How I Get From Tirana Airport to the City: All Your Options

I’ve landed at Tirana Airport more times than I can count over the years, and I’ve tried every way of getting from Tirana Airport to the city so you don’t have to guess which one’s worth it.

I’ve lived in Albania since 2017, and Tirana specifically enough over the past year to know exactly which option I reach for depending on how much luggage I’ve got and how tired I am.

If you’ve just landed, or you’re planning ahead, here’s exactly how I’d get from Tirana International Airport into the city centre.

Three Ways to Get From Tirana Airport to the City

By Shuttle Bus

The LUNA shuttle bus (the official Tirana Airport transfer option) runs 24/7, on the hour, both directions, from a stop right outside arrivals, and it’ll drop you near Skanderbeg Square.

It costs 400 lek, about 4 euro, and you can buy your ticket straight on board, no need to sort it out in advance.

If you want to book and pay in advance so you make sure you get a ticket, you can buy them here.

It’s a little bit more expensive but makes sure you get a ticket.

Once you’re at Skanderbeg Square, you can hop on one of the city’s local buses to get to your final stop, they only cost 40 lek, though be aware there’s no ticket machine, you just get on and a conductor comes round to collect the fare by hand.

By Taxi

My favourite way to do this is actually not the taxi apps.

There are apps, Patoko and VrapOn, and they work fine, but I’ve found them a bit pricier than my usual method.

What I actually do is message a company called Green Taxi on WhatsApp, tell them my flight number and rough arrival time, then send them a message once I’ve landed, and it cost me 1,200 lek the last time I used them. Wherever you’re staying, give the driver the exact address, since drivers sometimes know Tirana’s neighbourhoods by their old names rather than the new signage.

Car Hire

If you’re staying in Tirana, DO NOT hire a car.

I REPEAT, DO NOT HIRE A CAR (YET).

You do not need it and you do not want to have to deal with traffic or parking in the centre, it’s a nightmare.

Instead, go have your holiday in Tirana and then hire the car when you want to visit places outside of the city or continue your travels around the country, or book one of my day tours from Tirana instead if you’d rather not drive yourself, or check my list of independent day trips from Tirana if you’d rather plan it yourself.

By Private Transfer

If you’d rather have someone waiting at arrivals with your name on a sign, a pre-booked transfer is the least effort option, though it’ll cost more than either the shuttle or the taxi, especially in peak season, when I’ve written about exactly how much busier things get in my guide to the best time to visit Tirana.

You can book one here.

If you’ve already got where to stay sorted, just give the driver the address and they’ll take you straight there.

Getting Connected on Arrival

Getting from Tirana Airport to the city is only half the job, staying connected once you’re there matters too. The airport has free Wi-Fi, so you’re not stuck the moment you land.

I wouldn’t get a SIM card at the airport itself though, it works out more expensive than sorting one out once you’re in the city.

My actual recommendation is an eSIM, I use Airalo or Saily, both do solid unlimited data deals for around 10 days, and you can choose exactly how much time you need.

If you’d rather have a physical SIM, head into central Tirana once you’ve arrived, a Vodafone SIM starts at around 300 lek for a local plan.

Once you’ve got signal sorted, it’s worth having a look at the best restaurants in Tirana or the best bars in the city if you’re landing hungry, and my full list of things to do in Tirana is a good next stop.

It’s genuinely safe here even after dark, based on 8 years actually living here, and if you’re after something hands-on early on, the Tirana cooking class is one of my favourites.

One thing to watch for, staff will often try to upsell you to a "tourist" SIM, just say clearly that you want a local SIM, not a tourist one, the tourist plans cost more for the same thing.

Whichever option you pick, you’ll be in central Tirana within about 20 to 40 minutes of landing (traffic can be horrible depending what time you land!), so don’t stress too much over which one, they all get you from Tirana Airport to the city just fine.

Once you’re in the city, you’ll find it’s an easy place to settle into, even for a first-timer.

If you’re still on the fence about giving the capital your time at all, here’s why I think it’s worth it, and pair this with 3 days in Tirana if you’re planning day by day.