How to get from Tirana to Podgorica? Bus, Taxi, Rental Car

If you are planning to travel from Tirana to Podgorica, this blog post is for you. I will describe how to get from Tirana to Podgorica by bus, by taxi or by rental car and what you can expect to pay for the journey from Tirana to Podgorica.

How to get from Tirana to Podgorica? You can get from Tirana to Podgorica by bus, by taxi or by rental car. A bus ticket costs 17 euros per person, the bus departs from Tirana at 6:00 AM from the International Bus Terminal. A taxi costs between 105-140 euros. A rental car costs at least 20-25 EUR per day + 15 EUR Green Card.

In this blog post, I will discuss how to get from Tirana to Podgorica by bus, by taxi or by car. I will include all the information you need, like bus ticket prices, bus timetables, bus station locations and bus companies. I will also compare the taxi prices for different taxi companies. And compare what car rental companies charge you for driving across the border to Montenegro. Finally, I will discuss the travel distance, time required, train travel, flights and more.

The best ways to get from Tirana to Podgorica by bus, by taxi or by car

In this blog post, I will help you find the best way for you to travel from Tirana to Podgorica. I will answer common questions and discuss these topics:

  • Is there a bus from Tirana to Podgorica?
  • Tirana to Podgorica bus price
  • Tirana to Podgorica bus timetable
  • Tirana bus terminal
  • Podgorica bus terminal
  • Taxi from Tirana to Podgorica
  • How much does it cost to rent a car in Tirana and drive to Podgorica?
  • Can I book a flight from Tirana airport to Podgorica airport?
  • Can I take a train from Tirana to Podgorica?
  • Tirana to Podgorica distance in kilometers
  • How long does it take to get from Tirana to Podgorica?
  • How do I get from Podgorica to Tirana?

Is there a bus from Tirana to Podgorica?

There is a bus from Tirana to Podgorica. The bus from Tirana to Podgorica is operated by Drita travel. The bus departs at 6:00 AM every morning from Tirana. The bus journey to Podgorica takes 4 hours. So the bus arrives in Podgorica at 10:00 AM in the morning.

Tirana to Podgorica bus price

A bus ticket from Tirana to Podgorica costs 17 euros for a one-way ticket per person. You do not need to book your bus ticket online. You simply bring cash money either in Euros or Albanian Leke to the bus station and buy your bus ticket from the bus driver. The Albanian people do not book and pay for their bus tickets online, they always pay cash.

Tirana to Podgorica bus timetable

The bus from Tirana to Podgorica departs once a day at 6:00 AM in the morning. The bus takes 4 hours to drive from Tirana to Podgorica. So you will arrive in Podgorica at 10:00 AM. I have personally double-checked the bus timetable, bus ticket pricing and travel duration with the bus operator Drita Travel.

Tirana bus terminal

The bus from Tirana to Podgorica departs from the International Bus Terminal in Tirana. The International bus terminal is located behind the Asllan Rusi Sports Palace (in the Albanian language: Pallati i Sportit “Asllan Rusi”). 

You can see the location of the International Bus Station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/3tGiXESWNLuA4BjD7 

The International Bus Terminal in Tirana is within a walking distance of the city centre of Tirana. If you start from central Skanderbeg Square, you need to walk into the Rruga e Durresit (Durres Street). You will walk to the Ringu Roundabout, where the Ring Shopping Mall is located and recognizable by a silver shiny statue in the middle of the roundabout. Continue straight ahead for another 2 minutes, the Asllan Rusi Sports Palace and the bus terminal are on your left-hand side. 

Podgorica bus terminal

The bus from Tirana to Podgorica will drop you off at the Podgorica Main Bus Station, which is also called Autobuska Stanica Podgorica. You can see the location of the Podgorica bus terminal on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/BjFgYbK7b9kyahtw5 

Taxi from Tirana to Podgorica

Of course, you can also decide to take a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica. A taxi from Tirana to Podgorica costs between 105 – 140 euros depending on where you book it.

 To give you a good insight into the price for a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica, I did reach out to some of the well-known taxi companies in Tirana. This is a price comparison of taxi rates from Tirana to Podgorica.

  • Do Taxi Tirana charges 130 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica.
  • Speed Taxi Tirana charges 105 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica.
  • Smart Taxi Tirana charges 135 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica.
  • City Taxi Tirana charges 140 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica.
  • Green Taxi charges 110 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica.
  • Merr Taxi Tirana charges 140 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Podgorica.

If you want to take a taxi directly from Tirana airport to Podgorica, this costs 130 euros. Tirana airport has a licenced Tirana airport taxi service, these taxis are always parked in front of the airport arrivals hall. This official Tirana airport taxi service charges 130 euros for a ride from Tirana airport to Podgorica.

How much does it cost to rent a car in Tirana and drive to Podgorica?

It costs at least 20-25 euros per day to rent a car in Tirana. If you plan to drive from Tirana to Podgorica, you will also need to pay 15 euros for a Green Card insurance document. You buy the Green Card insurance document at the border with Montenegro because the Albanian insurance does not cover Montenegro. 

You will need the permission of the Albanian car rental company to drive to Podgorica because it is over the border with Montenegro. That being said, any car rental company that I reached out to in Tirana, was willing to give permission for Podgorica in Montenegro.

To give you a good overview of the car rental prices in Tirana, I reached out to several car rental companies and compared their rates.

  • Avis Rent a Car Tirana charges 25 euros per day for an Opel Corsa Manual 2022. A Green Card for Montenegro costs 15 euros.
  • G Rentals Tirana airport charges 20 euros per day for an Opel Corsa 2021. It is allowed to take the car to Montenegro.
  • Green Motion Tirana airport charges 20 euros per day for a Skoda Fabia. Plus an additional 50 euros for a cross border fee.
  • Eagle Car Rental Tirana charges 25 euros per day for a Hyundai i10. A Green Card for Montenegro costs 15 euros at the border.
  • Sixt Car Rental Tirana charges 25 euros per day. A Green Card at the border with Montenegro costs 15 euros. And you need to pay 15 euros extra to get permission from Sixt to cross the border.
  • Easy Rent Tirana charges 30 euros per day for a Fiat Panda. It is allowed to drive the car to Podgorica, but it costs an additional 10 euros per day for authorization to drive in a foreign country. You will need to buy a Green Card at the border yourself.
  • Albania Airport Rent a Car charges 20 euros per day for a Skoda Fabia 2019. And a Green Card costs an additional 15 euros. 
  • Hertz Tirana Airport charges 22 euros per day for an Opel Corsa, 10 euros for full insurance and 15 euros for a Green Card. 
  • City Rent Albania charges 25 euros for a Ford Fiesta. And a Green Card for Montenegro costs 15 euros, which you pay at the border.
  • ARA Auto Rental Albania charges 20 euros per day for a Fiat Punto 2018. And Green Card Insurance costs 15 euros at the border with Montenegro.

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 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.

Can I book a flight from Tirana airport to Podgorica airport?

I had a look online at Google flights and Skyscanner, and I could not find any non-stop flights from Tirana to Podgorica. You could book a connecting flight, where you transfer flights in for instance Athens. However, it is not worth it in most cases, because it is more expensive and it takes longer. So a taxi or bus ticket is actually a better option financially and time-wise.

Can I take a train from Tirana to Podgorica?

You cannot take a train from Tirana to Podgorica. Because there is no railway connection between Tirana and Podgorica. So if you are travelling by public transport, a bus is your only option.  

There are very few operational trains within Albania’s borders. The railway system was constructed in Albania during the communist period, from the end of the Second World War until 1992. Many of the old railways are visible in the landscape but are not currently in use. 

Because since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been little interest and no investment in train travel or railway tracks within Albania. Therefore, the Albanian people travel by Furgon minibus or by private car instead.

Albania does not offer international passenger trains and Albania is not connected to the European or Balkan railway network. Albania was isolated from the rest of the world, similar to North Korea today, until 1992. The communist regime, who constructed the railways, did not build railways across the borders due to the isolation.

Tirana to Podgorica distance in kilometers

The distance from Tirana to Podgorica is 161 kilometres. It will take you 4 hours to drive this journey since large sections of this journey are on one-lane national roads. 

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

It does take around 4 hours to drive from Tirana to Podgorica. Although Google Maps does estimate the journey time as 3 hours and 15 minutes, it will probably take you 4 hours. I have spoken with some of the bus drivers on this route and they all said 4 hours.

The road between Tirana and Shkoder for instance is a road with one lane in each direction, so trucks in front of you may slow you down. You also have to account for some time waiting for the border control. Of course, some traffic in the city centre of Tirana, Shkoder and Podgorica will slow your journey down too.

How do I get from Podgorica to Tirana?

You can get from Podgorica to Tirana by bus. A bus ticket from Podgorica to Tirana costs 17 euros per person. The bus departs from Podgorica at 16:00 PM. The bus journey from Podgorica to Tirana takes 4 hours. So you will arrive in Tirana at 20:00 PM. The bus is operated by Drita travel. You can contact Drita Travel via WhatsApp and simply pay for your bus ticket in cash at the bus terminal.

About me

About me

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

Welcome to Albania!

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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