How to get from Tirana to Golem? Bus, Taxi, Car, Timetable, Price

If you are looking for the best way to get from Tirana to Golem, this blog is for you. I will outline how you can get from Tirana to Golem by bus, by taxi or by car.

How to get from Tirana to Golem? You can get from Tirana to Golem by bus, by taxi or by car. Buses depart from the Tirana Bus Terminal via Golem to Kavaje between 7AM-5PM, a ticket costs 300 LEK (3 EUR). A taxi from Tirana to Golem is 40-48 EUR. A rental car is at least 20-25 EUR a day.

In this blog post, I will give you all the information you need before travelling from Tirana to Golem. I will include bus station information, bus timetables, bus ticket prices and how to book/pay for your bus ticket. Moreover, I will also compare taxi prices for a taxi from Tirana to Golem. And detail what to expect when renting a car in Albania. Let’s dive in.

How to get from Tirana to Golem by bus, by car or by taxi?

You can get from Tirana to Golem by bus, by car or by taxi. There are no trains on this route. Let me give you a quick overview of the best ways to get from Tirana to Golem. 

Tirana to Golem by bus (summary)

• Take a bus from Tirana via Golem to Kavaje and ask the bus driver to drop you off at Golem. 
• Buses depart from the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania, which is outside the city centre. So take a short taxi ride or short bus ride to get to the bus terminal.
• Buses from Tirana to Golem depart between 7 AM and 17:00 PM, every 1.5-2 hours. Detailed timetable below.
• A bus ticket from Tirana to Golem costs 300 LEK (3 EUR) per person. You must pay cash in person.

Tirana to Golem by taxi (summary)

• A taxi from Tirana to Golem will cost you between 40-48 euros. 
• Of course, taxi prices vary between taxi companies. 
• Below you can see a price comparison.

Tirana to Golem by car (summary)

• A basic rental car at Tirana airport will cost you at least 20-25 EUR a day.
• Of course, car rental rates are higher in July and August, due to the tourist season. 
• Tirana and Golem are well connected via the SH2 highway.
• It will take you approximately 60 minutes to drive from Tirana to Golem. But traffic can block the roads alongside the Durres coastline in the summer months and it will slow your journey down.
• Below you will find a price comparison of rental car prices at Tirana Airport. 

Is there a bus from Tirana to Golem?

There is a bus from Tirana to Golem. To get from Tirana to Golem, you must take a bus that drives from Tirana via Golem to Kavaje. And ask the bus driver to drop you off at Golem. Golem is near Kavaje, so this is common practice.

To get from Tirana to Golem, you must go to the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania. This bus terminal is located outside the city centre of Tirana. So if you are staying in a hotel near Skanderbeg Square, you must take a city bus or short taxi ride to get to the bus terminal. Taxis offer metered taxi prices within the city, not set rates. 

You can also take a city bus from the centre of Tirana to the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania. From Skanderbeg Square, walk to the backside of the National History Museum. There is a bus stop in the street behind the museum. You can get on a bus to “Instituti”, which will stop at the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania.

Once you get to the bus terminal, you can get on a bus from Tirana via Golem to Kavaje. These buses depart at 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:00 PM and 17:00 PM. Simply ask the bus driver to drop you off at Golem. It will take roughly 1 hour by bus to get from Tirana to Golem, depending on traffic of course.

A bus ticket from Tirana to Golem will cost you 300 LEK (3 EUR) per person. You are expected to pay cash to the bus driver. You cannot book this bus ticket online or pay by card. The majority of buses in Albania do not have a booking website or online booking system. And these buses do not have a card machine installed. Of course, you can withdraw cash from a nearby ATM.

How much is a taxi from Tirana to Golem?

A taxi from Tirana to Golem will cost you between 40-48 euros for a one-way trip. 

Some taxi companies like Tirana Airport Taxi Service and Merr Taxi Service have a price list published online. I have added prices for a taxi to Durres and a taxi to Kavaja, as Golem is located in between Durres and Kavaje.

Tirana to Golem taxi

• The Tirana Airport Taxi Service charges 30-35 EUR for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Durres and 40 EUR for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Kavaje. Golem is located in between Durres and Kavaje, so 40 euros is a good indication.
• Merr Taxi Tirana charges 35 EUR for a taxi from Tirana to Durres. Merr Taxi charges 48 EUR for a taxi from Tirana to Kavaje. Golem is a bit further than Durres, and near Kavaja, so 48 euros is a good price indication.

Of course, you can always check taxi prices quickly via WhatsApp by sending a message to other taxi companies like Speed Taxi Tirana, Green Taxi Tirana or Lux Taxi Tirana.

How to get from Tirana to Golem by car?

You can rent a car and drive from Tirana to Golem. A rental car at Tirana airport or in Tirana city will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day for the most basic rental car available. Of course, rental car rates are much higher in July and August due to the tourist season. 

There is a helpful list of car rental companies on the website of Tirana Airport. You can find mobile numbers and email addresses for all the car rental companies at Tirana Airport. I highly recommend that you reach out to several car rental companies at Tirana Airport before you travel to get a good deal. 

To give you an insight into what it would cost to rent a basic rental car, I did reach out to several car rental companies at Tirana Airport.

Tirana Airport car rental prices (starting from):

• Albania Airport Rent a Car charges 20 euros per day for a manual Skoda Fabia from 2018.
• Avis Rent a Car Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for a manual Opel Corsa or 25 euros per day for an automatic Opel Corsa. 
• Pepa Rent a Car Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for an economy car, like a Skoda.
• RCA Rent a Car in Albania Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for a small manual car, like a Mitsubishi Spacestar or Citroen C1 or Peugeot 108.
• Green Motion Rent Car Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for the economy category. It can be an Opel Corsa or Dacia Sandero or Skoda Fabia.
• Viaggia Rent Tirana Airport charges 18 euros per day for a manual Fiat Panda from 2023.
• ARA Auto Rental Tirana Airport charges 17 euros per day for a small manual car or 20 euros per day for an automatic car. Brands like Citroen or Peugeot are available.
• G Rentals Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for a Dacia Stepway.
• Sixt Car Rental Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for a Mitsubishi Space Star. 

Of course, it is important to bear in mind that car rental rates can be a lot higher in the tourist high season. The summer months like July and August are the top of the high season, so car rental can be a lot pricier. Especially, since the basic or cheap rental car may not be available anymore and only a more luxurious and expensive car is available. 

Do reach out to several car rental companies before you travel. I have spoken to tourists who paid 50-70 euros a day for a rental car. So it is best to do your research before you travel.

IMPORTANT! Driving in Albania can be challenging for a foreigner. The Albanian drivers do have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive style of driving. So if you have any doubts about driving, do not do it! Hire a taxi, book a tour or travel by bus instead. Safety comes first.

What is the distance from Tirana to Golem?

The distance from Tirana to Golem is roughly 50 kilometers. It will take you approximately 1 hour to drive from Tirana via the SH2 highway to Durres and onwards to Golem. Of course, there will be heavy traffic on the coastal road near Durres in the summer months, which may show your journey down.

• Tirana to Golem distance – The distance from Tirana to Golem is 50 kilometers.

How to get from Tirana Airport to Golem?

You can get from Tirana airport to Golem by bus (transfer buses), by taxi or by car. 

A taxi from Tirana airport to Golem will cost you around 40 euros. The Tirana Airport Taxi Service charges 40 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Kavaje according to their price list published online. Kavaja is very close to Golem, so it is a good price indication, for what you may end up paying for a taxi from Tirana airport to Golem.

There is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Golem. So you must transfer buses to get from Tirana airport to Golem. You have two options:

• Option 1: Tirana airport to Tirana Bus Terminal + Tirana Bus Terminal to Golem
• Option 2: Tirana airport to Durres Bus Terminal + Bus from Durres to Golem

Let me give you the timetables and bus routes for each below.

Tirana airport to Golem by bus via Tirana Bus Terminal

Because there is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Golem, you could travel via the Tirana Bus Terminal. 

First, take a bus from Tirana airport to Tirana and ask the bus driver to drop you off at the “Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania”. Officially, the bus from Tirana airport to Tirana centre does not stop at this bus terminal, but it is “en route”. So it is perfectly fine to ask.

Buses from Tirana airport to Tirana depart every hour, 24 hours a day. So you can get on the bus at 1 AM, 2 AM, 3 AM, 4 AM, 5 AM, 6 AM, 7 AM, 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 12 PM, 13 PM, 14 PM, 15 PM, 16 PM, 17 PM, 18 PM, 19 PM, 20 PM, 21 PM, 22 PM, 23 PM and 24 PM. A bus ticket from Tirana airport to Tirana costs 400 LEK (4 EUR) per person. You can pay cash with the bus driver upon boarding the bus. You can now also reserve a bus ticket online on the website of Luna Travel, the bus operator.

Once the bus driver drops you off at the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania, you must look for the bus to Kavaja. The bus from the Tirana Bus Terminal drives via Golem to Kavaje. So ask the bus driver to drop you off at Golem. 

Buses from the Tirana Bus Terminal via Golem to Kavaje depart at 7:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:00 PM and 17:00 PM. Simply ask the bus driver to drop you off at Golem. It will take roughly 1 hour by bus to get from Tirana to Golem, depending on traffic of course.

A bus ticket from Tirana to Golem will cost you 300 LEK (3 EUR) per person. You are expected to pay cash to the bus driver. You cannot book this bus ticket online or pay by card.

Tirana airport to Golem by bus via Durres Bus Terminal

Because there is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Golem, you would need to transfer buses. The second option is to travel from Tirana airport to Golem via the Durres Bus Terminal and the Plepa Bus Station.

• Step 1: Tirana airport to Durres Bus Terminal by bus
• Step 2: Durres Bus Terminal to Plepa Bus Station by bus
• Step 3: Plepa Bus Station to Golem by bus

First, take the direct bus from Tirana airport to Durres. Buses from Tirana airport to Durres depart at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:30 PM, 17:00 PM, 19:00 PM and 21:00 PM. A bus ticket from Tirana airport to Durres costs 600 LEK (6 EUR) per person. You are expected to pay cash with the bus driver upon boarding the bus.

The bus from Tirana airport to Durres will drop you off at the Durres Bus Terminal, which is in the city centre of Durres to the North of the Port of Durres. You can see the location of the Durres Bus Terminal on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/o68si7A89QwtmofH6 

Attention, you will not find a bus from Durres to Golem at the Durres Bus Terminal. Because buses from Durres to Golem actually depart from a different bus terminal called “Plepa Bus Station”, which is located further south. You can see the location of the Plepa Bus Station on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/nWWRKLSk6F46WTGP6 

Therefore, you can take a local city bus from Durres city to Plepa, which will bring you to the Plepa Bus Station. The bus ticket from Durres city centre to Plepa Bus Station costs 40 LEK (0.40 EUR) per person. The bus from Durres city to the Plepa Bus Station departs here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ExxqAg2JCLrn654y6 

Once you are at the Plepa Bus Station, you can get on a bus from Durres to Golem. A bus ticket from Durres to Golem costs 60 LEK (0.60 EUR) per person. 

Alternatively, you could simply take a taxi from the Durres Bus Station to Golem Beach, which would mean you avoid two bus transfers.

Tirana airport to Golem distance

The distance from Tirana airport to Golem is 44 kilometers. It will take you roughly 50 minutes to drive from Tirana airport to Golem by car via the SH2 highway, depending on traffic.

How to get from Durres to Golem?

You can get from Durres to Golem by bus, by taxi or by car.

If you want to get from Durres to Golem by bus, you must go to the Plepa Bus Station. You can see the location of the Plepa Bus Station on Google Maps here:  https://maps.app.goo.gl/nWWRKLSk6F46WTGP6 

To avoid confusion, there are no buses from the Durres Bus Terminal. The Durres Bus Terminal that is located near the Port of Durres and the city centre, only caters to buses to the North of Albania and Tirana Airport. Other buses to the South of Albania and to Golem, depart from the Plepa Bus Station which is located further south near Durres Beach.

How to get from Golem to Durres by bus?

You can get from Golem to Durres by bus. To get on the bus from Golem to Durres, you must go to the “Bus Stop Golem-Durres”, you can see the location on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/azMTi3rpxCoeo7py5 

A bus ticket from Golem to Durres costs 100 LEK (1 EUR) per person. You are expected to pay cash at the bus stop. Buses depart roughly every 30 minutes. But you must be patient waiting, as sometimes buses may be delayed due to heavy traffic. 

What is the nearest airport to Golem Albania?

The nearest airport to Golem Albania is Tirana International Airport. Tirana International Airport is currently the only operational airport in Albania. The airport is located in between Tirana and Durres city in the centre of the country. It will take roughly 45-60 minutes to drive from Tirana airport to Golem depending on traffic.

The Albanian government is working on constructing more airports in Albania. Kukes Airport was opened in 2021, however, there are currently no flights from Kukes Airport to anywhere. Vlore Airport is under construction and the planned opening will be in the spring of 2025. Saranda Airport is under construction, but it is unclear when this airport will open.

Related Questions

How much is a taxi from Tirana Airport to Tirana? A taxi from Tirana airport to Tirana will cost you 22 euros. This is the official price of the Tirana Airport Taxi Service operated by Auto Holiday Albania. Other taxi companies will charge roughly the same though.

How do I get from Tirana to the coast? You can get from Tirana to the coast by bus, by taxi or by car. The most conveniently located coastal location is Durres Beach. You can take a bus from the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania to Durres for 180 LEK (1.80 EUR) between 6 AM and 21:15 PM. A taxi costs 35 EUR.

How to get from Tirana to Durres? You can get from Tirana to Durres by bus, by taxi or by car. Buses depart from the Tirana Bus Terminal North and South Albania to Durres between 6 AM and 21:15 PM, a ticket costs 180 LEK (1.80 EUR) per person. A taxi from Tirana to Durres will cost you approximately 35 EUR. 

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