Tirana’s Central Bus Station (Stacioni Qendror i Autobusëve) is the city’s main hub for intercity buses and furgons (shared minibuses), and it’s just a short walk from Skanderbeg Square — right where our storage location is. If you’re heading out to Durrës, Shkodër, Berat, or beyond, here’s what you need to know before you go.
Where is Tirana’s Central Bus Station?
The station sits along Rruga e Dibrës, about a 10–15 minute walk from Skanderbeg Square and easy to reach on foot from most hotels in the center. It replaced the old scattered departure points, so nearly all intercity routes now leave from here — though a few longer-distance and international coaches still use separate stops, so it’s worth double-checking your specific route.
Buses to Durrës
Durrës is the most frequent route out of Tirana — buses and furgons leave roughly every 15–20 minutes throughout the day. The ride takes about 40–45 minutes and costs around 100–150 ALL. No need to book ahead; just show up, find the right furgon, and pay the driver directly.
Buses to Shkodër
Departures to Shkodër run frequently in the morning and early afternoon, roughly every 30–60 minutes. The trip takes about 1.5–2 hours and costs around 300–400 ALL. Shkodër is also the jumping-off point for Lake Koman and the Albanian Alps, so this route gets busy in high season — arrive a little early if you’re traveling in summer.
Buses to Berat
Buses to Berat, the “City of a Thousand Windows,” run several times a day, with the trip taking around 2–2.5 hours and costing roughly 400–500 ALL. Departures are less frequent than Durrës or Shkodër, so it’s worth checking the approximate schedule at the station when you arrive rather than assuming a fixed timetable.
Other popular routes
The same station also serves furgons and buses to Vlorë, Sarandë, Korçë, Pogradec, Fier, Elbasan, and most other Albanian cities. Fares and frequency vary by destination and season — coastal routes like Sarandë run more often in summer, while inland routes like Korçë and Pogradec keep a steadier year-round schedule.
How the furgon system actually works
Most intercity travel in Albania runs on furgons — shared minibuses that generally leave once they’re full rather than on a fixed timetable, though busier routes like Durrës run close to a set schedule anyway. There’s usually no way to book online or by phone: you go to the station, find your destination (drivers and touts will often call out cities as you walk through), confirm the price, and pay in cash once aboard or just before departure.
What to do with your bags before catching a bus
If you’ve got a flight later, a hotel checkout behind you, or just a few hours to explore Tirana before your bus, you don’t need to drag your luggage around the station. Drop your bags with us — we’re a short walk from the Central Bus Station and Skanderbeg Square, so you can explore the city center, grab lunch, or see the sights, then swing by to collect your things right before departure.
Arriving by air instead? Check our guide on getting from Tirana Airport to the city center, or if you need a fixed-price transfer, IAT Taxi can take you straight to the bus station or anywhere else in town.
