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Albania is a country where distances trick you. On the map, Tirana and Saranda look like neighbours — on the road, they sit four hours apart.
Where to rent a car in Albania
Albania is a country where distances trick you. On the map, Tirana and Saranda look like neighbours — on the road, they sit four hours apart. Public transport outside the capital runs to its own logic: buses are infrequent, routes opaque, tickets sold by the driver in cash.
Without a car, most of the country stays out of reach. The Albanian Riviera, the mountains of Theth, Lake Komani, the small villages around Berat and Gjirokastra — every postcard depends on having your own wheels.
Albania is a country where the car decides everything. With one, our customers see more in five days than most see in a month without. That's why nine in ten of our travellers come for the freedom to move on their own time.
Prices are among the lowest in Europe. Economy cars start at €18–35 a day in the off-season and €50–90 in July and August. Deposits with our local partners begin at €100, and zero-deposit options are widely available. Any debit or credit card works for the online prepayment; on the road in Albania itself you'll need cash regardless, since most local suppliers and petrol stations still prefer it.
We know Tirana airport inside out. Our manager meets you by flight number at the arrivals exit, and the contract is signed at the car within fifteen minutes. No shuttle bus, no global counter to queue at.
Travellers come from every angle — couples, groups of friends, families, retirees. The questions repeat: can I drive into the mountains, what's parking like, how do deposits work, are there toll roads. What follows is an honest answer to each, without the brochure language.
Most tourists in Albania start their trip here
How much it costs and when to come
Economy cars in the off-season (October–April) start at €18–35/day. In July–August the same car runs €50–90: the country's roughly five hundred rental vehicles can't cover summer demand from hundreds of thousands of visitors, and the first two weeks of August book out first. Weekly rentals come with a discount, and the average lands at €20–25/day.
The sweet spot is May or September. The sea is warm, the ferry queues at Durres aren't ten cars deep, and rates run 30–40% below August. Booking three to six weeks ahead saves another 15–25%, especially with the verified local partners.
If your trip is in July or August, book the car the same day you book your flights. The two peak weeks clear out our economy fleet first — and economy is by far the most popular class for Albania.
The right car for Albania is small and usually diesel. The streets of Berat and Gjirokastra were not built for estate cars, the hairpin bends to Theth pull diesel happily, and parking in high season is sized for the compact class. A five-metre crossover for two travellers is a common mistake — neither parks nor manoeuvres well here.
Diesel is the default in Albania. It's cheaper at the pump, pulls better on the mountain passes, and stations carrying diesel are everywhere. Petrol is fine for a beach week around Durres, but for the mountains, take diesel.
Renault Captur in Albania
Out of 5 stars I can give 3 🙁 I paid a deposit for the car. I wrote the address and delivery time. I missed my flight. I informed your employees about it. I informed them of the date and time of my new arrival. In addition to the fact that the car was delivered to me with a three-hour delay, they delivered another car to me. (the car is 10 years older) They said that they gave the Renault to another person. How could you give away my reserved car? And they told me to pay for 14 days (as if they were holding the car for me). Although the rental was 10 days, taking into account the delay. I ended up getting the wrong car I reserved, paying for it when I didn't use it, and was late to book my accommodation because the car was delivered three hours late. 😡
Skoda Scala in Albania
It was great
Dacia Sandero Stepway in Albania
everything went very well with the car, we had no problems during the rental. The only confusing part was that we thought we had booked full insurance, but at the office they explained that this was not the case. Other than that, everything was perfect.
Dacia Sandero Stepway in Albania
Was my worst experience, well thought out deception and fraud. Renault Sandero Stepway 2025, gasoline was ordered. Stage 1 of the deception: 3 hours before the start of the rental, I was sent a message that such a car is out of stock, but will provide another, "class higher". This car turns out to be a 2015 Fiat 500 xl diesel, which I would never rent for any money. You have a dilemma: put up with it and take this junk or take nothing, lose the 40 euro deposit and stay overnight with your kid and stuff at the airport in a foreign country. I.e. the landlord always wins and loses nothing, if I refuse, they get charged for one day and don't rent anything. I'm sure they don't have 2020s cars at all and it's just a photo, but if they do exist, someone was lucky enough to get one, but the photo on the site remains and the scam continues. I didn't risk being without a car and got over it. Maybe if the country was more civilized or the arrival was in the afternoon, I would have tried renting locally and losing 40 euros. So I get a 2015 Fiat 500 xl, all stripped down, battered by life, humming wildly, very hard to pull, with the oil light on and every 5 minutes the screen lights up: Change oil. I'm pretty sure this sign has been there since 2015 and the oil in this car has never been changed before. Upon pickup, both myself and the lessor took pictures of the car and he told me that they were well aware of all the defects. So, handing over the car, divorce you for money, stage 2. Inspection of the car and I am presented with damage to the car, namely deep scratches on the black plastic on the arch of the front wheel, there as if the front black bumper smoothly passes into the arch. There is not a single dot on the paint of the car next to it. The part is located at the bottom and unnoticed no one could scratch me like that and drive away. The car all the rental period spent the night in the underground parking lot and there was not a single risk of scratching the plastic arch without hitting the paint, it is a very specific defect. But still, I'm being charged for the damage and a fine of 300 euros. I wouldn't give 300 euros for the whole fiat. Naturally, I refuse to pay, moral and psychological pressure begins, you have 3 hours before the flight, nerves, etc. And if you do not fall for this trick, suddenly there is a magic way out: you have to write a positive review on Google Maps. Apparently, Albanians do not know that the review can be changed or deleted later, but some are lazy and so remain excellent reviews. The way out of this situation: in Albania, when you get a car, you need to video the car from all sides and inside, and in the hood, and in the trunk because there are undoubtedly 3 and 4 stages to get money from you.
Skoda Scala in Albania
everything was great! We are very satisfied .
Dacia Sandero Stepway in Albania
If I had to summarize - When we arrived at the place, we were told that we would get another car, albeit for the same price, but given the Albanian roads it was clear that we got a lower car and it was worse to drive on the roads. I deliberately searched on the website that we wanted a car where a credit card was not required, on the round table we were told that it was required. But we didn't have one. So the gentleman told us that we had to pay €15 more per day. Thanks to the fact that I said that this was not in the conditions, we didn't have to pay it. but given that we arrived at two in the morning, it was not pleasant to deal with it. Anyway, the rented car was fine even though it was different and driving was more complicated.
Volkswagen Polo in Albania
We rented a VW Polo from TakeCars in Tirana. Our contact was Elton and everything went very well. Elton was very accommodating and easy to get in touch with. We were transferred to a VW Golf, the car was a few years old but we really liked it. Would love to have it again.
Citroen C4 in Albania
The rental went well!
Fiat Tipo Sedan in Albania
it was really great.
Volkswagen Golf 5 in Albania
I would not recommend them. They do not accept your creditcard as payment. In my case I had a car insurance when paying by card and they refused it, only Euros in hand. The car was dirty on delivery and they did not give me time to check the car for scratches. On pickup we had washed the car and the guy told me there was a scratch on the rear bumper which I refused to take responsibility for. So cheap rental but you may be in a lot of trouble in the very aggressiv and inpredictible traffic situation in Albania. Best regards Per Erling.
Mercedes-Benz ML250 in Albania
was good except the fact that Aldi noticed is the evening before the start of our rental that we had to pay for insurance while the booking stated that the insurance was free (that was the reason why we picked this car) He said it was his fault but a booking is a booking
Mercedes-Benz Vito in Albania
Was great!
Hyundai i20 in Albania
Good communication, perfect service, a great car. One week rental period, covered 1000+ km in Albania and Montenegro. Recommend fully!
How to pay and what the deposit looks like
Albania still runs on cash. At the counter, 99% of suppliers accept the rental balance and deposit in euros or Albanian lek. Cards work intermittently around the country and ATMs aren't on every corner — keep €200–500 in cash on hand at all times. The 15–20% online prepayment on TakeCars takes any debit or credit card, including most European-issued ones. The remainder is settled at pickup. We tell every customer the same thing: prepayment online by card, balance in cash on arrival. That's how Albania works — it's the country, not us. Deposits at local partners run €100–300, often in cash. International chains require €250–1,500 blocked on a credit card in the main driver's name. Zero-deposit cars are widely available — usually economy class with full CDW already built into the rate.
How to pay and what the deposit looks like
Albania still runs on cash. At the counter, 99% of suppliers accept the rental balance and deposit in euros or Albanian lek. Cards work intermittently around the country and ATMs aren't on every corner — keep €200–500 in cash on hand at all times. The 15–20% online prepayment on TakeCars takes any debit or credit card, including most European-issued ones. The remainder is settled at pickup. We tell every customer the same thing: prepayment online by card, balance in cash on arrival. That's how Albania works — it's the country, not us. Deposits at local partners run €100–300, often in cash. International chains require €250–1,500 blocked on a credit card in the main driver's name. Zero-deposit cars are widely available — usually economy class with full CDW already built into the rate.
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Real reviews on every car
The average rental fleet in Albania is eight to twelve years old, and condition is the one thing customers actually flag. Every car on TakeCars carries reviews from the people who hired it last — no anonymous five-star ratings, only first-hand experience.
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Any debit or credit card
Online prepayment goes through with any Visa or Mastercard, debit included. The balance and deposit are settled in cash at pickup — that's how Albanian suppliers prefer to work, and there's no card-decline drama at the counter.
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Meet & greet at TIA
Your manager waits at the arrivals exit of Tirana airport with a sign, knowing your flight number. Paperwork is signed at the car itself, on the partner car park, in about fifteen minutes. No shuttles, no queues at a desk.
Roads, rules and parking in Albania
What the roads are actually like
Between the major towns, the asphalt is European-grade. The Tirana–Durres motorway is one of the best-maintained in the country. Mountain villages — Theth, Valbona, Shala — are reached by hairpin roads that look intimidating on the map; after the 2020–2023 resurfacing programme, almost any saloon makes the climb. Real off-road tracks survive only in remote villages and don't lead to the standard tourist sights.
The road to Lake Komani is only frightening on paper: it's sealed and the markings are fresh. Any car gets you there — just take it slowly and give space when you meet a local on a blind bend.
Speed, headlights and alcohol
Urban areas: 40 km/h. Rural and expressway: 80 km/h. A1 motorway: 110 km/h. Dipped headlights must stay on 24/7 year-round (law since 2023, fine €20–40). The alcohol limit is 0.01% BAC — effectively zero. Drink-driving costs €250–400, brings a licence suspension and, in serious cases, vehicle confiscation. Albania doesn't bend on this.
The classic tourist mistake is a glass of wine in Dhermi and "just five minutes back to the hotel". Nothing alcoholic if you're driving — Albania doesn't forgive it, and police park near the resorts on purpose.
A1 motorway (Kalimash) toll
Albania has exactly one toll road: the A1 "Rruga e Kombit", running from Tirana towards the Kosovo border. The toll gate sits at the Kalimash tunnel — €5 per car, paid in cash (euros or lek) or by card. There are no vignettes anywhere in Albania; every other road is free. If you're not driving to Kosovo, you can ignore A1.
Parking in Tirana and elsewhere
The capital's blue paid zones run on the T-Park app: register with a phone number and any Visa or Mastercard. SMS payment requires an Albanian SIM, which is no use to a tourist — install the app on the airport Wi-Fi when you land. Underground car parks at Skanderbeg Square and the Air Albania stadium charge €1–2 per hour. If you're booking car hire in Tirana for a week or more, choose a hotel with its own parking — central kerb space runs out fast in summer. Outside the capital — Berat, Gjirokastra, Shkodra, the smaller towns — parking is chaotic but mostly free. Paid summer zones appear in Saranda, Vlora, Himarë and Ksamil at €1–3 per hour.
Never park under a red "P" with a cross. Tirana's tow trucks are quick, and the fine plus retrieval runs €40–100 minimum. Squeezing onto the kerb in the centre under a CCTV camera is also a bad idea.
Police and fines
Albanian traffic police are friendlier to foreign drivers than to locals, but radar traps and sudden speed-limit drops are favourite spots for stopping rental plates. Keep documents to hand, stay polite, and never offer money — that's a serious crime here. Pay any fine within 15 days at a bank, post office or rental company for a 50% discount. Anything left unpaid is deducted from your deposit, plus a service fee.
If a fine arrives, don't ignore it. Standard story: customer returns the car, two weeks later the supplier deducts €60 for the offence and €20 service charge. Paying at the bank on time costs half as much.
What basic cover includes
TPL (third-party liability) is included by Albanian law on every rental. CDW is included with most suppliers too, but with an excess of €500–1,500. Tyres, alloys, glass, undercarriage, interior, mirrors and keys are usually outside basic cover — and on Albanian roads, those are the most common damages.
When to take Super CDW (Full Cover)
Albanian roads have gravel everywhere — along the coast, on every mountain pass. Super CDW takes the risk off the wheels, the windscreen and the underside. €10–25 a day against a €500–1,500 excess is straightforward maths, especially on a family rental.
Super CDW (sometimes called Full Cover) zeroes the excess and adds the parts left out by basic cover. It costs €10–25 a day. For a flat trip Tirana–Durres you can skip it; for a mountain run or the Riviera, take it without thinking.
What to do after an accident
126 is traffic police, 112 is the general emergency line. A police report is mandatory — without one, the insurer rejects every claim, even a single scratch on a car park. Don't sign anything you can't read; photograph the scene from every angle; notify the supplier within the first 24 hours.
The dangerous move is shaking hands at the scene and driving off. Without a police report, the insurer refuses the claim and the repair lands on the driver. Ninety minutes of paperwork saves hundreds of euros.
Documents and age
EU, UK, US, Australian, NZ and most other Latin-script licences are accepted in Albania. An International Driving Permit isn't legally required for these — but if your home licence isn't in Latin script, the IDP is mandatory. Bring the physical card plus your passport. The minimum age is 21 with one to two years of licence; under 25 add €3–10/day. Most EU/UK/US/AU/NZ travellers enter Albania visa-free for up to 90 days.
Where to drive on your hire car
The classic 5–7 day loop: Tirana — Berat — Vlora — Dhermi — Himarë — Saranda — Gjirokastra. Hiring a car in Vlora suits travellers who want to start on the Riviera, skipping the capital. For a quick swim, car hire in Durres works — the closest beach to Tirana, 35 minutes from the airport. The north is another world: the Komani serpentine, Theth, Valbona. Cross-border driving is allowed to Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia; Greece is blocked by almost every supplier.
Below — the average daily rental price in Albania by month.
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Frequently asked questions
Economy cars start at €18–35 a day in the off-season (October–April) and €50–90 in July–August. Weekly rentals average €20–25/day after the standard discount. Booking three to six weeks ahead trims another 15–25%. Albania is one of Europe's cheapest markets for rentals — local suppliers run 30–50% below the international chains.
Yes. Local suppliers and TakeCars accept any debit or credit card — Visa, Mastercard, Maestro — for the 15–20% online prepayment. The balance and deposit are settled in cash on the spot, in euros or Albanian lek. International chains (Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Avis) still require a credit card in the main driver's name at the desk.
Local suppliers ask €100–300, often in cash or blocked on a debit card. International brands charge €250–1,500 strictly on a credit card in the main driver's name. Zero-deposit cars are common in economy class — usually with full CDW already built into the daily rate, leaving only an excess on tyres and glass. Local suppliers refund deposits at hand-back; chains can take 7–30 working days.
Not legally — EU, UK, US, Australian, NZ and most other Latin-script licences are valid in Albania without an IDP. The exception is licences in Cyrillic, Arabic or other non-Latin scripts; for those an IDP is mandatory. Police occasionally ask US drivers for one anyway, so if you have it, bring it. Always carry the physical licence plus your passport.
For most travellers, no. EU/EEA, UK, US, Canadian, Australian, NZ and many other passport holders enter Albania visa-free for up to 90 days. A handful of nationalities still need a visa — apply through e-visa.al for the standard tourist permit (€30, decision in 5–10 days). Check the official list on punetejashtme.gov.al before travelling.
Montenegro: yes, with most suppliers — a Green Card is mandatory there, plus a cross-border fee of €20–50. Kosovo: yes, no Green Card needed since 2023, fee €20–40. North Macedonia: yes, Green Card bought at the border (~€20) plus a €30–50 fee. Greece: refused by 80% of suppliers; the few that allow it charge €150–230 plus extra insurance.
Yes, in most cases — it pays for itself. Basic CDW in Albania doesn't cover tyres, alloys, glass, undercarriage, interior or mirrors, and these are exactly the parts that suffer most on gravel and mountain passes. Super CDW zeroes the excess and includes those vulnerable areas, costing €10–25/day against a €500–1,500 potential excess. For families and Riviera trips, take it.
€5 per car at the Kalimash tunnel toll gate on the A1 "Rruga e Kombit" motorway. It is the only toll road in Albania — there are no vignettes anywhere in the country. Pay by card or cash (euros or lek). The toll only matters if you are driving north to Kosovo; routes to Durres, Vlora, Saranda and the Riviera don't cross any paid sections.
Urban roads: 40 km/h. Rural and expressway: 80 km/h. A1 motorway: 110 km/h. Dipped headlights must be on 24/7 year-round since 2023; the fine for switching them off is €20–40. Alcohol limit is 0.01% BAC — effectively zero, one of the strictest in Europe. Drink-driving carries a €250–400 fine, licence suspension and possible vehicle confiscation. Take it seriously.
Tirana's blue paid zones run on the T-Park app: register with a phone number and any Visa or Mastercard. SMS payment requires an Albanian SIM, so install the app on the airport Wi-Fi when you land. Underground car parks at Skanderbeg Square and the Air Albania stadium charge €1–2 per hour. Outside the centre, parking is mostly free but tight in high season.
No. The Saranda–Corfu ferry doesn't accept hire cars from Albania — it's a strict supplier rule across the country. Park in Saranda's paid car parks (€5–10/day) and cross as a foot passenger. The crossing takes 30–70 minutes, tickets €19–35 one-way. A morning crossing and an evening return makes for a comfortable day on Corfu.
Call 126 (traffic police) and 112 (general emergency). A police report is mandatory — without it, insurance won't pay even for a small scratch or a car-park dent. Photograph everything, don't sign anything in Albanian without a translation, and notify the supplier within 24 hours. Never shake hands and drive off — that voids the cover and the repair lands on you.
Yes — one-way drop-offs inside Albania are offered by almost every supplier, with a fee of €20–80 depending on distance (Tirana to Saranda or Vlora is the most common route). International one-way to Dubrovnik, Podgorica or Pristina is offered by select partners only at €300–600. Always set the drop-off in writing before pickup.
Twenty-one with one to two years of licence is the floor at most local suppliers. Premium and luxury classes start at 23–25. Drivers under 25 pay a young-driver surcharge of €3–10/day or a flat €30–50 for the rental. There's no formal upper age limit, but a few suppliers ask drivers over 70 for a doctor's certificate. ID and licence are checked at the counter.