Albania Bus Timetables 2021 for Popular Routes
Last Updated on July 28, 2021 by Anita Hendrieka
Travelling around Albania can be a little tricky. If you are used to rigid timetables and perfectly planned bus rides, then travelling through Albania may give you a reality check. The truth is that Albanian bus timetables are a little bit of a pain in the arse but once you understand how they work, it’s easy!
I myself have gathered (and from other travellers around Albania) a list of routes with the time that they are (supposed) to leave the destination. Hopefully, this can give you a better idea on how to plan your holiday around Albania. If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to travelling Albania, don’t forget to grab my digital guide here.
Albania’s timetables can change with a flick of the wrist so always double-check the night before that this is the correct time. The best way to confirm that is to get your ticket the night before or simply ask a local or your accommodation supplier to confirm it for you. People in Albania are really friendly and are always there to help you if need be!
*If you know of any timetables that have changed please let me know by commenting below. I want to keep this guide as up to date as possible. All times listed below were researched by me visiting the bus station as well as other travellers who have already travelled through Albania in 2021.
**Because of covid, some buses are being cancelled without warning due to not having enough people. Use this as a guide but always double-check the day before you plan to leave by going to the bus station and getting your ticket and/or asking your accommodation supplier.
Albania Bus Timetables 2021
Buses leaving Saranda
Saranda to Tirana (1300 LEK)
- 5:00am
- 6:30am
- 8:30am
- 9:30am
- 10:45am
- 2:00pm
Saranda to Ksamil and Butrint (100LEK)
- Between 6.30am – 6.30pm every hour on the half hour
Saranda to Himara
- 10:00am (not confirmed)
- 11:30am
- 1:00pm (not confirmed)
- 2:00pm
Saranda to Borsh
- 12:30 midday
Saranda to Vlora
- 8/8:30am
- 11:30am
Saranda to Berat
- 8:00am
- 10:15am
- 2:30pm
Saranda to Gijrokastёr
- Can catch the bus that goes towards Tirana, Berat, Fier, Elbasan or Lushnje.
Saranda to Durres (1300 LEK)
- 5:00am
Saranda to Permet (600 LEK)
- 7:30am
Saranda to Elbasan
- 6:00am
- 11:30am
- 1:30pm
Saranda to Lushnje (1000LEK)
- 11:00am
- 3:00pm
Saranda to Fier (900 LEK)
- 12:00 midday
- 30 midday
Saranda to Korce and Pogradec
- 5:00am
- 5:30am
International routes from Saranda
Saranda to Pristina, Kosovo (€20)
- 4:00pm (with Sharr Travel)
Saranda to Skopje, North Macedonia (€36/37 and takes 7.5 hours)
- 11.30am (This bus only runs during the tourist season)
Saranda to Athens (€35)
- 6am
- 6pm
Buses from Tirana
Tirana airport to Tirana centre
- 8:00am
- 9:00am
- 10:00am
- 11:00am
- 12:00 midday
- 1:00pm
- 2:00pm
- 3:00pm
- 4:00pm
- 5:00pm
- 6:00pm
- 7:00pm
Tirana centre to Tirana airport
- 7:00am
- 8:00am
- 9:00am
- 10:00am
- 11:00am
- 12:00 midday
- 1:00pm
- 2:00pm
- 3:00pm
- 4:00pm
- 5:00pm
- 6:00pm
Tirana to Saranda (1300 LEK & takes 5 hours)
- 5:30am
- 7:30am
- 8:30am
- 9:45am
- 10:30am (via Delvine)
- 12:30 midday
- 4:00pm
- 10:00pm (Operating just for the summer)
Tirana to Tepelena
- 7:00am
- 11:00am
- 1:00pm
- 2:00pm
Tirana to Permet
- 5:00am
- 6:30am
- 7:30am
- 9:00am
- 10:30am
- 11:30am
- 12:30 midday
- 2:00pm
- 3:00pm
- 5:00pm
Tirana to Himara (1000 Lek & takes 5 and a half hours)
- 5:30am
- 6:15am
- 1:00pm
- 9:00pm
Tirana to Orikum
- 10:00am
- 12:15midday
- 2:15pm
Tirana to Fier
- Between 5:00am – 5:30pm every half an hour
Tirana to Gijrokastёr (1000Lek & takes 4 hours)
- 5:00am
- 6:30am
- 8:00am
- 9:00am
- 12:00 midday
- 1:00pm
- 2:30pm
- 3:30pm
- 6:30pm
- 8:30pm
Tirana to Berat (400 Lek & takes 2 hours)
- 5:40am
- 6:30am
- 7:15am
- 7:45am
- 8:15am
- 8:50am
- 9:20am
- 9:50am
- 10:20am
- 11:00am
- 12:00midday
- 12:40am
- 1:10pm
- 1:40pm
- 2:10pm
- 2:40pm
- 3:10pm
- 3:40pm
- 4:15pm
- 5pm
Tirana to Vlore
- Between 5:00am – 5:30pm every half an hour
Tirana to Durres
- Between 6am – 9:15pm every 20 minutes
Tirana to Shkodër (300Lek & takes 2 hours)
- 7am
- 8am
- 9am
- 10am
- 11am
- 11:45am
- 12:30 midday
- 1:15pm
- 2:00pm
- 2:45pm
- 3:30pm
- 4:14pm
- 5:00pm
Tirana to Pogradec and Korce (450 Lek & takes 2.5-3 hours)
- Every 30 minutes until 6pm.
Buses from Berat
Berat to Tirana (400LEK & takes 2 hours)
- 4:30am
- 5:00am
- 5:30am
- 6:00am
- 6:30am
- 7:00am
- 7:30am
- 8:00am
- 8:30am
- 9:00am
- 9:30am
- 10:00am
- 10:30am
- 11:00am
- 11:30am
- 12:30 midday
- 1:10pm
- 1:50pm
- 2:30pm
- 3:10pm
- 3:50pm
- 4:30pm
Berat to Durres (400LEK & takes 1 hour 30 mins)
- 6:15am
- 7:10am
- 8:10am
- 11:50am
- 1:30pm
- 2:05pm
- 2:50pm
Berat to Vlora (400 LEK & takes 2 hours)
- 6am
- 30am
- 7:30am
- 8:30am
- 9:20am
- 10:00am
- 1:00pm
Berat to Gijrokastёr/Saranda (900/1200LEK and takes 3/5 hours)
- 8:00am
- 2:00pm
Buses from Gjirokaster
Gjirokaster to Tirana
- 5:00am
- 7:00am
- 8:00am
- 9:00am
- 10:00am
- 11:00am
- 12:00 midday
- 1:00pm
- 2:30pm
- 3:30pm
- 5:00pm
- 6:30pm
Gjirokaster to Permet
- 7:30am
- 8:30pm
- 10:00am
- 12:00 midday
- 1:30pm
Gjirokaster to Berat
- 10:30am
Gjirokaster to Saranda
- 7:00am
- 8:00am
- 9:00am
- 10:00am
- 12:00 midday
- There are many buses that come through here from other destiantions that are going to Saranda. You can easily catch one going past!
Gjirokaster to Korce
- 7:00am
Gjirokaster to Durres
- 3:10pm
Shkoder to Montenegro
Shkoder to Ulcinj
- 9:00am
- 2:15pm
- 4:00pm
Ulcinj to Shkoder
- 7:00am
- 12:30 Midday
- 4:30pm
I hope those Albania bus timetables helped you a little and as I said above, please let me know of any services no longer running or services that you went on that are not mentioned below! If you haven’t already, make sure you join my Facebook group ‘Travelling Albania’ to connect with other travellers coming to Albania!
Other articles you will love:
- South Albania Itinerary: 10 Days in the Albanian Riviera!
- Albania Transport: Your Ultimate Guide to Getting Around Albania
- Backpacking Albania: The Best Hostels in Albania
MERI MALDI
Hi Anita! Are there any buses to Dhermi from Sarande? Many thanks!
Greg
Hi Anita and thanks for all the useful info on your site! I am in Saranda at the moment and asked at Tourist Info on the seafront promenade today about buses to Vlora. Apart from the 11:30 and 14:30 you mention, they also told me there was one at 5:30 in the morning. Not that we’ll be catching that 😀
Anita Hendrieka
GregThanks for the info!
Matt
Thank you for this! Really helpful. Hoping to do Sarandë to Beret. Where exactly would we be picked up from? And also are you aware if they run/ don’t on sundays?
Joanna
Many thanks for this summary! I’m planning my trip and it was super helpful. Any idea what time is the bus from Permet to Saranda? I’m planning one night trip to Permet and I’m struggling to find the connection :/ Thank you in advance!
Bn
Thanks so much. I am coming there soon and this is a big help.
Dwi
Hello Anita, thanks a lot for all the data you compiled, it really helps a lot.
I do have some questions though:
1. Are all the time table work in winter? I’ll be there in early January 2020.
2. Can I buy the tickets last minute, since sometimes I won’t even stay in the city at all (I come in the morning & move on to the next city in the afternoon)?
3. I can’t find any information about public transport from Ohrid to Sarande. They offered to take me for €90 by car. What do you think?
Thanks a lot.
Charles
Thank you for your help and information
Valentyn
Thank you for information. Saranda to Korce only at 5.30 am 1 per two days (08.2020)
Lex
Does anyone know how to get from Dürres to Sarande by bus? Is it even possible?
Laura
Thank you for this! Update as of April 2021: there is NO bus that goes directly from Gjirokaster to Berat. You can go to the bus station in Gjirokaster and tell them you want to go to Berat, and you know that you have to go through Fier (a nearby city). As I’m writing this, the bus from Gjirokaster to Fier leaves at 10am — get there early to get a seat ;).
Remind the driver’s assistant when you get on the bus that you’re going to Berat, and watch the map after a couple of hours. In my experience I guess they forgot (I didn’t remind them) and they dropped me farther north than Fier once I alerted the driver — but then directed me to a bus station just across an intersection to go to Berat.
Hope this helps! Again, NO single direct bus right now Gjirokaster —> Berat.
Edward
Hi there, does anybody know where the bus from Gjirokaster to Vlore departs from exactly? I asked a few locals but they weren’t helpful. I then waited for the 8:30 bus at the main bus station this morning, but it drove past and never stopped. Most confusing bus transport system I have ever experienced . . .
Alicia
Buses from Vlora to Sarande: there are 2 buses a day as far as I know…at 6:45 am, and at 11:30 am. It costs 800 lek (or alternatively Borsh 500 lek). The bus station in Vlora is next to the Independence monument..good luck!;)
Elin
Hi, Riviera bus website says that they have cancelled all their regular routes from Tirana to Sarande due to lack of tourists/pandemic. Any other bus companies operating this route? Or Tirana-Vlore, Vlore-Sarada? Struggling to find any booking possibilities online. Many thanks!
Brigi
Faleminderit!…..Just want to add that I took the 22:00 bus from Tirana to Sarandë the other night. With Tisa Travel. Apparently they started it up again a couple weeks ago, and we can hope they continue to mud-August. (But always call and never expect anything here in Adventureland, of course:) Cheers.
Johanna
Hi all, first thanks for this awesome summary! I have the same struggle like Elin at the moment. I like to take a bus from tiranë to himarë in two weeks but can’t find a bus company which operates at the moment. Has anybody some suggestions where I could search for a bus ride?
Daniela B
JohannaHello! There is a company called Riviera, it’s best to send them a WhatsApp as the website isn’t working!
Joel
Hola, de Sarande a Himare ha cambiado y sale a las 10:30h. Lo cogimos hace 2 días. Nos costó 500 leks y tardó 1:45h
Tahamara Dias
Dear Anita,
Your blog is the best one in all Albania. Have been recommending even to staff in hotels.
I have a question regarding the time tables of buses.
On Sunday are the time tables the same or do there are less buses?
Alex
Hello
Does anyone know what time the first and last bus from Shkoder to Tirana depart?
Alexandre
Hello,
The bus from Tirana to Orikum at 10 am does not exist anymore 🙂
Cheers,
Alexandre
MOHAMMAD ABU AL HASAN
Hi, is there bus from Tirana/Berat to Pristina. I would like to know the timetable.
Jane
Hello,
Based on the information above, is it practical that I take the bus
from Tirana to Berat, stay at Berat for one night
Then from Berat to Gjirokaster, stay at Gjirokaster for two nights.
Then from Gjirokaster to Tirana.
Thank you guys.
Anita Hendrieka
JaneAbsolutely!
Kt
Tirana->Durresi last bus 7.30pm. Could be Covid-related
Karola
Very helpful, thanks a lot! One update though – no more buses at 8/8:30 from Saranda to Vlora. Only the 11:30 one – checked today 🙂 But after about 20 minutes of trying we successfully hitchhiked.
Sophie
Thanks for this brilliant resource! I’m in Gjirokaster at the moment and the lady at my hostel says the 10:30AM direct to Berat isn’t running at the moment – it’s still listed on the sign but they’ve had lots of guests try to take it and it’s never arrived. Apparently you can take an indirect bus but you have to change at another town. I’m going to try to take it tomorrow or the day after so will let you know how I get on.
Jo
hi, I am in Gjirokaster now and I am planning the same route from Gjirokaster to Berat, could you share your experience? 🙂