How to get from Berat to Gjirokaster? Bus, Taxi, Prices, Driving

If you are looking for the best way to get from Berat to Gjirokaster, I will outline your options in this blog post. I will outline bus timetables, bus ticket prices, compare taxi rates and discuss car rental rates to get from Berat to Gjirokaster.

How to get from Berat to Gjirokaster? You can get from Berat to Gjirokaster by bus, by taxi or by rental car. A bus ticket costs 1200 LEK (11.70 EUR). Buses depart at 8 AM and 14 PM from the Berat Bus Terminal. A taxi from Berat to Gjirokaster costs 100 EUR. A rental car in Albania costs at least 20-25 euros a day. 

In this blog post, I will outline how to get from Berat to Gjirokaster by bus, by taxi or by rental car. I will give you an overview of the bus timetables from Berat to Gjirokaster, describe the bus terminal and outline how to get to the bus terminal. I will also compare taxi rates from independent taxi drivers for a taxi from Berat to Gjirokaster. And I will discuss renting a car and driving in Albania. 

Getting from Berat to Gjirokaster

In this first paragraph, I will give you a quick summary of getting from Berat to Gjirokaster by bus, by taxi or by rental car. Scroll down for more details. 

Berat to Gjirokaster bus (summary)

• A bus ticket from Berat to Gjirokaster costs 1200 Leke (11.70 euros) per person.
• Buses depart from Berat to Gjirokaster at 8:00 AM and 14:00 PM.
• The bus departs from the Bus Terminal in Berat, which is a 20-minute journey from the city centre of Berat.
• Get to the bus terminal early to secure a seat onboard the bus.

Berat to Gjirokaster taxi (summary)

• A taxi from Berat to Gjirokaster costs 100 euros or 10.000 Leke. 
• You can reserve a taxi via WhatsApp. 
• Or you can go to Iljaz Vrioni Square (Sheshi Iljaz Vrioni) where there is a taxi stand.

Berat to Gjirokaster rental car (summary)

• Renting a car in Albania will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day.
• Reach out to several car rentals before you travel to compare rates.
• Car rentals tend to be priced higher in July and August, due to the high-season, so do your research before you travel.

How to get from Berat to Gjirokaster by bus?

You can get from Berat to Gjirokaster by bus. A bus ticket from Berat to Gjirokaster costs 1200 Leke (11.70 euros) per person. The bus departs at 8:00 AM and 14:00 PM. From the Bus Terminal in Berat. 

Berat to Gjirokaster bus timetable

The bus from Berat to Gjirokaster departs at 8:00 AM and at 14:00 PM. The bus departs from the Berat Bus Terminal, more information can be found below.

It is best to get to the bus station early, as the bus from Berat to Gjirokaster can fill up quickly. You may want to arrive as early as 30 minutes before the bus departs to secure a seat on the bus.

You may be looking for a way to book a bus ticket from Berat to Gjirokaster online. However, you cannot book your bus ticket online. In Albania, you can only travel to the bus terminal in person and pay for your bus ticket in cash to the driver of the bus. That is why it is important to get to the bus terminal early.

Berat bus station

The bus from Berat to Gjirokaster departs from the Bus Terminal in Berat. The bus terminal’s address is: 

Terminali i Autobusave Berat, Rruga Antipatrea, Berat, Albania 5001, Berat
You can see the location of the bus terminal in Berat on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/VpbBv1Qvo8onHsRFA 

The bus terminal in Berat is located next to the Gega Oil Petrol Station. 

Before you travel by bus to or from Berat, it is good to know that the bus terminal of Berat is approximately 8 kilometres from the city centre of Berat. So when you are staying in the city centre of Berat, you need to take a city bus or a taxi to get to the bus terminal. It is a 20-minute journey either by city bus or taxi to get to the bus terminal.

A bus from the city centre of Berat to the bus terminal costs 30 Leke (0.30 euros). And a taxi from the city centre of Berat to the bus terminal costs 10 euros. 

The bus terminal of Berat has good facilities. There are public toilets and a few cafes. There is also Free Wifi available at the Berat bus terminal.

Gjirokaster bus station

The bus from Berat to Gjirokaster will drop you off at the Gjirokaster Bus Terminal. The Bus Terminal in Gjirokaster is located alongside the SH4 highway. 

The name of the Gjirokaster bus terminal is: Stacioni i Autobusave Gjirokastër. You can see the location of the bus terminal in Gjirokaster on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/1mu13BZTCj5aDk9TA

The bus station in Gjirokaster is located at the bottom of the hill. Basically, Gjirokaster is a very hilly town. The old town centre is just below the Castle of Gjirokaster. So bear in mind that it is best to take a taxi from the bus terminal to the city centre so that you can get to your sightseeing spots or your hotel on foot once you are in the city centre.

How to get from Berat to Gjirokaster by taxi?

A taxi from Berat to Gjirokaster costs 10.000 Leke or 100 euros. To give you a good insight into the taxi rates from Berat to Gjirokaster, I contacted several drivers. Below you will find a comparison of the taxi prices from Berat to Gjirokaster.

• Taxi Berat Mozi charges 10.000 Leke or 100 euros for a taxi from Berat to Gjirokaster.
• Taxi Afrim Berat charges 100 euros for a taxi from Berat to Gjirokaster.
• Taxi Driver Berat (Nikolla Buhuri) charges 110 euros for a taxi from Berat to Gjirokaster.

You can contact taxi drivers in Berat via WhatsApp, to request pick-up and prices. What you can also do is go to the taxi stand on Iljaz Vrioni Square (in the Albanian Language: Sheshi Iljaz Vrioni). This is a central square with parking and a taxi stand in the valley of Berat, close to the main boulevard. You can see the location of Iljaz Vrioni Square on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/wmh99VUSbLs7muVD8 

How to get from Berat to Gjirokaster by rental car?

You can also rent a car and drive from Berat to Gjirokaster independently. A rental car in Albania will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day. 

Below I do have a list of car rental companies and I will compare their car rental rates. It is important to note that these are the cheapest available cars at car rental agencies.

• 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.

It is very important to contact car rental companies before you travel. You can, for instance, find a list of car rental companies on the website of Tirana Airport. You can then proceed by contacting these car rental companies via email or WhatsApp. 

It is important to compare and request car rental prices before you travel. Walking in at a car rental agency may be a lot more expensive. Some travellers have contacted me and said they were charged 50-70 euros per day for a rental car. So do your research beforehand!

Comparing car rental rates and reserving before you travel is especially important if you are travelling in July or August. Of course, July and August are the tourist high season in Albania. So car rental companies tend to be fully booked or only have the most expensive car available. 

A note about driving in Albania – Driving in Albania can be daunting or challenging for a foreigner. Unfortunately, Albanian drivers have quite an aggressive and chaotic style of driving. Although there are rules on the road, you will definitely meet drivers on your journey, that do not follow these rules. 

So if you have any doubts about whether or not you should rent a car, I recommend you err on the side of caution and hire a driver/taxi instead or travel by bus.

Can I get from Berat to Gjirokaster by train?

You cannot get from Berat to Gjirokaster by train. There is no train station in Berat. There is no train station in Gjirokaster. And there is no train track between Berat and Gjirokaster. 

As you travel through Albania, you may see some of the old railway tracks in the landscape. However, many of these old railway tracks are currently not in use. 

Albania’s trains and railway system was constructed in the period that Albania was a communist country. Between the end of the Second World War and 1992, Albania was ruled by a communist regime. And Albania was isolated from the rest of the world, similar to North Korea’s isolation today. 

After the fall of communism in Albania in 1992, there has been little interest in the trains and little or no investment to maintain or expand the railway network. As a result, only 2-3 trains per week operate in the entire country. You may see a weekly train between Shkoder and Lac, or a twice-weekly train between Durres and Elbasan. 

Due to the limited connections and slow speed of the trains, Albanian people use Furgon minibuses to get around the country, not trains. 

How long does it take to get from Berat to Gjirokaster?

It does take approximately 3 hours to get from Berat to Gjirokaster by bus, by taxi or by car. If you decide to drive from Berat to Gjirokaster, it is best to drive via Fier and Tepelene. The road from Fier via Tepelene to Gjirokaster is a good quality national road. This will speed up your journey. 

Berat to Gjirokaster km

The distance from Berat to Gjirokaster is approximately 160 kilometres if you drive from Berat via Fier and Tepelene to Gjirokaster. 

Although Google Maps does advise this driving route will take 2.5 hours, I would say 3 hours is more realistic. You must consider that many roads in Albania are national roads, not always highways. Moreover, the Albanian landscape has many mountains, so driving slowly and safely and taking 3 hours is more realistic.

Should I visit Berat or Gjirokaster?

You should visit Berat if you are flying to Tirana OR you should visit Gjirokaster if you are taking the ferry to Corfu.

Albania really only has 1 x international airport, which is in Tirana. So if you are flying to Tirana, you can make a 1-2 day trip from Tirana to Berat easily. Berat is only a 2.5-hour drive from Tirana. 

Some countries offer better flights to Corfu Island. Corfu Island is a Greek island in front of the Albanian coastline. If you fly to Corfu island, you can take a ferry to Saranda in the South of Albania. And from Saranda, Gjirokaster is only a 1-hour drive. 

Berat and Gjirokaster are 1 x UNESCO site together. According to UNESCO, both Berat and Gjirokaster are examples of architecture typical of the Ottoman period. 

In my personal opinion, Berat is prettier. When you come back from a visit to Berat, you will have beautiful pictures taken from the bridge of the old neighbourhoods. Berat is cuter and more photogenic. The little white houses built on the slope of the hill, known as the “city of a thousand windows” look beautiful in person as well as in pictures.

However, Gjirokaster also has something beautiful to offer. The old bazaar market with souvenirs and traditional handicrafts is unique to Gjirokaster. The hilltop castle offers nice views over the old town. You will certainly enjoy a day in Gjirokaster too.

Things to do in Gjirokaster

These are the best things to do on your visit to Gjirokaster. I will start with the main sights like the Gjirokaster Castle and the Old Bazaar Market. Then I will go into some of the museums you can pick and choose from during your visit to Gjirokaster, like Skenduli House, Zekate House and the Cold War Tunnel. 

Gjirokaster Castle

The Gjirokaster Castle is a large fortress on the top of a hill in the city. The fortress has a spectacular view of the historical city and the traditional stone houses of Gjirokaster. It is one of the biggest hilltop castles in the Balkans and it dominates the city. The castle was originally built in the 12th century by the local Byzantine government. But it was renovated and additions were made during the Ottoman Empire and the government of King Zog. From 1930 onward, it was mainly used as a prison for people who were resistant to the government.

Old Bazaar of Gjirokaster

The Old Bazaar of Gjirokaster is the traditional marketplace in Gjirokaster. The bazaar was originally built in the Middle Ages. There are a variety of craftsmen shops, souvenir shops and coffee houses along the Bazaar. You can buy handmade wooden pieces, handwoven rugs and delicate lace items. The street of the Bazaar is made of cobblestones and it is set on a steep hillside. 

Skenduli House

Skenduli House is a highlight for visitors to Gjirokaster. It is an original family house, which is more than 300 years old. During your visit, you will get a unique insight into what life was like for a rich family during the Ottoman period. The house has 9 fireplaces, 6 bathrooms, 12 rooms, 44 doors, 64 windows and 4 Hamam Turkish baths. The house has been owned by the same family for generations. The family will show you around the house and tell you stories about its history. One of the highlights is the room used for wedding ceremonies, with beautiful stained glass windows, carved wooden ceilings and a fireplace decorated with pomegranates, which symbolize fertility. 

Zekate House

Zekate House is a historical townhouse in Gjirokaster city. It is a beautiful example of a traditional tower house. The house was built in 1812, and it is “one of the greatest examples of Gjirokaster architecture in the Ottoman style”. Impressive houses like Zekate House, used to only belong to the wealthy people, like government officials and merchants. Inside the house, you can see the original interior and imagine what it was like to live there during the Ottoman period. There are beautiful stained-glass windows, wooden ceilings and wall frescoes. 

Cold War Tunnel in Gjirokastra

The Cold War Tunnel is a gigantic bunker underneath the castle of Gjirokaster. It was built by the former communist dictator Enver Hoxha. The dictator was paranoid about a foreign invasion or a nuclear attack. In fact, he was so convinced an attack was imminent, he constructed 173.000 bunkers all over Albania. The Cold War Tunnel bunker was constructed in secret in the 1960s, and it remained a secret for the locals until the 1990s. The Cold War Tunnel is 800 m long and it has 59 rooms, therefore, it could hold up to 300 people if needed. The bunker is empty, but the use of the rooms has been displayed on the doors. There were rooms for government ministries, interrogators, party elites, power generation, water storage, sleeping, decontamination and air filtration. 

Museum of Weapons Gjirokastra

Inside the castle walls of Gjirokaster’s castle, you can visit the Museum of Weapons. The museum site was originally a prison. Albania former King Zog constructed the prison in 1932. During the second world war, the prison was used by the Italian and German forces. After the war, the communist regime used the prison to hold political prisoners. The Museum of Weapons displays arms used during the Albanian Independence struggle in 1912 and from the struggle against the Italian and German occupations from 1939 to 1944. 

Ethnographic Museum of Gjirokastra

The Ethnographic Museum gives you an insight into the traditional lifestyle of a wealthy family in Gjirokaster. The museum’s building is on the location, where the former dictator Enver Hoxha’s childhood home was. However, the original building was destroyed by a fire. Inside the museum, you can see a display of artefacts, household items, folk costumes, clothing and kitchenware from the past. 

Related Questions

Gjirokaster to Saranda bus – The bus from Gjirokaster to Saranda departs at 7:38 AM, 8:00 AM, 8:19 AM, 8:39 AM, 8:49 AM, 8:55 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:39 AM, 9:49 AM, 10:20 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:25 AM, 13:30 PM, 17:00 PM and 17:38 PM. A bus ticket from Gjirokaster to Saranda costs 300 Leke (2.85 euros). Buses depart from the bus terminal called: Stacioni i Autobuseve nderqytetas ne Gjirokaster.

Gjirokaster to Tirana bus – The bus from Gjirokaster to Tirana departs at 5:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 13:15 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:30 PM and 17:00 PM. A bus ticket from Gjirokaster to Tirana costs 12 euros per person. Buses depart from the bus terminal called: Stacioni i Autobuseve nderqytetas ne Gjirokaster.

Berat to Tirana bus – The bus from Berat to Tirana departs at 1:55 AM, 5:32 AM, 5:40 AM, 6:00 AM, 6:23 AM, 6:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:00 AM, 8:23 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 10:23 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:53 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:53 PM, 13:00 PM, 13:07 PM, 13:50 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:05 PM and 15:40 PM. A bus ticket from Berat to Tirana costs 500 Leke (4.75 euros) per person. The buses depart from the bus terminal called: Terminali i Autobusave Berat.

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