Tirana International Airport (TIA), officially Nënë Tereza, is Albania's main gateway and sits about 17 km northwest of Tirana, near Rinas. It's compact and easy — here's exactly what to expect on arrival and how to reach your destination without stress.
Step by step at arrivals
- Passport control — usually quick; many nationalities enter visa-free.
- Baggage claim — a single hall; bags typically arrive within 15–25 minutes.
- Customs — a simple walk-through for most visitors.
- Arrivals hall — exchange, ATMs, SIM-card kiosks and the meeting point for drivers.
Getting from the airport
Pre-booked private transfer
The calmest option: your driver waits in arrivals with a name sign and takes you straight to your address. The price is fixed in advance and flights are tracked, so a delay doesn't change the fare. This is what we do — see all routes on the hotel transfers page or get a quote on the home page.
Airport taxis
Taxis wait outside arrivals. They're fine for a short hop to Tirana, but for longer trips you'll negotiate at the curb, often after a long flight — and prices to the coast can swing widely.
The airport bus
A shuttle runs between the airport and central Tirana for a few euros. It's cheap but drops you in the city, where you'll still need onward transport to the coast.
Money, SIMs and practical bits
- Currency: the lek (ALL). Euros are accepted by many drivers and hotels, but carry some lek for small purchases.
- Cards: widely accepted; our transfers are paid online by Visa or Mastercard (3-D Secure).
- SIM: local kiosks sell tourist data SIMs cheaply — handy for maps and messaging.
Where to next?
Heading to the beach the same day? See the closest beaches to Tirana Airport, or if you're going south, our Albanian Riviera transfer guide. Questions before you fly? Contact us.