Diagram by Greece Trips. Free to reuse with credit - CC BY 4.0.
It is a real border
This is the part people underestimate. You are leaving the European Union and the Schengen area and entering a non-member country, then coming back.
- A passport is required. A national ID card is not sufficient for every nationality, and the ferry operators check before boarding.
- Check your own visa position for Albania and for re-entry to Schengen. Many nationalities enter Albania visa-free; some do not.
- Passport control happens at both ends, and it takes time. Arrive early rather than tight.
- Hire cars almost always have contractual restrictions on leaving Greece. Do not take one across without written permission from the rental company; most refuse.
Why people go
Butrint. A UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site about twenty minutes south of Saranda: a Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian city in layers, in a wooded setting on a lagoon, with a theatre, a baptistery with mosaics and a Venetian castle above it.
It is one of the best archaeological sites in the region, it is much quieter than its Greek equivalents, and it is the reason the day trip exists.
The Blue Eye, a karst spring of extraordinarily clear water inland, is the other common stop.
Saranda itself is a large, fast-growing seafront town, more a base than a sight.
Doing it as a day trip
Almost everyone does. Boats leave Corfu town in the morning and return in the late afternoon, and organised excursions bundle the crossing with transport to Butrint and a guide, which for a first visit is the sensible option because Albanian transport from the port is not designed around your return sailing.
If you go independently, agree the taxi both ways before you set off, and leave a wide margin for the return border queue.
Practical notes
- Currency: Albania uses the lek. Euros are accepted in tourist places at poor rates.
- The fast boats stop in wind, being small passenger craft on an exposed channel.
- Time zone: Albania is one hour behind Greece. This has caused a lot of missed boats.
Last checked August 2026. Border and visa rules change - confirm with official sources. See our editorial policy.
Common questions
How long is the ferry from Corfu to Albania?
About half an hour to Saranda on the fast passenger craft, and longer on the conventional ferry.
Do you need a passport to go from Corfu to Albania?
Yes. It is a crossing out of the EU and the Schengen area, and operators check documents before boarding.
Can you take a hire car from Corfu to Albania?
Almost never. Greek rental agreements normally forbid taking the vehicle out of the country without written permission, and most companies refuse.
What is there to see in Albania from Corfu?
Butrint, a UNESCO archaeological site twenty minutes south of Saranda with Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian remains, and the Blue Eye spring inland.
Is Albania in a different time zone from Greece?
Yes, one hour behind. It is a common reason people miss the return boat.
Next
Read Corfu, Paxos, or visas and entry requirements.