Section 06 — Getting here
Closerthanyouthink
Tirana International Airport sits 17 km north-west of the centre — about half an hour door to door, and the whole country is a short drive from the other end of it. There are also ferries into Durrës and cheap international coaches from every direction on land.
Routes in
Fivewaystoarrive
Flying is the obvious option and usually the cheapest once you count the time. Ferries land at Durrës, 40 minutes from the city; international coaches run overnight from as far as Athens. Prices below are indicative and move with the season.
| Route | Journey time | Indicative cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tirana Airport (TIA) | 30–40 min to centre | Bus ~€4 · Taxi €20–25 | Also called Rinas, 17 km north-west. The country's main airport, with year-round European connections. |
| Ferry to Durrës | Overnight · 40 min on | Varies by season | Adriatic crossings land at Durrës port, then it's a short hop inland to Tirana by bus or taxi. |
| Bus from Kosovo / North Macedonia | 4–6 h | €10–25 | Frequent international coaches from Pristina and Skopje into Tirana's terminals. |
| Bus from Greece / Montenegro | 7–12 h | €20–45 | Long but cheap overnight routes from Athens, Thessaloniki and Podgorica. |
| Driving in | Varies | Fuel + tolls | Roads have improved enormously; city parking has not. Consider leaving the car outside the centre. |
Practicalities
Beforeyoufly
- Currency
- Albanian lek (ALL), roughly 100 to the euro. Euros are accepted in tourist spots at a rate that isn't doing you any favours.
- Language
- Albanian. English is widely spoken by younger people and in tourism; Italian is common too.
- Time zone
- CET / CEST (UTC+1, UTC+2 in summer) — the same clock as most of Western Europe.
- Entry
- Albania is outside the EU and Schengen. Many nationalities enter visa-free for up to 90 days; check yours.
- Power
- Type C/F sockets, 230 V — standard continental European plugs.
- Airport code
- TIA · Tirana International Airport (Rinas), 17 km north-west.
Straight answers
Arrivalquestions
- How do I get from Tirana airport to the city?
- The airport bus runs between the terminal and the centre in roughly 35 minutes for a few euros. A taxi costs around €20–25 on a fixed-ish fare and takes about half an hour outside rush hour. Ride-hailing apps work here too and are usually cheaper.
- Do I need a visa for Albania?
- Many nationalities, including EU citizens, enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, and EU ID cards are accepted at the border. Albania is not in the EU or Schengen, so check your own passport's rules before booking — they do change.
- What currency does Albania use?
- The Albanian lek (ALL) — roughly 100 lek to the euro. Euros are widely accepted in tourist-facing businesses but at unfavourable rates, and your change arrives in lek. Bank ATMs give the best deal.
- Is Tirana a good base for the rest of Albania?
- Yes. Buses run from Tirana to essentially everywhere — the coast, Berat, Gjirokastër, Shkodra, the mountains at Theth — and the airport is the country's main gateway. Most itineraries start and end here whether they mean to or not.