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Car rental in Tirana is the starting point for almost every Albanian road trip. TIA is the country's only international airport, so even travellers heading to the Riviera or to the mountains of Theth pick up their car here. The airport sits 17 km from the city centre — 20–30 minutes on the SH60 motorway outside rush hour.
Tirana is cheaper and offers more choice than any other city in Albania. The trick: pick the car up the day you leave the capital, not the day you land.
Tirana also has the lowest rental prices in Albania: economy from €5–10 a day in low season and €15–30 in July–August. And it has the largest pool of automatics in the country, because international chains and the bigger local suppliers cluster around TIA — Skanderbeg Square, Blloku and Kavaja Street office locations all draw on the same airport fleet.
You don't really need a car in Tirana itself
It is a phrase you hear from local guides, and there is truth in it. Skanderbeg Square has been pedestrian since 2017, Blloku is a maze of café streets with the worst parking in the country, and Bunk'Art, the Et'hem Bey Mosque and the Pyramid are all walkable or five minutes by taxi. If you have one or two days in the capital, a car adds more headaches than it saves.
The standard scenario is to pick the car up on the day you leave for the road trip. Land at TIA, take a €20–25 taxi to the hotel, spend a day or two in the city, then collect the car on the day you set off for Berat, Krujë or the coast. Most of our partners support this pattern with both TIA and city-centre pickup on Kavaja Street.
A couple from Manchester booked TIA pickup for Saturday and a hotel in Blloku for Thursday and Friday. They walked to Bunk'Art on Friday and took the LUNA Express back from Skanderbeg on Saturday morning — saving two rental days and the parking guesswork.
An alternative to a taxi is the LUNA Express bus from TIA to Skanderbeg Square: 400 lek, runs around the clock, around 30 minutes' drive. It pulls in right behind the National History Museum, a five-minute walk from most central hotels.
Volkswagen Golf 5 in Albania
To begin with, I had reserved a Volkswagen Golf 6, but instead I was given a Volkswagen Tiguan that was damaged all over and had several warning lights on the dashboard. The employee told me that the engine of the Golf 6 I had originally booked had broken down. The Tiguan was delivered with almost no diesel in the tank, so I had to stop at the fuel station near the airport to fill it up, where the fuel was much more expensive. Throughout my entire stay, the car kept displaying a service warning, telling me that it needed maintenance and engine oil. In addition, one of the rear lights was not working. I spent my whole trip worried that the car would break down. I was supposed to return the car to the company's office, but I had to walk about 1 km to the airport with my pregnant wife and my 5-year-old child. The employee refused to let me leave the car in the airport parking lot because he did not want to pay the parking fee. However, when I picked up the car, I was required to pay the parking fee myself.
Volkswagen Golf Plus in Albania
I had a very negative experience renting a car in Albania. Never again. Under no circumstances should you rent a car from this provider. First, at 12 midnight, they delivered a broken car that wouldn't start—thank goodness we didn't end up stranded in the mountains with it. Then, after numerous phone calls, they replaced the vehicle. Throughout the trip, they kept sending us messages claiming we were driving off-road, even though we only drove on paved roads. To top it off, upon return, the owner demanded €300 for a scratch on the painted plastic rear bumper. When I objected and offered to discuss a reasonable price, he took our personal belongings hostage, started screaming, and created a scene. He terrified the children. My mistake was not calling the police. At that point, I was ready to give him any amount of money just to stop him from scaring my kids. My older son and husband tried to step in to protect me and the younger children. This beast, reeking of alcohol, physically attacked us. In the end, my husband gave him €100. It was a complete scam and extortion. I realize that now, but our impression and entire vacation were ruined by this man. I deeply regret not calling the police.
Kia Stonic in Albania
We had no problem until we returned the car, when we were made to pay for a speeding ticket with no place or road indicated, incurred in a province where we hadn't even been on that particular day. I'm leaning towards believing that the fine was legitimate and that the police registered it a few days late, but there's really no way of knowing.
Hyundai i30 in Albania
everything went fine, thank you!
Audi A3 in Albania
It went well, all right
Mercedes-Benz A-Class in Albania
Everything was good, everything was smooth and very clear
Volkswagen Caddy in Albania
everything was fine.
Skoda Fabia in Albania
The car was in working condition, communication with the owner was very pleasant, and it was also very convenient that the car could be brought and picked up at a location convenient for me. I will definitely take the opportunity to rent a car from Erald when I am in Albania again!
Ford Fiesta in Albania
everything went well. Organization and communication was really good.
Hyundai i10 in Albania
Everything was perfect! It was really nice that we had the opportunity to get the car in Tirana city centre and return it at the airport. The guys we rented from were kind and everything went well via the website. No remarks 👍🏼
Hyundai i20 in Albania
On the first day, I am contacted by Aldi and told that the red i20 (pictured) has an air conditioning problem and so they will give me a Fiat Panda as a replacement. The Fiat Panda is on reserve. I take the Panda, supply it with 2000 lek and head to the hotel. The Fiat Panda in question is not capable of traveling long distances, so I stay at the hotel until the next day, waiting for a red Yiunday i20. It should be emphasized that the contact was not in Albania, but in Italy, so I had to communicate with people who did not even speak English. - On the second day, the staff assigned by Aldi delivered the red i20 to my hotel and I immediately noted that 4 very worn tires were installed, which are not suitable for a rental car. So Aldi from Italy promises me that someone will come the next day and change the tires. So for the second day I can't get it out of the hotel In the evening of the second day I also notice the lights off like in the photo At this point I get very angry and ask Aldi to be more serious about service because I wasted my vacation at the hotel. On the third day, which was even more serious, only the two front tires were replaced. I immediately called Aldi to get an explanation as to why the staff in Albania could not be contacted. I tell him I want a refund for the rental, even if only partially, but he refuses, apologizing for the inconvenience. As for the car's headlight, only the low beam has been replaced today. In fact, on the fourth day I drove over 500 km without high beam headlights. The only proper thing your partner in Aldi did was to refund me the 2000 lek of gasoline spent on the panda returned on the second day. I now ask your company in charge of Aldi to report this as soon as possible and get a refund, even a partial refund. The service was not suitable as road safety was not guaranteed. In addition, I paid full insurance to avoid this inconvenience. I paid 434€ for a non-guaranteed service I REQUEST a refund, even a partial refund, otherwise I will be forced to take legal action as provided for by the legislation in force.
Volkswagen Golf 5 in Albania
We were pleased with the service provided. Thank you!
Fiat Panda 4x4 in Albania
Panda was not 4x4 but a normal Panda with no AC and zero possibility to lock with the key. The local support replace the car after 3 days with a ford Fiesta. Unfortunately, after 24 hour we received an alert by the engine light. The support replace also this car with another Panda…. So, in my opinion those care was pure thrash but the local support was always kind and professional with us. best
Where to drive from Tirana: routes and day trips
Tirana sits in the geographical centre of Albania, so almost every tourist site is an hour or 90 minutes away. Berat — the UNESCO "city of a thousand windows" — is 1 hour 30 by SH4. Krujë, the Skanderbeg fortress town, is one hour by SH27. The Durrës beaches are 40 minutes on the toll-free AK1 motorway.
For something quicker, Mount Dajti is right behind the city: 15 minutes to the Dajti Express cable car, walking trails on top and views over Tirana from the terrace café. For Lake Bovilla or Theth in the Albanian Alps, plan an overnight — they are 2.5–3 hours of mountain switchbacks from the capital.
The most popular long route is Tirana — Berat — Sarandë — Gjirokastër. Comfortable pace is 5–7 days. Most travellers pick up at TIA and drop in Sarandë, or loop back to TIA.
The new Llogara tunnel, opened in 2024–2025, cuts the drive to the Albanian Riviera by roughly an hour compared with the old pass. That changes the calculus on a one-way booking: Sarandë is now a realistic same-day pickup-and-drive from TIA.
TIA arrival, debit OK, cash OK, zero hold
3 zones, SMS pay, Skanderbeg garage, Blloku tip
From €350/mo, nomads, relocants, NGO staff
AK1 is free, north A1 tolled, cameras live
Walk Tirana, drive the road trip, save days
Picking up the car at TIA airport and in the city
TIA is open round the clock and lies 17 km north-west of the city centre. After the arrivals exit the rental desks are on the right; some of our partners meet you with a sign at the door or by the car park. The paperwork takes 10–15 minutes plus the walk-around.
In rush hour (7:00–9:30 and 16:00–18:30) the TIA — centre drive takes 40+ minutes instead of the usual 25. If your flight lands in those windows and you're heading to a hotel, the LUNA Express bus to Skanderbeg Square is more sensible — pick the car up at the Kavaja Street office the next day. Hotel delivery within Tirana is free with some partners and €10–20 with others.
A guest landed at TIA at 02:40 with a delayed connection from Vienna. The flight number had gone through WhatsApp before take-off, so the partner was waiting at the kerb. Five minutes of paperwork on the bonnet, then a quiet 20-minute drive to a hotel near Blloku — the LUNA Express was long stopped for the night.
Always do a walk-around at pickup: photos of every panel, wheel and window with a timestamp. At drop-off this defuses most disputes about damage and saves a fight over the €500 deposit hold.
Rates in Tirana vary throughout the year depending on the season and the rental length.
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How expensive is renting a car in Tirana: average daily rates for a one-week car rental, across all car classes.
Why travellers pick TakeCars in Tirana
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The largest pool of automatics in Albania
International chains and the bigger local suppliers cluster around TIA, so a Skoda Fabia AT, Ford Focus AT or an automatic SUV is easiest to book here.
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"No deposit" tariffs as standard
In the Tirana and TIA catalogue we flag the no-deposit option separately, for travellers who'd rather not block €1,000 on a card.
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Italian, Polish, Greek, German and English-speaking managers
Tirana hosts the most multilingual partner roster in the country — from Italian families using TIA as a Balkan gateway to German road-trippers.
Parking and traffic in Tirana
Central Tirana has three paid parking zones run by Tirana Parking. Zone A (centre) is roughly 100 lek per hour, Zone B 40 lek, Zone C 20 lek. Hours: weekdays 7:30–20:00 plus Saturday morning. Free at night, on Sundays and on public holidays. Pay through the Tirana Parking or ParkAlbania apps — the SMS option to 50500 only works with an Albanian SIM.
Where to park in the centre
The safest bet is the underground car park beneath Skanderbeg Square: 500 lek per 24 hours, security 24/7, entrance via Kavaja Street. The Toptani mall garage is another option. For dinner in Blloku, take a taxi: there is no municipal parking and private spots fill up by early evening in summer.
A family rented a Skoda Octavia for the Tirana-Berat leg. Their navigation kept trying to cut across Skanderbeg Square, pedestrianised since 2017. Two loops and a polite policeman later, they learned to ignore the prompt and swing round via Kavaja Street.
Rush hour in Tirana runs 7:30–9:30 and 16:00–18:00. The hardest stretches are the Outer Ring (Unaza) and Durrës Street — add 20 minutes to your usual estimate, especially on a Friday afternoon when half the capital heads for the coast.
Frequent Questions
17 km on the SH60 motorway, normally 20–30 minutes. In rush hour (7:00–9:30 and 16:00–18:30) plan for 40+ minutes — this is the busiest stretch in the capital. At night the road is empty and the drive takes around 20 minutes. The alternative is the LUNA Express bus to Skanderbeg Square (400 lek, runs round the clock).
Usually no. Skanderbeg has been pedestrian since 2017 and the main sights — Blloku, Bunk'Art, the Et'hem Bey Mosque, the Pyramid — are walkable or five minutes by taxi. It is smarter to pick the car up on the day you leave for Berat, Sarandë or Mount Dajti. That saves two or three rental days and the parking headache in Blloku.
The SMS option to 50500 only works with a local SIM (Vodafone, One, ALBtelecom). Tourists are left with the Tirana Parking and ParkAlbania apps, which run on any phone with a bank card. The simplest workaround is a covered car park where you pay the attendant in cash.
The underground car park beneath Skanderbeg Square: 500 lek per 24 hours, security round the clock, entrance via Kavaja Street. Alternatives are the Toptani mall garage and the municipal lots on Bajram Curri Boulevard and Rruga Elbasanit. Never leave the car in front of private garages — towing is fast and costly.
Yes. Blloku is a fashionable bar and restaurant quarter with narrow streets and no municipal lots. In summer finding a space is close to impossible. For dinner in Blloku, either take a taxi or park near Air Albania Stadium — it's a 10-minute walk from there.
No. The AK1 (38 km) is fully toll-free — the main artery of the capital. There is no vignette. The only toll in Albania is the A1 "Rruga e Kombit" towards Kosovo, more than 100 km north of Tirana.
Yes. Fixed speed cameras run on AK1; fines are sent automatically to the rental company, which forwards them to you with a €15–30 admin fee. The standard limit on the main stretch is 110 km/h; in roadworks it drops to 80 without warning. Enforcement tightens on Friday evenings and on Sundays.
No. Standard CDW does not cover unpaved roads or off-tarmac tracks. This matters for travellers leaving Tirana for Theth, Valbona or Lake Bovilla: the SH21 to Theth includes unpaved sections, and some mountain trails are explicitly forbidden in the contract. Take Super CDW if your route includes the Alps.
4–5 hours on SH4 and SH8 along the Albanian Riviera, around 280 km. The new Llogara tunnel opened in 2024–2025 saves about an hour over the old pass. In summer add another hour for beach traffic around Vlorë and Himarë and the occasional police checkpoint.
For days inside the city, pick a compact hatchback — easier on parking and in traffic. For switchbacks to Theth, Valbona or Lake Bovilla, take a diesel crossover with an automatic gearbox. If your route mixes both beach and mountains, a Skoda Octavia or Hyundai Tucson is the comfortable middle ground.
Two reasons. First, Tirana and TIA carry the highest competition in the country — over 100 suppliers — which keeps prices down all year. Second, Tirana isn't a beach resort, so there is no peak-season markup. Coastal cities cost 25–35% more in July and August.
Yes. Long-term rental is popular among remote workers and longer-stay visitors. From 28+ days the discount is 20–35% off the daily rate. Economy starts around €350 a month, mid-size with an automatic gearbox €500–700. The contract is signed at the partner's office with month-to-month auto-renewal.
Yes. Tirana hosts the most multilingual roster in the country: among our partners you'll find managers fluent in Italian, Polish, Greek, German and English. The mix reflects the airport's role as a regional hub for travellers from across Europe.
Top three: Berat — UNESCO "city of a thousand windows", 1 hour 30 on SH4. Krujë fortress with the Skanderbeg statue — one hour on SH27. Durrës beaches — 40 minutes on AK1, easy with kids. For something active, Mount Dajti with the cable car: 15 minutes from the centre, then 15 minutes up.
TIA operates round the clock and almost all our partners adapt to night arrivals. Send the flight number in WhatsApp before take-off and a representative meets you in the arrivals hall or the car park. The drive to the centre is empty at night and takes around 20 minutes. The night-pickup surcharge is usually €10–20.