The airport is served by buses from the centre of Tirana and other Albanian cities.
Car rental
If you are heading to Albania with the aim of travelling around the country, renting a car will definitely be the most convenient way if you want to catch as many things as possible and not be dependent on the very specific and lengthy intercity bus transport.
There are a large number of car rental companies operating at Tirana Airport, ranging from local to large multinational companies.
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Prices vary considerably depending on the season. In summer you can pay 73 eur per day , while in the rest of the year from 29 eur.
Buses
If you're travelling for urban tourism or want to get around Albania by local transport, only use buses to/from the airport.
The station for all buses is located about 150 metres from the arrivals hall exit. You pass the KFC on your right and walk steadily along the car park to the end, where several buses or vans are always facing you, usually with a sign with the name of the destination behind the windscreen.
To the centre of Tirana
Buses to the centre run once an hour at XX:00. The bus line is not marked with any number, only with a sign saying "Airport" or "Tirana". There is a boarding stop in the centre at the back of the Opera House. For the exact location of the bus stop, see google.com/maps.
Timetables can be found on the website luna.al.
The ticket costs 400 all and is bought from the conductor on the bus. Calmly board a standing bus, you will always be directed to the one that goes first. Once the bus starts, the conductor walks through the bus and collects the money. You can pay in cash in Albanian Lek (400), in Euros (4€) or by card.
The ticket can also be bought online on the website flibco.com at 4 eur.
- Travel time - 30 minutes
- Frequency - every hour, always at xx:00
- First and last connection - buses run 24/7 in both directions
Interval and times are the same on weekdays and weekends. The bus from the airport to the city centre runs without stopping at other stops.
To Durrës
Directly from the airport you can also reach the largest seaside town of Albania called Durrës.
However, buses run only 7 times a day. Tickets cost 600 all or 6 eur. Euros are commonly accepted for payment.
To Vlorë
There are direct buses/microbuses to Albania's largest resort 6 times a day (see airport website for detailed times). The ticket costs 1 000 all and the journey takes about 2 and a quarter hours.
Taxi
Taxis are the most convenient mode of transport unless you are staying right in the centre, as the airport bus doesn't stop anywhere along the way.
There are no shared taxi services like Uber or Bolt in Tirana, but regular taxis are plentiful at the airport and in the city. The journey to Tirana city centre should cost around 1 500 all.
On 28.10. the big bus from the centre left at 9:47 completely full. A half-empty smaller one followed right behind, which also stopped at the south terminal. The journey from the centre took 50 minutes.
It seemed to me that a couple of people on it couldn't fit on the connection an hour earlier. So it's good not to go at the last minute if you're in a big hurry.