What is the closest airport to Vlore? TIA, Tirana Airport, Bus, Taxi, Rental car

If you are wondering which airport is the closest to Vlore, then this blog is for you. I will discuss flying to the closest airport to Vlore and how to travel from the airport to Vlore upon arrival.

What is the closest airport to Vlore? The closest airport to Vlore is Tirana International Airport (appr. 2 hours). Bus Tirana airport to Vlore 1200 LEK (11.60 EUR). Taxi Tirana airport to Vlore 67-110 EUR. Rental car at least 15-20 EUR a day.  An airport in Vlore is under construction and expected to open in March 2025. 

In this blog post, I will give you all the details you need to travel from Tirana Airport to Vlore. I will discuss bus travel from Tirana airport to Vlore, taxi prices from Tirana airport to Vlore and rental car rates at Tirana airport. I will also discuss the plans to open a new airport in Vlore in 2025. 

The closest airport to Vlore

The closest airport to Vlore is Tirana International Airport. It takes approximately 2 hours to travel from Tirana airport to Vlore. The usual route is from Tirana airport via Durres and Fier to Vlore. This is a highway and the quickest route to get from Tirana airport to Vlore.

You can travel from Tirana airport to Vlore by bus, by taxi or by rental car. There are no trains from Tirana airport to Vlore or from Tirana to Vlore. So you cannot travel by train from Tirana Airport to Vlore.

There is a direct shuttle bus service from Tirana airport to Vlore. The bus departs from Tirana airport to Vlore at 00:45, 03:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 and 22:15. A bus ticket from Tirana airport to Vlore costs 1,200 Albanian Lek (11.60 euros). Hermes Airport operates the bus from Tirana airport to Vlore. 

A taxi from Tirana airport to Vlore costs between 67-110 euros. Different taxi drivers and taxi companies have different rates. You can see the price comparison of taxi prices below. The Tirana Airport Taxi Service charges 103 euros. These taxis are always waiting in front of the Tirana Airport Arrivals Hall. 

Another option is driving from Tirana airport to Vlore by rental car. A rental car at Tirana airport costs at least 15-20 euros per day. However, car rentals can be pricy in July and August due to the tourist high season. I highly recommend you reach out to car rental companies before you travel via email or WhatsApp or request a quote online. Because some travellers have contacted me saying they were charged 50-70 euros per day for a rental car.

There are car rental offices at Tirana Airport from Albania Airport Rent a Car, Enterprise, Auto Rental Albania, Avis, Eurocar, Europcar, G Rentals, Green Motion, Hertz, Pepa Rental, Rent a Car in Albania, Sicily by Car, Sixt and Viaggiare Rent. You can find a helpful list of car rental companies with their contact information on the Tirana Airport Website.

How do I get from Tirana airport to Vlore?

You can get from Tirana airport to Vlore with the airport bus, a car rental or a taxi. 

Tirana airport to Vlore bus

There is a direct bus from Tirana airport to Vlore. The bus departs from Tirana airport to Vlore at 00:45, 03:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00 and 22:15. A bus ticket costs 1,200 Albanian Lek (11.60 euros). The name of the bus operator is Hermes Airport.

Buses depart from the parking area at Tirana airport. When you arrive at the airport, you will pass through passport control, then luggage collection and walk into the Arrivals Hall. Take the exit to your immediate left and walk to the parking area to find the bus station.

There is also a bus from Vlore’s city centre to Tirana airport. The bus from Vlore to Tirana airport departs at 01:30, 03:30, 06:00, 07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 20:00. You can buy a ticket and board the bus at the Hermes Airport office in Vlore. The address is Hermes Aeroport Vlore, near Market DURA, Rruga Gjergj Kastrioti, Vlorë, Albania. You can see the location on Google Maps here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/QL2L7gWeqEWFE78U7 

Tirana airport to Vlore taxi

A taxi from Tirana airport to Vlore costs between 67-110 euros. Prices vary between taxi drivers. Below you can find a price comparison of what taxi drivers in Tirana charge for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore. 

Tirana Airport to Vlore taxi prices:

• Tirana Airport taxi service charges 103 euros for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore.
• Green Taxi Tirana charges 7000 Leke (67.50 euros) for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore.
• Smart Taxi Tirana charges 7500 Leke (72 euros) for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore.
• Speed Taxi Tirana charges 9500 Leke or 95 euros for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore.
• City Taxi Tirana charges 10500 Leke or 105 euros for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore.
• Ciao Taxi Tirana charges 110 euros for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore. 
• Tirana Taxi Company charges 90 euros for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore.

The official Tirana airport taxi service charges 103 euros for a taxi from Tirana Airport to Vlore. The advantage of taking the Tirana airport taxi service is that you know what you are getting. Yellow taxis are stationed in front of the Arrivals Hall. The airport logo is displayed on both sides of the taxi. And the official price list is on their website. So it is legit and official. 

Albania does not have UBER. UBER does not exist in Albania. Some of the taxi companies have built an app. Merr Taxi has Taxi AL. Speed Taxi has the Speed Taxi App. In my experience, the easiest way to reach out to taxi drivers is via WhatsApp or Messenger. Easy and quick and you will have prices in minutes. 

Tirana airport to Vlore rental car

Renting a car at Tirana Airport costs at least 15-20 euros per day for the cheapest rental car available. 

There is a helpful list of car rental companies on the website of Tirana Airport. You can find mobile numbers and email addresses for all the car rental companies at Tirana Airport.

To give you an insight into what it would cost to rent a basic rental car, I did reach out to several car rental companies at Tirana Airport.

Tirana Airport car rental prices (starting from):

• Albania Airport Rent a Car charges 20 euros per day for a manual Skoda Fabia from 2018.
• Avis Rent a Car Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for a manual Opel Corsa or 25 euros per day for an automatic Opel Corsa. 
• Pepa Rent a Car Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for an economy car, like a Skoda.
• RCA Rent a Car in Albania Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for a small manual car, like a Mitsubishi Spacestar or Citroen C1 or Peugeot 108.
• Green Motion Rent Car Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for the economy category. It can be an Opel Corsa or Dacia Sandero or Skoda Fabia.
• Viaggia Rent Tirana Airport charges 18 euros per day for a manual Fiat Panda from 2023.
• ARA Auto Rental Tirana Airport charges 17 euros per day for a small manual car or 20 euros per day for an automatic car. Brands like Citroen or Peugeot are available.
• G Rentals Tirana Airport charges 20 euros per day for a Dacia Stepway.
• Sixt Car Rental Tirana Airport charges 15 euros per day for a Mitsubishi Space Star. 

Of course, it is important to bear in mind that car rental rates can be a lot higher in the tourist high season. The summer months like July and August are the top of the high season, so car rental can be a lot pricier. Especially, since the basic or cheap rental car may not be available anymore and only a more luxurious and expensive car is available. 

Do reach out to several car rental companies before you travel. I have spoken to tourists who paid 50-70 euros a day for a rental car. So it is best to do your research before you travel.

IMPORTANT! Driving in Albania can be challenging for a foreigner. The Albanian drivers do have a chaotic and sometimes aggressive style of driving. So if you have any doubts about driving, do not do it! Hire a taxi, book a tour or travel by bus instead. Safety comes first.

Tirana airport to Vlore train

It is not possible to travel from Tirana Airport to Vlore by train. There is no train station or railway at Tirana Airport. So there is no train travel possible from Tirana Airport. 

Tirana city also does not have a train station. The old railway station was demolished in 2013 and it is currently 2024 and no new train station was opened. So Tirana city also does not offer any train travel at the moment.

According to Albanian Railways, also called HSH Hekurudha Shqiptare, there are plans to refurbish the railway between Tirana and Durres and to construct a new railway that connects Tirana Airport to the Durres-Tirana railway. However, these are merely plans at the moment. As no trains operate between Durres and Tirana at the moment.

There are old railways connecting Durres and Vlore. But this section of the old railway is not in use and needs maintenance. Very few trains operate within Albania’s borders. There are 2 x trains a week between Durres and Elbasan and 1 x train per week between Shkoder and Lac. As a result, the Albanian people prefer to travel by minibus or by car.

Is Vlora Airport open?

Vlora Airport is not open right now. Vlora Airport is expected to open in March 2025. 

A new airport is being built in Vlore. In November 2023, the government inspected the building works at Vlora Airport and it was announced that the new airport will be open in March 2025. 

The new airport near Vlore will start operations in March 2025. The building works for the new Vlora Airport started in 2021. The airport is being built by  Mabco Constructions, which is a subsidiary of Mabetex Group. This company is owned by a Kosovo-Albanian businessman. The contract for Vlore airport is worth 103.9 million euros.

Vlora Airport opening date

The new Vlora Airport is expected to open in March 2025. This was announced in November 2023, when the Albanian government inspected the building works for the Vlora airport. 

How big is the Vlora airport?

Vlora Airport will have an airport terminal area of 20,000 cubic metres. Initially, it was predicted that Vlora airport would welcome 330.000 passengers in its first year of operation. However, in November 2023, the Albanian government announced they were now predicting that over 1 million passengers would fly into Vlora airport in its first year of operation. Due to an increase in tourists visiting Albania and an increase in new flights to Albania.

Saranda Airport to Vlore

The Albanian government has plans to build a new airport in Saranda. The Albanian government asked for bids or offers from construction companies to build the airport. However, no bids were submitted. In essence, although there are plans to construct an airport in Saranda. There is no construction taking place yet. So it is uncertain when a new airport in Saranda will open. 

Corfu Airport to Vlore

If you cannot find a direct flight to Tirana Airport, you could consider flying to Corfu Island. Corfu Island is a Greek island located in front of the Albanian coastline. In the summer season, there are a lot of seasonal flights from European countries to Corfu Island. 

• Step 1: Fly to Corfu airport
• Step 2: Taxi/bus from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu
• Step 3: Ferry from the Port of Corfu to the Port of Saranda
• Step 4: Taxi/bus from Saranda to Vlore

Once you arrive at Corfu island, you can take a taxi from Corfu airport to the Port of Corfu (20 minutes), then a ferry boat from Corfu to Saranda (30-65 minutes) and then a taxi or bus from Saranda to Vlore. Of course, you could spread this journey over a few days and spend time in Corfu, Saranda and finally Vlore.

This journey from Corfu via Saranda to Vlore is not shorter. But perhaps a flight to Corfu is more convenient from your country.

Related Questions

What is the nearest airport to Vlore? The nearest airport to Vlore is Tirana International Airport. Tirana International Airport is a 2-hour drive from Vlore. You can take a bus (11.60 EUR), a taxi (103 EUR) or a rental car (at least 15-20 EUR a day). A new airport is under construction in Vlore, expected to open in March 2025.

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