When we made our plans to travel through the Balkans, we had heard many tales about Albania, mostly how scary it was and how hard it was to travel around. That timetables don’t exist, and unless you have a car or are a local, then you are basically screwed!
I’ll be honest, the public transport in Albania didn’t seem promising!
We were a little nervous when it came to travelling in Albania, given what we had heard, and also a little worried that we would just have to skip through the capital and be on our way, missing out on really seeing it.
But after an amazing time spent in Albania, in which we fell in love with the country, we are here to say: It is completely possible and transport in Albania is easy!
So, I’ve put together this complete guide to not only public transport in Albania, but I’ve given a rundown of other options too, such as renting a car, hitchhiking and the famous furgons!
Right, let’s crack on with our guide to transport in Albania, should we?!
We recommend using pre-bookable buses and organising your trip online. This way you can work to a timetable and actually know when your bus will be leaving and arriving!
Alternatively you can flag down a local furgon, they have the destination marked in the window. This is a super cheap and local method of transport to get to the next town, just make sure to let the driver know when you want to get off as they don’t have a fixed schedule.
By far the best transport in Albania is car rental. The country is a beautiful tapestry of villages, mountains, beaches and many of the highlights can be awkward to reach. By renting your own car you can make your own route, stop off whenever you want and hit up those epic off the beaten track areas without having to worry about unreliable public transport.
So, you wanna know all about the transport in Albania.
Well, I will tell you this. It’s a little bit chaotic, to say the least, but it’s well worth it. I came across a few people who were so put off by the reputation of public transport in Albania that they actually avoided coming to this wonderful country. Now that’s a crying shame if you ask me, and the thing is, in reality, it isn’t all that difficult.
The second thing you should know is that in the past few years, public transport in Albania has significantly changed, and much more of it is pre-bookable online. The first time we visited this wasn’t the case at all, and my biggest advice when it comes to navigating the public transport in Albania is to utilise internet bookings as they are the most reliable.
HOWEVER. I must stress that not all routes are or will be available to book online. You’ll see if you click through to 12GO or BudBud that it’s a bit hit and miss. I’d recommend checking them both out.
That said, what I love about Albania is that it’s a chaotic country that reminds me very much of Asia. It’s a far cry from Western Europe, and it’s what makes it so special. It’s almost trapped in a time warp where you’ve got to just let things go a little!
In Albania, you have to go with the flow a little, let things happen and leave a little bit more time to get anywhere… no matter how close you think it is and even if it is pre-booked!
There are several main methods of transport around Albania, probably even more than I’ve mentioned here, if you fancy jumping in the back of a horse and cart. But these are the most common!
If you want to know the truth, if you’re confident enough, then renting your own car is the way to go in Albania. That way, you’ll be able to soak in all the incredible rural landscapes at your own pace. Plus, it’s actually very affordable here compared to Western Europe.
Ok, let’s have a look at a bit more detail on exactly what the transport in Albania looks like.
Long-Distance Transport in Albania
When travelling from major city to major city in Albania, you can get on coaches and minibuses. The real benefit here to using these is that they are pre-bookable online now. This is a major change from our first visit in 2016 and makes using public transport in Albania a hell of a lot easier.
Most of the main bus stations in Albania are a little way out of the city centre and are absolute chaos! Buses and coaches everywhere with people shouting different city names from everywhere! At first glance, it can be quite overwhelming and off-putting.
However, if you’ve arranged your bus beforehand, then you’ve no need to worry; you’ve secured your seat, and all you need to do is skirt around the chaos and hop on your bus!
Buses here are not all that bad if you get on a larger one. Image: The Roaming Renegades
The people here are really helpful in the bus stations in Albania if you do need any help finding your bus, and in our experience, they don’t rip you off. You’ll usually find a guy shouting your destination in a croaky voice somewhere in the station, so just head in his direction and he should point you where to go!
Sometimes cities also have more than one bus station, so be sure to plan in advance and head to the right one on your booking. Your accommodation should be able to help you out, but you can also check on your online booking for the address of the bus station.
We recommend turning up early for your buses, especially if you’re travelling to another country. When you’re travelling within Albania, you’re always going to have to add extra time on!
Even with pre-booked buses, the drivers will try to get more customers, so you might still have to wait a while too, so book with plenty of time to spare if you’ve got to be at your destination by a certain time
The long-distance buses will take you to places like Berat. Image: The Roaming Renegades
As with all types of transport in Albania, if you are on the last minute, you can still pay on the bus. But we do recommend booking online beforehand if you can.
Either way, a guy will come around and check your tickets or take payment. Most stations don’t have an office or pretty much anything; they are often just a carpark with buses flying around you!
Even the long-distance coaches and mini buses can be flagged down at the side of the road, and you can also you can ask the driver to drop you literally anywhere along the route. So if you are heading to a town near a major city, it might be easier to mention it to your driver; sometimes, they will even take a detour to drop you off.
Of course, this also means that even with pre-booked transport, you can’t be sure when it will arrive at your destination!
Ok, so you’re probably wondering, “Can I get around Albania without a car?” The short answer is hell yeah, you can. The long answer is, do you enjoy standing around a sketchy area of town looking at your watch whilst pacing up and down? You’re planning on visiting Albania, of course, you bloody do!
The faces of two people sat next to a chicken for way too long! Image: The Roaming Renegades
So, here I will give you a rundown of the different methods of public transport in Albania.
The “furgon” is pretty much unique to Albania, although there are several similar services run in different countries, like the Dolmus in Turkey and the mini buses in Moldova.
You might have thought that at least the city buses run on a timetable… no, not even these do! They run whenever the bus gets full! So the best advice is to get on the one with the most people, even though often at home we would do the opposite!
Outside each bus there will often be a guy touting for business and trying to fill up the bus, they will continue to pack more and more people in before finally setting off. So sometimes you might be in for a wait.
If you are getting the bus to catch a flight or so something very time specific, then set off early or consider getting a taxi!
Many cities don’t have a central bus station for the local city buses, but they set off around the main squares and main streets. Again, this information will be nowhere online, so whichever city you are in, just ask, and people will help.
Your hostel or accommodation is the best place to get up-to-date local information here.
For Tirana, the buses go mostly around the main square and outside the museum. In Berat, it is outside of the main church and Mosque. In Shkoder, it is around the main roundabout.
You don’t need to buy a ticket before getting on the bus, either. The guy touting for business will come around and sell tickets. They are usually at a set price regardless of how far you are going. Usually very, very cheap, around about the 20 or 30 mark, which is about 20p!
Renting A Car In Albania
With public transport in Albania being a little on the unreliable side, you might be thinking about renting a car in Albania. Well, what a great idea that is! Getting around Albania in a car is the best way to take in all the incredible places along the way, you’d just speed right past on a bus.
Take in the villages, the isolated beaches, and the imposing mountain passes, all in your own time.
We just love exploring a country on our own terms with our own transport, just like we did when we motorbiked through Vietnam. In fact, we’d go as far as to say that when it comes to transport in Albania, renting a car is the best way to get around. This way, you’ll see so much more, and those out-of-the-way places are that much easier to reach.
Hitchhiking in Albania is a legitimate way of getting around! I mean, you see old women doing it all the time, it really is the norm and quite easy to do! In fact, it’s another reason why Albania is one of the top destinations for backpackers.
I was a little reluctant to give it a go at first, even though I had always wanted to. I wasn’t sure Albania was the place to try it, but it is strange how perception changes once you visit somewhere. The name Albania felt scary and aggressive, but now, when I say it, I am filled with the images of friendliness and beauty!
Hitchhiking in Albania is a great way to cover awkward short distances Image: The Roaming Renegades
There is no science to hitchhiking; it is just a game of chance, but hey, it’s a great way to cheaply travel around Europe.
Make sure you position yourself in a safe place where you are not in a blind spot or on a corner, and also where you can back off the road or get back to somewhere crowded if needs be.
But also consider how visible you are too, so you give your potential lift a chance to see you and weigh you up. Also, get on the right road for your destination; it’s no good standing at the opposite end of town to where you want to go! Standing near a sign pointing to the town you want to go to is also useful.
Also, often when hitchhiking, you will have to do a journey in several cars instead of just one, so knowing what towns are in the direction you want to head can be helpful. Be sure to leave yourself enough time and set off early, as it can sometimes take a while to get a ride.
When you are in the car, try to get to know the kind folks who picked you up. Not everyone in Albania speaks good English, but they will give it a good go! Also, above all else, make sure to listen to your instincts, and if a lift doesn’t feel right, then just let them go!
We recommend hitchhiking when you’re making short journeys in Albania; that’s when it’s considered very much the norm here. If you’re heading on a long trip from one city to another, it can be unreliable and painstakingly slow, so book your bus online instead.
Given how cheap public transport is in Albania, it’s not worth the risk. But when you’re headed from an off-the-beaten-track place, like when we visited Bogove waterfall near Berat, then it’s often your only option if you miss the bus (spoiler alert: we did!)
I often don’t advocate using taxis, especially when you are travelling! But the transport in Albania is unreliable at best, and if you are on a timescale, then they are certainly an option.
A word of advice for Albania, though. If you plan on getting a taxi, then ask your hostel or hotel how much it should cost first and agree on that price with the taxi or get them to ring it for you and agree on the price. Taxis in Albania are cheap, though and certainly a better option than missing your flight!
Oh, and FYI, they don’t have Uber or Grab in Albania. It’s just old school taxis… for better or for worse!
We’ve used the Osprey Farpoint/ Fairview for all our backpacking adventures over the past 5 years and highly recommend them!
The main area of the pack opens like a suitcase, which is great for using packing cubes to keep everything organised and they even come with a detachable day pack!
Ok, before you grab your backpack and head straight to the airport, I’ve got a few tips for taking transport in Albania.
There Isn’t Always a Direct Bus
Make sure to check at the bus station if it’s just one bus to your destination; sometimes you’ll need to switch buses in another town/city, but they will let you know before boarding. Usually, it’s pretty simple, and the driver will let you know when to get off and where/ what time the next bus will be.
However, it’s always worth checking because getting stranded by the side of the road just as the sun is setting with all your bags is really not a great idea!
So Start Your Day Early
Buses are unreliable in Albania, and they often stop regularly to pick people up/drop people off. They also don’t always leave on time as they wait to fill up before setting off. Then there’s the whole issue of potentially having to switch buses mid-journey. As you can imagine, it can get frustrating and time-consuming.
Always make sure to start your travel days as early as you can to give yourself a chance to get to your destination in good time.
Even if you’re renting a car, you should give yourself extra time to account for sightseeing stops, traffic (including livestock!) and roads which require a little extra care.
Albanian people are super friendly and approachable, so if in doubt, ask some locals when/where and what time buses leave. Try going into a local restaurant or shop, or even ask at your accommodation. We found people were more than willing to try to help us.
Bus Stations are marked on Maps.me
Maps.me is great in Albania, especially when trying to locate the bus station. Google Maps is amazing in other countries, but for some reason, it’s not as reliable in Albania. So make sure to download the free offline Albania map on Maps.me when you have Wifi, and you shouldn’t have a problem finding the bus station.
Some Cities Have Multiple Bus Stations
If you’ve booked a bus, make sure to check which bus station it leaves from, as there are some cities that have multiple stations. We’ve almost come unstuck by this before and had to race across the city to get to the other station. Trust me, you don’t want to be getting on a long-distance bus covered in sweat!
Get Some Data Before Travelling
Having data on your phone in Albania is a must, especially if you’re going to be heading out to rural areas and doing things like hitchhiking. It’s also super useful for using things like Google Translate, and also checking on tickets you’ve booked online.
If you’ve missed the last furgon or you can’t find any taxis to flag down, your only other option may be to hitchhike. This is a very common thing in Albania, and many of the locals rely on it because of the unreliable nature of the public transport system. These are just a few tips to follow to make it as safe as possible.
Stand in a safe and visible place along a straight road so the driver has plenty of time to see you and stop.
When someone stops and it doesn’t feel quite right, always trust your gut feeling and politely decline and wait for the next car.
Try to always travel at least in pairs for extra safety; this way, you can communicate with each other, plus it’s always safer in numbers.
Hitchhiking at night adds extra risk for obvious reasons, so avoid this if you can.
Before entering the vehicle, try to get a clear message from the driver whether the ride is free; otherwise, agree on an amount that you’d be happy to pay.
Try not to put your backpack in the boot/ trunk of the car; it’s best to keep it with you at all times. Make sure to also keep any valuables out of sight during the journey
Get Insured Before Your Albania Trip
Albania is a super safe and fun place to travel to, 100% highly recommended by The Roaming Renegades. But ya know what we also recommend? Always get some good quality travel insurance before you leave home. This way, you can enjoy those bumpy Albanian roads without worrying about unplanned spinal surgery!
Travel insurance is one of those annoying things that no one likes to think about, let alone pay for, when you’re planning your next trip. It can also be bloody annoying as a backpacker/long-term traveller to find affordable coverage that meets the itinerary-less lifestyle (*cough* World Nomads *cough*).
So instead of getting subpar travel insurance, now we just always go with SafetyWing. It takes like 5-10 minutes to purchase your policy and essentially functions as a monthly subscription plan with near-global coverage!
So, there you have it. We’ve covered different aspects of transport in Albania, including those infamous Albanian buses! Whether you opt to go for public transport in Albania or get your own car, you’re in for a real treat and one of our favourite ever countries.
Remember, be flexible and book as much online as you can when it comes to transport in Albania. Getting around Albania on public transport is easily doable, and we managed to get to some amazing places all over the country that way.
But you do have to be patient, open-minded and not too fussed about time. If you approach it in a relaxed and fun way, then you’ll have a great time on the unique and chaotic Albanian transport system!!
Good luck! Have you ever travelled through Albania on public transport? Let us know.
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For long-distance travel between major towns and cities, Albania’s public transport is great because you can pre-book buses online to ensure your journey. For shorter distance travel, it can be quite unreliable and frustrating as they use public minibuses called “furgons” which don’t run on a set schedule.
Albania is a pretty rural country, and the public transport can be quite unreliable and frustrating to organise. So getting your own car is the best way to see as much as possible and not spend half your time waiting for the bus to set off!
Yes, you can; there are many different options, including pre-bookable long-distance buses between the major towns and cities. There are also “furgons”, which are public minibuses which don’t have a set schedule; you just need to flag them down at the side of the road and let the driver know when you want to get off. Also, if there are no buses, then hitchhiking is a legitimate option to travel.
You can either book online in advance and make sure you’ve got a ticket before it gets full, or turn up on the day and pay on the bus. When using the “furgons” you just pay a small amount in cash to the driver. If you decide to hitchhike then make sure that you agree before hand if the journey is free or if you need to pay a small amount.
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Yo, I’m Nic (they/them), one-half of The Roaming Renegades.
I’m an adventure (and halloumi) obsessed traveller with a passion for hiking mountains, exploring cities, watching Arsenal win, moshing out to Rammstein in random European fields and getting hopelessly lost on a motorbike somewhere in Asia! I am also a proud member of the LGBT+ community.
I’ve explored 80 countries, lived in Australia and New Zealand, and spent months wandering Southeast Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, all while trying to avoid growing up!
Did it work? I dunno, but my back hurts, and I still collect Pokémon cards! Who wants in?!
Hi,
I’m thinking of doing a trip later this year Albania to Montenegro. Looking at travel options, how did you find driving around? Safe? Roads ok? Thanks
Hey. That sounds like a great trip. Driving over there is pretty chilled. Roads aren’t as good as in Western Europe for sure and you’ve got to be super careful on mountain roads and remember to drive on the right if you’re from the UK! But all in all, it was a great experience, not too hectic and you get to see so much more this way.
This guide is incredibly helpful! I’ve been planning my trip to Albania and knowing the ins and outs of public transport will definitely make my journey easier. The updates for 2025 are especially useful. Thank you for sharing such detailed information!
Thank you for the detailed guide on public transport in Albania! I found the tips on navigating the bus system especially helpful. It’s great to see updated information, and I appreciate the insights on the local culture and etiquette. Can’t wait to try it out on my upcoming trip!
I get that this is an affiliate post for 12Go, but I just wanted to let you know that they don’t sell bus trips for Albania, they only list taxis that are hundreds of dollars to get between towns, so are useless to recommend.
Hey Lauren. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I get what you’re saying. It’s not a “affiliate post for 12go” as much as we’ve tried to write a guide to transport in Albania and yes, we do have affiliates in this post, it’s how we make money for the work we put in putting them together, but the primary focus for us is to give our readers the information they need to travel. We actually have a revamp scheduled for this post in the coming weeks, so we’ll take a closer look at that.
But the problem with transport in Albania is that it is hard to book online as we’ve mentioned in the post, and for buses you’ll often only be able to book them at the local bus stations. Some routes are available on 12go/ busbud etc, some aren’t. I’ve played around on there just now and for some routes you will find buses, especially international trips, but for some, you’re right, only taxis are available. So it just depends on which routes you’re looking at. But this is why we primarily suggest renting a car if you are confident and can afford it, as it avoids a lot of messing about. But if course, I understand a lot of people can’t do that, we didn’t on our first visit to Albania, we used local buses with a mixture of online bookings and paying at the station or even just on the bus itself.
Sorry for any confusion. I’ll make a note to mention this in our revamp. Thanks again.
Great post! I’m planning a trip to Albania next summer, and your guide on transportation options is super helpful. I appreciate the updates and tips on local travel methods. Looking forward to exploring the beautiful landscapes!
Thanks for putting together such a comprehensive and timely guide to transport in Albania— it’s great to see that the situation has improved so much since the last time.
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![A Guide To Transport In Albania [UPDATED FOR 2026]](https://theroamingrenegades.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/guide-to-transport-in-albania-backpacking-368x552.jpg)
Hi, thanks for the info in the blog.
You mentioned; The 3 hour ferry ride through the mountains of Northern Albania that blew us away (and should be on everyones bucket list!)
What is the departure/arrival point?
Thanks
Hey. It’s just outside of a place called Koman/ komani. You can get a mini bus from Shkodra to the port. It leaves from outside the Rozafa Hotel at 06:45am and has the “Ferry Berisha” logo on it. You can read more here:
https://theroamingrenegades.com/the-3-hour-ferry-ride-through-the-mountains-of-northern-albania/
Hi,
I’m thinking of doing a trip later this year Albania to Montenegro. Looking at travel options, how did you find driving around? Safe? Roads ok? Thanks
Hey. That sounds like a great trip. Driving over there is pretty chilled. Roads aren’t as good as in Western Europe for sure and you’ve got to be super careful on mountain roads and remember to drive on the right if you’re from the UK! But all in all, it was a great experience, not too hectic and you get to see so much more this way.
This guide is incredibly helpful! I’ve been planning my trip to Albania and knowing the ins and outs of public transport will definitely make my journey easier. The updates for 2025 are especially useful. Thank you for sharing such detailed information!
Thank you for the detailed guide on public transport in Albania! I found the tips on navigating the bus system especially helpful. It’s great to see updated information, and I appreciate the insights on the local culture and etiquette. Can’t wait to try it out on my upcoming trip!
I get that this is an affiliate post for 12Go, but I just wanted to let you know that they don’t sell bus trips for Albania, they only list taxis that are hundreds of dollars to get between towns, so are useless to recommend.
Hey Lauren. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I get what you’re saying. It’s not a “affiliate post for 12go” as much as we’ve tried to write a guide to transport in Albania and yes, we do have affiliates in this post, it’s how we make money for the work we put in putting them together, but the primary focus for us is to give our readers the information they need to travel. We actually have a revamp scheduled for this post in the coming weeks, so we’ll take a closer look at that.
But the problem with transport in Albania is that it is hard to book online as we’ve mentioned in the post, and for buses you’ll often only be able to book them at the local bus stations. Some routes are available on 12go/ busbud etc, some aren’t. I’ve played around on there just now and for some routes you will find buses, especially international trips, but for some, you’re right, only taxis are available. So it just depends on which routes you’re looking at. But this is why we primarily suggest renting a car if you are confident and can afford it, as it avoids a lot of messing about. But if course, I understand a lot of people can’t do that, we didn’t on our first visit to Albania, we used local buses with a mixture of online bookings and paying at the station or even just on the bus itself.
Sorry for any confusion. I’ll make a note to mention this in our revamp. Thanks again.
Great post! I’m planning a trip to Albania next summer, and your guide on transportation options is super helpful. I appreciate the updates and tips on local travel methods. Looking forward to exploring the beautiful landscapes!
Thanks for putting together such a comprehensive and timely guide to transport in Albania— it’s great to see that the situation has improved so much since the last time.