Skopje to Ohrid Transfer: Skopje Airport to Ohrid by Private Car
Flying into Skopje and spending your holiday on Lake Ohrid? A Skopje to Ohrid transfer with Book Transfer is a private car with a driver only for you and your group: it meets you at Skopje Airport or at your hotel in the city and drives you without waiting for other passengers straight to your hotel or apartment in Ohrid. Below: prices, the road, travel times by season and where the car waits.
Need a car to Ohrid soon? We work 24/7 – ask us now.
You can also write to us on Viber or WhatsApp on the same number – by phone we speak English, in the chat you can write in your own language.
Skopje to Ohrid transfer: prices
Every price we give is for the whole vehicle, one way – never per seat. Skopje to Ohrid and Skopje Airport to Ohrid are not a fixed line in our pricelists yet, so we do not guess a number: you send us the date, the pickup point and how many people travel, and we confirm the price, the vehicle and the driver before the trip, within 24 hours.
| Route | Distance and time | Sedan (up to 4) | Minivan (up to 6) | Minibus (up to 8) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skopje Airport (SKP) → Ohrid | confirmed with the quote | on request | on request | on request |
| Skopje city → Ohrid or Struga | confirmed with the quote | on request | on request | on request |
| Sofia → Ohrid | 425 km · about 6:15 h | on request | on request | on request |
| Plovdiv → Ohrid | 580 km · about 7:30 h | on request | on request | on request |
| Sofia → Skopje | 250 km · about 4:00 h | 200 € | 260 € | 320 € |
Kilometres, hours and the Sofia – Skopje prices are taken from our Sofia pricelist and the Plovdiv pricelist. Groups of 9 or more people, extra stops on the way and the return trip are also quoted on request. Nothing is paid in advance.
Where the driver waits at Skopje Airport
Skopje International Airport (SKP) lies east of the city, near Petrovec, and has one passenger terminal, so the meeting is simple:
- In the arrivals hall: after passport control and baggage reclaim you walk out into the public arrivals area. Your driver is waiting there and walks with you to the parked car.
- Send the flight number: we follow your flight. If it lands late, the driver simply waits – a delayed flight means free waiting with no time limit.
- Passport control first: North Macedonia is not in the EU or Schengen, so every arriving passenger goes through a full check. The driver knows this and waits.
- Cannot see the driver? Call or message +359 89 444 8441 on Viber or WhatsApp and our dispatcher connects you with the driver.
When the trip starts from an address (a hotel in Skopje, or your hotel in Ohrid for the way back), the driver arrives on time and the waiting time there is 15 minutes, so please be ready with your luggage. For other routes from the airport see our Skopje Airport transfers page.
The road from Skopje to Ohrid
There is no border on this trip, and North Macedonia has one time zone, so your watch stays as it is. The driver chooses between two roads, depending on the weather and the time of the day.
Main road: Tetovo, Gostivar and Kicevo
From the airport or the city the car takes the motorway west, under the Shar mountains, past Tetovo to Gostivar. Here the fast part ends. An ordinary two-lane road climbs over the Strazha pass, a forest section with many curves, and drops down to Kicevo. After Kicevo the road goes south through hills and small villages until the lake appears and you arrive in Ohrid. This is the shortest way.
Southern road: Veles, Prilep, Bitola and Resen
The second option goes first south-east on the motorway to Veles, then through the plain of Pelagonia past Prilep to Bitola, and from there over the hills to Resen, near Lake Prespa, and on to Ohrid. It is longer, but a good choice when the Strazha pass is under snow or when you want a short stop in Bitola (tell us in advance).
How long does it take? Travel time by season
The exact distance and the time for your pickup point are confirmed with the quote. These are the things that change the trip most:
| When | What to expect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring and autumn, working days | the normal driving time | dry roads, little traffic on the pass |
| July and August | more time, especially on Friday and Sunday | holiday traffic to the lake, the Ohrid Summer Festival, many cars from the diaspora |
| Winter, December to March | extra time after snowfall | snow and ice on the Strazha pass; sometimes the southern road is faster |
| Flight back from Skopje | driving time plus a good reserve | check-in and passport control at SKP before departure |
Arriving in Ohrid, Struga and St. Naum
- Hotels along the lake: the car stops in front of the entrance and the driver helps with the bags.
- The old town: the streets around Samuil’s Fortress and down to the church of St. John at Kaneo are narrow, steep and partly closed to cars. Here the driver stops at the nearest point where a car may stand, and you walk the last part.
- Struga and the villages on the shore: Struga on the northern side of the lake, the beaches to the south of Ohrid and the monastery of St. Naum near the Albanian border can be the final address too.
Flying home from Ohrid instead of Skopje? The small Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport is close to the town; routes from there are on the Ohrid Airport transfers page.
Coming from Bulgaria: Sofia to Ohrid through Skopje
Our pricelist gives 425 km and about 6:15 h from Sofia to Ohrid. The car normally crosses at Gyueshevo – Deve Bair, passes Kumanovo and Skopje and continues on the road described above. Both sides of the border check passports, and the clock goes back one hour. If you want a night in Skopje on the way, book two trips: the first one is described in our Sofia to Skopje transfer guide (from 200 € per car). Travelling from Greece? Our Thessaloniki Airport transfer guide explains the pickup at SKG.
- No prepayment: the car is reserved without paying anything in advance.
- Child seats are free: an infant carrier, a child seat or a booster cost nothing extra. Write how many you need.
- A car for every group: Our group has about 200 sedans, 50 minivans and 100 buses, plus 20 Mercedes of the E- and S-Class.
- Changes are free if you tell us at least 24 hours before the pickup.
Book your Skopje to Ohrid transfer
- By phone, day and night: +359 89 444 8441, or a chat on Viber or WhatsApp.
- Online: the transfer price request form – we will respond within 24 hours with a fixed price.
- Tell us: the flight number or the address in Skopje, the hotel in Ohrid, the number of people and suitcases, and any child seats.
Skopje to Ohrid transfer: FAQ
How much is a private transfer from Skopje to Ohrid?
The Skopje to Ohrid trip is quoted on request, for the whole car and one way. Send us the date, the pickup point and the number of passengers and you get a fixed price within 24 hours. You pay nothing in advance.
Can the driver pick us up at Skopje Airport and take us to Ohrid?
Yes. The driver meets you in the arrivals hall of Skopje International Airport after you collect your luggage. We follow your flight, so when it is delayed the driver waits for free, as long as needed.
Which road does the driver take to Ohrid?
Normally the motorway past Tetovo to Gostivar and then the mountain road over the Strazha pass to Kicevo and Ohrid. In heavy snow, or if you want to see Bitola, the driver can take the longer southern road via Veles, Prilep and Resen.
Is there a border between Skopje and Ohrid?
No. Both cities are in North Macedonia, so there is no border and no time change. Your passport is checked only once, at passport control when you land at Skopje Airport.
Can you drive us to Struga or St. Naum instead of Ohrid?
Yes. Struga, the beaches south of Ohrid and the monastery of St. Naum are all possible drop-off points. Write the exact address when you ask for the price.
Do I pay extra for a child seat or for a late flight?
No. Infant carriers, child seats and boosters are free, and waiting at the airport costs nothing when your flight is late. At a hotel or other address the driver waits 15 minutes.
