How to Get From Tirana Airport to the City Centre (2024)

A detailed and up-to-date guide for getting from Tirana airport to the city centre (or vice versa) by airport bus, taxi, or private transfer.

Tirana International Airport (TIA) is a modern airport on the outskirts of Albania’s capital city. Having used this airport on my recent trip to Tirana, I was impressed with both the transportation options and services available at the airport itself.

In this quick guide, I will describe the best ways to get to/from the airport using public transport, taxi or a private transfer.

I will also provide some useful tips and tricks for those arriving or departing from TIA, including where to buy a SIM card, accessing ATMs, and more.

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Where is Tirana airport located?

Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza (sometimes referred to as Rinas International Airport) is located 19 kilometres north-west of the centre of Tirana and 32 kilometres north-east of the port city of Durres.

Travel time to either city from the airport is approximately 25-30 minutes if there is no traffic. During rush hour, it can take up to 60 minutes to reach Tirana.

There is only one airport in Tirana, and only one terminal for arrivals and departures.

How to get to the city centre from Tirana airport: 3 options

Option 1: Tirana airport bus

In my opinion, every major international airport should have an affordable, reliable shuttle service. Tirana ticks this box with its airport bus that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For most travellers, this is the best option for getting into the city.

Coaches are operated by the company Luna shpk. They have comfortable seating, AC, and there is plenty of space for luggage and oversized items in the cargo hold.

Tickets cost 400 LEK per person, paid directly to the attendant on board the bus (cash only, exact or close to exact change preferred).

• Operating hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Frequency: Once an hour on the hour
• Trip duration: 30 minutes (longer if there is heavy traffic)
• Fare: 400 LEK (3.78 Euro) per person

For a while this bus was operating on a restricted schedule. Now it is back to being a 24-hour service, meaning you can depend on the bus even if you have a late night or early morning flight.

The bus runs in both directions once an hour, departing from the city centre and the airport on the full hour (at 6am, 7am, 8am, etc.).

To find the bus at Tirana airport: Exit the arrivals hall through the glass doors immediately to your left. Walk past the KFC and along the line of rental car offices, following the signs that point to ‘Autobuses’.

Buses wait at the rear of the car park – you will see several coaches idling and drivers waiting to direct passengers onto the bus that is next set to depart. Pop your suitcase in the luggage hold and grab a seat.

The bus makes a few quick stops before terminating at Skanderbeg Square in the centre of Tirana. The exact location of the stop is marked on Google Maps as “International airport shuttle” (see the pin here).

If your accommodation is not within walking distance of the square, there is a cab rank directly in front of the bus stop where you can pick up a taxi. There are also stops for most major city bus routes around Tirana in the same location.

If you’ve arrived early and you’re looking for a place to kill time, Bar Ufo is a 24-hour cafe located nearby.

If your plan is to leave Tirana and travel onward on the same day, there is an option to alight the airport bus early in front of the CasaItalia shop, which is across the road from the South and North Albania Bus Terminal.

From here, you can find intercity furgons travelling to Berat, Gjirokaster, Saranda, Permet, and many other places around the country. Check schedules in the timetable photos uploaded on Google Maps.

Other bus companies run coaches directly from the airport to several more popular destinations around Albania including Durres, Vlore and Fier. These services are not 24-7, however – check times and prices here on the website.

Option 2: Tirana airport taxi

If you prefer to use private transportation to travel to Tirana city from the airport, then a taxi is an alternative option.

Airport taxis in Tirana are regulated and operated by one company, Auto Holiday Albania. The journey to the city is slightly faster than the bus, around 20 minutes on average.

Taxis are available 24-7 for individuals and groups of up to 11 people. The company prides itself on using new, comfortable vehicles and describes its English-speaking drivers as courteous and efficient.

It is possible to reserve a taxi online and pay the fare in cash (LEK or Euros) when you travel. Or you can simply go to the rank when you arrive at the airport. To be safe, I would definitely confirm the price with the driver before you set off.

For safety reasons and to avoid being scammed, it’s best to stick to the yellow and black taxis with the Auto Holiday Albania logo. After exiting the arrivals hall you will see the taxi rank immediately to your right, behind the Mother Teresa statue.

How much is a taxi from Tirana airport to city centre?

Taxis from Tirana airport to the city operate at a fixed price: 23 Euros to destinations in the city centre, or 28 Euros to ‘Periferic Areas’ (AKA suburbs on the periphery of the city).

Be sure to have your accommodation details on hand to present to the driver.

AHA also offers taxis to other cities in Albania, with prices ranging from 14 to 200 Euros depending on the distance.

Can you use an app to book a taxi from the airport?

Uber is not available in Albania, but there are alternative apps that you can use to book a taxi from the airport (assuming you have purchased and set up a local SIM card or eSIM that includes a phone number).

Prices are lower when you use an app: Speed Taxi, for example, charges 12 Euros to travel to the city centre.

Option 3: Private Tirana airport transfer

If you prefer the peace of mind that comes with pre-booking a private airport transfer, then there are several services available in Tirana.

I recommend this private airport transfer, offered through Viator. The biggest advantage to pre-booking is that you can pay online and not have to worry about withdrawing LEK or handling cash on the day.

Provide your flight details at the time of booking and the driver will be there waiting to take you directly to your address in Tirana.

Tirana airport arrivals guide

ATMs & money exchange

There are two or three ATMs located near the check-in counters in the departure hall, which is connected to the arrivals hall (walk around to your right as you exit from immigration).

All ATMs in Albania charge a withdrawal fee, even Credins bank which was previously free. The lowest fee we were able to find was at the American Bank of Investment (500 LEK). Most ATMs charge 650 LEK, including BKT and VTB.

There is an exchange desk inside the airport hall. However, I would recommend using an ATM to withdraw local currency (LEK) instead if possible.

Buying a SIM card at Tirana airport

Two of Albania’s biggest networks, One Albania and Vodafone, both have shops inside the airport hall.

From what I could see, prices here are the same as at stores in the city.

Be aware that both providers offer tourist packages and this is what staff will always suggest first. However, they are only valid for one week. If you’re travelling for longer than a week, you should go with a ‘normal’ package.

Unlike in Turkey, foreigners are not limited to tourist SIMs and are free to buy regular packages.

Prices at One Albania seemed high to us so we ended up going with Vodafone. We paid 2,000 LEK for 30 GB of data (valid for 30 days) plus an additional 200 LEK for the SIM card. Browse current packages here.

Unfortunately, the SIM didn’t work in my phone (a Google Pixel), only in Ross’s phone. Coverage was good, but customer service at the Vodafone stores we visited was subpar. All things considered, we were happy with our choice.

How to get back to the airport from Tirana city (reverse route)

To get back to the airport from Tirana city: The airport bus departs from the same stop where it arrives, adjacent to Skanderbeg Square and close to the mosque and Friendship Park (see the exact location pinned here on Google Maps).

Drivers depart round the clock, every hour on the hour. Travel time to the airport averages 30 minutes and the fare is the same, 400 LEK per person paid in cash on board. Remember to leave yourself plenty of wiggle room if you’re travelling during peak hour, as traffic might be heavy.

When I last caught this bus on a Friday afternoon it was full of passengers by 10 to the hour – so I highly recommend arriving early to ensure you get a seat. On this occasion, the bus was there waiting 50 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

If you miss the bus, there is a taxi rank directly in front of the stop. Expect to pay around 2,500 LEK to travel to the airport. Always confirm the price with the driver before you set off.

Flying out of Tirana: What to expect

I recently flew from Tirana airport to Thessaloniki – and honestly it was one of the smoothest, easiest airport experiences of my life.

The airport itself is newly renovated and well arranged, with lots of check-in counters to minimise queuing (there is no automatic check-in for Wizz Air available yet – all passengers must present to the counters).

Wizz Air recommends arriving at the airport three hours before your flight departs. When we flew, check-in was open at the three-hour mark.

We were not asked to show anything except our passports, although we had printed out our boarding cards just in case (there are several print shops in the centre of Tirana costing around 10 LEK per page).

In my experience, check-in for Wizz Air was very casual: Our bags were not measured, weighed or even eyeballed (in fact, the luggage scale at the check-in desk wasn’t working).

You do not have to remove anything, not even your laptop, from your bag at security. There was a bit of a bottleneck at passport control, but if you have a US, UK or Australian passport you can use the automatic gates instead.

Outside the airport there is a grassy lawn near the propeller plane where you can sit. There is also an interesting statue of Mother Teresa, for whom the airport is named.

As well as the KFC, there is a Mulliri coffee shop, several convenience stores and an Adrion bookshop on the lower level, before immigration.

Once you pass through security, there are some good food options available upstairs at the departure hall, which is beautifully decorated with Albanian carpet designs. We paid 360 LEK for a very good iced latte at Nana cafe.

The KFC outside the main hall has bench seating with power outlets.

The airport has free WIFI, but neither of us were able to connect on our phones.

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