Durres to Vlore: Bus, Taxi, Car, Train

If you are staying in Durres, you might be wondering how to get from Durres to Vlore. In this blog post, I will describe the best ways to get from Durres to Vlore by bus, taxi, car or train.

Durres to Vlore – You can get from Durres to Vlore by bus, by taxi or by car. No trains in operation. A bus ticket costs 400 Leke (3.40 EUR), busses depart every 30 min from 5:30 AM and 18:00 PM. A taxi from Durres to Vlore costs 9600 Leke (82 EUR). A car rental costs at least 20-25 EUR per day.

In this blog post, I will help you find the best ways to get from Durres to Vlore. I will describe how to get on the bus from Durres to Vlore, what it costs and how to find the bus station. I will compare taxi prices from Durres to Vlore. And I will discuss what it costs to rent a car. I will also explain why train travel from Durres to Vlore is not an option right now.

How to get from Durres to Vlore?

You can get from Durres to Vlore by bus, by taxi or by rental car. Let me give you a quick overview of the best ways to get from Durres to Vlore. Then below, I will go into more detail.

Getting from Durres to Vlore by bus (quick summary)

  • The bus from Durres to Vlore costs 400 Leke (3.40 euros).
  • The bus departs every 30 minutes between 5:30 AM and 18:00 PM.
  • The bus departs from the Stacioni i Autobuzave Durres in Rruga Adria (Adria Street) in Durres.
  • The bus drops you off at the Vlore bus station in Rruga Demokracia (Demokracia Street) in Vlore.
  • Bring Albanian Leke in cash to pay for your bus ticket in cash.

Getting from Durres to Vlore by taxi (quick summary)

  • A taxi from Durres to Vlore costs 9600 Leke or 82 euros. This is the taxi price that was quoted by My Taxi Durres 24h.
  • You can also book a taxi with BS Taxi Durres, who do not have a fixed price and offer only taxi meter.

Getting from Durres to Vlore by rental car (quick summary)

  • A rental car in Albania costs at least 20-25 euros per day.
  • Petrol from Durres to Vlore will cost you roughly 25-30 euros.
  • Reach out to local car rental companies by WhatsApp or email before you travel to get a good deal.
  • You have to be an experienced and confident driver to drive in Albania because the Albanian drivers have a chaotic and aggressive driving style. 

How to get from Durres to Vlore by bus?

You can get from Durres to Vlore by bus between 5:30 AM and 18:00 PM every day. A bus ticket from Durres to Vlore costs 400 Leke (3.40 euros).

The bus from Durres to Vlore departs at 5:35 AM, 6:05 AM, 6:15 AM, 6:35 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:05 AM, 7:35 AM, 8:05 AM, 8:35 AM, 9:05 AM, 9:30 AM, 9:35 AM, 10:05 AM, 10:35 AM, 10:45 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:05 AM, 11:35 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:05 PM, 12:35 PM, 12:45 PM, 13:05 PM, 13:30 PM, 13:35 PM, 13:45 PM, 14:05 PM, 14:35 PM, 14:45 PM, 15:05 PM, 15:35 PM, 16:00 PM, 16:05 PM, 16:35 PM, 17:05 PM, 17:35 PM, 18:00 PM and 18:05 PM. 

You can always check the bus timetable from Durres to Vlore on the website of Gjirafa Autobus here: https://travel.gjirafa.com/

A bus ticket from Durres to Vlore costs 400 Leke (3.40 euros). It is important to bring cash money to the bus station. Because in Albania, you are expected to pay for your bus ticket by cash in Albanian Leke. I recommend you bring some cash euros, cash pounds or cash US dollars with you to Albania so that you can use a currency exchange in Durres.

A bus trip from Durres to Vlore will take you approximately 2 hours. Remember that bus travel in Albania is much more informal than in many western countries. So the bus driver may make some extra stops to let other travellers on the bus at a random location on the route (not a bus stop). And there are probably 1-2 coffee breaks along the road. So bus travel in Albania is cheap, but it does require some patience.

Durres bus station

The Durres bus station is located on Rruga Adria in the city centre of Durres. 

The official name of the Durres bus station is Stacioni i Autobuzave Durres or Durres Bus Terminal. The bus station’s address is Rruga Adria in Durres. You can see the location of the Durres bus station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/HehYvLniKt4ErENb7

It is good to know that the Durres bus station is very close to the Port of Durres, which you can easily locate on any online map or paper map. The bus station is right next to the train station of Durres, which is also easy to recognize.

Vlore bus station

The Vlore bus station is located on Rruga Demokracia in Vlore. You can see the location of the Vlore bus station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/NLbMaVYEFLRhiCSr5 

How much does a taxi from Durres to Vlore cost?

A taxi from Durres to Vlore costs 9600 Leke or 82 euros. This is the taxi price that was quoted by My Taxi Durres 24h. 

This is a set taxi price based on a taxi journey from the Port of Durres to Vlore’s city centre. The point is that Durres is quite a long city spread along the coastline. The city centre is to the North of the Port of Durres, the Beach of Durres is to the South of the Port of Durres and Golem beach is even further south. So if you are staying on the beach in Durres, you may get a better rate quoted, as you are closer to Vlore already.

If you prefer, you can also book a taxi with BS Taxi Durres. BS Taxi Durres informed me: “All the prices are calculated by taximeter. We don’t have fixed prices.”

How to get from Durres to Vlore by train?

You cannot get from Durres to Vlore by train. Actually, there is a railway from Durres to Vlore. However, there are currently no trains in operation between Durres and Vlore.

There are very limited trains in operation in Albania at the moment. There is a weekly train between Lac and Shkoder, 1 x time per day on Tuesday. And there is 1 x train per day between Elbasan and Durres on Saturday and Sunday.

Albania’s railways were constructed during communism. The communist regime ruled the country from the end of the Second World War until 1992. Since 1992, there has been little investment in the railway system. Only 3 x weekly trains operate at this moment in time (July 2022). Other railways are not being used, are in a state of despair and are in need of renovation or refurbishment.

How much does it cost to rent a car and drive from Durres to Vlore?

It costs at least 20-25 euros per day to rent a car in Albania. And for petrol from Durres to Vlore, it will be roughly 25-30 euros. 

In order to give you a good overview of the car rental prices by company, I have reached out to several car rental companies and compared their rates.

  • AB Car Rental offered a Citroen for 20 euros per day.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Volkswagen Polo with a manual gearbox for 21.70 euros per day with basic insurance or for 41.70 euros with full risk insurance.
  • Albania Airport Rent a Car offered a Skoda Fabia 2018 for 25 euros per day, which includes 100% covered Casco Insurance for Albania and Kosovo.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Volkswagen Polo with an automatic gearbox for 29.15 euros per day with basic insurance or for 49.15 euros with full risk insurance.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Kia Rio with a manual gearbox for 30 euros per day with basic insurance or for 55 euros with full risk insurance.
  • Enterprise Rent a Car Albania offered a Volkswagen Golf VII 2019 with a manual gearbox for 35 euros per day.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Kia Rio with an automatic gearbox for 35 euros per day with basic insurance or for 60 euros with full risk insurance.
  • Avis Albania offered an Opel Astra Manual for 37 euros per day or Opel Astra Automatic for 40 euros per day. For full insurance, the price is 10 euros/day.
  • Hertz Albania stated that their cheapest available car is an Open Corsa for 40 euros per day.
  • Hertz Albania stated that a Volkswagen Golf 7 with manual transmission will cost you 47 euros per day. Plus full coverage will cost 13 euros per day.
  • Rent Point Albania stated that a Volkswagen Golf costs 50 euros per day. If you want to add full insurance, we apply a fee of 10 euros per day and a security deposit of 500 euros.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Kia Stonic with an automatic gearbox for 50.40 euros per day with basic insurance or for 80.40 euros with full risk insurance.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Volkswagen Golf VII with an automatic gearbox for 51.70 euros per day with basic insurance or for 81.70 euros with full risk insurance.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Kia XCeed with an automatic gearbox for 55 euros per day with basic insurance or for 85 euros with full risk insurance.
  • Albarent offered a Skoda Octavia for 60 euros per day including insurance.
  • Eurocar Rentals Albania offered a Kia Sportage with an automatic gearbox for 90 euros per day with basic insurance or for 125 euros with full risk insurance.

If you are planning to rent a car in Albania, I do recommend you reach out to several car rental companies by email or via WhatsApp before you travel. Especially in the months of July and August, car rental rates are much more expensive. So it is important to find a good deal before you travel. 

The Albanian drivers do have an aggressive and chaotic driving style. So you must be an experienced, confident and alert driver in order to drive in Albania. If you have any doubts about driving in Albania, I would recommend you travel by bus or taxi instead.

What is the distance from Durres to Vlore?

The distance from Durres to Vlore is 123 kilometres. The road between Durres and Vlore is of good quality. And the drive from Durres to Vlore will usually take you around 2 hours depending on traffic in the city centres of Durres, Fier and Vlore.

Google Maps estimates your journey from Durres to Vlore takes only 1.5 hours. However, I would say it is more likely to take 2 hours due to traffic.

How long does it take to get from Durres to Vlore?

It does take approximately 2 hours to get from Durres to Vlore by car, by bus or by taxi. The road between Durres and Vlore is of good quality. But traffic along the coastline in Durres, in the city centre of Fier and near the city centre of Vlore may slow you down in the summer months.

Vlore beach

You may be wondering “What to expect from Vlore beach” and “Is Vlore beach worth visiting”. 

Vlore is a big coastal town in the Albanian Riviera. Of course, the advantage of staying in Vlore is the beautiful boulevard along the coastline with all the facilities, like hotels, apartments, restaurants, shops, coffee houses and clubs. 

The coastal promenade in Vlore is called “Lungomare -Uji i ftohtë Vlorë”, so it would be great if you could find a hotel or apartment near this boulevard so that you are within walking distance of all the facilities. You can see the location of the promenade on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/defSsnRvpNfhRbtA7

There are two large coastal cities on the Albanian Riviera, which are Vlore and Saranda. In essence, the Albanian Riviera is the coastline of Albania in the South of the country with all the most beautiful beaches along this stretch of coastline. 

Vlore is the starting point of the Albanian Riviera. From Vlore, you can get on the coastal road to Saranda, which passes by all the beautiful beaches, like Dhermi, Jale, Himare and Borsh beach. And many smaller beaches are hidden away along this coastline. You will also have the opportunity to stop at some sightseeing spots along the coastline, such as the Llogara Pass and the Castle of Ali Pasha in the Bay of Porto Palermo.

If you compare Vlore to Saranda and Durres, I would say this:

  • Durres is the most convenient beach in Albania, due to its proximity to Tirana and Tirana airport. But there are more beautiful beaches in Albania in comparison to Durres if you are willing to travel further.
  • Vlore is the second largest coastal town in the Albanian Riviera with all the facilities along the coastal promenade.
  • Saranda is known as the “capital city of the Albanian Riviera” and this is the biggest coastal town in the Albanian Riviera. Staying in Saranda is convenient if you want to visit highlights, such as Butrint UNESCO park, Gjirokaster UNESCO park, the Blue Eye spring and Ksamil beach. However, Saranda is a 5-6 hour drive from Tirana and Tirana Airport.

Related Questions

How to get from Tirana to Vlore? You can get from Tirana to Vlore by bus, by taxi or in a rental car. The bus from Tirana to Vlore costs 500 Leke (4.10 euros) or the bus from Tirana Airport costs 1000 Leke (8.20 euros). The bus journey takes 3 hours. A taxi from Tirana to Vlore costs 66 – 107 euros depending on the taxi company. A car rental costs 20 euros per day + 25 euros for petrol. 

How to get from Tirana to Durres? You can get from Tirana to Durres by bus, taxi or car. The bus to Durres departs from the Regional Bus Terminal in Tirana. The bus trip will take you 45 minutes and costs 130 LEK (€1). With a taxi, the trip will cost you 2000-2500 LEK (€17-€21) for one way. By car, drive along the SH2 for 45 mins.

About me

About me

I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania. I arrange your transportation and I am your English speaking guide. So that, you get to experience the most beautiful places in Albania!
Kind regards, Manon

Welcome to Albania!

I am a Tour Guide in Albania

I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania.

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