How much is a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda? Price comparison and alternatives

If you are wondering how much a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda would cost you, this blog post is for you. I will compare taxi prices from Tirana airport to Saranda below.

How much is a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda? A taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda costs between 150-193 euros. The official Tirana airport taxi service charges 193 euros. Ciao Taxi Tirana and Smart Taxi Tirana charge 150 euros. Speed Taxi Tirana and City Taxi Tirana charge 160 euros.

In this blog post, I will give you all the information you need to travel from Tirana airport to Saranda. I will compare the taxi prices of different companies and discuss how to book a taxi. I will also discuss alternatives, like travelling from Tirana airport to Saranda by bus or car rental. I will compare travelling from Tirana airport to Saranda with flying to Corfu airport and taking a ferry to Saranda.

Taxi prices from Tirana Airport to Saranda

A taxi from Tirana Airport to Saranda costs between 150-193 euros per taxi. Some taxi drivers offer a rate of 150 euros, but other taxi drivers are more expensive at 160 euros or even 193 euros.

Let’s compare the prices for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda. To give you a good insight into what you can expect to pay for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda, I have reached out to several taxi companies and independent taxi drivers in Tirana and requested their rates. 

Tirana airport taxi to Saranda pricing:

• Tirana Airport Taxi charges 193 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Ciao Taxi Tirana charges 150 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Tirana Taxi Company charges 150 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda 
• City Taxi Tirana charges 17.000 Leke (161 euros) for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Smart Taxi Tirana charges 16.000 (151 euros) Leke for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda.
• Speed Taxi Tirana charges 160 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda.

The official Tirana Airport Taxi Service is operated by Auto Holiday Albania. This official Tirana Airport Taxi service charges 193 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda.

The advantage is that these are licensed taxis that are parked right in front of the Airport Terminal building. And you know they are legit because these taxis display the Tirana Airport Logo on both sides of the taxi.

But of course, the Tirana airport taxi service does charge 193 euros, whereas other taxi drivers offer 150 euros for a journey from Tirana airport to Saranda. 

There is no Uber taxi service in Albania. So you cannot book a taxi via Uber. There are some alternative mobile apps. Speed Taxi has a mobile app to book taxis. Merr Taxi has the Taxi.al app. And there is the Ups Taxi App (which is really expensive sometimes, so careful!). 

Of course, you can also use WhatsApp to reach out for a price quotation to each of the above taxi companies. 

How do I get from Tirana airport to Sarande?

You can get from Tirana Airport to Saranda by direct taxi, by rental car or by a combination of taxi and bus. 

Option 1: Book a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda.

• Advantage: Direct connection + drop off at your hotel in Saranda
• Disadvantage: High price 150-193 euros per taxi

Option 2: Rent a car and drive from Tirana airport to Saranda

• Advantage: Convenient car rental offices at TIA airport 
• Price: At least 20-25 euros per day, can be much more in the summer months
• Disadvantage: Driving in Albania can be challenging as a foreigner due to the chaotic and aggressive style of driving in Albania

Option 3: Take a taxi to the bus terminal + bus from the bus terminal to Saranda

Since there is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Saranda, you must first take a taxi to the bus terminal and then you can take bus from the bus terminal to Saranda.

• Advantage: Affordable journey. A taxi from Tirana airport to the bus terminal costs 23-28 euros + bus ticket to Saranda costs 15.50 euros per person.
• Disadvantage: You must transfer from Tirana airport to the bus terminal and then wait for a connecting bus at the bus terminal. 

Tirana airport to Saranda bus

There is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Saranda. Tirana airport does offer direct bus services to Tirana, to Durres, to Fier and to Vlore. However, there is no direct bus that departs from Tirana airport to Saranda.

Direct buses from Tirana Airport

• Direct bus from Tirana Airport to Tirana
• Direct bus from Tirana Airport to Durres
• Direct bus from Tirana Airport to Fier
• Direct bus from Tirana Airport to Vlore

Although there is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Saranda, you can travel by bus from the bus terminal near Tirana city. So you must take 2 x steps. First, you take a taxi from Tirana airport to the bus terminal near Tirana city. Then, you take a bus from the bus terminal to Saranda.

• Step 1: Take a taxi from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania
• Step 2: Take a bus from the Regional Bus Terminal to Saranda 

Step 1: Take a taxi from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania

You can take a taxi from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. A taxi from Tirana airport to the bus terminal will cost you between 23-28 euros. 

The bus from Tirana to Saranda departs from the “Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania”. In the Albanian language: “Terminali i Autobusave të Veriut dhe Jugut”. You can see the location of the bus terminal on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wUByphoX7ZP5YD1m9 

This bus terminal is located in the outskirts of Tirana. So it is basically between Tirana airport and the city centre of Tirana alongside the highways connecting the two. 

When the taxi drops you off at the bus terminal, you can take a bus from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania to Saranda.

FAQ – Is there a bus from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania? Unfortunately, there is no bus from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. So your only option is hiring a taxi to get to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania.

Step 2: Take a bus from the Regional Bus Terminal to Saranda

Once you have taken a taxi from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania near Tirana. You can then take a bus from the bus terminal near Tirana to Saranda. 

How much is the bus from Tirana to Saranda?

A bus ticket from Tirana to Saranda costs 15.50 euros per person. In Albania, it is common practice to pay for your bus ticket in cash. So I always recommend you bring some euros in cash with you to the bus station. So that you can pay for your bus ticket in cash to the ticket office or with the driver of the bus.

Buying a bus ticket online and paying for your bus ticket online is not common practice in Albania. So it is best to prepare cash money. And arrive at the bus station early to ensure you get a seat on the bus.

Tirana to Saranda bus timetable

This is the bus timetable from Tirana to Saranda. The bus from Tirana to Saranda departs at 5:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:45 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 16:00 PM and 22:00 PM. 

The bus journey from Tirana to Saranda takes approximately 5 hours. Buses from Tirana to Saranda do drive via the inland road, not via the coastline. Because the inland road via Durres, Fier and Tepelene is a quicker and more direct route to Saranda. 

How much is a rental car from Tirana airport to Saranda?

A rental car at Tirana airport will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day. And you would need another 80 euros for petrol to drive from Tirana airport to Saranda. 

To give you some insight into what you can expect to pay for a rental car at Tirana airport, I will give you a price comparison below. I have reached out to many different car rental offices located at Tirana airport and requested their most affordable rental car.

Car rental prices at Tirana airport:

• Albania Airport Rent a Car charges 20 euros per day for a Skoda Fabia with manual gear from 2019.
• ARA Auto Rental Albania at Tirana airport charges 20 euros per day for a Fiat Punto from 2018. 
• Avis Rent a Car Tirana Airport charges 25 euros per day for an Opel Corsa manual gear from 2022.
• G Rentals Tirana airport charges 20 euros per day for an Opel Corsa from 2021. 
• Green Motion Tirana airport charges 20 euros per day for a Skoda Fabia.
• Hertz Tirana airport charges 22 euros per day for a Suzuki Ignis from 2019. 
• Eurocar Rentals Tirana charges 25 euros per day for a Kia Rio from 2021.
• Easy Rent Tirana charges 30 euros per day for a Fiat Panda.
• Eagle Rent Car Renting Albania charges 20 euros per day for a manual Volkswagen Up.

Bear in mind that these rates are the most affordable cars available. I always recommend you reach out to several car rental agencies before you travel. There is a helpful list of car rental offices located at Tirana Airport on the website of TIA Tirana Airport. You can reach car rental companies via email or WhatsApp.

Furthermore, car rental rates tend to be very high in July and August, as it is the high season. So definitely agree on the price and reserve a car before you travel in July and August.

And finally, a note on driving in Albania. Driving in Albania can be daunting and challenging as a foreigner. The Albanian drivers have a chaotic and often aggressive style of driving. There are rules on the road, but these are often not followed. So if you have any doubts about driving in Albania, I recommend you do not drive and hire a driver or take a bus instead. Safety comes first.

How far is Saranda from the airport?

Saranda is 5 hours by car, bus or taxi from Tirana Airport, it is 270 kilometres by road. You can also fly to Corfu Airport on Corfu Island and take a 20-minute taxi or bus to the Port of Corfu. Then from the Port of Corfu, you can get on the ferry to Saranda for 30 minutes. 

• Option 1: Fly to Tirana Airport + Bus/Taxi/Car to Saranda (5 hours)
• Option 2: Fly to Corfu Airport + Bus/Taxi to the Port of Corfu (20 min) + Ferry from Corfu to Saranda (30-65 min)

I have already described how you can get from Tirana airport to Saranda by bus, by taxi or by rental car above. 

The closest airport to Saranda Albania

The closest airport to Saranda in Albania is Corfu Airport. Corfu Airport is located on the Greek Corfu island. Although Corfu is a Greek island it is actually located in front of the Albanian coastline. 

• Step 1: Fly to Corfu Island
• Step 2: Take a bus or taxi from Corfu Airport to the Port of Corfu (20 min)
• Step 3: Take a ferry from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda (30-65 min)

When you arrive at Corfu Airport, you must take a taxi or bus from the airport to the Port of Corfu. From Corfu Airport, you can take bus line number 15, which connects Corfu Airport to the Port of Corfu. 

Then from the Port of Corfu, you can take a ferry to Saranda. You can book a ferry from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda with Ionian Seaways or Finikas Lines. 

There are two types of boats in operation: Hydrofoil boats and Ferry Boats. If you book the high-speed hydrofoil boat called “Flying Dolphin”, it takes 30 minutes to get from Corfu to Saranda. If you book the slower “passenger ship/car ferry”, it takes 65 minutes to get from Corfu to Saranda. 

Ferry tickets from Corfu to Saranda cost between 19-25 euros per person. If you are travelling in the high-season summer months, you will pay around 25 euros per person. And if you are travelling in the winter, you will only pay 19 euros per person. 

Can I get from Tirana to Saranda by train?

You cannot get from Tirana to Saranda by train. And you cannot get from Tirana airport to Saranda by train either. 

Tirana and Tirana Airport currently do not have a railway station. And Saranda does not have a railway station either. Simply said, there are no trains in operation from Tirana, from Tirana airport or from Saranda. 

Train travel within Albania is very limited. Currently, there are as little as 2-3 trains in operation in Albania per week in the entire country. Usually, there is a train between Elbasan and Durres, which operates 2 x times per week. There is a train between Shkoder and Lac which operates 1 x time per week. 

You can always check the latest railway timetable on the website of HSH Hekurudha Shqiptare -> https://hekurudha.al/ However, train travel in Albania is very limited and slow. Therefore, the Albanian people prefer travelling with the local minibuses.

You will certainly see some of the old railway network in the landscape whilst you travel through Albania. In the communist period, from the end of the Second World War until 1992, railways and trains were constructed in Albania for the first time. However, since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been little investment and little interest in the railways and trains. Therefore, many of the old railways connecting Vlore, Pogradec, Elbasan, Durres and Shkoder are currently not in use. 

Related Questions

How much is a taxi from Tirana to the airport? A taxi from Tirana to the airport costs between 23-28 euros per taxi. This is the taxi rate from the official Tirana Airport Taxi service. These are the licensed airport taxis with the Tirana Airport Logo displayed on both sides. 

Tirana Airport to Vlore – You can travel from Tirana airport to Vlore by taxi, by bus or by rental car. A taxi from Tirana airport to Vlore costs 103 euros per taxi. There is a direct bus from Tirana airport to Vlore which costs 1000 Leke (9.45 EUR) per person. The bus departs from Tirana airport to Vlore at 10:00, 11:30, 13:30, 14:30, 16:30 and 22:00. A rental car costs at least 20-25 euros per day. 

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