Renting A Car In Albania: The best Tips & Prices in 2025

Want to rent a car in Albania? Here is what you need to know about driving in Albania.

A rental car in Albania offers flexibility to explore the country on your own. It is advisable to book early, especially during peak season, and to choose a vehicle that suits your itinerary. Make sure you have comprehensive insurance and check the vehicle carefully before setting off.

By Dirk Pohlers, adventure traveler from Germany. I visit every place I write about & share real tips, photos, & advice from my trips.

If you want to explore a country truly, there is no better way to do it on your way than hire a car. It’s always worthwhile researching the driving rules of that particular place before your trip, so you don’t run into any trouble.

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If you’re considering visiting Albania for your holiday, you have plenty of destination options. Because distances can be significant and many off-the-beaten-track destinations aren’t always well-served by public transport, hiring a car in Albania is a beautiful way to see the passing landscapes. This way, you can explore at your own pace and won’t be rushed or feel pressured to leave at a particular time.

Many people begin their country tour in the capital, Tirana, and there are ample historical places to check out here. In addition to that city, there are many other places of interest, including the historical city of Berat with its huge famous canyon close by, Shkoder and the Albanian Alps, and the beautiful beaches of the Albanian Riviera. Put simply, hiring a car and heading off on a road trip around Albania is a beautiful experience.

Renting A Car In Albania Tips - narrow road with carriage

Driving in Albania – My Top Tips

If you travel to Albania during off-season, you can find a car with reasonable rental conditions, starting at just 25 euros per day. During the high season (July/August), you should expect to pay at least double that price.

My recommendation: Since Albania is a very mountainous country, I recommend renting a car with sufficient horsepower.
Price: How much does a rental car cost in Albania? In the off-season, you can get a rental car with comprehensive insurance, starting at €30 per day. In the high season (July and August), you should expect to pay about double that price.
Planning: Rental cars are not plentiful in Albania and often cost more at short notice, so book early to secure the car you want.
For me, a rental car is the best option for travelling around Albania flexibly and efficiently.

What type of car should I rent in Albania?

The roads in Albania vary greatly in quality, especially if you are travelling outside urban areas or the main tourist destinations. Regardless of which vehicle you choose, you should rent a car that can withstand potholes.

As 70% of Albania is mountainous, it is also advisable to hire a car with a sufficiently powerful engine to cope with the steep hills you will inevitably encounter when driving through Albania.

For navigating Albania’s diverse terrain, including mountainous areas and coastal routes, I generally recommend an SUV for its safety and suitability for various road conditions. While small compact cars and sedans are fine for city and coastal travel to the main beaches, an SUV offers better handling on challenging roads, higher ground clearance, and often comes with all-wheel drive.

Is it easy to drive in Albania? Signage in rural areas is not always adequate. Due to the dangers posed by unlit vehicles and carts, potholes, unpaved shoulders and poorly secured construction sites, overland trips should be planned so that your destination can be reached before dark.

Driving In Albania – Be Aware Of Livestock In Rural Areas

You should also be very aware of wandering livestock, e.g., cows or goats. They can come out of nowhere and block the road, causing a significant hazard.

If you’re driving around corners, go slowly for this very reason. There aren’t many fences to keep wildlife in fields, so you may find them wandering all over the place!

Is Driving In Albania Safe?

It is just as safe to drive in Albania as in any other country, provided you heed the advice and ensure that you follow the rules. This is a large and beautiful area, and countless people take road trips around the Balkans, passing through Albania every year.

Although this shouldn’t put you off, the most significant danger is in the rural areas, as these are some beautiful, jaw-dropping regions to explore.

The danger comes from reckless drivers and unexpected obstacles coming up on the road, so be aware and stay on marked roads, avoiding off-roading and wandering away from your car.

Renting a car in Albania

Contrary to popular belief, the roads in Albania are now in good condition. A lot has happened here in recent years, and all connections between the larger cities almost meet European standards. The government has invested heavily in road construction, and more roads and tunnels are being built.

Car rental companies in Albania

There are many small car rental companies in Albania, as well as branches of the major car rental companies like Sixt and Europcar. The cars from the larger providers are usually considerably more expensive and not necessarily better than those from a small local car rental company.

Renting a car Tirana Airport

Most international flights will land in the capital city of Tirana, which is in the middle of the country and a great place to start a road trip. Many rental car companies kiosks are right outside when you exit the airport, which makes things easy. It can get quite busy there in summer and prices surge when you are in desperate need, so I recommend booking your car in advance online.

Rental Car Albania with people on the roof and mountains in the background

How to Get Around in Albania

Rent a car! Albania is very safe for motorists, & you can drive across the entire country in less than 6 hours! Best of all, rental cars are very cheap (starting at €30) & easy to book by comparing rates across dealerships in Tirana and Saranda using DiscoverCars.

Compare Rental Deals

The toughest part about renting a car in Tirana is the traffic around the city. There’s constant congestion, construction, and rough road conditions.

Required documents

When you sign your contract with the car rental company, you will be asked to present some form of identification and you need to sign documents that are part of the terms and conditions. Your local driving licence must be valid for at least one year in order to be accepted by the company.

Is an EU driving licence recognised/valid in Albania?

Yes. All driving licences issued by EU or EEA countries are valid in Albania.

Vehicle types

When choosing a vehicle type, you must consider the type of roads you will be driving on and the number of passengers. Small cars are the most commonly rented vehicles, as the roads are now in good condition. If you plan to head to remote areas with gravel roads, an SUV or 4×4 vehicle is the best choice, as you will need a higher vehicle for mountainous roads.

Car rental costs in Albania

The cost of your car rental will vary depending on your needs. Some factors that can affect the cost include the type of vehicle you rent, the size of the vehicle, and insurance.

Age requirements

The legal minimum age for driving in Albania is 18. However, to rent a car in Albania, you must be at least 25 years old and have held a driving licence for at least one year.

Car insurance

Liability insurance is one of the types of insurance that is usually included in the terms and conditions of car rental companies. It covers all claims for damages made by other parties. Most car rental companies offer you comprehensive insurance, which covers your damaged vehicle in the event of accidents or attempted theft.

Tips for Driving in Albania

Roads in Albania are now in good condition, and I found it easy to drive on the main roads between the larger cities. We experienced the greatest dangers when driving in smaller towns and villages, where the roads are often not as well maintained.

Road traffic rules in Albania

Those visiting Albania for the first time frequently ask themselves: ‘What is driving like in Albania?’ or ‘Can I drive in Albania?’. The answer is: anyone with a valid driving licence and a good understanding of the traffic rules can drive in Albania. Some road users interpret the traffic rules somewhat flexibly, but as a cautious driver you will usually get along fine.

Stay clear of Albanian Drivers

They swerve a lot. Imagine following someone who is drunk or texting. Well, that is what being on an Albanian road is like; only the majority of the drivers are doing it! So keep your eyes peeled because you might have to swerve out of the way at any given time! If I could only give you one tip for driving in Albania, it would be “be prepared to swerve at any given time.”

Speed limits in Albania

Speed limits in Albania are indicated in kilometres on the roadside. The speed limit is 40 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside built-up areas, 90 km/h on expressways and 110 km/h on motorways.

Locals seem to take the approach that speed limits are somewhat optional. As do police. I was driving along a winding road and the speed limit when they decided to overtake me going into a corner. However, we did also see a lot of cars that had been pulled over by the police that is becoming more present in recent years, so I would exercise caution and drive according to the speed limits.

Drinking and driving

Driving under the influence of alcohol is prohibited, with a blood alcohol limit of 0.01 mg/ml. Please make sure you are familiar with all road traffic regulations before travelling to Albania.

Can I cross the border in Albania with a rental car?

In my experience, most car rental companies in Albania allow you to cross the border into Montenegro or North Macedonia.
However, you should inform the company in advance of your intention to cross the border. Expect to pay an additional fee for crossing at the border, and you may also need to take out additional insurance. At Lake Ohrid, for example, you can do this directly at the border. The “green card” there costs around €15.

Shall I fet a rental car at Tirana Airport or Saranda?

I’ve rented a car at both Tirana Airport and the port of Saranda on two different trips to Albania. Depending on your itinerary, both are good options.
Most international flights will land at Tirana Airport, in the capital city of Tirana. There are tons of rental car companies and more competition, so it’s easy to navigate and get your car right away.
When visiting the south of Albania, I booked a flight to the nearby Greek island of Corfu and took the 1.5-hour ferry to the Port of Saranda. From there, I rented a car directly. I found my rental car there pretty expensive and rather old, so if you have the choice, Tirana will be the better option.