How To Get Around Albania: Easy Budget Guide (2024)
Getting around Albania can be difficult for first timers. Worry not – here’s how to get around Albania on a budget!
Updated: 12th July 2024, originally posted in 2023.
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How To Get Around Albania On A Budget
Looking for ways to get around Albania on a budget? Look no further! This guide has everything you need to know about navigating the country’s hectic public transport system.
Maybe you’re planning on travelling around Albania, or perhaps you’re already there! However, you may have heard conflicting information about how to get around Albania on a budget.
It can be quite daunting if you’ve never been to Albania before – so here are some things you should know about getting around the country:
- There are no trains in the country
- Online bookings for buses in Albania don’t exist, only for buses going outside of the country
- Quite a few places don’t have a bus station
I spent a few weeks in the country, and mastered every aspect of it. If you embrace the chaos of the Albanian public transport system, you will learn to love it. I certainly did. Here’s how to get around Albania on a budget:
How To Get Around Albania By Bus
Minibuses (furgons in Albania) are the most affordable *paid* way to get around Albania on a budget. They are by far the most popular way of travelling between places!
You will find these for almost any route in the country. Usually, they are packed to the brim full of locals and sometimes you are stuck standing in the aisle!
Unlike coaches, these will stop anywhere for you, as long as it is on the way to the final destination. There was countless times when the furgon would stop and pick someone up in the middle of nowhere and drop them off 20 minutes later somewhere else remote! It’s the relaxed nature of these furgons which I love.
“How to get around Albania if I can’t book online?” I hear you ask.
Heading to Berat soon? Check out my itinerary for Berat
Where To Find Buses In Albania
Don’t worry about how to get around Albania, because it is so much more simple than you might be expecting.
Here’s what you have to do: Look online at Gjirafa Travel to find the timetable for your route. Then, simply go to the bus station and look for the sign in the window saying your destination!
Voila! Easy, right? Unfortunately, it’s not THAT simple. As I mentioned before, some places don’t actually have a bus station! Instead, they assign a random strip of road usually near supermarkets or petrol stations for you to get picked up.
Thankfully, the people working at your hostel or hotel will know where it is. They can show you. If you’re staying in a private apartment, ask a local! Despite the colder exterior of Albanians, they are some of the most friendly and helpful people i’ve met on my travels.
Out of the places I visited in Albania, only Tirana & Berat had a proper bus station. Gjirokastër, Himare or Sarande didn’t.Â
Check out my guide on how to get from Tirana to Berat
How To Get Around Albania By Bus: Payment
Paying for buses in Albania is likely different to your home country. As I mentioned before, you can’t book these online – so you’ll have to pay cash in person. But, instead of paying before you get on the bus – it is done during the journey or at the end.
Gjirafa Travel has the estimated cost of the trip on their website. Sometimes you will pay a bit more and sometimes a bit less, depending on the courier. You won’t get ripped off either, the bus drivers are mostly honest and the locals on the bus will look out for you.
First stop Tirana? Check out my guide on How Many Days In Tirana
Bonus Tips On How To Get Around Albania By Bus
It will take some practice to master the Albanian transport system. Here are some extra tips and advice to aid you:
1. Arrive earlier than usual.
If there’s anything you need to know about getting around Albania, know that schedules aren’t stuck to religiously. The furgons have a policy of leaving once it’s full. That could mean it leaves 20 minutes early, but it also means it could leave 30 minutes later!
To make sure you get a seat, arrive half an hour before. It might get boring waiting around, but better that than waiting for the next one!
2. Don’t plan on the last furgon.
Sometimes, they won’t even show up. I avoid catching the last furgon so I don’t get stranded!
Aim to catch one earlier in the day if you can. That way, if it all goes tits up, you have backups.
3. Craft your Albanian itinerary around the transport
To get between some places, you need to catch two seperate furgons. With the unreliability of them, it can be risky. I would recommend travelling between places that have a direct line!
For example, on my 2 weeks in Albania itinerary, to get to Himarë from Berat – I had to catch a furgon to Vlorë. Then, I had to get off a find another one to Himarë.
The driver of my first leg dumped us in the middle of nowhere and said “wait here, the bus will come!”. Sure enough, it did – 40 uncertain minutes later. It all worked out okay, but there will be a lot of waiting around.
Using Google Maps For Public Transport In Albania
Within most cities, you won’t need to use the public transport as they are mostly walkable. However, to get to the Regional Bus Station in Tirana you need to use a city bus, otherwise you’re in for a lonnnnggg walk.
Up until very recently, Google Maps didn’t work for public transport in Albania so you will have to manually search what bus to catch online. Now, it appears to work in Tirana – but from friends i’ve heard that it can be innacurate.
The most accurate app you can use is Moovit.
Hitchhiking In Albania
Hitchhiking in Albania is also a popular way amongst backpackers getting around the country. It’s fantastic way of chatting to locals and getting a free ride out of it too! But I know what you’re thinking, especially if you’re from the US.
“Hitchhiking? No way! That’s a recipe for disaster”. I get the hesitance, but realistically hitchhiking in Albania is a safe way to travel provided you’ve got common sense.
I didn’t hitchhike in Albania, but I know many people who did without any struggle. They even mentioned that they didn’t have to wait for hours on the side of the road!
Hitchwiki is the best place to learn how to hitchhike for beginners.
How To Get Around Albania: Travel Insurance
If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel in my eyes. Getting a good plan will save you if something goes completely wrong!
How To Get Around Albania: Final Thoughts
If you were worried about how to get around Albania on a budget, you’ll smash it now! As soon as I threw myself into the deep end, it was fun and easy!
Buses in Albania are really affordable and easier than it may seem from the outside. On the other hand, if you want to save even more money – hitchhiking in Albania is great and safe.
Check out all of my posts about Albania
Book Your Trip With My Favourite Resources:
Cheap Flights: I always use Skyscanner to browse for cheap flights. It offers so many options to help you find a good deal! It even allows you to search for “anywhere” if you haven’t decided where to go yet!
Accommodation: I start my hostel search with Hostelworld. Most hostels are now on this platform making it the place to find the best hostel for you.
Travel Insurance: If you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel. It is so important to have when travelling as it will save you from illness, injury, theft and cancellations! I always use Worldnomads when travelling on a budget as they have the best deals for me.