How to get from Saranda to Himare? Bus, Taxi, Car, Rental, Train, Boat, Prices, Timetables

If you are planning a trip from Saranda to Himare along the Albanian Riviera, this blog post is for you. I will describe how you can get from Saranda to Himare by bus, by taxi or by car.

Saranda to Himare – Take a bus, taxi or car to get from Saranda to Himare. No train or ferry available. Bus ticket 600 LEK (6 EUR), buses at 6 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 13 PM and 18 PM, from city centre Saranda. A taxi costs 50-70 EUR. A rental car at least 20-25 EUR a day, more in July/Aug. Duration: 1.5-2 hours.

In this blog post, I will give you all the information you need to confidently plan a journey from Saranda to Himare. I will discuss bus timetables, bus station information, bus agencies, paying for your bus ticket, bus ticket pricing and more. I will also describe what you can expect to pay for a car rental or taxi from Saranda to Himare. And include journey times, sightseeing tips and related questions. So let’s get started.

How do I go from Saranda to Himare?

You can get from Saranda to Himare by bus, by taxi or by car. There are no trains or ferries between Saranda and Himare. Let me give you a quick overview of the best ways to get from Saranda to Himare. You will find more detailed information below.

Saranda to Himare bus

• Buses from Saranda to Himare depart at 6:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 13:00 PM and 18:00 PM. 
• A bus ticket will cost you  around 600 LEK (approximately 6 EUR) per person.
• Buses depart from the city centre of Saranda near Friendship Park and the archaeological ruins of the Synagogue-Basilica.
• Buses are operated by Olgeno Travel & Tours, Trans Dea and Trans Butrinti. 
• You can find more detailed bus timetables and bus information below.

Saranda to Himare taxi

• A taxi from Saranda to Himare will cost around 50-70 EUR.
• You can find phone numbers of individual taxi drivers on Google Maps and send a message via WhatsApp.
• Or ask your hotel receptionist to book you a taxi. 
• International booking websites like Booking COM charge a 20-30% commission on top of local taxi prices.
• UBER Taxi does not exist in Albania. Local taxi apps do charge regular taxi pricing, not discounted rates.

Saranda to Himare by car

• A rental car in Saranda will cost you at least 20-30 EUR a day. 
• Rental car prices are higher in July and August due to the tourist high season.
• I recommend you reach out to several local car rental companies via WhatsApp before travelling, to avoid being surprised by high car rental rates.
• Driving in Albania can be daunting and challenging as a foreigner due to the chaotic and sometimes aggressive style of driving in Albania. 
• The coastline route from Saranda to Himare offers beautiful views. 
• The road can only be driven slowly as it turns, twists and climbs up along the coastline.

Saranda to Himare by train

• There are no trains between Saranda and Himare. 
• There are no railways between Saranda and Himare.
• Saranda does not have a train station or any railway connection. So the only public transport available is the bus.
• In the communist period (before 1992), there used to be trains between Vlore, Elbasan, Durres, Tirana, Pogradec and Shkoder. However, the old communist railway network is mostly out of order at the moment. With only a handful of trains operating from Durres at the moment.
• A new railway is under construction between Tirana, Tirana Airport and Durres, which is expected to open in 2026.

Saranda to Himare by ferry

• There is no ferry between Saranda and Himare. 
• Saranda has a port and offers international ferries to locations like the Greek Corfu island. 
• Vlore has a port and offers international ferries to locations like Brindisi in Italy.
• However, there are no ferries that depart from Saranda to Himare or any other destination in Albania. Ferries starting from Albania have international destinations.

How to get from Saranda to Himare by bus?

To get on a bus from Saranda to Himare, you must go to the city centre of Saranda. Buses depart in the city centre of Saranda near Friendship Park and the archaeological remains of the Basilica-Synagogue. 

There is no big bus terminal in the city centre of Saranda. Actually, buses to other cities in Albania simply depart alongside the street. You can find the bus agencies of Trans Butrinti and Trans Dea. These bus agencies display bus timetables in the window. 

Buses from Saranda to Himare are operated by Olgeno Travel & Tours, Trans Butrinti and Trans Dea. Let me give you an overview of their bus timetables from Saranda to Himare. 

Saranda to Himare bus timetable

• 6:00 AM – Bus from Saranda via Himare to Tirana operated by Olgeno Travel and Tours
• 10:30 AM – Bus from Saranda to Himare operated by Trans Dea
• 11:30 AM – Bus from Saranda to Himare operated by Trans Butrinti
• 13:00 PM – Bus from Saranda to Himare operated by Trans Dea
• 18:00 PM – Bus from Saranda via Himare to Tirana operated by Olgeno Travel and Tours.

Saranda to Himare bus ticket price

A bus ticket from Saranda to Himare might cost you around 600 LEK (approximately 6 EUR) per person. You are expected to pay cash with the bus driver. Booking bus tickets online and paying online is often not possible within Albania. Therefore, I recommend you go to the bus terminal early and bring some cash with you, perhaps a combination of Euros cash and a small amount of Albanian Leke.

The bus journey from Saranda to Himare may take around 1.5 – 2 hours depending on traffic. 

Saranda to Himare bus station

Buses from Saranda to Himare (and to other cities in Albania) depart from the “Saranda Bus Station”, you can see the location on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/R8D6QtDKDLsKzEWA7 

Basically, there is no large bus station or bus terminal. Instead buses to other cities in Albania stop alongside the road. You can walk or take a taxi to Friendship Park and the archaeological remains of the Basilica-Synagogue in the city centre of Saranda. Buses depart alongside “Rruga Flamurit” (meaning Flag Road). There are bus agencies of Trans Dea and Trans Butrinti.

In Himare, buses stop alongside the main coastline road to drop off passengers. You can see the location of the bus stop in Himare on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/tEZer9LjxGMcnEZJ8 

How much is a taxi from Saranda to Himare?

A taxi from Saranda to Himare will cost around 50-70 EUR. Of course, individual taxi drivers in Saranda set their own rates. 

• Saranda to Himare taxi cost – around 50-70 euros

You can request prices quickly via WhatsApp. On Google Maps, you can search for taxi driver Saranda and you will find phone numbers of individual drivers. Then send each driver a message via WhatsApp and compare the rates.

Another good option is asking your hotel receptionist to book a taxi for you. 

International booking websites like Booking COM may advertise taxi services, but these websites end up charging a 20-30% commission on top of the local rates, so it is usually more expensive. 

UBER Taxi does not exist in Albania. Although there are some local taxi apps, these apps do offer regular taxi prices, not discounted rates.

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

A rental car in Saranda will cost you at least 20-30 EUR a day. However, rental car prices are much higher in July and August due to the tourist season. 

To give you a good insight into what you can expect to pay for a rental car in Saranda, I have reached out to several independent car rental companies in Saranda. Below you can see the price comparison for rental cars in Saranda. 

• Leka Tours & Rent a Car Sarande charges 20 euros per day for a Citroen C1 or 25 euros per day for a Suzuki Swift.
• Saranda Holiday Rent a Car charges 200 euros per week, so approximately 28.50 euros per day, for a Fiat Panda or a Toyota Yaris.
• Moto Adventure Cars and Motorcycles Rental charges 140 euros per week, so 20 euros per day, for a Toyota Yaris.
• Centrum Rent a Car Saranda charges 25 euros per day for a Suzuki Swift, Chevrolet Spark or Volkswagen Polo. 
• Brilant Car Rental Sarande charges 20 euros per day for a Toyota Yaris.
• Saranda Center Scooter and Car Rental charges 200 euros per week, so approximately 28.50 euros per day, for a Toyota Yaris 1.4 Diesel.
• Iri’s Car Rental charges 20 euros per day for a Nisan Note.

Renting a car in Albania usually only makes sense if you are planning to go on a round trip and you are able to return the rental car to the same city. Let’s say if you are flying to Corfu island, taking a ferry to Saranda and going on a round trip by rental car starting from and ending in Saranda. Dropping off a rental car in a different city like Tirana, you are often charged a high fee for dropping off the rental car in a different city. 

If you are travelling to Saranda in the summer months, you can definitely expect to pay a high price for a rental car. Therefore, I recommend you reach out to several local car rental companies via WhatsApp before travelling. You can find phone numbers of local car rental companies on Google Maps. There are several car rental agencies near the Port of Saranda.

Driving in Albania can be daunting for a foreigner. Unfortunately, Albanian drivers do have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive style of driving. Of course, you are the only person, who can judge your driving abilities. But if you have any doubts about driving yourself, I recommend you plan your transportation by bus or by taxi instead.

The road from Saranda to Himare is a beautiful route alongside the coastline. The road turns and twists alongside the mountains that lead into the sea. You will see little villages and beautiful beaches alongside your journey. So take your time to take pictures and relax throughout your drive.

Can I get from Saranda to Himare by train?

You cannot get from Saranda to Himare by train. Because there is no train station in Saranda. There is no train station in Himare. And there are no railways between Saranda and Himare.

In the communist period, there were trains between Vlore, Durres, Elbasan, Pogradec, Tirana and Shkoder. So these old trains operated in the North and centre of Albania. However, at the moment, most of these old railways are not operational, due to a lack of maintenance and investment. 

The only operational trains are 4 x trains a week between Durres Beach and Peqin. You can check operational trains on the website of HSH Hekurudha Shqiptare (Albanian Railways) here: https://hekurudha.al/ 

A new railway is currently under construction between Tirana, Tirana Airport and Durres, this railway is expected to open in 2026. As of right now, the main public transport in Albania is the minibus.

Can I get from Saranda to Himare by boat?

There are no ferry boats from Saranda to Himare. Saranda does have the Port of Saranda. However, from the Port of Saranda, you can only take ferries to international destinations, like the Greek Corfu island and Greece mainland. 

There are no ferry boats that go from one Albanian Port along the coastline to another Albanian Port.

Of course, you can go on a little boat trip for sightseeing in Albania. In Ksamil, there are mussel boat tours that show you mussel fishing and will serve you a meal of local mussels afterwards. In Himare, there are little boats going to the remote Gjipe Beach. And in Dhermi and Vlore there are boats to the Karabarun Peninsula to visit remote beaches and caves.

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

The journey from Saranda to Himare may take around 1.5 – 2 hours depending on traffic. If you plan on driving from Saranda to Himare, I recommend you plan extra time to make stops en route at places like the Castle of Ali Pasha in the Bay of Porto Palermo. The coastline route is a beautiful driving route and taking time for pictures and sightseeing is worth it!

How far is Saranda from Himare?

Saranda is about 52 kilometers from Himare. The journey may take you 1.5 – 2 hours. The coastline road cannot be driven fast, because it turns and twists along the beaches. And it is a climbing road that leads up towards the Llogara Pass (just to the South of Vlore). So this route must be driven slowly for safety reasons.

Is Saranda or Himare better?

Saranda is a large coastal city with a promenade along the coastline. Himare is a smaller beach village with several nice beaches surrounding the village. 

Basically, it depends on whether you prefer staying in a large city with all the facilities like fancy restaurants, shops, cafes, large resorts with swimming pools and many apartments and hotels. In that case, Saranda is a great option.

Or you may prefer a smaller setting and more of a beach village. In that case, you may really enjoy Himare, the surrounding beaches and smaller villages nearby.

Is Himare worth a visit?

Himare is worth a visit if you are looking to stay near the beach for a couple of days and you want to relax on a sunchair, go to restaurants and go for a swim. In that case Himare is a great choice. 

That being said, sightseeing in old cities like Berat, Gjirokaster, Kruje or Shkoder is not so close to Himare. So if you want to do that as well, you may need to move to a different hotel in or closer to a historical city.

How do you get to Himare?

You can take a bus, taxi or car from Tirana, Vlore or Saranda to Himare. Let me give you a short overview of buses from Tirana, Vlore and Saranda to Himare.

Tirana airport to Himare by bus

If you are flying to Tirana airport and you would like to go to Himare, you cannot take a direct bus, so you will have to transfer buses. It is easiest to take a bus from Tirana airport to the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania and then once you are at the bus terminal, you can transfer onto a bus to Himare.

The shuttle bus from Tirana airport to the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania departs at 6:30 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:30 PM, 16:30 PM, 17:30 PM, 18:30 PM, 19:30 PM, 20:30 PM, 21:30 PM and 22:30 PM. A bus ticket costs 300 LEK (around 3 EUR) per person. 

From the Tirana Bus Terminal, you can take a bus to Himare at 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 15:30 PM and 18:00 PM. A bus ticket costs 1300 LEK (around 13 EUR) per person. The bus journey may take around 5 hours depending on traffic. 

Tirana to Himare by bus

If you are staying in a hotel in Tirana’s city centre, you can take a city bus to get to the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania and then get on the intercity bus to Himare. 

From your hotel, walk to the central Skanderbeg Square, located the National History Museum and walk to the back of the building to “Rruga Ded Gjo Luli” (Ded Gjo Luli Street). Locate the bus stop and get on a bus to “Instituti”, these buses stop at the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania. 

Once you are at the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania, you can get on a bus to Himare departing at 7:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 15:30 PM and 18:00 PM. A bus ticket costs 1300 LEK (around 13 EUR) per person. The bus journey may take around 5 hours depending on traffic. 

Vlore to Himare by bus

Vlore is a big coastal city to the North of Himare. In Vlore, you must go to “Bus Terminal Vlora” in Rruga Demokracia (Democracy Street). You can see the location of the bus terminal on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/X8tVFajnb3FmsG859 

From the Bus Terminal Vlore, you can take a bus to Himare. Buses depart at 6:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM and 14:30 PM. A bus ticket from Vlore to Himare costs 500 LEK (5 EUR) per person.

Saranda to Himare by bus

Saranda is a big coastal city in the South of Albania. From Saranda, you can take a bus to Himare at 6:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 13:00 PM and 18:00 PM. A bus ticket will cost you  around 600 LEK (approximately 6 EUR) per person. 

Buses depart from the city centre of Saranda near Friendship Park and the archaeological ruins of the Synagogue-Basilica. Buses are operated by Olgeno Travel & Tours, Trans Dea and Trans Butrinti. 

How many days do you need in Himare?

You could visit Himare for 1-2 days or longer if you enjoy spending more time on the beach. The main reason for visiting Himare is laying on the beach on a sun chair, relaxing, going for a swim and having a nice meal at a seaside restaurant. So think to yourself, for how many days you enjoy relaxing on the beach, before you start needing a bit of adventure.

Himare is a small village at the coastline and it is a beach destination. If you book a hotel in Himare, you can spend several days at beaches nearby. 

There are several beaches around Himare that you could visit like Gjipe Beach (remote and beautiful), Livadhi Beach, Potami Beach and Llamani Beach. 

For sightseeing, you can visit the Castle of Ali Pasha in the Bay of Porto Palermo, which is located on a little peninsula in the middle of the “natural harbour” and it offers beautiful rooftop views.

What is the best time to visit Himare?

The best time to visit Himare is in May, June, July, August or September. July and August are the tourist high season, so you can expect Himare and the Albanian Riviera to be busier. May, June and September are the months just before and after the high season, so it will be less crowded along the Albanian Riviera.

In months like April, October or the winter months, you can enjoy beautiful views along the Albanian Riviera. However, it is too cold for swimming.

Related Questions

How to get from Himare to Vlore? You can get from Himare to Vlore by bus, by taxi or by car. Buses from Himare to Vlore depart at 5:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 15:00 PM, 18:00 PM and 19:00 PM. Buses are operated by Riviera Tours and Olgeno Travel & Tours. A bus ticket costs 1300 LEK (13 EUR) per person. These buses drive from Himare via Vlore to Tirana, so ask the bus driver to drop you off in Vlore.

How to get from Himare to Dhermi by bus? You can take a bus from Himare to Tirana and ask the bus driver to drop you off at Dhermi en route. Buses depart from Himare at 5:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 15:00 PM, 18:00 PM and 19:00 PM. Buses are operated by Riviera Tours and Olgeno Travel & Tours. A bus ticket costs 1300 LEK (13 EUR) per person. 

How to get from Himare to Saranda? There is no official bus timetable for buses from Himare to Saranda. It is common practice to wait along the coastline road in Himare and stop a bus that drives from Tirana/Vlore via Himare to Saranda en route. You can have a look at the website of Olgeno Travel and Tours, that operator drives via the coastline to Saranda and stops in Himare.

How to get from Himare to Tirana by bus? You can take a bus from Himare to Tirana operated by Riviera Tours or Olgeno Travel & Tours. Buses from Himare to Tirana depart at 5:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 15:00 PM, 18:00 PM and 19:00 PM. A bus ticket costs 1300 LEK (13 EUR) per person.  Tip: Riviera Tours has a little office in Himare, so that makes it an easier bus to get on.

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