Tirana airport to Berat – Bus, Taxi, Price, Train, timetables

If you want to travel directly from Tirana airport to Berat this blog post has all the information for you. I will describe taxi prices from Tirana airport to Berat, bus travel from Tirana airport to Berat, and what it costs to rent a car and drive from Tirana airport to Berat. 

Tirana airport to Berat – You can travel from Tirana airport to Berat by rental car (at least 20-25 EUR per day) or taxi (61-82 EUR). There is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Berat, so you would need to take a taxi to the bus terminal near Tirana, buses depart 5:40-17:30 and cost 500 LEK (4.40 EUR). There is no train.

In this blog post, I will discuss the best ways to get from Tirana airport to Berat. I will compare taxi rates from Tirana airport to Berat and outline what car rental companies charge per day. I will also detail how you can travel to the bus terminal in Tirana and get on the bus from Tirana to Berat. And I will discuss train travel in Albania, driving to Berat, distance and whether Berat is worth a visit.

How to get from Tirana airport to Berat?

The best way to get from Tirana airport to Berat is by taxi or by rental car. For a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat, you can expect to pay between 61 and 82 euros. I will show you a price comparison of taxi companies below. A rental car at Tirana airport will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day. I will show you a price comparison of car rental companies below. 

Since there is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Berat, you would need to travel to the bus terminal near Tirana city first. So you would be taking a taxi from Tirana airport to the Bus Terminal North and South Albania, where you can then get on the minibus to Berat.

In this blog post, I will answer these questions in detail below:

• How much is a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat?
• Can I get from Tirana airport to Berat by bus?
• How much does it cost to rent a car at Tirana airport and drive to Berat?
• How to drive from Tirana airport to Berat?
• Is there a train from Tirana airport to Berat?

Depending on your arrival time at Tirana airport, you may decide to stay overnight in Tirana for your first night and travel onwards to Berat in the next few days. Therefore, I have also included this information: 

• How do I get from Tirana to Berat?
• Tirana to Berat bus
• Tirana to Berat bus timetable
• How much is a taxi from Tirana to Berat?
• Tirana to Berat train
• Tirana to Berat distance
• Is Berat worth visiting?
• How many days should I stay in Berat?

How much is a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat?

A taxi from Tirana airport to Berat costs between 61-82 euros. Below I have an overview of what different taxi companies in Tirana charge for a taxi to Berat.

• Speed Taxi charges 9000 Leke (79 euros) for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.
• Green Taxi charges 7500 Leke (65 euros) for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.
• Smart Taxi charges 7000 Leke (61 euros)  for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.
• City Taxi Tirana charges 9500 Leke (82 euros) for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.
• Do Taxi Tirana charges 8200 Leke (71 euros) for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.
• Tirana Airport Taxi service charges 75 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.
• Merr Taxi charges 9000 Leke (79 euros) for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.

If you are looking for the most convenient option, perhaps you can simply take the Tirana airport Taxi Service. Tirana airport has licensed taxis operated by “Tirana Airport Taxi Service by Auto Holiday Albania”. These licensed taxis have an airport logo on both sides of the car and are always parked in front of the terminal building. So you can simply grab a taxi when you get to the Arrivals Hall at the airport.

Can I get from Tirana airport to Berat by bus?

You cannot take a direct bus from Tirana airport to Berat. Tirana airport does offer shuttle buses to Tirana city, Durres city, Fier city and Vlore city. However, there is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Berat. 

So if you want to travel to Berat by bus, you must first travel to the bus terminal in Tirana or the bus terminal in Durres. Because the bus to Berat departs from the bus terminals, not from Tirana airport. 

If you want to travel to the bus terminal near Tirana, you must take a taxi from Tirana airport to the bus terminal. The bus terminal near Tirana is called “Albania Bus Terminal North and South Albania” or in the Albanian language “Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut”. You can see the location of the bus terminal near Tirana on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/hjEuh7bSdrXkSf7o9 

A taxi from Tirana airport to the “Albania Bus Terminal North and South Albania” or “Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut” costs 20 euros or 2500 Leke. 

The bus from the bus terminal in Tirana to Berat departs between 5:40 AM and 17:30 PM. A bus ticket from the bus terminal in Tirana to Berat costs 500 Leke (4.40 euros) per person. The bus from Tirana to Berat departs at 5:40 AM, 6:00 AM, 6:30 AM, 7:05 AM, 7:15 AM, 7:45 AM, 8:15 AM, 8:50 AM, 9:20 AM, 9:50 AM, 10:20 AM, 10:35 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:10 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:15 PM, 12:30 PM, 13:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:00 PM, 15:30 PM, 16:00 PM, 16:10 PM, 16:30 PM, 17:00 PM and 17:30 PM. 

Bus travel in Albania is quite informal. So you may need to ask around when you get to the bus terminal, which bus goes to Berat first. Bus drivers may leave a bit early when full or wait a few minutes extra to catch extra passengers. You will be expected to pay in cash for your bus ticket. 

You can also take the shuttle bus from Tirana airport to Durres and then transfer onto a bus to Berat. The bus from Tirana airport to Durres departs at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 14:00 PM, 15:30 PM and 17:00 PM. A bus ticket from Tirana airport to Durres costs 600 Leke (5.20 euros). 

The bus from Durres to Berat departs from the Durres bus terminal. You can see the location of the Durres bus terminal on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/GKSgM2sKbKzx4sNh8

Buses from the bus terminal in Durres to Berat depart 6:09 AM, 6:35 AM, 6:45 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 7:40 AM, 7:44 AM, 8:14 AM, 8:30 AM, 8:44 AM, 9:19 AM, 9:49 AM, 10:19 AM, 10:40 AM, 10:49 AM, 11:10 AM, 11:29 AM, 11:45 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:20 PM, 12:30 PM, 12:50 PM, 13:00 PM, 13:29 PM, 13:35 PM, 14:00 PM, 14:20 PM, 14:30 PM, 14:35 PM, 15:00 PM, 15:05 PM, 16:00 PM, 16:30 PM, 16:45 PM, 17:00 PM, 17:30 PM and 18:00 PM. 

How much does it cost to rent a car at Tirana airport and drive to Berat?

It does cost at least 20-25 euros per day to rent a car at Tirana airport. And then it will cost you approximately 25 euros for petrol to drive from Tirana airport to Berat. 

To give you a good insight into the prices for car rental companies in Albania, I did reach out to several car rental companies at Tirana airport and in Tirana’s city centre to compare their rates. I will say that I asked for the cheapest car they had available. So of course, you can always spend more on a more luxurious or larger rental car.

• 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 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. The Albanian drivers have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive driving style. Of course, there are rules on the road, but the 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 doubt about driving in Albania, I recommend you take a bus or taxi instead.

How to drive from Tirana airport to Berat?

The best route to drive from Tirana airport to Berat is via Durres. Tirana airport is located alongside the SH2 highway which is the highway between Tirana and Durres. From the airport, take the SH2 highway in the direction of Durres. Then from Durres drive southwards towards Golem, Rrogozhine, Lushnje and finally Berat. 

The drive from Tirana airport to Berat via Durres will take you roughly 2 hours depending on the amount of traffic in Durres alongside the coastline.

Google maps will also show you an alternative driving route from Tirana airport to Tirana and then via Elbasan in the direction of Berat. This however is an old national road and combined with traffic this will slow your journey down significantly. 

Is there a train from Tirana airport to Berat?

There is no train from Tirana airport to Berat. Actually, Tirana airport does not have a train station. So you cannot take a train from Tirana airport at all. Berat does not have a train station either. So it is not possible to travel to Berat by train at all. 

Train travel within Albania is very limited. The railway network was constructed during the communist period from the end of the Second World War until 1992. However, since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been little to no investment in the railways and trains.

Therefore, there are currently as little as 2-3 trains in operation in the whole country per week. At the time of writing this blog post, there is a train in operation between Durres and Elbasan. The 1 x train operates between Durres and Elbasan on Saturday and 1 x train operates between Durres and Elbasan on Sunday. You can always double check the Albanian railway timetable on the website of Hekurudha Shqiptare or “Albanian Railways” here: https://hekurudha.al/ 

How do I get from Tirana to Berat?

You can get from Tirana to Berat by bus, by taxi or by rental car. A bus ticket costs 500 Leke (4.40 euro), buses depart between 5:40 AM and 17:30 PM from the North and South bus Terminal. A taxi from Tirana to Berat costs 61-79 euros. And a rental car costs at least 20-25 euros per day + 25-30 euros for petrol.

Tirana to Berat bus

A bus ticket from Tirana to Berat costs 500 Leke (4.40 euros) per person. The buses depart from the Bus Terminal South and North Albania between 5:40 AM and 17:30 PM. 

This is the bus timetable from Tirana to Berat. The bus from Tirana to Berat departs at 5:40 AM, 6:00 AM, 6:30 AM, 7:05 AM, 7:15 AM, 7:45 AM, 8:15 AM, 8:50 AM, 9:20 AM, 9:50 AM, 10:20 AM, 10:35 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:10 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:15 PM, 12:30 PM, 13:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:00 PM, 15:30 PM, 16:00 PM, 16:10 PM, 16:30 PM, 17:00 PM and 17:30 PM. 

The bus from Tirana to Berat departs from the Bus Terminal South and North Albania. In the Albanian language the name of the bus terminal is “Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut”. You can see the location of the bus terminal near Tirana on a Google Map here: https://goo.gl/maps/hjEuh7bSdrXkSf7o9 

The Bus Terminal North and South Albania is located outside the city centre of Tirana, so you must take a short taxi ride or a city bus to get to the bus terminal. Taxis do not have a set rate to drive from Tirana’s city centre to the bus terminal, instead drivers switch on the taxi metre. 

You can also take a city bus to get to the Bus Terminal North and South Albania. The city bus to the bus terminal departs behind the National History Museum in Tirana’s city centre. The bus stop is on “Rruga Ded Gjo Luli”. Take the bus to “Instituti” which will stop at the Bus Terminal North and South Albania.

Tirana to Berat bus timetable

This is the bus timetable from Tirana to Berat. The bus from Tirana to Berat departs at 5:40 AM, 6:00 AM, 6:30 AM, 7:05 AM, 7:15 AM, 7:45 AM, 8:15 AM, 8:50 AM, 9:20 AM, 9:50 AM, 10:20 AM, 10:35 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:10 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:15 PM, 12:30 PM, 13:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:00 PM, 15:30 PM, 16:00 PM, 16:10 PM, 16:30 PM, 17:00 PM and 17:30 PM. 

How much is a taxi from Tirana to Berat?

A taxi from Tirana to Berat costs between 61 and 79 euros. Below, I have a price comparison of what the most well-known taxi companies in Tirana charge for a taxi ride from Tirana to Berat. 

I reached out to some of the well-known taxi brands in Tirana and requested their taxi prices for Berat. Here is a summary of their taxi rates:

• Speed Taxi charges 9000 Leke (79 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Berat.
• Green Taxi charges 7500 Leke (65 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Berat.
• Smart Taxi charges 7000 Leke (61 euros)  for a taxi from Tirana to Berat.
• City Taxi Tirana charges 9000 Leke (79 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Berat.
• Do Taxi Tirana charges 7000 Leke (61 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Berat.
• Tirana Airport Taxi service charges 75 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat.

If you are taking a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat, you can take one of the official Tirana airport taxis. These taxis are parked right in front of the airport arrivals hall and have an airport logo displayed. The Tirana airport taxi service charges 75 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Berat. 

Tirana to Berat train

You cannot take a train from Tirana to Berat. Tirana’s city centre does not have a train station. And Berat’s city centre does not have a train station. So you cannot travel by train to Tirana and you cannot travel by train to Berat.

The old train station in Tirana was demolished in 2013. It is currently 2023, and the train station in Tirana has not been rebuilt or re-opened. 

Train travel within Albania is very limited. As little as 2-3 trains operate in the entire country per week. Although some of the old railway tracks constructed by the former communist regime are visible in the landscape, many old railway tracks are not in use. Since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been little interest, no investment or maintenance on the railways and trains. 

If you want to take an old communist train simply for the “experience”, there is a train in operation between Durres and Elbasan on weekend days. You can always check the latest timetables on the website of Hekurudha Shqiptare or “Albanian Railways” here: https://hekurudha.al/ . Do bear in mind that travelling by minibus is quicker and offers many more routes in Albania.

Tirana to Berat distance

The distance from Tirana to Berat is 130 kilometres. If you drive from Tirana via Durres, Rrogozhine and Lushnje to Berat. This is the route that I do recommend driving because these are highways and good quality asphalted roads. 

It will take you approximately 2.5 hours to drive from Tirana to Berat via the Durres highway.

Google Maps is not correct in its advice to recommend the route from Tirana via Elbasan to Durres. Because this is an older national road, which will slow your journey down. According to Google Maps this journey is quicker, but that is not my recommendation.

Is Berat worth visiting?

Berat is absolutely worth visiting. Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because of its old and historic town centre. But aside from that, Berat is always in the “Top 10 of the best things to do” in the Lonely Planet or Bradt Travel Guides about Albania.

In my personal experience as a tour guide in Albania, I would say that Berat city should be on the top of your list of places to visit whilst in Albania!

Berat has a beautiful hilltop castle known as Kala Castle, which dates back to the 13th century. The hilltop castle has stunning views in all directions. In the valley, you can visit the “city of a thousand windows”. Basically, a thousand little white houses look down onto the valley. This is the old Ottoman Town from when Albania was a part of the enormous Balkan Ottoman Empire.

How many days should I stay in Berat?

To visit Berat, you can make a 1-day trip from Tirana or you can stay 1-2 nights in Berat. The main sights in Berat can be visited during an easy day trip. But of course, you can use Berat as a base for 1-2 days and explore more sights around Berat. 

Tirana to Berat day trip

If you plan a day trip from Tirana to Berat, you can see all the main sights in Berat. You can start your day by visiting the hilltop Berat Castle, which takes approximately 1 hour. Inside the Berat Castle, you can also visit the National Iconographic Museum Onufri, which shows icons painted by Albanian masters. 

Then you can descend to the valley, where you will see the old town centre known as “the city of a thousand windows”. You can go for lunch in the town centre. And then in the afternoon, you can visit the Ethnographic Museum, which is a traditional Albanian house turned into a museum about culture and traditions.

Staying overnight in Berat

If you stay 1-2 nights in Berat, you can visit more sights in the area around Berat. There are some lovely wineries and vineyards near Berat. So if you enjoy a nice glass of wine and a traditional lunch, that is a great option. Berat is also near the Bogove Waterfall, so you can go for a day of nature exploring near Berat. If you decide to stay multiple days in Berat, you will enjoy your time there, because there are beautiful restaurants and cafes. And the old town centre is beautiful at nighttime with all the little houses lighting their windows at night.

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