Getting around Tirana

Tirana is a walking city, and transport comes into the plan only three times: the airport, the cable car on Dajti and the trips out of town. All three run on cash. Between the square, the mosque and the first bunker you will use your feet, and even Blloku, the café quarter, is only 10 to 15 minutes from the centre. The one real exception is the bus.

From the airport to Skanderbeg Square

Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa lies about 17 km northwest of the centre, and the simplest way in is the Rinas Express, run by Luna Travel from the airport car park. It leaves at the top of every hour, the ticket costs €4.40, and the ride takes 30–45 min. The stop sits behind the National Opera, roughly two minutes on foot from Skanderbeg Square. You step off almost in the middle of the old centre.

A taxi covers the same road for €22–27. The bus wins for one or two people travelling light, since it also ends where the sightseeing starts. Whichever you choose, settle the price before the doors close, because a meter is not guaranteed.

City buses

City buses charge €0.44 (40 lek), handed to a conductor on board. Change is usually not available, so carry coins and small notes. For most visitors the line that matters leads to the Dajti Ekspres, and the table sets out both routes that reach it. The blue Porcelan line has 17 stops between the Clock Tower and the lower station, then a short walk uphill. The orange Kombinat line is the fallback: from Garibaldi Square it runs to the last stop on the line, and a minibus covers the rest to the cable car every 30 minutes, so allow for a wait at the changeover. Parking at the lower station is free for anyone driving.

A ticket is €0.44 (40 lek) one way, paid in cash to the conductor.

Taxis

Agree on a fare or a meter before you sit down. The Dajti Ekspres gives its own visitors that advice, and it applies across the city. Merr Taxi works with fixed prices and takes bookings on 0800 55 55.

Intercity buses do not leave from the centre at all. The Southern and Northern terminals lie northwest of the city, about 25 minutes from Skanderbeg Square, and serve Krujë, Berat, Durrës, Shkodër, Gjirokastër, Sarandë and Vlorë. The Southeastern terminal handles Korçë and Pogradec, and the International terminal stands behind the Ring Center.

For the two trips most visitors make, the journey to Krujë takes 45–55 min and the journey to Berat about 2 h. About twenty buses a day run to Berat between 6 am and 5 pm, and the terminal there stands 2 km from the old town, but the last bus back leaves around 4 pm, so this is an early departure. Krujë buses run from 7 am to 6 pm. Fares are paid in cash on board. Bring lek.

Day tripsThe day trips page puts Krujë, Durrës, Berat and Dajti side by side, with fares and the last bus back.Day trips from Tirana →

3 daysThe three-day itinerary shows where the bus, the cable car and the long walks fall across the days.Tirana in 3 days →

Where to stayWhere you sleep decides how much of this transport you need, and the where-to-stay page compares the neighbourhoods.Where to stay in Tirana →

BudgetThe budget page puts the airport bus, the city fare and the day-trip fares into one running total.What Tirana costs →

When to goHeat and rain change how far you walk, and the when-to-go page sets them out month by month.The best time to visit Tirana →

FoodBetween two bus rides, the food page tells you where to eat in Blloku and Pazari i Ri.What to eat in Tirana →

MistakesThe mistakes page collects the transport slips, from the unagreed taxi to the bus without small change.Mistakes everyone makes in Tirana →

Hidden gemsThe Pyramid, Postbllok, Pazari i Ri and the Grand Park have a page of their own about places outside the main circuit.Tirana beyond the main sights: the Pyramid, Postbllok and Pazari i Ri →