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Renting a car in Albania is the most honest way to truly see the country in one trip. From the narrow coastline stretching from Shkodër to Ksamil, through the mountain villages of the north, to ancient Berat in the south and the twisting roads that lead to Lake Komani — without your own wheels it quickly turns into a logistical puzzle of buses that run just a couple of times a day. With a car, the same route becomes a relaxed, unhurried road trip that comfortably fills five to ten days.
Our TakeCars catalogue brings together 727 cars across Albania from dozens of local partners. In the low season prices start at just €12 a day; in high season they begin from €30. It remains one of the most affordable rental markets in Europe, and you can pick up a nimble compact for the tight streets of Tirana or a capable crossover for the mountains around Theth and Valbona with equal ease.
Albania is a country where almost every interesting spot sits well off the bus map. A rental car pays for itself within two days, even if you originally planned to get by with taxis.
The local market works mostly on cash. Deposits and the rental itself are paid in euros or lek straight to the supplier; cards are used only for the online prepayment. For European visitors arriving by ferry from Italy or by flight from the EU and the UK, it’s refreshingly straightforward — book online with your card and simply bring a small stack of euros for the rest.
We show the deposit amount, the payment method and real photos of the actual car upfront. There is no “I booked X but got Y” surprise on arrival.
Waar een auto te huren in Albanië
When to go and how much it costs to rent a car in Albania
Albania has two distinct seasons, and the price difference between them is almost two-fold. Low season runs from October to April: economy cars start from €12 a day, there’s more choice and the roads feel pleasantly quiet. High season in July and August sees the same model start from €30, with the best automatics in popular spots like Ksamil and Himarë often fully booked a month ahead.
The sweet spot is May and September. The sea is already warm or still holding its heat, prices are 30–50 % lower than in August, and you skip the main tourist wave that turns parking in Durrës or Sarandë into a half-hour hunt.
In July and August we recommend booking at least three weeks before arrival. Not as a marketing line — there are simply no automatics left in the popular classes.
Price also depends on rental length. A weekly booking usually brings a 15–25 % discount on the daily rate; a monthly one can save up to 40–50 %. So if you’re planning to drive across the whole country, it often makes more sense to collect the car at Tirana airport and drop it off in Sarandë rather than piecing together short rentals in different cities.
Albania is one of the few countries in Europe where renting a car for two often works out cheaper than public transport over five to seven days.
Other factors that affect the price include Super CDW (€10–25 a day), young-driver surcharges, cross-border permission and one-way drop-off. Everything is clearly shown in the quote before you book — no surprises at the counter.
De meeste toeristen in Albanië beginnen hun reis hier
Wat onze gebruikers zeggen
Which car to choose for Albania
The layout of Albanian cities shapes the choice. The old centres of Tirana, Berat and Gjirokastër were built for small saloons. In Sarandë and Ksamil during summer the traffic is dense and parking spots are rare. That’s why the most common request from our customers is a compact hatchback or B-class saloon: Skoda Fabia, VW Polo, Hyundai i20 or Kia Picanto.
If you’re heading north — to Theth, Valbona or Lake Komani — it’s worth considering a crossover or SUV with a diesel engine. The mountain switchbacks and long climbs reward diesel torque and a bit of extra ground clearance. A petrol compact will cope, but with five people and luggage it’s right at the limit.
If you have even a single day planned for Theth or Lake Komani, we recommend a diesel crossover. An automatic gearbox on those serpentines is a luxury you’ll really appreciate.
Families and groups of three or four usually feel most comfortable in the mid-size class — VW Golf, Ford Focus or Skoda Octavia. The boot easily swallows suitcases and beach gear, and the air conditioning handles August heat without complaint. Couples without children are often better off with a compact: more agile and cheaper to run.
About one in three of our customers in Albania chooses an automatic. Manual on mountain climbs is not a problem in itself — but if you haven’t shifted gears in years, a holiday is not the place to relearn.
Electric vehicles are still rare here: charging points are few and routes outside Tirana can be tricky to plan. The sensible choice remains a petrol economy car or a diesel mid-size.
Fiat Punto in Albanië
Alles was perfect, bedankt. Als je deze mening op een andere website wilt delen, hoef je alleen maar aan te geven op welke website.
Audi A3 in Albanië
A3 was niet in goede staat en erg vies. We besloten te upgraden naar een Passat CC voor 25€/dag extra. De auto reed goed maar had ernstige problemen met de elektronica/sensoren waardoor we ons een beetje onzeker voelden tijdens de reis. De autoverhuurders waren echter erg aardig. Ik nam deze foto tijdens het rijden. Soms stonden alle waarschuwingen aan en werkte de snelheidsmeter/toerental niet tijdens het rijden. Heel eng. Maar de man van de autoverhuur vertelde me dat het "normaal" was, dus ik reed door en de auto bleek de hele weg (ongeveer 900 km) in orde te zijn.
Opel Corsa in Albanië
We hebben deze auto 3 dagen gehuurd en hebben een geweldige tijd gehad. De auto is schoon zonder mechanische problemen.
Volkswagen Golf 6 in Albanië
im Albanië moesten we de auto vervangen omdat hij niet goed werkte We namen contact op met Aldi en nog dezelfde dag ruilden ze de auto om voor een andere. We maakten een overeenkomst met de brandstof en de tweede werkte goed. Dus eerst hadden we een slechte mening omdat ze ons een slechte auto gaven, maar daarna een goede mening omdat ze de auto snel hebben vervangen.
Toyota Yaris in Albanië
Alles ging goed, er waren geen moeilijkheden.
Hyundai Accent in Albanië
Het ging goed.
Audi A3 in Albanië
Het was goed :)
Mitsubishi Space Star in Albanië
De auto zelf was prima, een beetje fragiel voor de wegen daar om eerlijk te zijn. Ook werden we blijkbaar gevolgd (misschien met een AirTag), dat vonden we een beetje raar. Maar een auto boeken via het platform was makkelijk, dus dat zou ik zo weer doen.
Volvo S60 in Albanië
Alles ging geweldig, bedankt.
Skoda Fabia in Albanië
Ik heb onlangs een 2016 Skoda Fabia gehuurd en had een fantastische ervaring. De auto reed soepel en comfortabel, wat mijn reis aangenaam maakte. Het brandstofverbruik was indrukwekkend en het ruime interieur was een pluspunt. De gebruiksvriendelijke bediening en moderne functies voegden gemak toe. Erald was zeer behulpzaam.
Volkswagen Golf 6 in Albanië
Alles ging geweldig, bedankt, ik ben tevreden!
Dacia Sandero Stepway in Albanië
Alles ging geweldig. Ik kreeg een praktisch nieuwe auto met een handgeschakelde versnellingsbak op mijn verzoek. Het terugbrengen ging perfect 👍. Bedankt, zal jullie aanbevelen. Nog een fijne dag!
Volkswagen Golf 5 in Albanië
De eerste auto was erg oud en de veiligheidsgordel van de bestuurder en het raam van de passagier waren kapot, maar ze ruilden hem binnen een paar uur om voor een andere auto en de nieuwe was prima. Het personeel was erg vriendelijk en behulpzaam.
Lokale Auto Huren in Albanië
On TakeCars you see exactly which company and which manager you’re renting from — their profile, real customer reviews, photos and average response time. It is not an anonymous airport counter.
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1. Vergelijk auto's in Albanië
We maken het gemakkelijk om prijzen en huurvoorwaarden te vergelijken in Albanië zodat je gemakkelijker een auto kunt huren.
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2. Zeker je online boeking
Reserveer je voertuig met een kleine aanbetaling en we garanderen dat het op je wacht bij aankomst in Albanië.
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3. Deel je huurervaring
Help anderen de juiste keuze te maken bij het huren van auto's op TakeCars Albanië.
Documents, payment and deposit
To rent a car in Albania you’ll need a passport with the entry stamp, a valid driving licence and a bank card for the prepayment. EU/EEA, UK and most Latin-script licences are accepted by local suppliers, although we still recommend an International Driving Permit (IDP).
We recommend an IDP for any first visit to Albania. It costs around £5–€10 and takes just a few days to issue — one possible roadblock removed from the trip.
Visa and entry
EU/EEA and UK citizens can enter visa-free for up to 90 days. US, Canadian and Australian citizens enjoy up to a year. For most other passports an e-visa is available via e-visa.al for around €30.
Payment: card for the prepayment, cash on the spot
Albania is very much a cash country. The deposit and the main part of the rental are paid in euros or lek directly to the supplier. Your card is used only for the 15–20 % online prepayment. It’s easiest to withdraw euros at home or at the ATMs in Tirana airport.
The card is needed once — to confirm the booking. Everything after that runs the Albanian way: cash in hand, contract, photos of the car, keys.
Deposit €100–300, or zero
Local suppliers usually ask for €100–300 in cash when you collect the car. International chains tend to block €250–1500 on a credit card. If you’d rather not tie up funds, simply choose a “no deposit” tariff — there are several hundred such cars in the catalogue.
A cash deposit comes back on the spot when you hand the car back, provided there’s no damage. Faster than waiting for a card hold to clear — that can take weeks with some banks.
Insurance: TPL, CDW and Super CDW in Albania
Every rental car in Albania includes TPL (Third-Party Liability) by law. It covers damage to others, their vehicles and property — but not your own rental. Basic cover on its own is rarely enough.
Basic CDW (Collision Damage Waiver)
Most tariffs include CDW with an excess of €500–1500. It often excludes tyres, wheels, windscreen, undercarriage and interior — precisely the parts that take the hardest knocks on Albanian roads. Patchy asphalt, coastal gravel and old-town kerbs wear them down quickly.
The two most common claims we see are a punctured tyre on gravel and a scratched alloy from kerb parking. Basic CDW usually covers neither.
Super CDW (SCDW)
Super CDW removes the excess and in most packages also covers tyres, glass and the underbody — €10–25 a day. For a simple city break basic cover is often fine, but if your route includes Theth, Valbona or Llogara, Super CDW is worth every euro.
On Albanian gravel, full cover is not a marketing add-on but genuine peace of mind. One stone in the windscreen and the €15 a day you “saved” disappears in seconds.
Full Damage Waiver and the police-report rule
Some partners offer Full Damage Waiver, which covers most edge cases — lost keys, towing, chipped paint. Whatever level of cover you choose, any scratch or accident requires a police report (call 126 or 112). Without it, no insurer will pay out.
Even in an empty car park, if you spot a fresh dent or scratch — call the police and get it logged. Ten minutes of waiting saves hundreds of euros.
Roads, traffic rules, parking and crossing borders
The main roads and the Tirana–Durrës motorway are of European standard. In the provinces and mountains some stretches may still be under repair, and the local habit of stopping in the middle of the road “for a minute” is common everywhere.
Speed, alcohol and headlights
In town the limit is 40 km/h, on rural roads 80 km/h, and on the A1 motorway 110 km/h. The alcohol limit is 0.01‰ — effectively zero. One glass can mean a €250–400 fine and possible licence suspension. Dipped headlights must be on day and night, all year round, since 2023.
The single most common reason a foreign car gets pulled over is daytime headlights left off. The fine is €20–40 and is usually paid on the spot. Most of our cars switch them on automatically.
Tolls and parking
The only toll is on the A1 “Rruga e Kombit” at the Kalimash tunnel heading towards Kosovo — €5 per car. There is no national vignette. In Tirana, blue zones are paid through the T-Park app.
Never leave the car on a double yellow line or in front of garage doors in high season. The tow truck works quickly, and the bill that follows can spoil the whole trip.
Where to start and where to drive next
The most popular option is car rental in Tirana at TIA airport. If you’re starting on the coast, car hire in Durrës is more convenient. For the south, begin in car rental in Sarandë — right next to Ksamil and Butrint.
From Albania you can reach Montenegro, North Macedonia and Greece in a single day. Make sure the cross-border permission is stamped in your contract — without it the insurance is no longer valid.
De prijs van autoverhuur in Albanië hangt af van het seizoen en de lengte van de huurperiode.
- januari
- februari
- maart
- april
- Mei
- juni
- juli
- augustus
- september
- oktober
- november
- december
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Mei
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Okt
- Nov
- Dec
Hoeveel kost het om een auto te huren in Albanië: gemiddelde dagprijs voor alle autoklassen bij een huurperiode van 7 dagen.
Frequently asked questions
Economy cars start at €18–35 a day in the off-season (October–April) and €50–90 in July–August. Weekly rentals average €20–25/day after the standard discount. Booking three to six weeks ahead trims another 15–25%. Albania is one of Europe's cheapest markets for rentals — local suppliers run 30–50% below the international chains.
Yes. Local suppliers and TakeCars accept any debit or credit card — Visa, Mastercard, Maestro — for the 15–20% online prepayment. The balance and deposit are settled in cash on the spot, in euros or Albanian lek. International chains (Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Avis) still require a credit card in the main driver's name at the desk.
Local suppliers ask €100–300, often in cash or blocked on a debit card. International brands charge €250–1,500 strictly on a credit card in the main driver's name. Zero-deposit cars are common in economy class — usually with full CDW already built into the daily rate, leaving only an excess on tyres and glass. Local suppliers refund deposits at hand-back; chains can take 7–30 working days.
Not legally — EU, UK, US, Australian, NZ and most other Latin-script licences are valid in Albania without an IDP. The exception is licences in Cyrillic, Arabic or other non-Latin scripts; for those an IDP is mandatory. Police occasionally ask US drivers for one anyway, so if you have it, bring it. Always carry the physical licence plus your passport.
For most travellers, no. EU/EEA, UK, US, Canadian, Australian, NZ and many other passport holders enter Albania visa-free for up to 90 days. A handful of nationalities still need a visa — apply through e-visa.al for the standard tourist permit (€30, decision in 5–10 days). Check the official list on punetejashtme.gov.al before travelling.
Montenegro: yes, with most suppliers — a Green Card is mandatory there, plus a cross-border fee of €20–50. Kosovo: yes, no Green Card needed since 2023, fee €20–40. North Macedonia: yes, Green Card bought at the border (~€20) plus a €30–50 fee. Greece: refused by 80% of suppliers; the few that allow it charge €150–230 plus extra insurance.
Yes, in most cases — it pays for itself. Basic CDW in Albania doesn't cover tyres, alloys, glass, undercarriage, interior or mirrors, and these are exactly the parts that suffer most on gravel and mountain passes. Super CDW zeroes the excess and includes those vulnerable areas, costing €10–25/day against a €500–1,500 potential excess. For families and Riviera trips, take it.
€5 per car at the Kalimash tunnel toll gate on the A1 "Rruga e Kombit" motorway. It is the only toll road in Albania — there are no vignettes anywhere in the country. Pay by card or cash (euros or lek). The toll only matters if you are driving north to Kosovo; routes to Durres, Vlora, Saranda and the Riviera don't cross any paid sections.
Urban roads: 40 km/h. Rural and expressway: 80 km/h. A1 motorway: 110 km/h. Dipped headlights must be on 24/7 year-round since 2023; the fine for switching them off is €20–40. Alcohol limit is 0.01% BAC — effectively zero, one of the strictest in Europe. Drink-driving carries a €250–400 fine, licence suspension and possible vehicle confiscation. Take it seriously.
Tirana's blue paid zones run on the T-Park app: register with a phone number and any Visa or Mastercard. SMS payment requires an Albanian SIM, so install the app on the airport Wi-Fi when you land. Underground car parks at Skanderbeg Square and the Air Albania stadium charge €1–2 per hour. Outside the centre, parking is mostly free but tight in high season.
No. The Saranda–Corfu ferry doesn't accept hire cars from Albania — it's a strict supplier rule across the country. Park in Saranda's paid car parks (€5–10/day) and cross as a foot passenger. The crossing takes 30–70 minutes, tickets €19–35 one-way. A morning crossing and an evening return makes for a comfortable day on Corfu.
Call 126 (traffic police) and 112 (general emergency). A police report is mandatory — without it, insurance won't pay even for a small scratch or a car-park dent. Photograph everything, don't sign anything in Albanian without a translation, and notify the supplier within 24 hours. Never shake hands and drive off — that voids the cover and the repair lands on you.
Yes — one-way drop-offs inside Albania are offered by almost every supplier, with a fee of €20–80 depending on distance (Tirana to Saranda or Vlora is the most common route). International one-way to Dubrovnik, Podgorica or Pristina is offered by select partners only at €300–600. Always set the drop-off in writing before pickup.
Twenty-one with one to two years of licence is the floor at most local suppliers. Premium and luxury classes start at 23–25. Drivers under 25 pay a young-driver surcharge of €3–10/day or a flat €30–50 for the rental. There's no formal upper age limit, but a few suppliers ask drivers over 70 for a doctor's certificate. ID and licence are checked at the counter.