How to get from Gjirokaster to Saranda? Bus, Taxi, Car, Prices

If you are wondering how to get from Gjirokaster to Saranda, this blog post is for you. I will describe how to get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by bus, by taxi or by car and compare prices.

How to get from Gjirokaster to Saranda? You can get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by bus, by taxi or by car. A bus ticket costs 4-5 euros per person. Buses depart from the bus terminal in Gjirokaster at 8 AM, 9 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:45 AM, 13:30 PM and 14:30 PM. A taxi costs 37-50 euros. A rental car costs at least 20-25 euros per day.

In this blog post, I will give you detailed travel information about getting from Gjirokaster to Saranda, including bus timetables, bus companies and ticket pricing. I will compare taxi rates from Gjirokaster to Saranda. Discuss driving routes, stopping at the Blue Eye spring and car rental rates. 

Getting from Gjirokaster to Saranda by bus, taxi or car

You can get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by bus, by taxi or by car. Below, I will give you a quick overview of the prices of bus tickets, bus timetables, taxi prices and car rental prices. I do have more detailed information if you scroll further down.

Gjirokaster to Saranda by bus (quick summary)

• A bus ticket from Gjirokaster to Saranda costs 400 – 500 Leke (4-5 euros) per person for a one-way journey.
• Buses from Gjirokaster to Saranda depart from the bus terminal in Gjirokaster called “Stacioni i Autobuseve Nderqytetas ne Gjirokaster”
• Axhensi Udhetaresh Gjirokaster operates a bus from Gjirokaster to Saranda at 9:30 AM, 10:45 AM, 13:30 PM and 14:30 PM. 
• Trans Butrinti operates a bus from Gjirokaster to Saranda at 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM and 13:30 PM.
• You can find more bus operators from Gjirokaster to Saranda on the website Gjirafa Autobus, however, timetables on this website are not always up-to-date and some bus operators cannot be reached by phone.

Gjirokaster to Saranda by taxi (quick summary)

• A taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda will cost you between 37 euros – 50 euros depending on which independent taxi driver you book for your journey. 
• Scroll down below for a price comparison of independent taxi drivers in Gjirokaster.
• Consider asking your taxi driver to make a 1-hour stop at the Blue Eye Spring for sightseeing as this famous spot is located between Gjirokaster and Saranda.

Gjirokaster to Saranda by car (quick summary)

• A rental car in Albania will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day for a basic rental car. 
• Many car rental companies are small independent companies. 
• Reach out to several car rentals via WhatsApp before you travel to get a good deal, this is especially important in high-season months, like July and August.
• You can drive from Gjirokaster to Saranda via the new road, which leads by Tepelene and Kardhiq Castle. This new route is the quickest.
• You can also drive from Gjirokaster to Saranda via the old road, which leads by Muzine. The advantage is that this old road passed by the beautiful Blue Eye Spring for sightseeing!

How to get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by bus?

You can get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by bus. A bus ticket from Gjirokaster to Saranda costs between 400 Leke – 500 Leke (4-5 euros) per person for a one-way ticket. 

To get on the bus from Gjirokaster to Saranda, you need to travel to the bus terminal in Gjirokaster. The name of the bus terminal in Gjirokaster is:

Stacioni i Autobuseve Nderqytetas ne Gjirokaster, Autostrada Sarande-Tepelene, Gjirokastër

You can see the location of the bus terminal in Gjirokaster on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/gQyB6o4Ka3AoWRye7 

In Albania, you will always get the most reliable bus information by simply going to the bus terminal in Gjirokaster in the morning and asking around. Albania is an old-fashioned country where a lot of bus drivers do not have a website. 

That being said, I was able to check bus timetables from Gjirokaster with two operators. 

• Axhensi Udhetaresh Gjirokaster operates a bus from Gjirokaster to Saranda at 9:30 AM, 10:45 AM, 13:30 PM and 14:30 PM. A bus ticket costs 500 Leke (5 euros) per person. You can reach out to Axhensi Udhetaresh Gjirokaster by phone on +355 69 638 8669. 
• Trans Butrinti operates a bus from Gjirokaster to Saranda at 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM and 13:30 PM. The price for a bus ticket from Gjirokaster to Sarnada is 400 Leke (4 euros) per person. You can reach out to Trans Butrinti on this phone number +355 69 587 3466. 

You can also check the Albanian bus timetables online on the website of Gjirafa Autobus. This is the link to the website: https://travel.gjirafa.com/ 

However, the bus timetables on Gjirafa Autobus are not always up-to-date. So I do suggest, you treat this information as a rough indication of bus routes available. Some of the bus operators mentioned on Gjirafa Autobus, cannot be reached via phone or do not have a website where you can find their contact information. So as I mentioned above, the best and most reliable travel information is always gotten, by going to the bus terminal in Gjirokaster in the early morning.

Also, I do recommend you bring cash money with you to the bus terminal. Euros cash or Albanian Leke cash will be accepted by the bus drivers. Many buses are not equipped with a card machine, so paying for your bus ticket by credit card or debit card, may not be possible. 

Gjirokaster to Saranda taxi

A taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda will cost you between 37 euros – 50 euros depending on which independent taxi driver you book for your journey. 

To give you a good indication of what a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda costs, I have requested the prices of some independent taxi drivers in Gjirokaster. Here is an overview of what you can expect to pay for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.

• Taxi Krenari Gjirokaster charges 45 euros for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.
• Taxi & Minibus Gjirokaster charges 4000 Leke (37 euros) for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.
• Taxi Imer Babaramo Gjirokaster charges 50 euros for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.
• Taxi Gjirokaster Elmas charges 5000 Leke (47 euros) for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.
• Taxi Service Dashamir Seferi charges 4000 Leke (37 euros) for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.
• Taxi Alket Gjirokaster charges 5000 Leke (47 euros) for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.
• Taxi Service Aurel Gjirokaster charges 4500 Leke or 40 euros for a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda.

Insider Tip! The Blue Eye Spring is a sightseeing spot located between Gjirokaster and Saranda. So if you are booking a taxi from Gjirokaster to Saranda, you may want to make a stop at the Blue Eye Spring. 

You could request for your taxi driver to make a 1 hour stop at the Blue Eye spring so that you can visit this famous sightseeing spot on your way to Saranda! It is important that you make this decision beforehand. Because your taxi driver needs to drive the old road from Gjirokaster to Saranda since the Blue Eye spring is located alongside the old road. The newer road is quicker, but you won’t be able to see the Blue Eye spring.

How to get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by car?

You can drive from Gjirokaster to Saranda via different routes. There is a new road which leads from Gjirokaster via Tepelene and Kardhiq Castle to Saranda. Of course, this is the most comfortable driving route and the quickest. 

However, you can also choose to drive via the old road from Gjirokaster via Muzine to Saranda. The old road leads by the famous Blue Eye Spring, so you could make a 1-2 hour stop at the Blue Eye Spring on your way to Saranda. 

The Blue Eye or Syri i Kalter is a freshwater spring with a magical beauty. The spring resembles a human eye with turquoise blue water and a dark black pupil in the middle. This spring is a karst spring which means it pumps water to the surface from a cave deep underneath the surface level. It is a truly unique place to visit and certainly worth adding to your itinerary!

Depart Gjirokaster in the early morning and aim to be at the Blue Eye spring around 9 AM, as this popular spot gets busy in the summer months with locals and tourists.

A rental car in Albania will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day for a basic rental car. Many car rental companies are small independent companies. I highly recommend you reach out to several car rental companies by WhatsApp before you travel to get a good deal. This is especially important in July and August, as the high season tends to increase car rental prices. 

IMPORTANT! If you have any doubts about driving in Albania, I recommend you travel by taxi, tour or bus instead. The Albanian drivers do have a chaotic and aggressive driving style. Although there are rules on the road, many Albanian drivers do not follow those rules. You are the only one who can judge your driving ability, but be careful.

Can I get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by train?

You cannot get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by train, as there is no railway track on this route. 

The Albanian railway network was constructed during the communist regime from the end of the Second World War until 1992. The railway tracks linked Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Pogradec, Vlore and Shkoder. So there were no railway tracks further south than Vlore. 

However, many of the old railway tracks are not currently in operation. Due to a lack of interest and a lack of investment, many of the old railway tracks are visible in the landscape, but no trains run on these tracks. As little as 2-3 trains are in operation in the whole country per week, usually between Durres and Elbasan.

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

It takes between 45 minutes to 1 hour to get from Gjirokaster to Saranda by taxi or by car. However, if you are travelling with the Furgon minibus your journey may take 1 hour to 1.5 hours, because minibuses tend to make stops along the route to let extra passengers on or drop passengers off. 

How to get from Saranda to Gjirokaster by bus?

You can get from Saranda to Gjirokaster by bus. A bus ticket from Saranda to Gjirokaster costs 400 Leke (3.50 euros) per person for a one-way ticket. 

The bus timetable from Saranda to Gjirokaster is as follows. There are different bus operators on this route, so I will give you the bus timetables by bus operator. 

Butrinti Travel & Tours has a bus from Saranda to Gjirokaster that departs at 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM and 13:00 PM. Argjiro Shpk has a bus from Saranda to Gjirokaster at 11:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 14:00 PM and 17:00 PM. Best Travel Gjirokaster has a bus departure from Saranda to Gjirokaster at 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 13:00 PM and 17:00 PM. And Trans Dea has a bus from Saranda to Gjirokaster at 8:00 AM, 10:15 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 13:00 PM and 15:00 PM. 

The bus from Saranda to Gjirokaster departs from the street in between Friendship Park and the archaeological ruins of the Synagogue – Basilica in Saranda. Alongside this street, there are several different bus agencies and bus drivers, so you will need to approach different offices and individual drivers.

You can see the location of the Saranda bus station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/baKcb7hbrWJGBvJU7 

You can always check the Albanian bus timetables on the website of Gjirafa Autobus. However, bus timetables on this website are not always up-to-date, so treat it as a rough indication. You will get the most reliable information, by simply going to the street in between Friendship Park and the archaeological ruins of the Synagogue – Basilica in Saranda in the early morning and asking around in person.

How much does a taxi from Saranda to Gjirokaster cost?

A taxi from Saranda to Gjirokaster costs between 35-44 euros for a one-way drive. To give you a good indication of the price for a taxi from Saranda to Gjirokaster, I requested rates from several taxi drivers in Saranda. 

• Saranda Taxi charges 40 euros for a ride from Saranda to Gjirokaster. 
• Taxi Blerim charges 4500 Leke (40 euros) for a ride from Saranda to Gjirokaster.
• Taxi in Saranda charges 4000 Leke (35 euros) for a ride from Saranda to Gjirokaster.
• Taxi Saranda Transfers, Private Tours and Shore excursions charge 5000 Leke (44 euros) for a ride from Saranda to Gjirokaster.

Sightseeing in Gjirokaster vs Saranda

Although Gjirokaster and Saranda are located close together, the character of these cities is very different. Gjirokaster is a UNESCO city with a historical city centre and many old houses and buildings. Whereas Saranda is a large coastal city with a focus on beach tourism, hotels and apartments. 

In Gjirokaster, you can visit historical sightseeing locations like the Gjirokaster Castle, the Old Bazaar Market, Skenduli House, Zekate House, the Cold War Tunnel and the Museum of Weapons. Gjirokaster is also known as a museum city because walking through Gjirokaster is like walking through a real-life museum. 

Gjirokaster is a UNESCO city together with Berat city because it shows you old houses and buildings in the character typical for the Ottoman period. You get to see what it was like when Albania just like most of the Balkans was ruled by the Ottoman Empire.

Saranda is mostly focused on beach tourism. The city has a promenade alongside the sea and the harbour with many restaurants, clubs, coffee houses, hotels and apartments. In Saranda, I highly recommend you visit Lekuresi Castle. Lekuresi Castle is located on the mountaintop and gives you wonderful views of the city below and the Ionian Sea in the distance.

Related Questions

How to get from Saranda to Ksamil by bus? You can get from Saranda to Ksamil by bus. A bus ticket from Saranda to Ksamil costs 150 Leke (1.30 euros) per person. The buses from Saranda to Ksamil depart between 6:30 AM and 18:30 PM at the bus terminal near the Port of Saranda. 

How to get from Gjirokaster to Himare by bus? There is no direct bus from Gjirokaster to Himare, so you will need to switch buses. For instance, you can take a bus from Gjirokaster to Saranda in the early morning (8 AM, 9 AM or 9:30 AM). Then in Saranda, you switch onto a bus to Himare.

How to get from Gjirokaster to Tirana by bus? You can get from Gjirokaster to Tirana by bus. A bus ticket costs 12 euros per person. Buses depart from Gjirokaster at 5 AM, 7 AM, 8 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 13:15 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:30 PM and 17 PM. Buses depart from the Gjirokaster bus terminal. 

 

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