How to get from Tirana to Kruje?

If you want to go from Tirana to Kruje, this blog post will explain to you all the best ways to get to Kruje. Kruje is a perfect day trip destination from Tirana, so let’s go.

How to get from Tirana to Kruje? You can get from Tirana to Kruje by bus, by car or by taxi. There is no train. The bus from Tirana to Kruje departs from the Regional Bus Terminal. The bus journey takes 56 minutes and it costs 150 Leke (1.25 euros). A taxi costs 25-30 euros. A rental car costs 20-25 euros per day + 25 euros for petrol.

Kruje is a classic day trip destination from Tirana and one of the must-see places if you are staying in Tirana. It has a beautiful hilltop castle with a stunning panoramic view, you can explore the museums and stroll through the Bazaar market. Let me discuss the best ways to get to Kruje from Tirana so that you can have an amazing day trip!

What is the best way to get from Tirana to Kruje?

You can get from Tirana to Kruje with the local bus, a taxi, a rental car or by booking a tour. In the next paragraphs, I will give you all the details. So that you can decide the best way of travel for yourself!

How to get from Tirana to Kruje by bus?

You can get from Tirana to Kruje by bus in 56 minutes. The bus from Tirana to Kruje departs from the Regional Bus Terminal, which is 20 minutes from the city centre of Tirana.

Step 1: Travel from the city centre of Tirana to the Regional Bus Terminal
Step 2: Take the bus from the Regional Bus Terminal to Kruje

Step 1: Travel from the city centre of Tirana to the Regional Bus Terminal

All the intercity busses from Tirana to another city in Albania depart from the Regional Bus Terminal. Unfortunately, the Regional Bus Terminal is about 20 minutes by car from the city centre of Tirana. So the terminal is not within walking distance of the city centre.

The official name of the Regional Bus Terminal is:
Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut (in Albanian language)
Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania (in the English language)

You can see the location of the Regional Bus Terminal by clicking on this link to Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/s6q98GjdAeGNGo1E6

From the city centre of Tirana, you can take a taxi to the Regional Bus Terminal, which will cost you 5 euros.

Or you can take the city bus to the Regional Bus Terminal. The city bus departs close to Skanderbeg Square, which is the central square of Tirana. If you are standing on Skanderbeg Square, you need to walk to the backside of the National History Museum. The bus to the Regional Bus Terminal departs from the Dede Gjo Luli Street (In Albanian: Rruga Dede Gjo Luli) on the back of the National History Museum.

From the bus station on Dede Gjo Luli Street (In Albanian: Rruga Dede Gjo Luli), you must take the bus to Instituti Bujqesor. The bus to Instituti Bujqesor makes a stop at the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. A bus ticket will cost you less than 1 euro, so take some Albanian Leke coins with you.

Step 2: Take the bus from the Regional Bus Terminal to Kruje

The bus from Tirana to Kruje departs 14 x per day from the Regional Bus Terminal.
The timetable of the bus from Tirana to Kruje is as follows. The bus from Tirana to Kruje departs at 7:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:00 PM, 16:00 PM, 17:00 PM and 18:00 PM.

You can always double-check the bus timetable on the website of Gjirafa Autobus. This is the link the Albanian bus timetable website: https://gjirafa.com/autobus

The bus from Tirana to Kruje costs 150 Leke (1.25 euros) for a one-way bus journey. Remember to bring some cash Albanian Leke with you to the bus station. Because Albanian bus drivers do not have a card payment machine in their bus, so you cannot pay by card.

The busses from Tirana to Kruje are operated by Shpresa-AL, Durresi and A&A Trans. Don’t worry when you arrive at the Intercity Bus Terminal, bus drivers will approach you and help you to get on the right bus. Moreover, bus destinations are always indicated by an A4 paper in the front window of each bus.

Important! There are two Kruje in Albania. There is Fushe Kruje and Kruje. Basically, Fushe Kruje means “Lower Kruje”, which is the village located on the bottom of the mountain in the valley. And Kruje itself is located on the top of the hill. Do not get off the bus at Fushe Kruje, because all the sightseeing spots are in Kruje on the top of the hill.

How much does a taxi from Tirana to Kruja cost?

A taxi from Tirana to Kruje costs between 25 euros and 30 euros. I have recently contacted all the popular taxi companies in Albania and asked for their price list, so here are the taxi prices by company:

⦁ Merr Taxi charges 30 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Kruje
⦁ UPs Taxi charges 3081 ALL (25.50 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Kruje
⦁ Speedtaxi charges 3000 Leke or 25 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Kruje
⦁ City Taxi charges 3000 Leke (25 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Kruje
⦁ Euro Taxi charges 30 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Kruje

By taxi, it will take you 45-60 minutes to travel from Tirana’s city centre to Kruje. The speed of your journey really depends on the amount of traffic in Tirana’s city centre, which can be full of cars depending on the time of day.

If you want to take a taxi from Tirana airport to Kruje, it will cost you 22 euros with the official Tirana Airport Taxi company. The airport is actually close to Kruje. So you could choose to stay your first night in Kruje and explore the Castle of Kruje in the evening and the next day.

If you are interested in travelling through Albania by taxi, I have recently written a blog post in which I compare all the taxi rates. You can read the blog post here: https://albaniatourguide.com/how-much-is-a-taxi-in-albania/

Important! Travelling by taxi in Albania is relatively expensive. Especially, if you compare the taxi rates with the rates of the local bus. The local bus is 1.25 euros and the taxi is 25-30 euros.

Always compare the rate of a taxi with the rate of a private tour in Albania. Because you might be able to get a tour for the same price as a taxi. However, a private tour will include entrance tickets, a private tour guide and private transportation. So you will get more value for your money and a better deal!

In case you were wondering, there is no UBER in Albania. You can use an alternative taxi app, like UPs Taxi App, Speed taxi app, Taxi.al app. And you can also contact many taxi companies in Albania via Whatsapp or Viber. So you could compare the pricing, before committing to a particular driver.

How to get from Tirana to Kruje by rental car?

You can get from Tirana to Kruje by rental car. A rental car in Albania costs at least 20-25 euros per day in Albania. For your trip from Tirana to Kruje and back you will need approximately 3000 Leke (25 euros) worth of petrol.

I have recently contacted all the car rental companies in Albania and compared their pricing. You can find the cheapest car rental companies in my blog post here: https://albaniatourguide.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-rent-a-car-in-albania/

From Tirana’s city centre, you can take the highway in the direction of Durres (SH2). Get off the highway at Vore. From Vore, the SH52 leads through Fushe-Kruje and then to Kruje. Fushe-Kruje is basically the village at the bottom of the hill. Fushe-Kruje means “lower Kruje”. However, the sightseeing spots of Kruje are in the Kruje village on the top of the hill.

If you are going to drive in Albania, you must be a confident, experienced and alert driver. Because driving in Albania can be challenging and daunting as a foreigner. The Albanian drivers have a chaotic, unorganized and aggressive driving style. And unfortunately, not all Albanian drivers care to follow the rules of the road.

Can I get from Tirana to Kruje by train?

You cannot get from Tirana to Kruje by train, because there is no rail connection between the two cities.

Basically, Albania has a very old rail network, which was built during the communist period in Albania. Communism in Albania started after the Second World War and ended in 1992. The first-ever rail network was built during this period. However, since the fall of communism in 1992, the rail network and trains have not been maintained, upgraded or refurbished.

As a result, there are only a few operating trains, which drive at a very slow speed. There is for instance a train from the Kashar neighbourhood to Durres. As you can imagine, the Albanian people avoid travelling by train, because taking a local bus or car is faster than a train.

You can take the train from Kashar to Durres if you want to experience the communist trains in Albania. But do it for the adventure and the experience, not as an effective way to get from A to B.

How far is Tirana from Kruje?

Tirana is 38 kilometres from Kruje. The best route to get from Tirana to Kruje is taking the highway from Tirana to Durres (SH2) and then get off the highway at Vore. The SH52 leads from Vore through Fushe-Kruje to Kruje.

How long does it take to get from Tirana to Kruje?

It takes 45-60 minutes to get from Tirana to Kruje by car or by taxi. You certainly have to consider that traffic may slow you down, because the traffic in Tirana’s city centre and in Fushe-Kruje can definitely slow you down.

By bus, it will take you 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to Kruje. Because the bus departs from the Regional Bus Station, which is 20 minutes from the city centre. Then the bus journey from the Regional Bus Station to Kruje takes 56 minutes. As you can imagine, travelling by local bus is always slower than renting a car or taking a taxi in Albania.

Where to stay in Kruje?

The best place to stay in Kruje is Hotel Panorama. Hotel Panorama is a famous hotel in Kruje, which is located right next to the Castle of Kruje. The hotel has stunning views of the castle and the valley. From the castle, you can walk right into the old bazaar market.

Usually, Kruje is a day trip destination for people who are staying in Tirana. However, if you are planning a tour through Albania and you would like to make different stops, then you can certainly stay 1-2 nights in Kruje. Moreover, it is a very beautiful village close to the airport, so a good option for the first or last night of your holiday.

Things to do in Kruje

The best thing to do in Kruje is to visit the Castle of Kruje. Inside the castle of Kruje, you can also visit the Museum of Skanderbeg and the Ethnographic Museum. Moreover, there is a bazaar market on the slope of the hill, which leads to the castle’s entrance. After visiting Kruje Castle, you can drive up the hill to Sarisalltik for an amazing hilltop view.

Kruje Castle

The castle of Kruje is an impressive hillside castle, which is located above the city of Kruje. The castle has breathtaking views of the surrounding area and Tirana city in the distance.

The small medieval castle is famous in Albania because it was the headquarters of the national hero Skanderbeg.

In the 15th century, the powerful Turkish Ottoman empire was conquering the Balkans. However, the Ottoman Turks were not able to break the defences of the Kruje Castle. The rebellion against the Ottomans was lead by Albania’s national hero Skanderbeg. He had serious military skills, and therefore, he was compared to Alexander the Great.

Skanderbeg Museum

The Skanderbeg Museum is one of the most visited & most important museums in Albania. It is named after Skanderbeg, who is Albania’s national hero. Skanderbeg was a warrior and battle commander. He reunited the different Albanian families and tribes. And he created an army that fought against the Ottoman Turks for 25 years.

In the museum, you can experience the story of Skanderbeg’s life and military battles in chronological order. You get to know the story of Albania’s most celebrated national hero!

Ethnographic Museum of Kruja

The Ethnographic Museum of Kruja is a traditional home, where you can get a unique, insight into the traditional Albanian household customs. The house was originally built in the 19th century by the affluent Toptani family. Inside the museum, you will see how self-sufficient the family was. The family produced its own food, honey, leather, weapons and olive oil. It even has a mini hammam and a little watermill. The house’s wall displays beautiful fresco paintings.

Old Bazaar Market

The Old Bazaar is one of the oldest Ottoman-style markets in Albania. The marketplace was built over 400 years ago and it was recently restored in 2015. At the bazaar, you can buy souvenirs and traditional handicraft items from Albania. Popular products in the market are traditional Albanian clothing, rugs, copper pots, silver jewellery and embroidered tablecloths. It is a lovely market to stroll around or you can enjoy a coffee at one of the cafes along the street.

The Cave of Sarisalltik

Sarisalltik is a spot on the top of the mountain above Kruje. Basically, it is a viewpoint at a height of 1176 meters above sealevel with a stunning view. If you are in Kruje, it makes sense to also visit Sarisalltik, because it is only about 20 minutes further to reach the top of the mountain.

The mountain cave of Sarisalltik is a religious location in Albania. Pilgrims hike up to the cave because the journey has a sacred meaning for them. Inside the cave, you can visit the fountain of holy water, the first Albanian mosque and the grave of Sarisalltik, who was a religious leader.

Related Questions

How to get from Tirana to Vlore by bus? You can get from Tirana to Vlore by bus in 3 hours. The bus from Tirana to Vlore departs from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. A bus ticket costs 500 Leke (4.10 euros) for a one-way trip. There is a direct bus from Tirana airport to Vlore, which costs 1000 Leke (8.21 euros).

How to get from Tirana to Shkoder? You can get from Tirana to Shkoder by bus, by taxi or by rental car. The bus from Tirana to Shkoder departs from the Regional Bus Station, takes 1 hour and 45 minutes and costs 400 LEK (3.30 euros). By taxi, it costs 54 – 72 euros varying by company. A basic rental car is 20 euros a day + 25 euros for petrol for a one-way drive.

How to get from Tirana to Himare by bus? You can get from Tirana to Himare by bus in 4 hours. The bus departs from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania, which is 20 minutes by taxi from the city centre of Tirana. A bus ticket from Tirana to Himare costs 1000 Leke (8.21 euros) for a one-way trip. You can check the bus timetable from Tirana to Himare here: https://gjirafa.com/autobus

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I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania. I arrange your transportation and I am your English speaking guide. So that, you get to experience the most beautiful places in Albania!
Kind regards, Manon

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I am a Tour Guide in Albania

I am an Albania Tour Guide, who organizes 1-day, 2-day or multiple day private tours in Albania.

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