How to get from Tirana to Pristina? Bus, Taxi, Rental Car
If you are wondering how to get from Tirana to Pristina, I have written this blog post for you. I will describe how to get from Tirana to Pristina by bus, by taxi or by rental car.
How to get from Tirana to Pristina? You can get from Tirana to Pristina by bus, taxi or rental car. There are no direct flights. A bus ticket costs 15 EUR per person, buses depart between 5:45 AM and 20:00 PM, journey takes 4 hours. A taxi costs 130-180 EUR. And a rental car costs at least 20-25 EUR per day + border crossing fee.
In this blog post, I will describe the best ways of getting from Tirana to Pristina. I will discuss flights briefly, then I will share the bus timetables, bus operators, ticket prices and bus stations. I will also compare the taxi rates for a taxi from Tirana to Pristina. And I will compare car rental rates for taking a rental car across the border to Kosovo. I will also discuss train travel, the distance and how long it takes to get to Pristina.
The best ways to get from Tirana to Pristina
In this blog post, I will discuss how to get from Tirana to Pristina. I will answer all the frequently asked questions about travel from Tirana to Pristina in detail.
- Tirana to Pristina flights
- How to get from Tirana to Pristina by bus? Including bus timetables, ticket prices, bus operators and the bus terminal.
- Tirana to Pristina taxi prices
- How much does it cost to rent a car and drive from Tirana to Pristina?
- Can I get from Tirana to Kosovo by train?
- What is the distance from Tirana to Pristina?
- How long does it take to get from Tirana to Pristina?
- How do I get from Pristina to Tirana?
Tirana to Pristina flights
I have not been able to find any direct and nonstop flights from Tirana to Pristina on either Google Flights or Skyscanner. The only flights being offered are connecting flights with 1 or 2 stopovers. However, since the drive from Tirana to Pristina is only around 4 hours, it would not make much sense to take a connecting flight.
How to get from Tirana to Pristina by bus?
In this section, I will outline the Tirana to Pristina bus timetables for each bus operator. I will share ticket prices, advice on buying tickets and booking and how to get to the bus terminal.
Tirana to Pristina bus timetable
You can get from Tirana to Pristina by bus, let me share the bus timetables of different bus companies.
Tirana Metropol Bus
Tirana Metropol offers a daily bus from Tirana to Pristina. The bus departs from Tirana at 6:00 AM and it arrives in Pristina at 10:30 AM. A one-way bus ticket from Tirana to Pristina costs 15 euros per person. And a return ticket costs 20 euros per person. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 6:00 AM Tirana -> 10:30 AM Pristina
Arbeni Tours Bus
Arbeni Tours operates a daily bus service from Tirana to Pristine. The bus departs from Tirana at 5:45 AM and arrives in Pristina at 10:00 AM. A bus ticket from Tirana to Pristina costs 15 euros for a one-way journey or 20 euros for a return trip. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 5:45 AM Tirana -> 10:00 AM Pristina
Arditi Tours Bus
Arditi Tours operated 4 x buses per day from Tirana to Pristina. The first bus departs from Tirana at 7:00 AM and arrives in Pristina at 11:00 AM. The second bus departs Tirana at 14:00 PM and arrives in Pristina at 18:00 PM. The third bus departs from Tirana at 16:00 PM and arrives in Pristina at 20:00 PM. And the fourth bus departs from Tirana at 20:00 PM and arrives at 24:00 PM.
A bus ticket from Tirana to Pristina costs 15 euros for a one-way journey or 20 euros for a return trip. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 07:00 AM Tirana -> 11:00 AM Pristina
- 14:00 PM Tirana -> 18:00 PM Pristina
- 16:00 PM Tirana -> 20:00 PM Pristina
- 20:00 PM Tirana -> 24:00 PM Pristina
Sharr Travel Bus
Sharr Travel operates a daily bus in the evening between Tirana and Pristina. The bus departs from Tirana at 18:00 PM and the bus arrives in Pristina at 22:00 PM. A bus ticket costs 15 euros for a one-way trip or 20 euros for a return trip. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 18:00 PM Tirana -> 22:00 PM Pristina
Albani Tours Bus
Albani Tours operates a daily bus from Tirana to Pristina in the afternoon. The bus departs from Tirana at 14:30 PM and it arrives in Pristina at 18:30 PM. A bus ticket costs 15 euros for a one-way trip or 20 euros for a return ticket. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 14:30 PM Tirana -> 18:30 PM Pristina
Kei Reisen Bus
Kei Reisen operates a daily bus from Tirana to Pristina at noon. The bus departs from Tirana at 12:00 PM and it arrives in Pristina at 16:00 PM. A bus ticket costs 15 euros for a one-way trip or 20 euros for a return ticket. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 12:00 PM Tirana -> 16:00 PM Pristina
Memi Reisen Bus
Memi Reisen has a daily bus in the afternoon from Tirana to Pristina. The bus departs from Tirana at 15:30 PM and it arrives in Pristina at 19:30 PM. A one-way bus ticket costs 15 euros and a return bus ticket costs 20 euros. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 15:30 PM Tirana -> 19:30 PM Pristina
Kabashi Tours Bus
Kabashi Tours has a daily bus in the evening from Tirana to Pristina. The bus departs from Tirana at 17:00 PM and it arrives in Pristina at 21:00 PM. A bus ticket will cost you 15 euros for a one-way trip or 20 euros for a return trip. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 17:00 PM Tirana -> 21:00 PM Pristina
Vellezrit Thaqi Bus
Vellezrit Thaqi operates a bus from Tirana to Pristina in the evening. The bus departs from Tirana at 19:00 PM and it arrives in Pristina at 23:00 PM. A one-way bus ticket costs 15 euros per person and a return ticket costs 20 euros per person. The bus departs from the International Bus Station behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace.
- 19:00 PM Tirana -> 23:00 PM Pristina
Where to buy a bus ticket from Tirana to Pristina?
You can buy your bus ticket on the bus from the driver of the bus. In Albania, it is not common practice to reserve bus tickets online and pay online. So what you need to do is simply travel to the International Bus Station to catch the bus. You will then buy a ticket from the driver of the bus before you board the bus to Pristina. Bring cash euros or Albanian Leke to pay for your bus ticket in cash.
Where can I check the bus timetable from Tirana to Pristina?
You can always check the Albanian bus timetables on the website of Gjirafa Autobus. This is the website of Gjirafa Autobus: https://travel.gjirafa.com/
To be extra sure, the bus timetables above are correct, I have personally spoken with each of the bus operators by phone. I have double-checked their bus timetable and ticket prices, to ensure you get the right information on my blog.
Where is the International Bus Station in Tirana?
The buses from Tirana to Pristina depart from the International Bus Station. The International Bus Station is located behind the “Asllan Rusi” Sports Palace. You can see the location of the International Bus Station on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/FuzEhR1g8Qd7exhb7
The International Bus Station is within a 15-20 minute walking distance from central Skanderbeg Square. From Skanderbeg Square, walk into Rruga e Durresit towards the Ringu Roundabout. You can recognize the roundabout since it has the Ring shopping centre next to it and a silver statue in the middle. Continue straight ahead until you see the Asllan Rusi Sports Palace on your left-hand side, the bus station is behind this sports palace.
Tirana to Pristina taxi price
A taxi from Tirana to Pristina costs between 130 – 180 euros. To give you a good insight into the price of a taxi from Tirana to Pristina, I compared the rates of several taxi companies in Tirana.
Let me give you an overview of the taxi prices from Tirana to Pristina:
- Smart Taxi Tirana charges 130 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Pristina.
- Speed Taxi charges 138 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Pristina.
- Tirana Airport Taxi charges 165 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Pristina.
- City Taxi Tirana charges 150 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Pristina.
- Green Taxi Tirana charges 160 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Pristina.
- Do Taxi Tirana charges 17000 Leke or 146 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Pristina.
- Merr Taxi charges 180 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Pristina.
If you want to take a taxi from Tirana airport to Pristina, the official Tirana Airport Taxi service charges 165 euros. Although, you might be able to get a better deal by booking a taxi in advance via Smart Taxi or Speed Taxi and requesting pick-up from Tirana airport.
How much does it cost to rent a car and drive from Tirana to Pristina?
A rental car in Tirana costs at least 20-25 euros per day. You do not need a Green Card Insurance document for Kosovo, because the Albanian car insurance covers Kosovo, so that is included in the price. Some car rental companies charge a cross border between 10-50 euros. But for other car rental companies, the cross-border fee is included in the car rental price. And of course, you would need to pay for the petrol for the car.
- Rental car = at least 20-25 euros per day (could be more in July/August)
- Green card insurance for Kosovo = Free
- Cross border fee = It depends could be included in the price, 10 euros per day, 25 euros once, 50 euros once.
To give you a good insight into what you will pay for renting a car in Tirana and driving it to Pristina, I contacted several popular car rental companies in Tirana. Here is an overview of their responses and car rental offers.
- Enterprise Car Rentals at Tirana airport said that you normally need 2 documents to drive abroad with a rental car. Firstly, you need a written authorization from the car rental company that allows you to travel abroad with the rental car. This cross-border document costs 48 euros per reservation. The second document that you would need for all European countries is a Green Card Insurance document. However, for Kosovo, you do not need a Green Card Insurance document.
- ARA Auto Rental Albania at Tirana airport offered a Fiat Tipo 2019 for 30 euros per day. They mentioned that for Kosovo you do not need a Green Card, because Albanian insurance covers the Kosovo territory. You only need border authorization from ARA Auto Rental Albania, which is included in the car rental price.
- Sixt Car Rental at Tirana airport offered a rental car for 25 euros per day. And you pay an additional 20 euros for a cross border fee.
- Green Motion at Tirana airport offered a Skoda Fabia for 20 euros per day. And you pay 50 euros for a cross border fee.
- Avis Rent a Car at Tirana airport offered an economic rental car for 25 euros per day. The cross-border fee is included. And they mentioned that no insurance is needed for Kosovo.
- Eurocar Rentals in Tirana offered a Kia Rio 2021 for 25 euros per day. You would need to pay 450 euros in deposit by credit card. And an additional 25 euros for authorization to cross the border. They also pointed out that for Kosovo you do not need to pay for a Green Card.
- Eagle Car Rental in Tirana offered a Hyundai i10 for 25 euros per day. A deposit of 300 euros is needed to rent the car. And they mentioned that for Pristina you don’t need a green card, so that is free.
- Easy Rent in Tirana offered a Fiat Panda for 30 euros per day. You would need to pay an additional 10 euros per day extra for a cross-border fee. And you can go to Pristina since no green card is needed.
- Hertz at Tirana airport offered a Suzuki Ignis 2019 for 22 euros per day. And they mentioned that you do not need a green card for Kosovo.
- G Rentals Tirana airport charges 20 euros per day for an Opel Corsa 2021. And you do not need to pay a cross-border fee. No green card is needed for Pristina in Kosovo.
IMPORTANT! If you are travelling to Albania in July or August, I highly recommend that you book a rental car beforehand. Car rental prices can be high in the summer months, and it is best to compare car rental prices before you travel and to book beforehand. I have received messages from travellers who were charged as much as 50-70 euros per day for a rental car in the high season.
IMPORTANT! Driving in Albania as a foreigner can be daunting and challenging. Albanian drivers have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive driving style. So if you have any doubts about renting a car, I would recommend you travel by bus or taxi instead. Of course, you are the only one who can judge your driving ability, experience and confidence.
Can I get from Tirana to Kosovo by train?
You cannot get from Tirana to Kosovo by train. Because Albania does not have international railway tracks that connect to Kosovo. In fact, Albania does not have any international passenger trains, so travelling by train to Albania from another country is not possible.
The main reason is that the railway network and trains were built by the communist regime that ruled Albania from the end of the Second World War until 1992. In that period, Albania was isolated from the rest of the world. So no international railways were ever built.
Since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been little investment in railway networks or trains. As a result, Albania has as little as 2-3 operational trains per week within its borders. And Albanian people choose the Furgon minibus as their preferred or only option for public transportation.
What is the distance from Tirana to Pristina?
The distance from Tirana to Pristina is 260 kilometres. I will mention that Google Maps usually underestimates the time needed to drive through Albania. According to Google Maps, it takes 3 hours and 30 minutes to drive from Tirana to Pristina. However, bus drivers state it actually takes 4 hours depending on traffic.
How long does it take to get from Tirana to Pristina?
It does take around 4 hours to get from Tirana to Pristina by car, by bus or by taxi. Bus drivers who drive the route regularly all estimated their average driving time from Tirana to Pristina to be roughly 4 hours.
How do I get from Pristina to Tirana?
You can get from Pristina to Tirana by rental car, by taxi or by bus. A bus ticket from Pristina to Tirana costs 15 euros for a one-way ticket or 20 euros for a return ticket. Below I will give you a quick overview of the bus timetable from Pristina to Tirana.
- 04:00 AM – Memi Reisen operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana every day at 04:00 AM.
- 05:00 AM – Arditi Tours operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 5:00 AM every morning.
- 06:00 AM – Kabashi Tours operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 6:00 AM every day.
- 06:30 AM – Sharr Travel operates a daily bus from Pristina to Tirana at 6:30 AM.
- 08:00 AM – Arditi Tours operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 8:00 AM every morning.
- 10:00 AM – Vellezrit Thaqi operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 10:00 AM.
- 11:00 AM – Arditi Tours operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 11:00 AM every day.
- 12:30 PM – Albani Tours operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 12:30 PM every day.
- 14:30 PM – Arbeni Tours operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 14:30 PM every day.
- 15:00 PM – Tirana Metropol operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 15:00 PM.
- 16:00 PM – Arditi Tours operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 16:00 PM every day.
- 19:00 PM – Vellezrit Thaqi operates a bus from Pristina to Tirana at 19:00 PM every evening.
Related Questions
How to get from Tirana to Prizren by bus? You can get from Tirana to Prizren by bus, it takes 3 hours and a bus ticket costs 15 euros per person. Tirana Metropol departs at 6:00 AM and 15:00 PM. Arditi Tours departs at 7:00 AM, 14:00 PM, 16:00 PM and 20:00 PM. Albani Tours departs at 14:30 PM. Memi Reisen departs at 15:30 PM and Kabashi Tours departs at 17:00 PM. Buses from Tirana to Prizren depart from the International bus station in Tirana.
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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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