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For most travellers, an Albania trip starts in Tirana — and so does the rental car. Mother Teresa Airport (TIA) sits 17 km from the city centre and 35 minutes from the Adriatic coast at Durres. From here, Berat is two hours away, the Riviera three, and Saranda four.
Car rental reviews in Tirana
At TIA we work by flight number. Our partners meet you at the arrivals door, walk you three minutes to the car park, and the contract is signed at the vehicle. There is no airport shuttle to a remote office, and no global counter to queue at — that's the practical difference a local team makes.
The other option is to pick up downtown the next morning. If your first night is already booked at a hotel in central Tirana, the cheapest move is to take a taxi in and have the rental delivered the morning you actually need it. Delivery within 5 km of Skanderbeg Square is usually free; further out it's €5–10.
A lot of guests stay one or two nights in Tirana before heading south. We deliver the car to the hotel an hour before they leave, so they don't pay for parking they aren't using.
What follows is Tirana-specific: where to pick up and drop off, how the city traffic and parking apps work, which car class fits the lanes around Bllok, and which day-trips work best from here as your base.
Where to collect and return your car in Tirana
Three pickup points cover almost every booking. Mother Teresa Airport is the most common: meet your manager at the arrivals exit, then walk three minutes to the partner car park. Central Tirana is the second option — handy if you arrive late or want a free first night. Delivery within 5 km of Skanderbeg Square is usually free; further out it's €5–10. The third is Durres, 35 minutes by motorway, for travellers arriving by ferry from Italy.
Returns mirror pickup. Most people drop the car at the airport on the way out — the manager meets you at the same car park, runs a quick check, done. Out-of-hours returns (after 22:00 or before 07:00) cost €10–20 for the personal handover. Leaving keys in a box without a person isn't standard in Albania.
One-way inside Albania (Saranda, Vlora, Gjirokastra) is arranged in advance with a fee of €20–80. International one-way to Podgorica, Dubrovnik or Pristina runs €300–600 with select partners only.
Volkswagen Golf 5 in Albania
It was good, nothing in particular to mention I think only something went wrong with communication, but that was on my part but they were very friendly and the car was good, it was a Toyota corrola instead but they asked beforehand and I didn't mind
Toyota Yaris in Albania
When it comes to renting a car, there were minor problems, but the landlord rose to the challenge and gave us a better car than we were supposed to have initially, which is a great plus. the car drove great and was at an affordable price, which was very important to us. Technically, the car was functional and any small problem that occurred was immediately solved with one phone call. So overall, I rate the car rental as very good
Fiat Panda 4x4 in Albania
it was all good
Mercedes-Benz E220 in Albania
Car was Ok :)
Volkswagen Passat-CC in Albania
There were some small problems with the car, with one that needed fixing But we were helped very quickly and the rental people were friendly So good overall
Suzuki Swift in Albania
Everything was fine. We been totally satisfied with proposed car. Stuff been polite.
Audi A3 in Albania
It was good :)
Fiat Panda in Albania
Everything ok, very professional 👍
Baic Senova D50 in Albania
The rental was pleasant and hassle free, very pleasant and prompt service.
Mercedes-Benz ML250 in Albania
The Mercedes was old and had driven 300.000 km plus, but okay, the price was good. We had problems with the engine. At a certain point we couldn't go faster than 60 on a road going up, where everyone drove at least 80. It seemed the car had an issue no one understood. Probably overheated. So from then on, we kept the airco switched off. That helped. But it was 38-40 degrees, so airco would have been very welcome. Same day we had a flat tire. Someone came to help us, just a guy on the road, very nice. A guy from the company later came to have the spare flat tire fixed, which was good. At the end of our holidays, when we delivered the car back, the guy that picked it up, started to make a problem about us not having washed the car and that in this state, he couldn't judge if the paint was damaged somewhere. He never told us before about any carwash. He said it was in the contract but that was only in Albanian language. He tried to keep our €100 deposit for this (to wash a car, really??), so we had a terrible argue about this, with him. The one that rents these cars in the website (Aldi) is a really nice guy. He talked this man out of the arguement and finally we got our deposit back.
Opel Corsa in Albania
it was ok. We had to change the car as the aircon did not wok in the one the gave us in the first place
Dacia Sandero in Albania
The owner is great, the car is new and very comfortable, the service is excellent 10/10.
Ford Fiesta in Albania
Everything was fine with the rental. They were very friendly and flexible
Day trips and longer routes from Tirana
For a single day: Durres (1 hour, beach and Roman amphitheatre), Berat (1.5 hours, white houses and the castle), Kruja (40 minutes, Skanderbeg's fortress), Bovilla Lake (40 minutes, nature park). For two or three days: Shkodra and its lake, Theth via the Koman ferry, or Berat plus Gjirokastra. For a full week — the classic loop Tirana — Berat — Vlora — Saranda — Gjirokastra. The roads between these points are sealed; any car will get you there.
When to rent a car in Tirana
April–May and September–October are the best windows for Tirana itself. Daytime temperatures sit at 18–25°C, the city is calmer, parking is easier, and rental rates are 30–40% below August prices. Booking three to six weeks ahead saves another 15–25%, especially with the verified local partners.
The peak isn't all of August in Tirana — it's July and the first half of August. By the third week of August the city already breathes again, and September feels like an open secret. If your dates are flexible, aim for those windows.
Winter rentals (December–February) are the cheapest of the year, with economy cars from €15–20 per day. Tirana itself stays mild — no snow, clean roads — so a city break works fine. The downside is a short day and closed mountain passes; for a long road trip across Albania, wait for spring.
Below — the average daily rental price in Tirana by month.
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Meet & greet by flight number
Your manager at TIA tracks the actual landing time and waits at the arrivals exit with a sign. If your plane is late, no one disappears. Paperwork is done at the car itself, on the partner car park, and takes around fifteen minutes start to finish.
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Hotel delivery in Tirana
Within 5 km of Skanderbeg Square the rental is usually delivered to your hotel for free. To the suburbs it's €5–10. The manager arrives at the agreed time; the inspection and contract take about ten minutes on the spot. Confirm address and time on WhatsApp the day before.
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Direct line to your supplier
Local partners give you a personal WhatsApp number at handover — for a flat tyre, a lost key, an accident, anything unusual. Replies typically arrive in 5–10 minutes, around the clock, in English. TakeCars support stays in the loop alongside the supplier.
Driving and parking in Tirana
Traffic in the centre
Most streets around Skanderbeg Square are one-way, and local drivers change lanes without indicating. Rush hour runs 08:30–09:30 in the morning and 17:00–19:00 in the evening; in those windows a ten-minute drive easily becomes forty. The big ring road, Unaza e Madhe, is the fastest way to bypass the centre and reach the suburbs without traffic lights.
Don't try to drive through the Bllok district at lunch or after dark. It's the city's bar and restaurant area, with more pedestrians than cars — going around saves your nerves and your wing mirror.
T-Park and paid parking
Blue zones in the centre are paid through the T-Park app: you register with a phone number and any Visa or Mastercard. SMS payment requires an Albanian SIM, which is little use to a tourist. The covered alternatives are ToTi car park at Skanderbeg Square, the Air Albania stadium car park, and the underground parking beneath the Pyramid of Tirana. Rates are €1–2 per hour with a daily cap of €10–15.
For a full day in the centre — Skanderbeg Square, the Pyramid, the Bunk'Art bunkers — the easiest move is to drop the car in ToTi underground and forget about it. The towing crews here are quicker than tourists usually expect.
Which car class works best in Tirana
For getting around the city, a compact is the right choice — Hyundai i10/i20, Toyota Yaris, VW Polo, Fiat 500. Parking bays are tight, lanes around Bllok are narrow, and a D-class saloon or a crossover becomes a constant headache. A larger car only makes sense if you're heading on a country tour and parking at your hotel inside Tirana between trips.
Petrol or diesel
Inside the city both are fine. If you plan to head into the mountains or down the Riviera, choose diesel — it pulls better on the hairpin bends and uses less fuel on long stretches. Filling stations in Tirana are everywhere; petrol 95 runs €1.60–2.10/l, diesel €1.50–1.80/l.
Frequent Questions
Your local partner meets you at the arrivals exit with a sign. From there it's a three-minute walk to the partner car park, where you inspect the car and sign the contract. There is no airport shuttle and no shared counter to queue at. Total time from leaving the terminal to driving away is usually 15–20 minutes.
Yes — with verified Tirana partners this is standard. Your manager sees the actual landing time in the system and waits even if your flight is delayed. If the flight is cancelled or shifted by more than a couple of hours, message support or your manager directly on WhatsApp; the meet will be rescheduled without a no-show fee.
Yes. Delivery within 5 km of Skanderbeg Square is usually free; further out it's €5–10. The manager brings the car at the time you set; the inspection and contract take 10–15 minutes on the spot. Confirm address and time on WhatsApp with the partner the evening before to avoid surprises.
The safest options are covered car parks: ToTi at Skanderbeg Square, the Air Albania stadium car park, and the underground parking beneath the Pyramid of Tirana. Rates are €1–2 per hour with a daily cap of €10–15. Blue zones on the street are paid via the T-Park app. Never leave the car under a "P with a cross" sign — towing crews are quick.
Yes, with most partners. After 22:00 and before 07:00 there is usually a small after-hours surcharge of €10–20 for the personal handover. No supplier in Albania accepts a key drop without a person — always close the rental in person, with a signature and a vehicle condition note.
A compact is the right choice — Hyundai i10/i20, Toyota Yaris, VW Polo, Fiat 500. Parking bays in the centre are tight and the lanes around Bllok are narrow; a D-class saloon or a crossover becomes a constant headache. A larger car only makes sense if you're driving across the country and parking at your hotel inside Tirana.
If your weekend is purely Tirana, a car is more of a hassle than a help. Most sights are walkable, and taxis or Bolt are cheap (€2–5 across town). Renting pays off if you plan a side trip to Durres, Berat, Kruja or Bovilla Lake during the weekend — those places are awkward without a car.
If you already have the car, the drive from Tirana to Durres takes about an hour on the SH2 motorway — 35 km, fuel cost €4–6 in an economy car. If you mean a one-way car delivery from Tirana to Durres (or back), the typical fee with a local partner is €15–25 one way.
Yes, one-way inside Albania is offered by almost all suppliers. The fee is €20–80 depending on distance: Tirana to Saranda runs €60–80, Tirana to Vlora €30–50. Set the drop-off point in the contract before pickup. International one-way to Podgorica, Dubrovnik or Pristina is offered by select partners at €300–600.
Yes. Tirana partners hand over a direct WhatsApp number for the manager — for a flat tyre, a lost key, an accident, or a parking ticket. Replies usually arrive in 5–10 minutes, slightly slower at night. TakeCars support also remains available alongside the supplier's local team.
Got questions?
How to get to Tirana
