Car Rental in Sarandë: Local Companies and What to Check |

Sarandë is the base for Albania’s far south: Ksamil’s islands and beaches, the ruins of Butrint, the Blue Eye spring and the stone town of Gjirokastër are all within an easy drive. Many visitors arrive by ferry from Corfu or by road from Tirana. Either way, a car turns Sarandë from a beach town into a base for a week of day trips. The town has a good number of small, local rental companies, and several of them hand over cars right at the port.

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Why rent locally in Sarandë

There is no airport in Sarandë, so you will not find the big airport desks here. The local companies fill that gap. Most are small, family-run businesses that know the area well. Several of them advertise booking without a credit card and paying in cash or on arrival, which is unusual elsewhere. Prices are generally modest, and older, simpler cars are common. That is fine for the coast road, but worth knowing if you want a newer car or an automatic.

The other side of this is that terms vary a lot from one company to the next. Insurance in particular can mean very different things. Read the checklist below before you choose.

Local rental companies in Sarandë

These companies are listed alphabetically. We checked each website ourselves. The details below are what each company states on its own site; confirm them when you book.

American Star Car Rental & Tours

Two offices in Sarandë. Also runs day tours and private transfers, including from Tirana airport.
Pickup and drop-off in Sarandë; delivery to other locations for an extra charge.
Offers basic and full insurance. Monthly rates are available.
The fleet includes small manual and automatic cars and a 4×4.

Centrum Car Rental

Pickup in the centre of Sarandë or at the port of Sarandë.
Advertises a 24-hour rental service with road assistance, free cancellation and no hidden costs.
A wide range from city cars to SUVs, minivans and a convertible, with daily prices shown on the site.
Insurance, deposit and cross-border terms are not on the main page; ask before booking.

Port Rent Go

Office in the passenger terminal building at the port of Sarandë. Delivery to the port, the ferry terminal and other points that you choose when booking.
No credit card or online payment to book; you pay the rental in cash on the day of pickup.
Basic insurance and unlimited mileage are included; premium insurance is optional.
Minimum age 21 with at least one year of licence; a young-driver surcharge may apply under 25.
Driving to Greece, Kosovo or North Macedonia depends on the car and the insurance; contact them first.

Rental Car VIP Ades

Office on Rruga 17 Shkurti in Sarandë.
Book online without a credit card and pay on arrival.
A clear deposit policy on the site: €200 for most cars, more for the larger SUVs and the 7-seat van.
Minimum rental of two days. Some of the lowest daily prices in town, mostly on older small cars.

Saranda Car Rental

A local company based in Sarandë, with online booking.
Advertises free cancellation, no hidden fees and 24/7 support.
The fleet includes hatchbacks, convertibles and minivans.
Prices, insurance and pickup points are not on the main page; check the terms or contact them.

What to check before you book

Insurance in plain words. Ask: “If the car is damaged, how much do I pay?” Basic cover often leaves a high excess.
Deposit. Cash, a card hold or none. If it is cash, get a receipt for it.
Pickup point. If you arrive by ferry, ask for handover at the port. Several companies do this as standard.
Cross-border plans. Greece is close, but taking an Albanian rental car across the border needs the company’s permission and the right insurance. Ask in advance, not at pickup.
The car’s age. Sarandë fleets include many older cars. If air conditioning or an automatic matters to you in August, confirm it for the specific car.
Photos at pickup. Photograph every side of the car, the fuel level and the mileage before you leave.

When to book

July and August are busy all along the Albanian Riviera, and automatics and larger cars go first. For summer, contact two or three companies a few weeks ahead and compare the total with insurance. In spring and autumn you can often arrange a car a day or two in advance, and the roads to Butrint and the Blue Eye are much quieter.

More for your Sarandë trip

Coming from Corfu? Corfu to Sarandë by ferry, and picking up a car at the port.
Where to go once you have the car: day trips by car from Sarandë.
Where to stay: family-run guesthouses on the Albanian Riviera.
The full country picture: Renting a car in Albania: local companies, real prices and booking direct.