What is the closest airport to Saranda? Corfu airport, Tirana airport, distance

If you are planning to travel to Saranda you might be wondering which airport is the closest to Saranda. In this blog post, I will discuss the two closest airports to Saranda and how to get to Saranda from the airport.

What is the closest airport to Saranda? The closest airport to Saranda is Corfu Airport on Corfu Island. Corfu is a Greek island, but it is located in front of the Albanian coastline. Step 1: Fly to Corfu Island. Step 2: Take a taxi/bus from Corfu Island to the Port of Corfu. Step 3: Take a ferry from the Port of Corfu to Saranda.

In this blog post, I will discuss in detail how you can get from Corfu airport to Saranda, by bus/taxi and ferry. If you do not fly to Corfu airport, your second option is flying to Tirana airport and taking a bus/taxi to Saranda. So I will compare flying to Corfu airport vs. flying to Tirana airport with Saranda as a destination. 

What is the closest international airport to Saranda Albania?

The closest international airport to Saranda in Albania is Corfu Airport. Corfu airport is also known as CFU, Corfu International Airport “Ioannis Kapodistrias” or Ioannis Kapodistrias International Airport. 

Corfu airport is located on Corfu island. Corfu Island is a Greek island, but it is located in front of the Albanian coastline. 

Saranda is very close to Corfu Island and Corfu Airport. If you are on Corfu island, you can see Saranda and the Albanian coastline across the sea.

So to get to Saranda in Albania, you first book a flight from your country to Corfu airport. Then from Corfu airport, you must take a bus or taxi to get to the Port of Corfu. And then you take a ferry from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda. And then, from the Port of Saranda, you take a taxi to your hotel in Saranda.

• Step 1: Fly to Corfu airport
• Step 2: Take a bus/taxi from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu (15 min)
• Step 3: Take a ferry from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda (30-65 min)
• Step 4: Take a taxi from the Port of Saranda to your hotel in Saranda

Step 1: Flying to Corfu airport and travelling to Saranda

Corfu Airport is mostly a seasonal airport. In the summer months, there are many connections from European cities to Corfu airport. However, in the winter months, these flights to Corfu island do not operate. 

You can see a nice overview of airlines that fly to Corfu airport online here: https://www.corfu-airport.com/corfu-airport-airlines/ 

Step 2: Take a bus/taxi from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu

When your flight lands at Corfu airport, you must take a bus or taxi to get to the Port of Corfu. 

A taxi from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu costs 22-25 euros per taxi. And it takes approximately 15 minutes to get from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu by taxi.

Alternatively, you can take a bus from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu. From Corfu airport, you can take bus line number 15 to the Port of Corfu. Bus line 15 drives from Corfu airport via the city centre to the Port of Corfu. The bus makes a stop at the ticket offices for the ferry boats near the Port of Corfu and another stop at the boarding terminal of the Port of Corfu. 

A bus ticket from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu costs between 1.20 euros and 1.70 euros depending on whether you buy our ticket before you board (1.20 euros) or on board the bus (1.70 euros). 

By bus, it takes 20 minutes to get from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu.

Step 3: Take a ferry from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda (30-65 min)

When your bus or taxi drops you off at the Port of Corfu, you can take a ferry to Saranda. 

The ferry boats from Corfu to Saranda are operated by two companies: Ionian Seaways and Finikas Lines. 

A ferry boat ticket from Corfu to Saranda costs 19-25 euros per person depending on the season. In the winter months, ferry tickets cost 19 euros per person. In the summer months, ferry tickets cost 22-25 euros per person, depending on the type of boat you book. 

You can buy ferry boat tickets in advance online on the website or by email. But it is also possible to buy a ferry boat ticket in person at the Port of Corfu.

The ferry boat from Corfu to Saranda takes either 30 minutes or 65 minutes depending on the type of boat you book. If you book the Flying Dolphin highspeed hydrofoil, it will take you only 30 minutes to get from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda. If you book the ferry boat or passenger ship, it takes 65 minutes to get from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda. 

Flying to Corfu airport vs. Tirana airport to get to Saranda

If you cannot find a flight to Corfu airport, the alternative is flying to Tirana airport. Tirana Airport is the main International Airport in Albania. 

• Tirana airport is further away from Saranda than Corfu airport. From Tirana airport, it takes approximately 5 hours to drive to Saranda. 
• Whereas if you were to fly to Corfu airport, it would take you 15-20 minutes for a bus/taxi to the Port of Corfu + 30-65 minutes by ferry boat from Corfu to Saranda. 

How to get from Tirana airport to Saranda?

You can get from Tirana airport to Saranda by taxi or rental car. There are no direct buses from Tirana airport to Saranda. The buses from Tirana to Saranda depart from the Regional Bus Terminal near Tirana city. So if you want to travel to Saranda by bus, you must first take a taxi to the bus terminal near Tirana city, where the bus to Saranda departs. 

• Option 1: Taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Option 2: Rental car from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Option 3: Taxi to the bus terminal + bus from the bus terminal to Saranda

Option 1: Tirana airport to Saranda Taxi

The easiest way to get from Tirana airport to Saranda is to hire a taxi. A taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda will cost you between 150 euros and 193 euros. 

Below, I have a price comparison of what taxi drivers charge for a ride from Tirana Airport to Saranda. The official Tirana Airport Taxi Service charges 193 euros. However, some of the independent drivers and taxi companies in Tirana are actually cheaper.

Tirana airport to Saranda taxi prices:

• Tirana Airport Taxi charges 193 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Ciao Taxi Tirana charges 150 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Tirana Taxi Company charges 150 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda 
• City Taxi Tirana charges 17.000 Leke (161 euros) for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda
• Smart Taxi Tirana charges 16.000 (151 euros) Leke for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda.
• Speed Taxi Tirana charges 160 euros for a taxi from Tirana airport to Saranda.

Option 2: Tirana airport to Saranda rental car

Your next option is to rent a car at Tirana airport and to drive to Saranda independently. The advantage is that there are many car rental offices at Tirana airport, so it is convenient to pick up a car from the airport. 

A rental car at Tirana airport will cost you at least 20-25 euros per day for a basic rental car. However, if you are travelling in the tourist season, like July or August, you pay more. Because the cheapest and most basic rental car may not be available anymore.

Car rental prices at Tirana airport:

• 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.

You can find a list of the car rental agencies on the website of Tirana airport. I recommend you reach out to several car rental agencies via WhatsApp or email before you travel. So that you can compare their prices and get a good deal. 

You can drive from Tirana airport to Saranda via two routes. There is the shorter inland road from Tirana airport via Durres, Lushnje, Fier, Tepelene and Kardhiq to Saranda. This route will take you roughly 5 hours. 

There is also a longer route via the coastline. From Tirana airport via Durres, Lushnje, Fier, Vlore and Himare to Saranda. Driving from Tirana airport via the coastline to Saranda is a beautiful route. You could make stops at e.g. Apollonia Archaeological Park, Zvernec island, the Llogara Pass, and the Castle of Ali Pasha in the Bay of Porto Palermo. A road trip with stops along the coastline will take you a full day, approximately 8 hours.

IMPORTANT! Driving in Albania can be challenging for a foreigner. The Albanian drivers have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive style of driving. So if you have any doubts, I recommend you travel by bus or by taxi instead. Your safety is the most important!

Option 3: Tirana airport to Saranda bus

There is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Saranda. Instead, the bus from Tirana to Saranda departs from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. So you must first take a taxi from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal. And then take a bus from the Regional Bus Terminal to Saranda.

• Step 1: Take a taxi from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal near Tirana city (23-28 euros per taxi)
• Step 2: Take a bus from the Regional Bus Terminal near Tirana to Saranda (15.50 euros per person)

You can take a taxi from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. A taxi from Tirana airport to the bus terminal will cost you between 23-28 euros. 

The bus from Tirana to Saranda departs from the “Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania”. In the Albanian language: “Terminali i Autobusave të Veriut dhe Jugut”. You can see the location of the bus terminal on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wUByphoX7ZP5YD1m9 

This bus terminal is located on the outskirts of Tirana. So it is basically between Tirana airport and the city centre of Tirana alongside the highways connecting the two. 

When the taxi drops you off at the bus terminal, you can take a bus from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania to Saranda.

FAQ – Is there a bus from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania? Unfortunately, there is no bus from Tirana airport to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. So your only option is to hire a taxi to get to the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania.

Tirana to Saranda bus

A bus ticket from Tirana to Saranda costs 15.50 euros per person. The bus departs from the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania (more information above). 

This is the bus timetable from Tirana to Saranda. The bus from Tirana to Saranda departs at 5:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:45 AM, 10:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 16:00 PM and 22:00 PM. 

The bus journey from Tirana to Saranda takes approximately 5 hours. Buses from Tirana to Saranda do drive via the inland road, not via the coastline. Because the inland road via Durres, Fier and Tepelene is a quicker and more direct route to Saranda. 

How far is Saranda from the airport?

Saranda is a 5-hour drive from Tirana airport OR Saranda is a 30-65 minute ferry boat ride from Corfu Airport. 

• Option 1: Fly to Tirana airport and take a taxi/rental car/bus to Saranda (5 hours, 270 km by road)
• Option 2: Fly to Corfu airport, and take a taxi/bus to the Port of Corfu and a ferry boat to Saranda (30-65 minutes)

If you plan to travel to Saranda, you can fly either to Tirana Airport or Corfu Airport. 

Tirana airport is located in the centre of Albania. It will take you 5 hours to drive from Tirana airport to Saranda. You can take a taxi (150-193 euros), a rental car (at least 20-25 euros per day) or a taxi to the bus terminal (23-28 euros) and then a bus from the bus terminal to Saranda (15.50 euros per person).

Corfu airport is located on the Greek Corfu island, which is in front of the Albanian coastline. When your flight lands at Corfu airport you must travel to the Port of Corfu. You can take either a bus (1.20-1.70 euros per person) or a taxi (22-25 euros) to get from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu. Then you take a ferry from the Port of Corfu to Saranda, which takes 30-65 minutes and costs 19-25 euros per person.

Tirana Airport to Saranda train

You cannot travel from Tirana airport to Saranda by train. 

• Tirana airport has no train station, so you cannot take any trains from Tirana airport. 
• Tirana city does not have a train station, so you cannot take any trains from Tirana.
• Saranda city does not have a train station, so you cannot take any trains to Saranda.

Train travel in Albania is very limited, with as little as 2-3 trains in operation per week in the entire country. You can take a train from Durres to Elbasan 2 x times per week. And you can take a train from Shkoder to Lac 1 x time a week. And that describes all the available trains in the entire country.

Tirana city used to have a train station in the past. But this train station was demolished in 2013. It is currently 2023 and no new train station was built, so train travel from Tirana is not possible. Tirana airport never had a railway station, so it was never possible to take a train from Tirana airport.

Saranda never had a train station. The old railway network that was constructed during the communist period, between the end of the Second World War and 1992, never reached Saranda. 

Many of the old railways connecting Shkoder, Lac, Tirana, Durres, Elbasan, Vlore and Pogradec are visible in the landscape, but a lot of sections are not in use. Railways were never constructed as far south as Saranda. 

Since the fall of communism in 1992, there has been little interest and little investment in the railway network. Therefore, the Albanian people travel by Furgon minibus, not by train.

Related Questions

How do you get to Saranda? You can get to Saranda by flying to either Corfu airport or to Tirana airport. From Corfu airport, you take a taxi (22-25 EUR) or a bus (1.20-1.70 EUR p.p.) to the Port of Corfu. And then a ferry from the Port of Corfu to Saranda (30-65 min, 19-25 EUR p.p.). From Tirana airport, you can take a taxi (150-193 EUR) or a rental car (at least 20-25 EUR per day) to Saranda. There is no direct bus from Tirana airport to Saranda, a taxi to the bus terminal costs 23-28 EUR + a bus from the bus terminal to Saranda costs 15.50 EUR per person.

How to get from Corfu airport to Saranda? You can get from Corfu airport to Saranda by taking a bus/taxi to the Port of Corfu and then a ferry from the Port of Corfu to Saranda. A bus ticket from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu costs 1.20-1.70 EUR per person. A taxi from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu costs 22-25 EUR per taxi. A ferry from the Port of Corfu to Saranda costs 19-25 EUR per person and takes 30-65 min.

How do I get to Saranda Albania from UK? You can get to Saranda in Albania from the UK by flying to either Tirana Airport or Corfu Airport. You can book a flight from London to Tirana Airport with either Wizz Air or British Airways and then take a taxi or rental car to Saranda (5 hours). Or you can book a flight from London to Corfu Airport with British Airways, Easy Jet, Jet2, Ryan Air, TUI Airways or Wizz Air. And take a ferry from Corfu to Saranda for 30-65 minutes.

What is the closest airport to Saranda from UK? The closest airport to Saranda if you are flying from the UK is Corfu Airport. You can book a flight from London to Corfu Airport with British Airways, Easy Jet, Jet2, Ryan Air, TUI Airways or Wizz Air. And take a ferry from Corfu to Saranda for 30-65 minutes.

What is the closest airport to Saranda from London? The closest airport to Saranda if you are flying from London is Corfu Airport. You can book a flight from London to Corfu Airport with British Airways, Easy Jet, Jet2, Ryan Air, TUI Airways or Wizz Air. And take a ferry from Corfu to Saranda for 30-65 minutes.

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.

Book your free Albania Planning Session via Skype now, by using my online scheduler to find a time that’s convenient for you.