How do I get from Corfu to Tirana?

If you are flying to Corfu island, you might be wondering: How do I get from Corfu to Tirana? In this blog, I will discuss the best way to get from Corfu to Tirana by ferry, by bus, by taxi or by car.

How do I get from Corfu to Tirana? You can get from Corfu to Tirana in two steps. First, you take the ferry from Corfu to Saranda. The Corfu-Saranda ferry takes 35 min and costs 19-24 EUR. Then from Saranda, you take a bus (12-14 EUR), a taxi (130-150 EUR) or drive a rental car to Tirana. The drive takes 5 hours.

In this blog, I will give you all the details you need to travel from Corfu to Tirana, including booking the ferry, where to catch the bus, how much you can expect to pay for a taxi and where to find up-to-date timetables.

How to get from Corfu to Tirana?

You can get from Corfu to Tirana in two steps:

Step 1: Take the ferry from Corfu to Saranda (35 minutes)
Step 2: Take a bus, a taxi or rental car from Saranda to Tirana (5 hours)
Corfu to Saranda Ferry

You can book a ferry boat from Corfu to Saranda with two companies: Ionian Seaways and Finikas Lines.

A ticket for the Corfu to Saranda ferry will cost you between 19 euros and 24 euros per adult for a one-way journey.

There are two types of boats between Corfu and Saranda.

Option 1: Take the Speedboat from Corfu to Saranda.

The speedboats are called “Flying Dolphin” or “high-speed hydrofoil”. If you book the speedboat it will take you 30-35 minutes to get from Corfu to Saranda.

Option 2: Take the slower car ferry from Corfu to Saranda.

If you take the car ferry, it will take you 1 hour and 15 minutes to get from Corfu to Saranda. So if you are trying to get from Corfu to Saranda or Tirana as quick as possible, be sure to book the speedboat instead.

The timetable for the ferry from Corfu to Saranda varies by season. From November until March, Finikas lines only operates 1 ferry boat per day. Whereas in July and August, Finikas lines operate 6 ferry boats per day.

Timetable for Corfu-Saranda Ferry from Finikas Lines:

• 1 January – 5 April – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM
• 6 April – 15 May – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM, 11:45 AM and 16:45 PM.
• 16 May – 31 May – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 16:15 PM and 19:00 PM
• 1 June – 30 June – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM, 12:30 PM, 16:30 PM and 19:00 PM.
• 1 July – 31 August – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 8:15 AM, 9:00 AM, 11:45 AM, 13:00 PM, 16:30 PM and 19:00 PM.
• 1 September – 21 September – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM, 11:45 AM, 13:00 PM, 16:30 PM and 19:00 PM.
• 22 September – 31 September – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM, 11:45 AM, 13:00 PM, 16:30 PM and 19:00 PM.
• 1 October – 15 October – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM and 18:30 PM.
• 16 October – 31 October – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM and 19:00 PM.
• 1 November – 31 December – Ferry from Corfu to Saranda departs at 9:00 AM.

You can check the timetable for the Corfu-Saranda ferry on the websites of Finikas Lines and Ionian Seaways. The timetable for Finikas Lines can be found here: https://www.finikas-lines.com/lines  The timetable for Ionian Seaways can be found here: https://ionianseaways.com/timetable/

How do I get from Saranda to Tirana by bus?

You can get from Saranda to Tirana by bus 6 x times per day.

The bus from Saranda to Tirana departs at 5:00 AM, 5:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 14:00 PM. By bus, it takes 5 hours to get from Saranda to Tirana. Of course, if traffic is heavy, your bus journey from Saranda to Tirana may take 5-6 hours.

A bus ticket from Saranda to Tirana costs between 12 – 14 Euros per day. There are two companies that operate busses from Saranda to Tirana, these are Trans Butrinti and Olgeno. Trans Butrinti charges 14 euros for a one-way bus ticket from Saranda to Tirana. And Olgeno charges 12 euros for a one-way ticket from Saranda to Tirana.

You can always check the most up-to-date bus timetable on the website of Gjirafa Autobus here: https://gjirafa.com/autobus  or here: https://travel.gjirafa.com/

The bus from Saranda to Tirana departs from Rruga Onhezmi, next to the Friendship Park in Saranda. You can see the location of the bus station in Saranda here: https://goo.gl/maps/wN6kxsdFVR427yu37

How much does it cost to get from Saranda to Tirana by taxi?

A taxi from Saranda to Tirana costs between 130 euros and 150 euros.

To get you a good indication of what you can expect to pay for a taxi from Saranda to Tirana, I did reach out to several independent taxi drivers in Saranda.

I received these quotes:

• A taxi from Saranda to Tirana costs 135 euros. If we mention the normal price that we offered last year when diesel was cheaper.
• A taxi from Saranda to Tirana for 2 persons costs 150 euros.
• Hello, it costs 130 euros. The prices are higher because of the petrol prices increases.
• The normal price for a taxi from Saranda to Tirana is 150 euros.
• The price from Saranda to Tirana is 150 euros in total. If the price of fuel will increase in the next few days the price of a taxi will increase again.

To be honest, these are the prices from independent taxi operators. And it is difficult to distinguish between the taxi companies online because they all call themselves “taxi Saranda”, “Saranda taxi” or “taxi in Saranda” online.

How much does it cost to rent a car and drive from Saranda to Tirana?

A car rental in Albania will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day. To drive from Saranda to Tirana I would calculate 8000 Lek for petrol (66 euros) for a one way trip.

I have recently written a blog post about renting a car in Albania. I did reach out to many different car rental companies and asked for quotations. By reading the blog post about the most affordable car rental companies, you can safe a lot of money and time, check it out here: https://albaniatourguide.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-rent-a-car-in-albania/

The quality of the road from Saranda to Tirana is good. You have a choice of two routes to drive from Saranda to Tirana via:
1 ) The inland route
2) The coastal route

You can decide to drive from Saranda to Tirana via the inland road. The inland road is via Gjirokaster and Tepelene. The inland road is quicker and it will take you about 5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive along the coastal road from Saranda to Vlore. The coastal road is a bit longer, maybe 6 hours, but very beautiful! From the coastal road, you can see all the little beaches of the Albanian Riviera, you don’t want to miss out!

And finally, driving in Albania as a foreigner can be daunting and challenging. Unfortunately, Albanian drivers have a chaotic driving style. Although there are rules on the road, Albanian drivers often do not follow the rules. So you must be an experienced and confident driver to drive in Albania. Don’t be surprised if you are overtaken on both sides simultaneously in Albania!

Of course, you are the only one who can judge your driving ability and confidence behind the wheel. I just want to make sure you know what you are in for as a foreigner driving in Albania.

How long does it take to get from Corfu to Tirana?

It takes 5 hours and 35 minutes to get from Corfu to Tirana. If you take the high-speed ferry boat from Corfu to Saranda, that takes 35 minutes. And it will take you 5 hours by bus, by taxi or by rental car to get from Saranda to Tirana on the road.

That said, you should calculate some extra time, take these points into consideration:

Extra 12-20 minutes to travel from Corfu Airport to the Port of Corfu

If you are flying to Corfu Airport and straight away taking the ferry to Saranda, you will need to travel from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu. It takes 20 minutes by bus to get from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu. It takes 12 minutes by taxi to travel from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu.

1 hour less because there is a time difference between Corfu and Albania

There is a time difference between Corfu and Albania. Basically, Corfu island is 1 hour ahead in time of Albania. So, when you travel from Corfu to Albania, you win an extra hour. However, if you are travelling from Saranda to Corfu, bear in mind that you will lose 1 hour. This is especially important if you are catching a flight from Corfu airport.

Extra 10-15 minutes to get from Saranda Port to the bus station

If you are taking the bus from Saranda to Tirana, you will certainly need more time. You will need an extra 10-15 minutes to get to the bus station. Furthermore, the bus from Saranda to Tirana departs only 6 times per day at 5:00 AM, 5:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM and 14:00 PM. It is also important to bear in mind the time difference between Corfu and Albania when you book your ferry boat and your bus ticket.

Extra 40-45 minutes, if you book the car ferry instead of the speedboat

There are two types of boats you can book for your journey from Corfu to Saranda. If you book the Flying Dolphin High-Speed Hydrofoil, your journey will last 30-35 minutes. If you book the slower car ferry, your journey will last 1 hour and 15 minutes. So if you are trying to get from Corfu to Saranda or Tirana as quick as possible, be sure to book the speedboat instead.

Is the ferry running from Corfu to Saranda?

The ferry from Corfu to Saranda is running. As of the 10th of July 2021, the Corfu-Saranda ferry is fully operational again. You can book the Corfu-Saranda ferry with Finikas Lines or Ionian Seaways.

What is the distance from Corfu to Albania?

The distance from Corfu to Albania is only 35 kilometres. Although Corfu is a Greek island it is actually closer to the Albanian coastline. From Ksamil beach, you can see Corfu island on the horizon. With the Corfu ferry, it takes only 35 minutes to get to Saranda in Albania.

How far is Albania from Corfu by boat?

Albania is 35 kilometres from Corfu by boat. You can take a ferry from Corfu to Saranda in Albania. If you book the Flying Dolphin High-Speed Hydrofoil, your journey will last 30-35 minutes. If you book the slower car ferry, your journey will last 1 hour and 15 minutes.

How far is Corfu port from Corfu airport?

Corfu port is 12 – 20 minutes of travelling from Corfu airport.

By bus, it takes 20 minutes to travel from Corfu Airport to the Port of Corfu. You can take bus line No 15. Bus line No 15, departs from Corfu airport. The bus drives to the intercity bus station, through the city centre, by San Rocco Square and its final stop is at the Port of Corfu. At the port, the bus makes two stops. Firstly, it stops behind the ferry ticket offices and finally, it stops at the port itself. The bus ticket costs only €1.20.

By taxi, it takes 12 minutes to get from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu. There are always taxis at the airport, so it is a good option if you need to be quick. The taxi journey from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu will cost you between €15 – €20.

Kerkyra is the main town of Corfu and it is close to the ferry port. The distance between the city centre of Kerkyra and the port is only 1.5 kilometres. Therefore, you can walk from the old town to the port. It is a popular walking route. So, there is signage from the city centre all the way to the port.

Can you do a day trip from Corfu to Albania?

You can go on a day trip from Corfu to Albania in the summer season only. In the winter season, there is only one ferry boat per day, so you won’t be able to travel back to Corfu on the same day.

You can book your tickets for the ferry with two companies: Ionian Seaways or Finikas Lines.

If you look at the timetable of Finikas Lines here: https://www.finikas-lines.com/lines  You will see that the number of ferry boats departing varies per month.

For instance, in July and August, you can depart from Corfu at 8:15 AM or 9:00 AM. And take the ferry back from Saranda to Corfu at 16:00 PM or 18:30 PM.

However, in many other months, you can only go from 9:00 AM until 16:00 PM, because the last ferry boat back to Corfu is around 16:00 PM. So you will only have a couple of hours in Albania.

How to get from Corfu to Ksamil?

You can get from Corfu to Ksamil in two ways:

Option 1: Corfu-Saranda Ferry + Taxi from Saranda to Ksamil
Option 2: Corfu-Saranda Ferry + Bus from Saranda to Ksamil

A ticket for the Corfu to Saranda ferry will cost you between 19 euros and 24 euros per adult for a one-way journey.

There are two types of boats between Corfu and Saranda.

Option 1: Take the Speedboat from Corfu to Saranda.

The speedboats are called “Flying Dolphin” or “high-speed hydrofoil”. If you book the speedboat it will take you 30-35 minutes to get from Corfu to Saranda.

Option 2: Take the slower car ferry from Corfu to Saranda.

If you take the car ferry, it will take you 1 hour and 15 minutes to get from Corfu to Saranda.

You can check the timetable for the Corfu-Saranda ferry on the websites of Finikas Lines and Ionian Seaways. The timetable for Finikas Lines can be found here: https://www.finikas-lines.com/lines  The timetable for Ionian Seaways can be found here: https://ionianseaways.com/timetable/

To get from Saranda to Ksamil by bus, you must take the bus in the direction of Butrint. The bus to Butrint departs in Saranda’s city centre from The Nene Theresa Square (In English: Mother Theresa Square).

The bus from Saranda to Ksamil & Butrint costs 100 LEK (approximately 0.80 euro). And it will take you about 10-15 minutes to get to Ksamil by bus. Just let the bus driver know, that you would like to get off the bus in Ksamil.

The bus from Saranda to Ksamil & Butrint departs roughly every 30-60 minutes between 6:30 AM and 17:10 PM.

There are bus departures at 6:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:20 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:30PM, 13:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:30 PM, 16:30 PM and 17:10 PM.

By taxi, it takes roughly 10 minutes to travel from Saranda to Ksamil. And a one-way journey from Saranda to Ksamil by taxi costs approximately 10 euros.

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