Durres to Tirana, bus, train, taxi, rental

If you want to travel from Durres to Tirana, I will give you a quick overview of the best ways to travel from Durres to Tirana in this blog post. I will discuss travelling from Durres to Tirana by bus, by train, by taxi or by rental car.

How to travel from Durres to Tirana? You can travel from Durres to Tirana by bus, by taxi or by rental car. A bus ticket from Durres to Tirana costs 50 Leke (0.42 euro), it takes 35 min and departs every 5-15 min between 6:30 AM and 22:00 PM. A taxi costs 20-25 euros. A car rental costs 25-35 euros per day.

In this blog post, I will discuss how to travel from Durres to Tirana by bus, by taxi, by rental car or by train. I will give you details about the bus timetables, bus stations, taxi operators, taxi prices, car rental companies and car rental prices.

How to get from Durres to Tirana?

You can get from Durres to Tirana by bus, by taxi or by rental car. There are no trains in operation between Durres and Tirana. 

Getting from Durres to Tirana by bus (quick summary):

• Busses from Durres to Tirana depart every 5-10 minutes between 6:30 AM and 19:00 PM and every 15 minutes between 19:00 PM and 22:00 PM. There are a few buses from Durres to Tirana during the night.
• A bus ticket from Durres to Tirana costs 50 Leke (0.42 euro cents).
• Don’t book a bus ticket online, instead pay for your bus ticket in cash.
• A bus journey from Durres to Tirana costs 35 minutes. But you need an additional 10-20 minutes to travel from the bus terminal in Tirana to the city centre since the bus terminal is outside the city centre.

Getting from Durres to Tirana by taxi (quick summary):

• A taxi from Durres to Tirana will cost you between 2400 and 3000 Leke (20-25 euros).
  
• The more affordable taxi rates are offered by Speed Taxi Tirana, City Taxi Tirana, Smart Taxi Tirana and Green Taxi Tirana. You can see the exact prices below.
• The Port of Durres and the City Centre of Durres are closer to Tirana. So if you are staying further South on Durres Beach or Golem Beach, the price will be slightly higher.

Getting from Durres to Tirana by rental car (quick summary):

• A rental car in Durres will cost you 25-35 euros per day if you choose a small rental car.
• For a drive from Durres to Tirana, you will spend around 20-25 euros on petrol.
• Reach out to car rental companies before you travel via WhatsApp to get a good deal.
• In July and August, it is important to book a car rental before you travel as prices are higher in the summer season.

Bus Durres to Tirana

There are literally a hundred buses from Durres to Tirana on a daily basis. So if you plan on travelling from Durres to Tirana by bus, you will easily catch one of the buses. 

I have added the bus timetable from Durres to Tirana below. As you will see there are buses from Durres to Tirana every 5-10 minutes between 6:30 AM and 19:00 PM. Then from 19:00 PM until 22:00, there are buses from Durres to Tirana every 15 minutes. There are a few buses from Durres to Tirana during the night.

A bus trip from Durres to Tirana will take you roughly 35 minutes. However, you will need an extra 10-20 minutes to travel from the bus terminal in Tirana to the city centre of Tirana. Since the bus terminal in Tirana is located outside the city centre.

A bus ticket from Durres to Tirana costs 50 Leke (0.42 euro cents). 

In Albania, it is best to pay for your bus ticket in cash. The Albanian people pay for nearly all of their expenses in cash. So bring some euros, pounds or US Dollars to Albania and exchange a small amount of Albanian Leke. So that you have the coins or small notes, like 200 Leke to use for payment for a bus ticket.

Booking your bus ticket online in advance is not common practice in Albania, so I recommend you do as the locals do. And simply pay cash to the driver of the bus when you get on the bus. 

Most buses in Albania are not equipped with a credit card machine, so card payment for a bus ticket is uncommon and often not possible.

Durres to Tirana bus timetable

The bus from Durres to Tirana departs at 01:40 AM, 2:32 AM, 5:30 AM, 6:15 AM, 6:33 AM, 6:39 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:03 AM, 7:04 AM, 7:15 AM, 07:29 AM, 7:30 AM, 7:33 AM, 7:36 AM, 7:44 AM, 7:46 AM, 7:53 AM, 7:54 AM, 08:01 AM, 8:03 AM, 8:09 AM, 8:15 AM, 8:16 AM, 8:19 AM, 8:20 AM, 8:23 AM, 8:27 AM, 8:33 AM, 8:36 AM, 8:43 AM, 8:44 AM, 8:46 AM, 8:50 AM, 8:52 AM, 8:53 AM, 8:54 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:01 AM, 9:03 AM, 9:09 AM, 9:15 AM, 9:16 AM, 9:17 AM, 9:23 AM, 9:29 AM, 9:30 AM, 9:33 AM, 9:34 AM, 9:40 AM, 9:46 AM, 9:53 AM, 9:59 AM, 10:00 AM, 10:01 AM, 10:02 AM, 10:03 AM, 10:09 AM, 10:16 AM, 10:17 AM, 10:20 AM, 10:23 AM, 10:24 AM, 10:27 AM, 10:29 AM, 10:30 AM, 10:33 AM, 10:36 AM, 10:46 AM, 10:49 AM, 10:53 AM, 10:54 AM, 10:59 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:01 AM, 11:03 AM, 11:09 AM, 11:14 AM, 11:16 AM, 11:23 AM, 11:30 AM, 11:32 AM, 11:33 AM, 11:39 AM, 11:40 AM, 11:46 AM, 11:53 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:04 PM, 12:16 PM, 12:20 PM, 12:23 PM, 12:27 PM, 12:29 PM, 12:30 PM, 12:45 PM, 12:46 PM, 12:53 PM, 12:54 PM, 13:00 PM, 13:09 PM, 13:16 PM, 13:19 PM, 13:23 PM, 13:30 PM, 13:40 PM, 13:44 PM, 13:45 PM, 13:46 PM, 13:53 PM, 13:57 PM, 14:00 PM, 14:01 PM, 14:09 PM, 14:14 PM, 14:20 PM, 14:23 PM, 14:36 PM, 14:44 PM, 14:45 PM, 14:46 PM, 14:53 PM, 14:57 PM, 14:59 PM, 15:00 PM, 15:09 PM, 15:11 PM, 15:14 PM, 15:23 PM, 15:36 PM, 15:40 PM, 15:44 PM, 15:45 PM, 15:52 PM, 15:53 PM, 15:54 PM, 16:00 PM, 16:03 PM, 16:14 PM, 16:15 PM, 16:16 PM, 16:20 PM, 16:23 PM, 16:24 PM, 16:29 PM, 16:30 PM, 16:51 PM, 16:53 PM, 17:00 PM, 17:03 PM, 17:14 PM, 17:15 PM, 17:23 PM, 17:26 PM, 17:30 PM, 17:39 PM, 17:40 PM, 17:44 PM, 17:47 PM, 17:53 PM, 17:59 PM, 18:00 PM, 18:14 PM, 18:20 PM, 18:23 PM, 18:30 PM, 18:31 PM, 18:39 PM, 18:44 PM, 19:00 PM, 19:14 PM, 19:30 PM, 19:32 PM, 19:40 PM, 19:44 PM, 19:47 PM, 20:09 PM, 20:20 PM, 20:45 PM, 21:00 PM, 21:30 PM, 21:40 PM and 22:00 PM. 

You can check the Albanian bus timetables from Durres to Tirana on the website of Gjirafa Autobus. You can find the website of Gjirafa Autobus here: https://travel.gjirafa.com/ 

I will say that the bus timetables on Gjirafa Autobus are not always up-to-date. So the best way to travel by bus in Albania is simply going to the bus station and asking the locals at the bus station, which bus departs first. 

Where is the Durres bus station?

The Durres bus station is located in the city centre of Durres, near the Port of Durres and the Train Station of Durres. 

The Durres bus station is called:
In the Albanian Language: Terminali i Autobusave Durres
In the English Language: Autobus Terminal in Durres

The Durres bus station is located on Rruga Adria in Durres, which means Adria Street. The Rruga Adria is the main road that runs in front of the Port of Durres. The Durres bus station is next to the Durres train station, although not many trains depart from this train station at the moment.

You can see the location of the Durres bus station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/JDCXY5jiQdbAdyr26 

Where is the Tirana bus station?

The bus from Durres to Tirana will drop you off at the bus terminal in Tirana. The bus terminal in Tirana is located outside the city centre.

The name of the Tirana bus station is:
In the Albanian language: Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut
In the English language: South and North Albania Bus Terminal

You can see the location of the Tirana bus station on a Google map here: https://goo.gl/maps/zxYu6144yoiS77dX6 

When you open the Google Map, you will see that the Tirana bus station is located outside the city centre. The bus terminal is right next to the highway that connects Durres and Tirana. 

Unfortunately, the Tirana bus station is not within a walking distance of the city centre of Tirana. So you will need to take a city bus from the bus terminal to the city centre. The city bus is a double white bus that departs on the other side of the road. Or you can take a taxi, which costs 5-10 euros to the city centre.

How much does a taxi from Durres to Tirana cost?

A taxi from Durres to Tirana costs between 2400 Leke and 3000 Leke (20-25 euros). Below I have a quick overview of the most popular taxi companies in Durres and Tirana. And for each taxi company, there is the price for a taxi from Durres to Tirana.

• My Taxi Durres 24h charges 3000 Leke (25.55 euros) for a taxi from the Port of Durres to the city centre of Tirana.
• BStaxi Durres does not have fixed prices. All the prices are calculated by a taximeter.
• Speed Taxi Tirana charges 2500 Leke (21.30 euros) for a taxi from the Port of Durres to the city centre of Tirana.
• City Taxi Tirana charges 2500 Leke (21.30 euros) for a taxi from Durres to Tirana.
• Smart Taxi Tirana charges 2400 Leke (20.43 euros)  for a taxi from the Port of Durres to Tirana.
• Merr Taxi Tirana charges 3000 Leke (25.55 euros) for a taxi from the Port of Durres to the city centre of Tirana.
• Green Taxi charges 2500 Leke (21.30 euros) for a taxi from the city centre of Durres to the city centre of Tirana.
• Do Taxi Tirana charges 2500 Leke (21.30 euros) for a taxi from the Port of Durres to the city centre of Tirana.

IMPORTANT! Based on where in Durres you are picked up the price might be slightly higher. The taxi prices above are based on a taxi journey from the Port of Durres to the city centre of Tirana. 

However, Durres has a very long beach area to the South of the Port of Durres and even further to the South is the Golem area. So if you are picked up further to the South of the Port of Durres, your taxi trip might be slightly more expensive. 

Don’t worry, the taxi companies will immediately ask you “Where in Durres?” you need to be picked up, so they can give you an accurate price beforehand.

What about renting a car and driving from Durres to Tirana?

A rental car in Durres will cost you 25-35 euros per day if you choose a small rental car. For a drive from Durres to Tirana, you will spend around 20-25 euros on petrol. 

Here are some prices for rental cars in Durres. To keep the comparison equal, I asked for a 1 week-long car rental from the 15th of September and I asked for a small rental car.

• Makina Me Qera Durres charges 25 euros per day for a small rental car.
• Bledi Rent a Car charges 25 euros per day for a Peugeot from 2010 or 30 euros per day for a Citroen from 2012.
• Rent a car Bral Durres charges 30 euros per day for a small rental car.
• Car Rent in Durres Port charges 35 euros per day for a small rental car.
• Autonoleggio Rent A Car in Durres charge 40 euros per day for a Skoda Fabia or 30 euros per day for a Citroen Picasso.

If you are travelling to Albania in July or August, you are in the middle of the high season. I always recommend you reach out to car rental companies before you travel to compare the rates. But this is especially important in July and August. Some car rental companies will want to charge you 50-70 euros per day in the high season, so make sure you reserve a reasonably priced rental car before you travel.

You can read my blog post about renting a car in Albania here -> https://albaniatourguide.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-rent-a-car-in-albania/ 

There is a highway between Durres and Tirana, so it will be a comfortable drive from Durres to Tirana. It will take you around 35-45 minutes to drive from Durres to Tirana depending on the traffic in Durres upon departure and the traffic in Tirana’s city centre. 

Driving in Albania can be daunting and challenging as a foreigner. Unfortunately, Albanian drivers have a chaotic driving style and some drivers in Albania do not follow the rules of the road. Of course, only you can judge your own driving ability and experience, but if you have any doubts, I recommend you travel by bus or taxi or tour instead.

Durres to Tirana train

The Durres to Tirana train is not in operation. There are no trains in operation from Durres to Tirana, because the train station in the city centre of Tirana was demolished in 2013. For a while there were trains from Durres to the outskirts of Tirana, but these trains are currently not in operation. 

The trains and railway system in Albania were constructed during the communist regime in Albania. Since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been no investment or refurbishment in the trains and railway system. As a result, very few trains currently operate in Albania. 

There are 2 trains a week between Durres and Elbasan and 1 train a week between Lac and Shkoder. You can find more information on my blog here -> https://albaniatourguide.com/can-you-take-a-train-to-albania/ 

Tirana Durres km

The distance from Tirana to Durres is 36 kilometres. It will take you 35-45 minutes to drive from Durres to Tirana depending on the traffic in the city centres. Golem beach and Durres beach are further to the South. And therefore your drive may take 45-60 minutes if you are staying near the Golem beach area. 

The drive from Durres to Tirana is on the SH2 highway which is a good quality motorway. So if anything will slow you down, it will be the traffic, not the quality of the road.

How to get from Durres to Tirana airport?

You can get from Durres to Tirana airport with the airport shuttle bus, a taxi or a car. 

There is a direct shuttle bus from Durres to Tirana airport and the other way around. The bus from Durres to Tirana airport is operated by Adis Shpk. 

The bus departs from Durres at 08:00 AM, 09:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 13:00 PM and 15:00 PM. And the bus departs from Tirana airport to Durres at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:30 PM and 17:00 PM. 

A bus ticket from Durres to Tirana airport costs 600 Leke (5.10 euros) for a one-way journey. You can find the office of Adis Travel near the Port of Durres in Rruga Mujo Ulqinaku in Durres. You can see the location on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/zxfbLfvLjsDRQpSMA 

A taxi from Durres to Tirana airport costs 25-30 euros. That is the official price of the Tirana Airport Taxi Service. You can find their price list online here: https://tiataxi.al/travel/ 

Is Durres worth visiting?

Durres is worth visiting if you are staying in Tirana and you are looking for a one-day trip to the beach. 

Durres is a big coastal town with many apartments, hotels, restaurants and cafes along the coastline. Since Durres is near the capital city Tirana and Tirana airport, you should see Durres as the most conveniently located beach in Albania. 

Of course, the most beautiful beaches in Albania are along the Albanian Riviera coastline in the South of Albania. However, the nearest Albanian Riviera beach is Vlore, which is a 3-hour drive from Tirana. So many people choose Durres as a convenient beach to visit for 1-day whilst staying in Tirana. 

Durres also has a UNESCO site, which is the Roman Amphitheatre. If you are staying in Durres, you can visit the Roman Amphiteatre for about 10-20 minutes. Or you can stop at the amphitheatre for 10-20 minutes as a stopover on your way to the South of Albania. 

What is Durres known for?

Durres is known as the closest beach city near the capital city Tirana and near Tirana airport. Durres is only a 35-45 minute drive from Tirana, so it is very conveniently located near the capital city of Tirana. So if you are staying in Tirana, you can plan to spend 1 day on the beach in Durres. 

Does Durres have good beaches?

Durres does have some good beaches that are located to the South of the city centre of Durres and the Port of Durres. Many of the locals living in Tirana or near Tirana airport, prefer Golem beach, which is located even further to the South. 

That being said, of course, the most beautiful beaches of Albania are along the Albanian Riviera in the South of Albania. If you have 2-3 days, I recommend you drive to the Albanian Riviera. However, if you have only 1 day to go to the beach from Tirana, then Durres beach or Golem beach is a good option. 

Durres is a big coastal town with many apartments, hotels, restaurants and bars. If you are looking for a quiet and more natural beach, then the Bay of Lalzi is a good alternative near Tirana city.

Related Questions

Where is the Dogana Roundabout in Tirana? The Dogana Roundabout in Tirana no longer exists. The roundabout has been replaced by a multi-level crossing in 2022. The regional bus terminal was moved to a new location called Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut. You can see the new location of the Tirana bus station on a Google map here: https://goo.gl/maps/zxYu6144yoiS77dX6

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