How to get from Tirana Airport to city center? 2023 Bus, Taxi, Rental Car, Prices

If you are flying to Tirana airport, you might be wondering how to get from Tirana airport to the city center. In this blog post, I will describe how to get from Tirana airport to the city center by bus, by taxi and by car rental, including all the prices.

How to get from Tirana airport to city center? You can get from Tirana airport to the city center by bus, by taxi or by rental car. The bus departs every hour between 7 AM and 2 AM. A bus ticket costs 400 LEK (3.50 EUR). A taxi from Tirana airport to the city center costs between 11-20 EUR. And a car rental costs at least 20-25 EUR per day.

In this blog post, I will give you all the information you need to plan your travel from Tirana airport to the city centre of Tirana. I will describe the bus timetables, ticket costs, and bus stations, compare taxi prices, compare car rental prices, discuss UBER and taxi apps, and discuss the time needed to travel from the airport to Tirana’s city center.

How to get from Tirana airport to the city center of Tirana?

In this blog post, I will answer all your questions about getting from Tirana airport to the city center of Tirana. 

• How to get from Tirana airport to the city centre by shuttle bus? 
• Tirana airport bus schedule
• How much is the bus from Tirana airport to Tirana?
• How long does it take by bus from Tirana airport to Tirana?
• Bus drop-off location in Tirana
• How much is a Taxi from Tirana airport to the city center?
• Tirana airport taxi service
• Is UBER available in Tirana?
• How much does it cost to rent a car at Tirana airport and drive to the city center?
• Tirana airport car rental
• How far is Tirana airport from the city center?
• How long does it take to get from Tirana airport to the city center?
• Can I get from Tirana airport to the city centre by train?
• Do I need cash in Tirana? Is there an ATM machine at Tirana airport?
• How to get from Tirana to the airport by bus?
• Where is the city centre of Tirana?
• Where is Tirana airport?
• Information about Tirana International Airport
• How to get from Tirana airport to Durres?

How to get from Tirana airport to the city centre by shuttle bus?

You can get from Tirana airport to the city centre by the airport shuttle bus. The shuttle bus departs from Tirana airport every hour between 7:00 AM and 02:00 AM. A ticket costs 400 Leke (3.50 euros). 

Tirana airport bus schedule

The bus timetable for the airport shuttle bus is as follows. The shuttle bus departs from the airport every hour between 7:00 AM and 2:00 AM. So there is a bus departure from the airport at 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 13:00 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:00 PM, 16:00 PM, 17:00 PM, 18:00 PM, 19:00 PM, 20:00 PM, 21:00 PM, 22:00 PM, 23:00 PM, 24:00 PM, 01:00 AM and 02:00 AM. 

How much is the bus from Tirana airport to Tirana?

The bus from Tirana airport to Tirana costs 400 Leke (3.50 euros) per person for a one-way journey. 

Tirana airport shuttle bus

The airport shuttle bus departs from the bus station at Tirana airport. You will see that Tirana airport is quite a small airport. When you arrive, you go through passport control, then luggage collection, then you walk into the Arrivals Hall. Take the exit to your immediate left. You will see the parking right in front of you. The airport shuttle bus is parked at the parking. 

How long does it take by bus from Tirana airport to Tirana?

The bus journey from Tirana airport to the city centre of Tirana takes around 30 minutes. Of course, it depends a bit on traffic on the highway and traffic in the city centre of Tirana. 

Luna airport bus Tirana

The Tirana airport shuttle bus is operated by Luna shpk. Sometimes the airport shuttle bus is called the “Rinas Express” because Tirana airport is actually in the little Rinas village. Just to avoid confusion, the Rinas Express or Airport Shuttle bus are the same thing.

Drop-off location in Tirana

The airport shuttle bus will drop you off close to Skanderbeg Square. On Skanderbeg Square, there is the Palace of Culture, this building is the home of the National Theater of Opera and Ballet. Basically, the bus station is at the back of this Palace of Culture. You can see the location of the bus station on a Google map here: https://goo.gl/maps/SK7n4AUTezDdjGiU9 

How much is a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center?

A taxi from Tirana airport to the city center costs between 11 euros – 20 euros. Below I have a quick overview of what the popular taxi companies in Tirana charge for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city centre of Tirana.

• Do Taxi Tirana charges 1500 Lek or 13 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center.
• Tirana airport taxi service by Auto Holiday Albania charges 20-25 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center. 
• Ups Taxi charges 17 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center. 
• City Taxi Tirana charges 1200 Lek or 11 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center.
• Smart Taxi charges 1200 Leke or 11 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center.
• Green Taxi charges 1200 Leke or 11 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center.
• Speed Taxi charges 1300 Leke or 12 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center.
• Merr Taxi charges 2000 Leke or 17 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to the city center.

Tirana airport taxi

Tirana airport has a licensed taxi service called Tirana airport taxi service by Auto Holiday Albania. These airport taxis are always parked right in front of the airport terminal building. And they have the airport logo on both sides of the yellow taxi. 

Of course, the advantage of taking this airport taxi service is convenience, you simply grab the taxi right outside the terminal building. However, I have found that their pricing is usually relatively high. A taxi from Tirana airport to the city center costs 20-25 euros. Whereas other taxi companies offer 11 euros for the same ride.

Is Uber available in Tirana? Is Uber working in Albania?

Uber is not available in Tirana, because Uber does not operate in Albania. Although there were some announcements online in the past, Uber has not (yet) come to Albania. So you will need to book a regular taxi service instead. 

If you do want to use a taxi app, you can download the Speed Taxi App, the Ups Taxi App or the Taxi.al App. These are taxi apps specifically for Albania. You can download the Speed Taxi App on this website: https://www.speedtaxi.al/ Or you can download the Ups Taxi App on this website: https://www.upstaxi.com/#/ Or you can download the Taxi.al app on this website: https://taxi.al/ 

That being said, you can also simply use WhatsApp or Viber to contact a taxi driver. Most Albanian taxi companies use either WhatsApp or Viber or both. So this is a quick way to get in touch, ask for prices and book a taxi. 

How much does it cost to rent a car at Tirana airport and drive to the city center?

It does cost at least 20-25 euros per day to rent a car at Tirana airport and you will need 15-20 euros for petrol to drive to the city centre of Tirana.

To give you a good insight into the prices for car rental companies in Albania, I did reach out to several car rental companies and compared their rates. I will say that I asked for the cheapest car they had available, so nothing luxurious on this list!

• 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.

IMPORTANT – If you are travelling to Albania in July or August, it is the absolute top of the high season. So you will most likely pay more for a rental car since the cheapest cars won’t be available anymore. And as a result, you will only be able to rent a more expensive rental car.

IMPORTANT – I highly recommend you reach out to several car rental companies in Albania before you travel. I have received messages from travellers who paid 50-70 euros per day for a rental car. There might be a better deal out there for you, but you must reach out to several car rental companies and compare their offers, to get a good deal.

IMPORTANT – Driving in Albania as a foreigner can be daunting and challenging. Albanian drivers have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive driving style. Of course, there are rules on the road, but Albanian drivers often do not follow these rules. That being said, you are the only one who can judge your driving experience and ability. But I will say that if you have any doubts about driving in Albania, I recommend you take a bus or taxi instead.

Tirana airport car rental

If you want to rent a car upon arrival at Tirana airport, there are car rental offices just outside the airport terminal building. After you pass the passport control and luggage collection, you walk into the arrivals hall. Take the exit to your left and walk toward the car parking. The car rental offices have little desks alongside the car parking area.

How far is Tirana airport from the city center?

Tirana Airport is 20 kilometres from the city centre of Tirana. It will take you approximately 30 minutes to drive from Tirana airport to the city centre by car, by bus or by taxi.

How long does it take to get from Tirana airport to the city center?

It takes approximately 30 minutes to get from Tirana airport to the city center by bus, by taxi or by car. Tirana airport is located alongside the highway between Tirana and Durres, so this allows for a quick transfer from the airport to either Tirana city or Durres city. 

That being said, the traffic near Tirana airport or the traffic in the city centre of Tirana can significantly slow your journey down. Even though you might be very close to your hotel, it can take another 10-15 minutes if you are stuck in traffic. 

Can I get from Tirana airport to the city centre by train?

You cannot get from Tirana airport to the city centre by train. Because there is no railway track between Tirana airport and the city centre. Moreover, Tirana airport does not have a train station. And although this might surprise you, but Tirana city does not have a train station either. The train station was broken down in 2013 and no new train station has been constructed and has been years (written in December 2022).

Train travel within Albania is very limited. There may be as few as 2-3 operational trains per week within the entire country. This is because the railway network was constructed in the communist period, from the end of the Second World War until 1992. Since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been little investment in the railway network. As a result, many old railways are currently visible in the landscape, but these railway tracks are not in use. 

Do I need cash in Tirana? Is there an ATM machine at Tirana airport?

You do need to carry some cash money in Albania. Of course, there are ATM machines at Tirana airport and in the city centre of Tirana. 

You will need to carry some cash money whilst you travel through Albania. Because most purchases in Albania are done with cash. Small places, like little coffee houses, souvenir shops, corner shops, fruit stalls, and bakeries, often do not accept card payments. So soon after you arrive in Albania, you will realize you are going to need some cash. 

Of course, you might be able to pay for your hotel by card. But many places, including hotels and taxi drivers, do prefer cash. And bus drivers for instance often only accept cash, as they won’t have a card machine.

At Tirana airport, you can use the ATM of Raiffeisen Bank, OTP bank, TiBank or  BKT to withdraw some money. Or you can take some cash euros, pounds, or US dollars with you and exchange them in the city centre of Tirana. Currency exchange is very popular in Albania and quite cheap. 

How to get from Tirana to the airport by bus?

You can get from Tirana to the airport by shuttle bus. The airport shuttle bus departs from the bus station behind the Palace of Culture. 

Basically, if you are standing on central Skanderbeg Square, you will see the gigantic Palace of Culture. The Palace of Culture is the home of the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet and the Library, which you will see indicated on the front of the building. Take the path between the Palace of Culture and the Et’hem Bey Mosque. You will walk through a small park, which leads to the bus station, where the airport shuttle bus departs.

You can see the location of the airport shuttle bus station in Tirana on a Google map here: https://goo.gl/maps/SK7n4AUTezDdjGiU9 

The airport shuttle bus costs 400 Leke (3.50 euros) per person for a one-way journey. 

The airport shuttle bus departs from Tirana every hour from 06:00- 24:00. So there is a bus departure at 6:00 AM, 7:00 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 13:00 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:00 PM, 16:00 PM, 17:00 PM, 18:00 PM, 19:00 PM, 20:00 PM, 21:00 PM, 22:00 PM, 23:00 PM and 24:00 PM. 

It takes approximately 30 minutes to get from the city centre of Tirana to Tirana airport by bus, depending on how heavy the traffic is in the city centre.

Where is the city centre of Tirana?

The city centre of Tirana is Skanderbeg Square. Skanderbeg Square is the central square surrounded by sightseeing highlights, such as the National History Museum, the Palace of Culture, the Et’hem Bey mosque, the Clock Tower, the National Bank and the Ministries of the government. 

Skanderbeg Square is connected to the main government boulevard, which is called “Bulevardi Deshmoret e Kombit”. 

If you are looking for a hotel in a central location, you can look at for instance the Rogner Hotel, the Tirana International Hotel, the Plaza Hotel, Sar’otel Boutique Hotel or Xheko Imperial. Of course, there are many central hotels. But those hotels will give you a good indication of which areas to search for a centrally located hotel.

Where is Tirana airport?

Tirana airport is located along the SH2 Highway between Durres and Tirana. The SH2 Highway connects Tirana’s city centre with the coastal town of Durres. So if you are flying to Tirana airport, it makes sense to book your first night’s accommodation in either Tirana or Durres. From Tirana airport, it takes approximately 30 minutes to get to either Tirana’s city centre or Durres’ city centre. 

About Tirana International Airport

Let me answer some of the frequently asked questions about Tirana airport including sim cards, currency exchange, withdrawing money and WIFI at the airport.

Can I buy a sim card at Tirana Airport?

You can buy a sim card from the Vodaphone Store in the Arrivals Hall of Tirana Airport. There is also another shop for Albtelecom and One Mobile Phone. However, from my personal experience, I would recommend Vodaphone as it has good coverage in Albania (except for remote mountain areas of course).

Can I exchange currency at Tirana airport?

You can exchange currency at Tirana airport. There is a currency exchange of BKT Banka Kombetare Tregtare, GSK Exchange and Iliria 98. That being said, currency exchange is usually cheaper at a small currency exchange office in the city center. Try the currency exchange in the TopTani Shopping Mall for instance. You will probably be able to pay for your taxi to the hotel in foreign currency, so you may not need to exchange currency straightaway.

Can I withdraw money at Tirana airport?

You can withdraw money from the Raiffeisen Bank ATM, BKT ATM, OTP Bank or TiBank ATMs at Tirana airport. It is also a good idea to bring some cash foreign currency with you since you can easily exchange euros, pounds or US Dollars everywhere in the city centers.

Is there WIFI at Tirana airport?

There is free WIFI Internet at Tirana airport, which all passengers and guests can use. There are also plugs to recharge your phone or laptop throughout the airport. 

Related Questions

How to get from Tirana airport to Durres? You can get from Tirana airport to Durres by bus, by taxi or by rental car. The bus from Tirana airport to Durres departs at 10 AM, 12 PM, 14 PM, 15:30 PM and 17 PM and costs 600 Leke (5.15 EUR). A taxi from Tirana airport to Durres costs 25-30 EUR. A rental car costs at least 20-25 EUR per day.

How to get from Tirana airport to Shkoder? You can get from Tirana airport to Shkoder by taxi (55-62 EUR) or by rental car (at least 20-25 EUR per day). There is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Shkoder, so you will need to take a taxi to the bus terminal (20 EUR) and then a bus to Shkoder.

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