Whilst researching your trip to Albania, you might read stories about the difficulty of navigating Albania without a car. After spending three weeks backpacking the country, I can in fact confirm it’s not always easy, it’s definitely chaotic, it’s sometimes stressful but it’s 100% possible.
The transport systems in Albania continue to improve as time goes on but I’d still recommend a high level of patience and flexibility. Here’s everything you should know about how to navigate the Albanian transport system.
Unlike most cities which have one main central bus station, Tirana has three. It’s important you go to the correct one or your bus simply won’t be there.
Regional Terminal (North & South)
East Terminal (TEG)
City & Airport Terminal
Near Casa Italia Outlet
At Tirana East Gate Mall
Behind the Palace of Culture
Sarandë, Gjirokastër, Berat, Shkodër, Himarë…
Korçë, Elbasan, and International
Around the city & 24/7 Airport Shuttle (Luna Travel)
The most commonly used station, the Regional Terminal, looks like a chaotic bus parking lot but don’t let that panic you. Drivers and conductors will be everywhere shouting different destinations out loud, listen out for where you’re going and head towards the labelled bus. I found everyone at all bus stations to be really willing to help you get the right bus so simply just ask someone if you’re confused or can’t find your bus.
For shorter distances or more rural routes, furgons are the only option. Despite their cool name, they’re basically just privately owned minibuses unique to Albania. They’re important for local travel but they operate on their own rules:
The Schedule: No Set Schedule. They often just leave when they’re full.
The Route: No Set Route. Just a direction on an undefined route.
The Stops: No Set Stops. Wherever you want to get on or off, it’s possible on furgons.
The Side Quests: Many Side Quests. Your furgon driver will also likely double as a local delivery driver so expect to stop for delivery pick-ups and drop-offs along the journey.
Backpacker Story: On a connecting route in the north of Albania, our furgon ran out of seats. Instead of turning people away or seating them on the floor, the driver casually grabbed a wooden chair from the roadside cafe, wedged it into the aisle and that became someones seat for the journey!
Things are rapidly changing in Albania in when it comes to booking transport. It’s now possible to pre-book some major intercity route online through popular apps like 12GO.
However, for most buses and furgons, it is still pay when you board. There’s unlikely to be any sort of ticket office, even at the stations in Tirana and for places like Himarë or Gjirokastër it’s just a designated stop on the side of the road, not even a station so you’re sure to not find a ticket office there.
Only buy a ticket from the driver or the conductor, no random people in the streets. The best approach is to board the bus first and the conductor will collect the ticket money mid-journey. Don’t worry, you’ll be charged a fixed price – no tourist prices, they’re good people.
If you want total freedom to stop at remote castles, empty beaches or to pick up that watermelon from the highway stand then renting a car leaves no limits. There’s plenty of options both at Tirana Airport and the city centre. Just be aware that some roads in remote areas are undeveloped so take care.
Despite Albania being an affordable country, taxis are not budget friendly at all so I would avoid them at all costs unless you’re in an emergency.
Backpacker Story: Whilst in Tirana we had to flag down a taxi to literally chase down a city bus we had just taken because Jack left his phone on it. It wasn’t until we were in and panic settled a little bit that we realised it was a meter taxi which was ticking up incredibly fast. Our own mistake but it ended up being an expensive and stressful ride for a 10 minute journey. Glad to say we got his phone back though!!
Hitchhiking is extremely safe in Albania for tourists and whilst it’s not commonly used, it’s accepted. Albanians are incredibly kind people and are always willing to help out.
We got stranded at an off-the-beaten-path nature spot with no buses in sight so decided it was the perfect opportunity to try hitchhiking for the first time. After around two minutes of sticking our thumbs out with smiles wide, a lovely Greek couple on holiday picked us up. They were super chatty, made us feel so comfortable and dropped us back to the town for free.
One Last Story: On my last intercity journey of my three week trip, I took a bus from Korçë back to Tirana. I was the last person on the bus so in typical Albanian fashion I was given a tiny stall that was wedged between the driver and the door so I spent hours on winding and stormy roads trying not to fall into the door stairs or onto the driver – neither being good options. To make it better, the back of the bus had no window, instead it was taped up with bin bags so when the storm really rolled in, the rain poured straight into the bus and all over the passengers on the back row!
Albania is hands-down one of my favourite countries and yes the transport is a little chaotic but it made so many memories for me. Bring a sense of humour, plenty of cash and embrace all the chaos the transport system (or lack of) has to offer. You’ll have an incredible trip!
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