second?) The way, hospitably opening on the half of each door (the second, as it turned out later, no longer opened everywhere). Albanian train consists of two fairly long two-piece wagons,

leaders maneuver Czech production diesel locomotive:

The entire locomotive park of the country consists of exactly the same diesel locomotives, which in 70-80x imported 61 pieces. Probably, half of them remained: from a dozen busy on the lines, the rest rust stand on joke at the stations of Schozet and Fierre.

As for the wagons, it is not so simple to determine their origin: I was looking for a long time, but I didn't find any signs from the manufacturer's factory. However, on the inscriptions to various auxiliary equipment, it can be concluded that the wagons started their life path in one of the German-speaking countries. In general, the car is quite comfortable, although a little smaller:

Unlike seats, there are no living space on the windows. All windows in cracks, and the vents (where they are) are fixed in the last position before breakdown: in a closed, semi-open or completely swollen form:

This circumstance extremely complicated the task of the blogger: the open window meant to climb in 5 minutes (not May month), and in other places it was impossible to photograph through the window or cracks or a dust layer. In general, with chalks turned out to be the same situation as a year ago cableway - Albanians are not friends with transparent windows in transport.

Despite the fact that all car premises were labeled by the 2nd class, in the VIP section of the first car, we were not allowed - there were officials there: a conduit, a buffetcher and a policeman with a friend. So I evaporated last hope On pictures of species from the window. As it turned out later, at the stops, they also do not raise it too: more than one minute the train stood only when the VIP-person wanted to drink a cup of coffee at some station - the driver although he did not join them, but ten minutes patiently waited.

Here, in fact, our engineer before starting your working day:

Everything is simple and in line with: I came to work on a large, in ordinary civilian clothes. Soon he drove the same plan partner, and bicycle boot began - to do it much easier to do it:

From the whole personnel, in the railway form only one person is affecting the opposite controller:

Tickets he does not check, but only monitors the order of the territory entrusted to him - for example, drivens the old women from the edge of the platform before the train arriving. As can be seen even on a photo, in Dorshas it was a good-natured uncle, but a very rigorous man was caught in Elbasan - he immediately forbade photographing and convened me until the exit, so that I did not give God to himself :)

However, it's time to go. Elabasana 76 kilometers, which the train overcomes exactly in 3 hours. Given the state of rails, it is very good speed, and in some areas the composition accelerated to 40 and even 50 km / h. The fullness of the wagon did not exceed the third, and from the end to the end it came from the strength of man 10. The main stream came on traffic between adjacent stations, and near large cities Even commercialists were discovered, to the end of the faithful to the usual type of transport.

For half an hour, the train ripped back to the station Golem, which in the distant beaches area. Praying, with how difficulty in the summer season comes there, resting - either with a transfer on buses, or standing in traffic jams, - I dare to assume that the train at this position is not inferior to its competitors for the passenger. What prevents the suburban composition with the hourly runs on the summer schedule?

Moreover, in all other cities along the way of following our train, it is more convenient and faster in this way. For example, there is no direct bus between Durres and Elbasan, and it is difficult to transplant in Tirana - the bus arrives in one place, and leaves from completely different. So for the preservation of railway Transport we have arguments.

Going on. Everywhere is a single track, and the train can only be drunk at stations. An hour after departure, at the station Kawai, I celebrate the first counter train - Elbasansky. He does not differ from our:

The conduit and buffets work is unchecked: the first only checks tickets (the doors at stops open the passengers themselves), and the second one once in the whole way spreads drinks. A policeman walks more often, but only because he is a more sociable man - passengers in the train will not be injured.

In contrast with Durres, the railway stations of the remaining stations look beatenly and sadly, so I removed them only for about:

Driving approximately halfway, reach a nodal station Rogozhino (RROGOZHINE). Here we are already waiting for the second counterclaim - Vlur, and some of its passengers make a sports transplant, in a minute of parking literally jumped into our train. Wlitsky left the station so quickly that I did not even have time to get out:

I found a working semaphore for all the way only one (at least there was a light bulb there). And the truth, who needs them with such a small traffic? Moreover, when driving settlements The locomotive is continuously buzzing as an elephant. However, the barriers on some moves still work.

The same station on the way back. Here our train comes a little earlier than Vlur, so that people manage to change:

Here we have already turned east and move up the valley of the Schukumbin River. Valley is wide, picturesque, intensely plowed:

But the river itself is better if the eyes did not see: all coastal bushes so thickly covered with garbage, which remind new Year's tree. But what is not precipitated on branches, wipes to the sea.

The city of Rogozhin (emphasis on the last syllable) is famous for its multi-kilometer aqueduct (Part of it can be seen in the distant image of the previous picture). Obviously, the ancient Albanians built it for watering gardens. For the sake of such sights I had to hear and remove it through the glass in full speed:

The next station - Painchin - pleased with a creative sign:

More in this regional center, nothing remarkable from the window did not find it, well, except that the prison is a strict mode :)

Further, the road went tangible in the mountain, even tunnels are 100-300 meters long. For almost an hour before Elbasana, there were no largest stations - the only city of Cerrick (Cyrrik) was located behind the river. Church during socialism was a major industrial center, there was even a small refinery. The branch of the railway leads to the former plant, on all maps marked as "acting, for freight traffic." In fact, to drive it problematic, and there is no need to:

Here the "garbage shores" of Schukumbini is clearly visible.

At the entrance to Elbasana, the train passes by (or rather, passing through) another giant of the socialist era - the metallurgical plant. The factory is not less than the city itself as abandoned, but life will still be warm in separate workshops. Unfortunately, I failed to take a single angle.

Three hours behind, finally arrive in Elbasan. The station looks much more modest Durres, but still it can be seen that the station is large:

There is even a highlighted first way here, but the machinists ignore it. But chat with buddies - always ready:

Here I was walking the opposite guard, and the last frame had to do on the way back, and then the sophisticated:

This is a view of the western stroke. First, at the station there is some ways to achieve. Secondly, cargo wagons were noticed for the first time (this is later, on the way back we got a whole commodity train). Thirdly, on the spare path there is a spare carriage pair. I do not know from what considerations (maybe from superstition), but at the end stations, the locomotive leaves the brought cars and takes new ones. So, on the way back, we have already been driving in other wagons, albeit with the same personnel.

Probably, it looks much more effectively below than from the window of the train going on top, but it would be interesting to ride anyway. Well, let's leave it the next time, if the movement does not close earlier than I will gather it.

The dynamics of the Albanian railway industry can be described in one word: primitorization. This refers to the railway network, passenger and freight transportation, the state of travel infrastructure, locomotive and car parks. In particular, passenger traffic that reached 4 million people in the best years. per year, since the beginning of the century began to steadily and quickly decline, and now barely exceeds the figure of 300 thousand (Wikipedia). Cancellations and cuts of trains were accompanied by the physical degradation of the road network. So, at the end of 2013, the railway left even from the capital of the country: on the site of Vora-Tirana, the rails were dismantled, and the station was completely destroyed.

From the once developed network of railways, in fact, there are three plots with a passenger traffic: Durres-Vloe, Shkoder-Pozetto and Rogo Hams. The nodal stations remained only two: squall and rogozyme.

I intentionally left in this scheme a transbranary plot of Podgorica-Shkoder, in the vain hope for the return of the passenger communication between Albania and Montenegro, while there were not disassembled rails. According to my assessment, this train would use incredible demand among tourists, since there are no alternatives in the form of a reliable bus service between countries.

It is not known whether the railway will stretch for a long time at least in the current state, so without becoming waiting for her terrible end, I decided to dedicate the day on April 3, on the eyes of the disappearing type of transport. It was not about to choose from what: even based in the main railway center of the country - Durres, you can make only one route for day pokatushki there, namely, Durres Libera. Schedule of all Albanian trains is placed on one A4 page:

So, in all Albania, there are 4 (four) pairs of trains: two reports Durres-Elbasan, and one Durres-Shkoder and Durres-Vör. Interestingly, the turnover of these trains is compiled in such a way that they are all "overnight" they are all at different end stations, with the result that only one in the morning from Durres is sent to Libera; They can also go back on the same day. Treat this schedule to developed railway. The country, an attentive reader could assume that in addition to those mentioned, in Albania there is another HBU (Libe-Libera), and at the Elbasan station there is an honorable wagon. In reality, there is no permitting of the wagons: passengers from the wellers are simply jumping into a consistent train at the docking station, and in Libaren, they bring all the cars that they came out of Durres (and no matter what empty).

Libarem is so small that there is nothing to do in it even during the hour while the driver lies. Therefore, it was decided to drive not all the way, but only to Elbasana, using those three hours that the train turns around the final station for a walk through the city (there will be a separate post). The only complexity of all this plan was to get up at 5 am, but we coped, and for half an hour before the departure arrived at the start of the start - to the station of the city of Durres. The station building was designed with a calculation of a boiler life, and today the form looks unimprissant in its content:

The only feature of this two-story palace is the sale of tickets. Tariffs in Albania are extremely low: a trip to 100 km will cost you at a price of cappuccino - about $ 1. For my own ticket there, I gave just 230 lek - the light bulb overdoor on the eve and it cost more :)

Having bought tickets, go to the platform. Station, although great, does not particularly stand out on a general background:

Pay attention to the indoor viaduct on the left side of the frame - this is the transition to the seaport, and compared to the neighboring entrance in ZH.D. Station, it is much more lively in the morning hour - from Italy, the first ferry has just arrived. But let's return to our platform. Here, absolutely nothing has changed for the year, since I visited here for the first time:

Even in the list of directions, they did not blame the unactual city of Tiran and the border :)
And our train is already standing on the first (or second?) The way, hospitably opening on the half of each door (the second, as it turned out later, no longer opened everywhere). Albanian train consists of two fairly long two-piece wagons,

leaders maneuver Czech production diesel locomotive:

The entire locomotive park of the country consists of exactly the same diesel locomotives, which in 70-80x imported 61 pieces. Probably, half of them remained: from a dozen busy on the lines, the rest rust stand on joke at the stations of Schozet and Fierre.

As for the wagons, it is not so simple to determine their origin: I was looking for a long time, but I didn't find any signs from the manufacturer's factory. However, on the inscriptions to various auxiliary equipment, it can be concluded that the wagons started their life path in one of the German-speaking countries. In general, the car is quite comfortable, although a little smaller:

Unlike seats, there are no living space on the windows. All windows in cracks, and the vents (where they are) are fixed in the last position before breakdown: in a closed, semi-open or completely swollen form:

This circumstance extremely complicated the task of the blogger: the open window meant to climb in 5 minutes (not May month), and in other places it was impossible to photograph through the window or cracks or a dust layer. In general, with stalks turned out to be the same situation as a year ago on a cable car - Albanians are not friends with transparent transport windows.

Despite the fact that all car premises were labeled by the 2nd class, in the VIP section of the first car, we were not allowed - there were officials there: a conduit, a buffetcher and a policeman with a friend. So my last hope for pictures from the window was evaporated. As it turned out later, at the stops, they also do not raise it too: more than one minute the train stood only when the VIP-person wanted to drink a cup of coffee at some station - the driver although he did not join them, but ten minutes patiently waited.

Here, in fact, our engineer before starting your working day:

Everything is simple and in line with: I came to work on a large, in ordinary civilian clothes. Soon he drove the same plan partner, and bicycle boot began - to do it much easier to do it:

From the whole personnel, in the railway form only one person is affecting the opposite controller:

By the way, who is interested in the question where Kolomoisky disappeared - so he is hiding in an inconspicuous Albanian train. But continue about the controller. Tickets he does not check, but only monitors the order of the territory entrusted to him - for example, drivens the old women from the edge of the platform before the train arriving. As can be seen even on a photo, in Dorshas it was a good-natured uncle, but a very rigorous man was caught in Elbasan - he immediately forbade photographing and convened me until the exit, so that I did not give God to himself :)

However, it's time to go. Elabasana 76 kilometers, which the train overcomes exactly in 3 hours. Given the state of rails, it is very good speed, and in some areas the composition accelerated to 40 and even 50 km / h. The fullness of the wagon did not exceed the third, and from the end to the end came from the strength of the man 10. The main flow came on traffic between neighboring stations, and even commercials were revealed near large cities, to the end of the usual way of transport.

For half an hour, the train ripped back to the station Golem, which in the distant beaches area. Praying, with how difficulty in the summer season comes there, resting - either with a transfer on buses, or standing in traffic jams, - I dare to assume that the train at this position is not inferior to its competitors for the passenger. What prevents the suburban composition with the hourly runs on the summer schedule?

Moreover, in all other cities along the way of following our train, it is more convenient and faster in this way. For example, there is no direct bus between Durres and Elbasan, and it is difficult to transplant in Tirana - the bus arrives in one place, and leaves from completely different. So for the preservation of railway Transport we have arguments.

Going on. Everywhere is a single track, and the train can only be drunk at stations. An hour after departure, at the station Kawai, I celebrate the first counter train - Elbasansky. He does not differ from our:

The conduit and buffets work is unchecked: the first only checks tickets (the doors at stops open the passengers themselves), and the second one once in the whole way spreads drinks. A policeman walks more often, but only because he is a more sociable man - passengers in the train will not be injured.

In contrast with Durres, the railway stations of the remaining stations look beatenly and sadly, so I removed them only for about:

Driving approximately halfway, reach a nodal station Rogozhino (RROGOZHINE). Here we are already waiting for the second counterclaim - Vlur, and some of its passengers make a sports transplant, in a minute of parking literally jumped into our train. Wlitsky left the station so quickly that I did not even have time to get out:

I found a working semaphore for all the way only one (at least there was a light bulb there). And the truth, who needs them with such a small traffic? Moreover, when the passage of settlements, the locomotive is continuously buzzing as an elephant. However, the barriers on some moves still work.

The same station on the way back. Here our train comes a little earlier than Vlur, so that people manage to change:

Here we have already turned east and move up the valley of the Schukumbin River. Valley is wide, picturesque, intensely plowed:

But the river itself is better if the eyes did not see: all coastal bushes are so thickly covered with garbage, which resemble the New Year's Christmas tree. But what is not precipitated on branches, wipes to the sea.

The city of Rogozhin (emphasis on the last syllable) is famous for its multi-kilometer aqueduct (Part of it can be seen in the distant image of the previous picture). Obviously, the ancient Albanians built it for watering gardens. For the sake of such sights I had to hear and remove it through the glass in full speed:

The next station - Painchin - pleased with a creative sign:

More in this regional center, nothing remarkable from the window did not find it, well, except that the prison is a strict mode :)

Further, the road went tangible in the mountain, even tunnels are 100-300 meters long. For almost an hour before Elbasana, there were no largest stations - the only city of Cerrick (Cyrrik) was located behind the river. Church during socialism was a major industrial center, there was even a small refinery. The branch of the railway leads to the former plant, on all maps marked as "acting, for freight traffic." In fact, to drive it problematic, and there is no need to:

Here the "garbage shores" of Schukumbini is clearly visible.

At the entrance to Elbasana, the train passes by (or rather, passing through) another giant of the socialist era - the metallurgical plant. The factory is not less than the city itself as abandoned, but life will still be warm in separate workshops. Unfortunately, I failed to take a single angle.

Three hours behind, finally arrive in Elbasan. The station looks much more modest Durres, but still it can be seen that the station is large:

There is even a highlighted first way here, but the machinists ignore it. But chat with buddies - always ready:

Here I was walking the opposite guard, and the last frame had to do on the way back, and then the sophisticated:

This is a view of the western stroke. First, at the station there is some ways to achieve. Secondly, cargo wagons were noticed for the first time (this is later, on the way back we got a whole commodity train). Thirdly, on the spare path there is a spare carriage pair. I do not know from what considerations (maybe from superstition), but at the end stations, the locomotive leaves the brought cars and takes new ones. So, on the way back, we have already been driving in other wagons, albeit with the same personnel.

Probably, it looks much more effectively below than from the window of the train going on top, but it would be interesting to ride anyway. Well, let's leave it the next time, if the movement does not close earlier than I will gather it.

Do you know what the most strained me in planning a trip to Albania? Her public transport And terrible roads. The prospect of moving around the country with an average rate of 30 km / h in the bit of the old buses without ventilation - the joy of an amateur. Globally, I told about the difficult tourist everyday life in the summary of the "Albania: instruction manual", so I will make the stop here only on transport. Some things will be forced to repeat from the initial text, as they are relevant. Please accept the Axiom that the Albanian roads are buried the lion's share of your time, and the search for non-existent bus station - the lion's share of your nerves. And yet Albania is beautiful, this is an indisputable fact. Let's start with the Albanian Railway, which has a considerable color -

Friends, frightened you hard yet? Do not worry, this car stands on the spare ways and have not seen passengers for a long time. In fact, you will drive in Albania in other cars, somewhat better than this. The fact is that a few years ago, Albania purchased the old (by Italian standards) the wagons and now these old Italian cars are simplified by Albanian rails. And let them not be embarrassed by everywhere broken windows, these are kids to amuse the slotting along passing trains. However, according to local, in last years Hooligan practice sued not and ride it became absolutely safe -

From the inside the wagons look quite civilically, at least better than some far followwhere the truth hell and horror, as if they are transported not people, and cattle. Albanians go to substantially best conditionsthan Russians -

But what the Albanian trains are relative russian electricians (at a distance, the Moscow-Coxichek electric train corresponds to the very long in Albania to move from Shkoder to Vlaire) is the absence of toilets. More precisely, there are toilets, you understand that even 40 years ago in Italy, the people did not steer in the transitions between the wagons. But Albanians, for some reason, the toilets were inspired, so the passengers have sought their way to protect the need, approximately so -

Albanian stations in the grace of architecture do not differ, it is not for you Budapest and not Moscow. Here everything is sustained in the strict colors of the Social Realism of the sixties, when Albania raised himself with Khrushchev and took the flame ideas of Maosima to armed -

Travel on Albanian trains, come there beautiful girls -

And here is the schedule -

And prices (for convenience $ 1 \u003d 100 LEKE) -

Internally decoration station -

Albanian compositions of drivers exclusively with old maneuverable locomotives, now he traveled to those cars and will go passenger train From Durres to Tirana -

I respect the railway transport and always prefer his bus. But in the case of Albania, the reality is such that the train makes sense to use only if you have a lot of free time. It's not even in the breakdown of wagons and not in closed toilets. Not only is the network of railway transportation is very limited, in fact there are only two lines: Shkoder - Durres - Vleor, Durres - Tirana and Tirana - Barders. Almost all trains go through Durres, this is a nodal station. There are very few trains, let's say, on the Shkoder line - the root of only 2 trains per day, on the Tirana line - the border and one at all. On the line of Tirana - Durres walk about 5 trains a day, 35 km they pass for an hour. It is not difficult to calculate how much time you will go, let's say, from Wlères in Shkoder, there is a distance of about 200 km. And this is still provided that the departure in 4.30 in the morning it is quite suitable.

p.S. In the development of the topics of J.D. Albania, I strongly recommend reading the report of colleagues griphon. , very detailed about his travel experience in Albania on trains.

Buses

I already told about the features of movement in Albania on buses, for those who did not read, very briefly repeat. The movement in Albania will be unnecessarily long, painful and in bad conditions. Add a complex mountain relief to a lack of roads, killed buses with non-working ventilation and get the following numbers: the average movement speed along the northern part of Albania will be about 40 km / h, in southern, more mountainous - 30 km / h. Let you do not embarrass the small sizes of the country, you will spend more time in transport than in the sights of sights. Acknowledge, I did not believe how you can ride so slow? And the Larkor opened very simple: mountain roadAll in pins, crawling the age of our parents, behind him - one hundred cars and twenty buses. On the oncoming lane - an identical picture. Then someone stalls, you are standing in traffic. So relax and proceed from the formula 30 and 40 from the above. A relatively good road was built between Tirany and Durres, but also there is a faster than 50 km / h do not turn away, and if your driver issued 100 km / h on some plot, then faithful Sign - ahead of the traffic jam and you will set for an hour because of the accident, or the breakdown of the next bus. It is still actively building a motorway from Tirana in Shkoder, but a few more years will be held until she earns.

Now you are very easy to calculate the time on the road. Gathered from tyranana in the hypharine? Excellent, decent place. There 170 kilometers, road south. So, 170 divide by 30 and get about 6 hours of the road. Do you at Rinas Airport from the center of Tirana? Does it seem to you that 25 km is little? Lent on the road an hour - you will not be wrong.

So, Albania was one of the most closed countries of the world for half a century. It is no wonder that it has the subtleties, we are unknown. For example, being in Shkodene, I broke my head for a long time, how to catch a taxi to Rosafa fortress, which is 5 km from the center. Not a single taxi on the street was noticed. According to the Russian habit, pulling your hand - no one stops, people look with bewilderment. Here I notice that not far from me along the street, almost two dozen ordinary cars were lined up, all the doors are open. It turned out that this is a taxi, more precisely, "bombed". But they themselves may not come to you, although they see that you catch the car. The joke is that the official taxi drivers pay taxes and give the receipts, and the bombers are forced to at least formally hide. If you approach yourself, they will be lucky, they say, asked the person, could not refuse. But if they were imposed on you - this is the risk of running on the inspector for illegal business activities. Actually, all this told me one of the bombed.

Again back to the Communist Past Albania. Previously, the people did not cut around the country and abroad, but only moved from the house for production. Those who go to the pipe plant, waited for a browse on the road from the city near the monument to Albanian Communist. Now the monuments were demolished, but the system of expectation of buses and minibuses in strange places Preserved. In the town of Fiir (Fior), minibuses in Berat are sent from a certain point that between the abandoned boiler room and the city dump. For a long time, the local English-speaking guy explained it to me. "Go straight a kilometer, then the right of meters of two hundred. There you will see the factory pipe, go to her. You will reach the pipe - look at the left, there will be a trash bunch, you get to her, and then go to the opposite side of the road - there will be a minibus. " In the cool state, I passed all the way, but I did not find the minibus, but there was a paradise of stray pieces. As a result, it turned out that the minibus goes several times a day and today the latter has already gone. I had to go back to the center, search for a minibus to some village (whose name forgot) and have already been transferred to Berat.

In major cities there are some similarities of the bus station, for example, in Durres, all buses are cushioned at one point, next to Zh.Dov Station. Schedules You do not find, do not hope. Some local residents You will be prompted that the bus in Tiran goes every hour. Next, a small collection of Albanian buses in which you have to spend a lot of travel on this country -

Some buses are rather civilians, but it is rare. The bus you see below is a huge rarity, I would say the only one from me met. There worked even air conditioning that absolute nonsense -

In 9 out of 10 cases, other buses will be waited for you -

Buses will always be overcrowded, as drivers are waiting until the last place will not be occupied. And even when all places are busy, the latter will give buckets and they will go to the aisle on the buckets. It is very convenient, apparently.

And the time I had to go in a minibus trunk, sitting on a spare wheel -

Prices for transport

Trains are based on the basis of $ 1 for 50 kilometers, $ 1 buses for 30 kilometers, minibuses (vans) $ 1 per 20 kilometers. Accordingly, the passage of a minibus from Saranda in the extreme southern Albania to Tirana 180 kilometers will cost $ 10-12, from Tirana to Durres only 35 kilometers - just over a hundred dollars.

Strong wagons, broken glass stones, and not one or two, but all in all cars in the whole composition ...
The window in this train is better not to sit: after all, the next stone, abandoned with embroidered boys, can easily fit into the window.
In general, welcome to the train of the AG - Albanian Railways.

Trains in Albania do not go, and in the country itself there was only one line Shkoder -Turres -Vler, crossing it from north to south. The rolling stock, which is still capable of moving, is rather reminiscent of a pretty shabby "railway dinosaurs". And it takes into account that until 1990, railway transport was the main in Albania - in the best years they used 4 million people a year. Although, according to the current state of this infrastructure, this is difficult to imagine ...

2. In general, before the 1940s, Albania was still at the level of the XIX century, but a number of narrow oxoles built in the years of the First World War existed. The first railway branch with standard Koleyui (Durres - Beijing) was built in 1947 and were able to gradually establish a message with neighbors. In 1973, the mountain plot of Albanian railway from Elbasana was laid to Prenzhasa.

3. Albania Railways During the totalitarian mode of Enver Khoja, when the use of private transport was actually prohibited, the power was widely supported. They became major transport systemthat gives you the opportunity to move around the country.

4. After the fall of the communist regime and the transition to a market economy, the people rushed to satisfy car dreams, the number of cars and, accordingly road transport rapidly grew. And then another high-speed motorway between Tirana and Durres was built - the railway network began to use less and less, the budget for its development was reduced, the station was closed, the ways were dealt with ... Albania gradually rolled in the XIX century.

5. At the end of 2013, the railway left even from the capital of the country: on the site of Vora-Tirana, the rails were dismantled, and the station was demolished, it seems to build a park there. From the once developed network there are three plots with a passenger traffic: Durres-Vloe, Durres-Shkoder and Rogo-Libery.

6. Every year travel infrastructure, locomotive and car parks are quiet. No one is engaged in their update, as they can maintain in working condition and consider it sufficient.

7. Although it is completely incomprehensible why the authorities do not go in order and develop the remaining branches - because nature is amazing here, and the trains could be used to attract tourists.

8. You can also say about the transbanic section of Podgorica-Shkoder, between Albania and Montenegro. Now only cargo trains go on it, and be there passenger - probably would be in demand, because Bus records between countries leaves much to be desired.

9. Although, about not an updated composition, I am not entirely right, Germany, Italy, France and some more European neighbors with pleasure spikes in Albania wrote off the wagons. On the last path, or what?

10. But the diesel locomotive is a relic of totalitarian communist regime. In the 1970s, the country imported something about 60 pieces (in different sources the numbers are collected), of which they lived to today for only half: about ten still run, the rest rust on joke.

11. By the way, traveling on Albanian trains is the cheapest in Europe. In the amount of approximately 2.5 euros (335 lion) will cost the farthest moving Shkoder-Vlore

12. By the way, the toilet is better to visit before the trip, as in almost all local trains they or broken, or closed, or are in a very unsightly state.

13. Yes, and quick trips, too, should not be expected - the average speed of the composition of about 40 km / h, although they can accelerate to 50 km / h. But the breeze of broken windows is provided with accurate ...

14. Kaloy in Albania is uninterrupted, which means that the trains can only be discarded at stations. Therefore, the chart of movement in Albania is a very blurry concept, you have to wait until the counter to continue the path next.

15. This is how the train "Albania" is moving in its future without railways ...