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Car rental in Sarandë is the easiest way to explore the south of Albania in a single trip: Ksamil's beaches, ancient Butrint, the Blue Eye, Gjirokastër and the Albanian Riviera. Sarandë has no airport of its own — the nearest is TIA, 285 km away — so many travellers choose an alternative: a flight to Corfu and a 30–70 minute ferry to Sarandë.
In our Sarandë catalogue you'll find dozens of local partners, many of whom deliver the car to the port or hotel. Winter is mild here — around +12 °C in January — and Sarandë is a favourite for long stays and winter escapes from Italy, Poland and the UK.
A couple arrived in Corfu on the 23:40 ferry in August. The car was waiting at the Sarandë pier with the keys ready — they were checking in at their Lungomare hotel by half past midnight.
Sarandë is the typical end-point of the Tirana — Berat — Riviera loop. Most travellers pick up at TIA and drop off here, or travel light from Corfu and start their trip at the port.
Getting to Sarandë
Sarandë has no airport. The closest is TIA in Tirana, 285 km away via the SH4 and SH8, a 4–5 hour drive along the Albanian Riviera. It's the longest transfer option in Albania, so the "land at TIA and drive to Sarandë the same day" plan isn't for everyone. Travellers usually choose one of three options.
Via Berat or the Riviera
The natural choice if you want a road trip across the country and finish at the coast. The standard route is Tirana — Berat — Vlorë — Sarandë in 1–2 days, with an overnight in Berat or Himarë.
Corfu plus ferry
Often faster and cheaper. European low-cost carriers fly into Corfu frequently, the ferry takes 30–70 minutes and runs year-round. We deliver the car to the port in Sarandë.
One-way drop-off
Pick up at TIA and drop off in Sarandë. Our partners charge €40–80 for a one-way rental; sometimes it's free with longer bookings.
A family landed at TIA at 13:30 and headed straight for Sarandë. They reached Himarë after sunset and decided to stop for the night, finishing the drive the next morning. Leave TIA by midday or plan an overnight in Berat.
Delivery to the port or your hotel is free with some partners and €10–25 with others, depending on the area.
Peugeot 2008 in Albania
Everything was fine, on time and available. at the pick up they first wanted to hold us responsible for a scratch, which we didn‘t do. But at the end everything was fine
Opel Corsa in Albania
I booked a 2025 Opel. I got a 2016 BMW sedan with over 200,000 miles on it. It was not at all what I expected. And they had no choice what to offer me.
Hyundai Tucson in Albania
All was ok 👍😊
Honda Jazz in Albania
it was well organized
Opel Corsa in Albania
It was fine thanks, we had a good trip and car was ok
Audi A3 in Albania
They changed a few things like finally the car was a Volkswagen Polo, they picked us up from the airport but didn't deliver the car until the day after... but the communication with Aldi was excellent and also we used a lot of petrol and very little and they refunded us the remaining money, I thought that was a wonderful action on their part that made us recommend them 100% without any doubt. We ended up very happy. Thank you very much!
Volkswagen Golf 6 in Albania
The owner of the car arrived at the place where we agreed to pick up and drop off the car at the agreed time. He was super friendly and gave us some tips on driving in Albania. The car was in great conditions! The booking process was super easy and two days before I asked to rent a day earlier than planned and it was possible! Everything went well and I recommend it 😉
Volkswagen Golf 7 in Albania
It was my first experience with local car hires and it went perfect there were some slight details regarding the car but discussed directly with the owner nevertheless, regarding the website and process, as I said, I would recommend it to my friends thanks
Volkswagen Golf 5 in Albania
It was perfect ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ford Fiesta in Albania
everything went very good. From beginning to end. We had no problems with the car and your collegues were very friendly and helpful.
Volkswagen Golf 7 in Albania
We were replaced with a ford focus, the car was in good condition, everything worked. We were met at the airport, quickly formalized the rental documents. Picked up the car at our location and also without problems. Everything went great!
Mercedes-Benz C-Class in Albania
All was fine with the car and the rental
Fiat Punto in Albania
Everything was perfect, thanks. If you want to share this opinion in any website.. you only have to indicate in which one.
Day trips from Sarandë
Sarandë is a compact base — within 30 minutes you can reach most of the south's top sights. Ksamil, with its beaches and small islands, is 15 minutes away on the SH8. Ancient Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is 25 minutes from the centre. The Blue Eye spring is 35–40 minutes north. Lekursi Castle, with its panorama over Sarandë and Corfu, is a five-minute climb up.
Further afield, Borsh beach and its olive groves are 35 minutes away on the SH8. UNESCO-listed Gjirokastër, with its stone old town, is 1 hour 15 minutes inland. If your route includes the full Riviera — Dhërmi, Himarë, Llogara Tunnel — plan for a full day.
A guest in a Skoda Fabia visited Ksamil, Butrint and Lekursi in a single day without needing four-wheel drive. None of the top sights require it — only the Blue Eye car park has a short unpaved stretch.
Further afield day trips are the same: a regular economy car can handle them all. Drive carefully on the approach to the Blue Eye if your car has low ground clearance.
Llogara Tunnel and old pass
The main southern artery — SH8 from Sarandë to Vlorë — crosses the Llogara mountain ridge. Before 2024 the only option was a serpentine pass at 1,027 metres with a long climb, sweeping views of the Ionian Sea and a real risk of winter closure. Since the 2024–2025 opening of the parallel Llogara Tunnel, you have a year-round, all-weather alternative that cuts roughly an hour off the drive.
From May to October the old pass is a destination in its own right: viewpoints, peak-side cafés and switchbacks looking down at the Riviera. From November to March the tunnel is the obvious choice — the pass can shut without warning when snow or ice arrives. The tunnel toll is collected on entry; the rate is around €3–5 for a passenger car.
A couple drove south in late November and assumed the pass was open. It had shut overnight after a snow squall; the queue for the tunnel was twenty minutes and they were in Sarandë by lunchtime. Always check the status before a winter drive.
In summer the situation reverses. If you're not in a rush, take the old pass — it's one of the most beautiful roads in the Balkans and not worth missing just to save half an hour.
Rates in Saranda vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length.
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How expensive is renting a car in Saranda: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes.
Why travellers pick TakeCars
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Delivery to the Corfu ferry port and to hotels without parking
Many Sarandë hotels sit on narrow streets with no car park of their own — we drop the car where it's actually parkable, or straight at the pier.
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"No deposit" tariffs and cash on the spot
Coastal ATMs can be unreliable in peak summer, so a cash deposit with a local supplier is often easier than blocking a card.
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Italian, Polish and English-speaking managers
Summer on the Riviera is mainly Italian and Polish families plus winter-stay travellers from Northern Europe. Our partners are matched to the audience.
Parking in Sarandë and Ksamil
Sarandë doesn't have an extensive paid parking system, but the practical reality is tougher: most central hotels sit on narrow streets with no parking of their own. If you're staying around Lungomare or above the port, ask us in advance about delivery to a place where the car can sit safely.
Port and centre
There's a guarded paid lot at the port — around €3–5 per day. It's convenient if you're leaving the car for a Corfu day trip. The seafront has free spots, but in July and August they only become available after 22:00.
Ksamil and Riviera
In Ksamil, informal paid lots at the beaches charge €3–5 per day in summer. Spaces exist, but in peak season they fill up by 10:00. For Borsh, Dhërmi and Himarë you usually park on the verge or in a beach café's lot.
A family arrived in Ksamil at 11:30 in mid-July and found every beach lot full. They left the car at the village entrance and walked five minutes — quicker than circling the area and avoiding the tow truck entirely.
Police checkpoints operate on the Sarandë — Ksamil road in summer. Keep to the 50 km/h limit through Ksamil and never leave the car double-parked on narrow streets — fines from fixed cameras are issued automatically, and the tow truck moves fast.
Frequent Questions
Yes, especially in July and August. Permanent posts sit at the Ksamil entrance and near the Butrint junction. The limit through Ksamil is 50 km/h, with automatic fines from fixed cameras. Keep dipped headlights on, all seatbelts buckled and your documents handy — that defuses 90% of issues.
No. Butrint, the Blue Eye, Lekursi and Ksamil are all reachable in any economy hatchback or saloon. Four-wheel drive is only useful for the rare mountain tracks behind Finiq or for very remote Riviera coves. Local guides sometimes push SUVs "just in case" — for normal day trips it's an unnecessary surcharge.
A B-class compact (Skoda Fabia, VW Polo, Hyundai i20) or a C-class saloon (Skoda Octavia, Hyundai i30) is the optimal choice. Narrow streets, easy parking, low fuel use. If your route also includes Theth, Valbona or big elevation gains, take a diesel crossover; for the coast it isn't necessary.
Butrint (UNESCO) is 25 minutes from central Sarandë, 17 km on SH81. The Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) is 35–40 minutes, 30 km north on SH4. Gjirokastër (UNESCO, the stone old town) is 1 hour 15 inland, 60 km on SH4. The Blue Eye and Gjirokastër combine well into a single day.
Top three: Ksamil with islands and beaches (15 minutes), ancient Butrint plus the Blue Eye (4–5 hours), UNESCO Gjirokastër (full day). For a viewpoint, head up to Lekursi at sunset; for a quieter beach, drive to Borsh. For a Greek detour, go to Corfu as a foot passenger and leave the car in Sarandë.
Yes. Sarandë is one of the warmest spots in the Balkans in winter (+12 °C in January) and popular with Italian remote workers, UK winter-stay travellers and longer-stay visitors from across Europe. The 28-day discount is 25–35%. Economy from €350 a month, mid-size with an automatic gearbox €500–700.
No. Sarandë doesn't have an airport. The nearest is Tirana International (TIA), 285 km and 4–5 hours away on SH4 and SH8 along the Albanian Riviera. The alternative is to fly into Corfu (CFU) and take the Sarandë — Corfu ferry: 30–70 minutes, runs year-round.
4–5 hours on SH4 and SH8, around 280 km. The new Llogara Tunnel, opened in 2024–2025, saves almost an hour over the old pass. In summer add another hour for beach traffic around Vlorë and Himarë and the occasional police checkpoint. There are cafés and petrol stations along the way.
Through Corfu is usually faster: 30–70 minutes by ferry vs 4–5 hours from TIA. Corfu tickets are often cheaper thanks to European low-cost carriers. The downside is luggage — you carry it on the ferry yourself. The upside — we deliver the car to Sarandë port for your arrival.
Yes. Most of our partners deliver the car to the pier free of charge or for €10–15. Convenient for travellers who fly to Corfu and ferry across. Send the ferry number and arrival time in WhatsApp ahead of time — a representative will meet you with a sign and finish the paperwork in 10–15 minutes.
In summer and good weather, the old pass at 1,027 m is the better choice: viewpoints, switchbacks, sweeping views of the Ionian Sea — one of the most scenic drives in the Balkans. In winter or bad weather, take the tunnel: it runs year-round and saves about an hour. The pass can shut without warning between December and March.
Often no. From December to March the pass closes regularly with snow or ice, usually without prior notice. Since 2024–2025 the parallel Llogara Tunnel runs year-round and has become the default winter route between Sarandë and Vlorë. Always check the road status before a winter drive.
No. Standard CDW does not cover unpaved roads or driving on beach sand. This matters in Sarandë: some hidden coves and Ksamil tracks are accessible only on unpaved surface. If you plan to drive onto sand or off-tarmac, take Super CDW — or park at the nearest paved spot and walk.
Often no. Hotels in the centre and around Lungomare sit on narrow streets without their own car park. Before booking the hotel, check the map for a parking option within 200 metres. If there isn't one, ask us to deliver the car to the paid port lot (€3–5 per day) or to a nearby area with free spaces.
Ksamil runs informal paid beach lots at €3–5 per day in summer. Spaces are there, but in peak season they fill up by 10:00. If you arrive later, leave the car at the village entrance and walk 5–10 minutes. Don't park on the narrow village streets — towing is fast.