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Information on the movement of foreign nationals in Albania |
| Effective 1 May 2022, if travelling to Albania, whether by land, sea or air, there are no specific documents required, in terms of Covid-19. More info |
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| Getting to Tirana |
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The major flying companies that are carrying their activities in Albania are Alitalia, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, WizzAir, Olympic Air, Turkish Airlines and Pegasus.
To arrange your transport to and from the airport, two options are available:
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- You can use the Airport Shuttle Bus, which leaves on the hour from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm from the airport and the city center and costs 250 Albanian Lek one way (about $2.5).
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You can hire a taxi. All taxis charge a fixed rate of 2,000 Albanian Lek (about $20) between the airport and any destination in the city center and are very safe to use. |
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Taxis charge fixed rates of $4-6 for travel within Tirana. |
- To download a tourist map of Tirana, click here.
Additional tourist information in English on Tirana can be found on the City’s website.
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| Getting around Tirana |
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| By bus |
Public transportation in Tirana consists of a number of intra-city bus lines, which are not very fast, but cheap (40 Lek for one ride). Buses marked 'Unaze' are for the ring road and travel in a loop around the city centre. There are also lines serving suburban shopping centers and Tirana Airport.
A useful web and Android application regarding Tirana's Public Transportation such as lines, directions, times and costs can be found at Tirana Bus Stations. |
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| On foot |
| The city center is small enough to be explored by walking. Walking is a rewarding experience, but beware that there is *no* continuity in sidewalk width, construction material or condition. Sidewalks frequently end abruptly, have large holes or are very narrow. Pay attention while walking or you may end up spraining your ankle or falling in a hole. Street names are subject to change, so locals rarely know them. It is advised to learn a to navigate via landmarks instead of addresses or street names. You can orient yourself using the Lana River and "Dëshmorët e Kombit" street, which roughly bisects the central part of Tirana into four sections. At this intersection of the Lana River and Dëshmorët e Kombit is very recognizable "Pyramid" and "Taiwan Center". |
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| By bicycle |
Tirana is not known as a bicycle-friendly city, but the current Mayor has stated that he is committed to improving the cycling infrastructure and bicycle lanes are beginning to appear on some streets. The Ecovolis Bicycle Sharing Program launched in 2011 with a number of rental locations, including Rinia Park (near the Taiwan Center) and along Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard. A full day ride costs 100 lek (approx. $1USD as of 2012). Bicycles should be returned to the station of origin. Ecovolis also offers bikes for longer 24/7 rents at the shop. For all other bike equipment or repair, Rruga Qemal Stafa is Tirana's unofficial "bike street" with lots of little, inexpensive bike shops.
Cycling in the street can be somewhat intimidating to riders unfamiliar with Balkan traffic but combined bus and bike lanes have been opened recently on some main streets. Bicycle-only lanes are located on Skanderbeg Square, Deshmoret e Kombit Main Boulevard and on sidewalks along Lana River and Kavaja Street. |
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| By taxi |
Newer taxis that use a meter (generally more cheaper) can be found around town:
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- MerrTaxi offers online and authorized taxi reservation phone: 0800 5555 (toll free).
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SpeedTaxi |
- Official taxies have a list with fare prices inside the vehicle. During the day flag-fall starts at 250 Lek (as for MerrTaxi) and 300 Lek during the night or holidays.
Most informal taxies or irregular ones do not use the taximeter. You can negotiate the price before entering the cab, or ask them to use the taximeter and save money.
To calculate your fare in advance you can use the online taxi fare calculator for Tirana. |
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