Albania is small, the motorways are new, and almost nothing worth seeing is reachable without a car. Pick up at Tirana airport or Vlora port and the whole country is within a day's drive: Berat and Gjirokastër inland, the Riviera south over the Llogara Pass, the Alps north through the Rrëshen–Kalimash tunnel.
Albania is small, the motorways are new, and almost nothing worth seeing is reachable without a car. Pick up at Tirana airport or Vlora port and the whole country is within a day's drive: Berat and Gjirokastër inland, the Riviera south over the Llogara Pass, the Alps north through the Rrëshen–Kalimash tunnel.
No deposit, no excess
Premium Insurance means the local partner waives the security hold completely – nothing is blocked on your card for the length of the trip.
Local rates, no markup
Direct prices from Albanian partners. What you book is what you pay at the counter, at the airport or the port.
Unlimited mileage
The country is a driving destination and the distances are real. No rental we offer charges by the kilometre.
Honest advice on the roads
Motorways are excellent, mountain roads are not. Partners tell you plainly when a higher clearance is worth paying for.
Tirana for the capital, the north and the UNESCO towns inland; Vlora for the coast road south. Open either one for routes, parking notes and what is worth the drive.
Four very different parts of one small country, none of them more than three hours from the next, and public transport between them is slow and indirect.
The capital, Krujë's Ottoman bazaar 40 minutes north and Durrës on the Adriatic 40 minutes west. New motorways make either an easy half-day out.
Vlora south over the Llogara Pass to Dhërmi and Himara, about an hour and a quarter, then on to Saranda and Ksamil in two and a half. The last stretch of undeveloped Mediterranean coast.
Shkodër is 90 minutes from Tirana, Theth another two hours of mountain road beyond it. Stone tower houses, glacial valleys and serious driving – summer only, and always in daylight.
Berat's thousand windows an hour and three quarters from Tirana, Gjirokastër's slate roofs further south, and the Greek-to-Venetian layers of Butrint in its wooded lagoon.
What the guidebooks understate, and what actually matters behind the wheel.
Drive on the right
Same as the rest of the region. Traffic in Tirana is assertive but slow; outside the capital the roads empty out quickly.
Minimum age 21
With at least one year of driving experience. Some vehicle categories set a higher minimum, shown on the car before you book.
IDP for non-Latin licences
EU, UK and US licences are accepted for tourist rentals. Bring an International Driving Permit alongside if your licence is not in the Latin alphabet.
One tolled section
The Rrëshen–Kalimash tunnel on the A1 north charges a fee. Cards are usually accepted but cash moves faster.
Mountain roads in daylight only
Theth and the Llogara Pass are spectacular, unlit and narrow in places. Start early, and stay on asphalt: driving on unpaved tracks voids the insurance on any car.
Cross-border needs paperwork
Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Greece are often permitted, but the Green Card and the partner's written authorisation must be issued before you travel. Tell us your countries when you book, not at the counter.
Choose Premium Insurance (zero excess) and the local partner waives the security deposit entirely, so you settle at the counter with a debit card or cash. Cover comes direct from the partner, with no 'pay and claim' afterwards.
Tirana International Airport (TIA), a city-centre counter in Tirana, and Vlora port — which is built around the ferry crossings from Brindisi and Bari.
For anything beyond Tirana, effectively yes. Buses between cities exist but the Riviera beaches, the Alps and most of the UNESCO sites have little or no public transport, and the coast road is the point of the trip.
Yes, on every car and every insurance tier. Tirana to Saranda and back is over 600 km, and none of those kilometres are charged as an extra.
Often yes, but it must be arranged before you travel so the Green Card and cross-border authorisation are issued. Tell us your intended countries at booking and we will confirm what is permitted and any fee.
The motorways are new and excellent — the SH2 to Durrës and the A1 north are modern dual carriageways. Mountain roads are a different matter: paved but narrow, unlit and steep. Plan those legs for daylight.
EU, UK and US licences are accepted for tourist rentals. If your licence is not in the Latin alphabet, bring an International Driving Permit alongside it.
A compact car is right for the motorways, the coast road and Berat. An SUV with more ground clearance is more comfortable on the mountain routes to Theth. Either way, keep to asphalt – the car can go anywhere that is paved, and that covers every route on this page.
Book in minutes, choose flexible insurance, and pick up in Tirana or at the port in Vlora.
