How far is Vlore from Tirana? Bus, Taxi, rental car

If you are planning your holiday, you might be wondering how far Vlore is from Tirana and how to get to Vlore from Tirana. In this blog post, I will discuss the distance between Tirana and Vlore and the best ways to get to Vlore from Tirana.

How far is Vlore from Tirana? Vlore is 156 kilometres from Tirana. It will take you 3 hours to travel to Vlore from Tirana. You can travel to Vlore by bus, by taxi or by rental car from Tirana. There is no train connection. A bus ticket costs 500 Leke (4.10 euros), a taxi costs 74 – 107 euros and a rental car costs 20-25 euros a day.

In this blog post, I will discuss how to travel from Tirana to Vlore by bus, by taxi or by rental car. I will give you the costs of each manner of transportation so that you can decide the best way to travel for you. I will also discuss taking a direct bus from Tirana airport to Vlore. And what is worth visiting in Vlore.

How do I get from Tirana to Vlore by bus?

You can get from Tirana to Vlore by bus in 3 hours. The bus from Tirana to Vlore costs 500 Leke (4.10 euros) for a one-way trip. The bus from Tirana to Vlore departs from the Regional Bus Terminal.

The bus from Tirana to Vlore operates between 5:00 AM and 17:30 PM. The bus from Tirana to Vlore departs at 5:00 AM, 5:30 AM, 6:00 AM, 6:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 9:30 AM, 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM, 13:00 PM, 13:30 PM, 14:00 PM, 14:30 PM, 15:00 PM, 15:30 PM, 16:00 PM, 16:30 PM, 17:00 PM and 17:30 PM.

You can always check the bus timetable from Tirana to Vlore on the website of Gjirafa Autobus here: https://gjirafa.com/autobus

So basically, you cannot board a bus from Tirana to Vlore in the city centre of Tirana. Instead, you must travel from the city centre of Tirana to the Regional Bus Terminal, because that is the location where the bus from Tirana to Vlore departs.

The official name of the Regional Bus Terminal is:
Terminali i Autobusave të Jugut dhe Veriut (in Albanian language)
Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania (in English language)

You can see the location of the Regional Bus Terminal by clicking on this link to Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/s6q98GjdAeGNGo1E6

From the city centre of Tirana, you can take a taxi to the Regional Bus Terminal, which will cost you 5 euros.

Or you can take the city bus to the Regional Bus Terminal. The city bus departs close to Skanderbeg Square, which is the central square of Tirana. If you are standing on Skanderbeg Square, you need to walk to the backside of the National History Museum.

The bus to the Regional Bus Terminal departs from the Dede Gjo Luli Street (In Albanian: Rruga Dede Gjo Luli) on the back of the National History Museum.

From the bus station on Dede Gjo Luli Street (In Albanian: Rruga Dede Gjo Luli), you must take the bus to Instituti Bujqesor. The bus to Instituti Bujqesor makes a stop at the Regional Bus Terminal North and South Albania. A bus ticket will cost you less than 1 euro, so take some Albanian Leke coins with you.

Bear in mind that you must always carry cash when you travel by bus in Albania. Because the Albanian busses are not equipped with PDQ machines to process card payments. Albanian people always pay for their bus ticket in cash to the driver of the bus.

How much is a taxi from Tirana to Vlore?

A taxi from Tirana to Vlore will cost you between 74 euros – 107 euros.

• Merr Taxi charges 107 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
• UPs taxi charges 11867 Leke (98 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
• Speedtaxi charges 9500 Leke or 80 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
• City Taxi charges 9000 Leke (74 euros) for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore
• Euro Taxi charges 90 euros for a taxi from Tirana to Vlore

By taxi, it will take you 3 hours to travel from Tirana to Vlore. If you want to take a taxi from Tirana airport to Vlore, it will cost you 86 euros with the officially licenced airport taxis.

Can I travel from Tirana to Vlore by UBER?

Unfortunately, UBER does not exist in Albania. Although UBER did announce in the past that they would come to Albania.

UBER never actually launched in Albania.
If you want to use an app to request a taxi in Albania, you can download 3 x apps:
1) Speed Taxi App
2) UPs Taxi App
3) Taxi.al App

Another easy way to request a taxi in Albania is via Viber or Whatsapp. Many of the taxi companies show their Viber or Whatsapp accounts on their website. This might be easier as a foreigner since you may not have a local sim card and you could simply share your location via Whatsapp or Viber with the driver.

How do I get from Tirana to Vlore by rental car?

A car rental from Tirana to Vlore will cost you 20-25 euros per day + 4000 Lek for petrol (33 euros) for a one-way trip.

I have recently written a blog post about renting a car in Albania. I did reach out to many different car rental companies and asked for quotations. By reading the blog post about the most affordable car rental companies, you can safe a lot of money and time, check it out here: https://albaniatourguide.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-rent-a-car-in-albania/

The quality of the road from Tirana to Vlore is good. From Tirana, you must drive to the coastal town Durres via the highway. Then from Durres, you drive to the south via Fier to Vlore. The signage is good along this route.

Bear in mind that driving in Albania as a foreigner can be daunting and challenging. Unfortunately, Albanian drivers have a chaotic driving style. Although there are rules on the road, Albanian drivers often do not follow the rules. So you must be an experienced and confident driver to drive in Albania. Don’t be surprised if you are overtaken on both sides simultaneously in Albania!

Of course, you are the only one who can judge your driving ability and confidence behind the wheel. I just want to make sure you know what you are in for as a foreigner driving in Albania.

Can I get from Tirana to Vlore by train?

You cannot get from Tirana to Vlore by train. Albania has a very old and outdated rail network. The rail network and trains date back to the communist period in Albania. Although communism ended in 1992 in Albania, the rail network has not been maintained, refurbished or upgraded since that period. Therefore, trains are not an effective manner of transportation in Albania. As a result, the locals in Albania do prefer to travel by car or by minibus.

How to get from Tirana airport to Vlore?

You can get from Tirana airport to Vlore with the direct shuttle bus, a taxi or a rental car. There is no train connection between Tirana airport and Vlore.

There is a direct bus from Tirana airport to Vlore, which is operated by a company called Hermes Airport. The shuttle bus from Tirana airport to Vlore departs at 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 13:30 PM, 14:30 PM, 16:30 PM and 22:00 PM. A bus ticket from Tirana airport to Vlore costs 1000 Leke (8.21 euros).

The disadvantage of taking the shuttle bus from Tirana airport to Vlore is that there are only 6 departures per day. So you might be waiting a long time to catch the next shuttle bus.

If you take one of the official Tirana airport taxis from Tirana airport to Vlore, you will be charged 86 euros. So a taxi journey is definitely a lot more expensive than the shuttle bus.

What is Vlore Albania known for?

Vlore is known as a beautiful coastal town and the starting point of the Albanian Riviera.

Within Albania, Vlore is a massive beach destination. Vlore city is located around a large bay. Alongside the bay, there is a beautiful promenade with many restaurants, hotels and apartments. Vlore is first and foremost a beach destination for local tourists and international tourists. And the city comes alive in the summer season.

Vlore is also known as the starting point of the Albanian Riviera. Basically, the Albanian Riviera is a 120 kilometre long stretch of coastline in the South of Albania. The Albanian Riviera is known as the area of Albania with the most beautiful beaches in the country. Along the coastline, there is a coastal road which leads by all the pretty beaches. And this coastal road starts in Vlore and leads all the way to the South to Saranda and Ksamil.

Things to do in Vlore

Vlore is a stunning coastal city. There is a beautiful boulevard along the seaside. In the city, you can visit some great seafood restaurants. And further to the South, there are amazing hotels right on the beach! Let’s explore the best things to do, whilst staying in Vlore.

Apollonia Archaeological Park

Apollonia is an archaeological park in the centre of Albania. In ancient times, Apollonia was an important Greek city. The city was founded in 588 BC by Greek colonists from Corfu and Corinth. However, it was during the Roman period that the city of Apollonia really flourished.

In the 4th century AD, Apollonia was an important economic city and trade centre. The city was known for its famous school of philosophy. Cicero, a famous Roman public speaker, called Apollonia “a great and important city”. And the city was also one of the most important gateways to the Via Egnatia, which was a Roman trade route through the Balkans.

The ruins of Apollonia were re-discovered at the beginning of the 19th century. The park is set on a hilly plateau and it is surrounded by calming nature.

Sightseeing at Zvernec Island

Zvernec Island is a little island in the Narta Lagoon. The island is about a 30-minute drive from Vlore city. It is a very picturesque location, which is definitely worth a visit! The little island is connected to the mainland via a long wooden bridge. From the coastline, you will have a stunning view of the island across the bridge. You can walk over the long wooden walkway and step foot on Zvernec island. On the island, there is a little Byzantine monastery from the 13th century.

The coastal road along the Albanian Riviera

Vlore Beach is also the starting point of the Albanian Riviera. From Vlore, you can get on the road to Saranda, which leads all the way to the Greek Border. The coastal road is actually stunning. The road turns and twists along the coast and it has beautiful views of all the beaches below. In about 3-4 hours, you can see all the beaches of the Albanian Riviera whilst making short stops along the road.

Llogara Pass

The Llogara Pass is a mountain pass on the coastal road. It is the highest point on the coastal road, at a height of 1027 meters. It has a beautiful viewpoint, where you can make a stop to take pictures. From the pass, you will have a spectacular view of Palase beach, the Dhermi village and the Ionian Sea. There is a lovely restaurant at the top of the Llogara Pass, with floor to ceiling windows. It is a perfect place to relax and drink a coffee whilst taking in the view!

Karaburun Peninsula

The Karaburun Peninsula is a rocky peninsula, that points into the Adriatic Sea. Alongside the peninsula there are hidden beaches, which can only be reached by boat or by a long hike. The peninsula is located between Vlore and Dhermi, so you can take a boat trip from either side.

The Karaburun Peninsula has hidden pristine beaches. Moreover, some of the beaches and caves have a mysterious history.

You can take a boat from Vlore harbour to explore the Haxhi Ali Cave and some beaches on the eastern side of the peninsula. The Haxhi Ali Cave is a massive cave, which can hold several speedboats at a time. In the past, this mysterious cave was used by pirates to seek shelter and hide.

Or you can take a boat from the Dhermi Village to visit the other side of the peninsula. From Dhermi, you can visit the Blue Cave and Gramata Bay. Gramata Bay is the highlight of the peninsula.

Gramata Bay means “the bay of scriptures”. The seawater can be rough around the Karaburun Peninsula. And Gramata Bay is one of the few places, which offered ships shelter from the rough sea. Therefore, many sailors carved inscriptions and symbols in the rocks of the bay, to thank their god for the shelter of the bay. Some of the scriptures were written by the ancient Greeks.

The best way to get to the Karaburun Peninsula is by boat. A boat trip from Vlore to the Haxhi Ali Cave and a few beaches on the eastern side costs 2500 LEK (20 euros) per person. A boat trip from Dhermi to Gramata Bay and the Blue Cave costs 150 euros for 6-7 persons. By foot, it will take six hours to reach the beaches of the Karaburun Peninsula.

Related questions

Where is the Albanian Riviera? The Albanian Riviera is a 120 kilometre long stretch of coastline in the South of Albania. The Albanian Riviera is located between the coastal cities Vlore and Saranda. The Albanian Riviera is in the South of Albania and it stops at the Greek Border. The Albanian Riviera is known as the coastline with untouched beaches.

How do I fly to Saranda Albania? You cannot fly directly to Saranda Albania. Although an airport is under construction in Saranda, the construction of the airport is not finished yet. The two nearest airports are Corfu airport on the Greek Corfu island and Tirana airport in Albania. From Corfu, you can take a 35-minute ferry boat to Saranda. From Tirana airport, it takes 5-6 hours to get to Saranda by bus, by taxi or by rental car.

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