Tirana International Airport is where most visitors pick up a rental car for the city. It is also known as Nënë Tereza and as Rinas, and it lies about 11 km northwest of the city centre. The airport’s own website does not say where rental desks are, so the pickup point depends on the company you book with. This guide covers where pickup happens, what deposits and documents to expect, and how to get from the airport to Tirana and on to Durrës by car. For the wider picture, read our Albania car rental guide, and for companies in the city see the Tirana local companies guide.
Where pickup happens
Three patterns show up on the companies’ own websites:
- A desk at the airport. Rent a Car Tirana Airport gives its address as CP97+JC Rinas, Tirana. Tirana Airport Rental Car lists an office on Rruga e Aeroportit. Auto Activity Rinas says it is based at the airport and has staff there around the clock.
- Meet and greet at arrivals. Eurocar Rentals Tirana runs a desk in the arrivals hall at the Rinas terminal, open 24/7 with meet and greet. Auto Activity Rinas offers an “Airport VIP Pickup” where staff meet you at arrivals. Tirana Airport Rental Car asks for your landing time and says its team will bring the car to the airport parking.
- Delivery to the airport. Albania 4×4 Car Rental says it can deliver to the airport on request. Planet Rent a Car offers airport pickup and says it will deliver and collect cars across Albania. Nika’s Rent Car Tirana lists the airport as a pickup point.
Whichever option you choose, the airport’s terminal has taxis and car rental services, according to the description of the airport on Wikipedia. The airport’s own website says it has 2,600 parking spaces, though it does not list parking rates.
Deposits and payment
Deposit rules differ a lot between companies, so read them before you book. This is what each site says:
- Rent a Car Tirana Airport: no cash damage deposit, but a 20% prepayment reserves the car.
- Tirana Airport Rental Car: no deposit if you choose its standard or premium protection It accepts cash.
- Auto B. Brahimi, TIC Rent Car and Tezaku Rent Car: each says no deposit is required.
- Auto Edi Rent Car Tirana: no cash damage deposit, with a 20% prepayment to reserve.
International brands usually place a deposit hold on your credit card. Ask each company how any hold is taken, how much it is, and when it is released. [
Documents to bring
Auto Edi’s site says you need a valid driving licence and a passport or ID card, and that an International Driving Permit is not needed in Albania. The sites we reviewed do not state a minimum driver age or how long you must have held your licence, so ask the company before you travel.
Taking the car out of Albania
If your route leaves Albania, the rental company must agree in writing, and you will need a Green Card, which is proof of third-party insurance abroad. A travel guide we checked lists Green Card fees of roughly €20 to €50 depending on the company, and one rental operator quoted about €30 per country for the cross-border authorisation. Not every company allows it. Tirana Airport Rental Car allows trips to Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia for an extra fee, and Auto B. Brahimi requires advance notice, approval and a fee. The Tirana to Ohrid guide explains the process in more detail.
From the airport into Tirana
Central Tirana is 20 to 25 minutes away by road, according to Wikipedia. The airport connects to the national road network via SH60, which meets the SH2 Durrës–Tirana highway. The airport bus runs around the clock, roughly every hour, and stops outside the arrivals terminal. The airport’s own website lists a GoOpti shuttle and official airport taxis with a stop a few steps from the terminal, and it calls taxis the quickest option. None of these sources gives fares.
Tirana airport to Durrës by car
Durrës is an easy drive from Tirana. The distance from Tirana to Durrës is about 36 to 38 km, and the drive takes roughly 35 to 45 minutes depending on traffic, according to Chasing the Donkey. The road is the SH2 Durrës–Tirana highway, which the airport road joins. We did not source the airport-to-Durrës distance or time, so check a map before you set out.
If you would rather not drive, the same 2024 guide gives a taxi from Tirana to Durrës at 2,000 to 2,500 lek, taking about 45 minutes, and a bus at about 130 lek, leaving every half hour. Some companies also offer Durrës pickups. Nika’s lists Durrës as a pickup point, and Tirana Airport Rental Car lists delivery to Durrës for €20. An electric rail line linking Tirana, Durrës and the airport is under development, with trains planned to start in early 2027, according to Wikipedia. Check that before relying on it.
Before you leave the car park
- Photograph the car all round, and check the fuel gauge against the contract. Auto Edi’s site says cars are handed over with a full tank and must be returned full.
- Ask the company how to reach them if you land late.
- Keep the contract, any deposit receipt and the company’s phone number on your phone.
Once you have picked up the car, our guide to driving and parking in Tirana covers the first drive into the city. Book directly with the company you choose, using its own website or phone.