How to Get to Albania (Flights, Sailings, & Entry Requirements)
If you’re wondering how to get to Albania, you’re in the right place! This beautiful Balkan country is becoming an increasingly popular destination, and there are several different ways to reach it depending on where you’re coming from and how you want to travel.
We’ve traveled to Albania in different ways, including flying in and taking the ferry from Greece. We’ve also explored the country by car, which makes it especially easy to combine Albania with a larger Balkan road trip.
In this guide, we’re breaking down exactly how to get to Albania, including the best airports to fly into, ferry options, and ways to arrive overland from neighboring countries.
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How to Get to Albania: Basic Info for Visiting
Before figuring out the best way to get to Albania, there are a few things you’ll want to know about entering the country. Albania has its own entry requirements, which can vary depending on your nationality and the type of passport you hold.
Here is what you need to know before planning your trip to Albania.
🛂 What Documents Do I Need to Travel to Albania?
Travelers entering Albania generally need a valid passport or other accepted travel document. The exact requirements depend on your nationality, so it’s important to check Albania’s current visa requirements before you travel. We have updates on visa requirements from July 30th, 2026, but it’s important you always double check.
🌍 Do You Need a Visa to Travel to Albania?
In many European countries, the “90/180” rule applies for the people that are not European. This means that in a 180-day period, tourists can only stay within the Schengen Area for up to 90 days in total.
Some countries in Europe are part of the EU, and aren’t part of the Schengen Zone, while some are in the Schengen Zone and are not part of the EU. Some countries are apart of both, while some aren’t in either of them. You can imagine that this can get extremely confusing when trying to calculate your traveling dates!
The good news is though, that Albania is not actually part of the Schengen Zone. This means that you can freely travel to Albania even if you’ve already expired your 90 days in the Schengen Zone (which is exactly what happened to us). Tourists who don’t need a visa are able to travel in Albania visa free for a total of 90 days within a 180 day period, despite any of the other European countries they had visited prior.
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🌎 Which Countries Can Enter Albania Without a Visa?
Citizens of the following countries and territories can currently visit Albania without applying for a visa:
Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, British Virgin Islands, Bulgaria, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Cook Islands, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Faroe Islands, France, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guam, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Republic of, Malaysia, Malta, Martinique, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, US Virgin Islands, United Kingdom, United States Minor Outlying Islands, United States of America, Vatican City (Holy See), and Wallis and Futuna.
💻 Countries That Require a Visa but Can Apply for an e-Visa
If you’re a citizen of one of the following countries or territories, you need a visa to enter Albania, but you can apply for an e-Visa:
Aland Islands, Algeria, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bonaire, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greenland, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Jersey, Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Macau, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nagorno-Karabakh, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Reunion, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Ossetia, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The e-Visa option makes the process much easier because you can submit your application online rather than needing to visit an embassy in person.
🏛 Countries That Need to Apply for a Visa Through an Embassy
Citizens of the following countries and territories need to apply for a visa through an Albanian embassy or consular office:
Abkhazia, American Samoa, Bouvet Island, British Indian Ocean Territory, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Curacao, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, India, Isle of Man, Korea, Republic of (South), Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Federated States of, Montserrat, Niue, Northern Cyprus, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pitcairn, Qatar, Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau, Transnistria, Turks and Caicos Islands, and Western Sahara.
For travelers in this category, you’ll need to arrange your visa through an Albanian diplomatic or consular office before your trip.
💡 Important: Visa requirements can change, so always double check the requirements for your specific passport before booking your flights or other transportation to Albania.
How to Get to Albania Location & a Sneak Peak on Options to Travel There
There are quite a few ways to travel to Albania, and we’ve done it a couple of different ways. Here are the different options.
📍 Where is Albania?
Albania is located in south Eastern Europe, a part of the Balkan region of the continent. The countries that border Albania are Montenegro to the north, Kosovo to the north east, Macedonia to the east, and Greece to the south.
Albania is located in the Balkan region of south Eastern Europe.
🤔 How Do I Get to Albania?
Since Albania is a coastal country, it can be reached by both land and sea.
Here are the main ways to get to Albania:
How to Get to Albania: Comparing Options
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❣️ What Airport Do You Fly Into for Albania?
One of the easiest ways to get to Puerto Rico is by flight, with a few different airport options depending on where you plan to stay.
Puerto Rico has three main commercial airports that receive flights from the mainland United States and international destinations.
✈️ Cities that Fly to Albania
If you’d like to travel in Albania from outside the surrounding countries, the easiest way is to fly into Tirana, the capital of the country. Cities that fly direct into Tirana include Abu Dhabi, Ancona, Athens, Barcelona, Bari, Beauvais, Belgrade, Berlin, Bologna, Budapest, Catania, Charleroi, Dortmund, Dubai, Eindhoven, Forli, Frankfurt, Geneva, Genoa, Hamburg, Istanbul, Karlsruhe, London, Memminghen, Milan, Mulhouse, Munich, Nice, Nuremburg, Perugia, Pescara, Pisa, Rome, Torino, Treviso, Verona, Vienna, and Zurich.
In addition, there is a small airport in Kukes and another one in Vlora.
Kukës International Airport Zayed (KFZ / LAKU) is located in northern Albania, and has flights from Basel, Karlsruhe, Memmingen, and Vienna, which are served by Wizz Air. Vlora International Airport (VLO / LAVL) is located in Novoselë along the Albanian Riviera, and is brand new! It will have flight schedules launching soon, and we will update this as soon as there are any official announcements.
The 3 Easiest Hacks for Booking Flights that Can Save Your Hundreds
Booking airfare is one of the first steps to booking your trip – and while it can be overwhelming, we’re here to help you!
🚗 How to Get to Albania by Land
One of our favorite ways to explore Albania is by car. Since the country shares land borders with four other countries, it’s incredibly easy to add Albania to a larger Balkan road trip (which is exactly what we did!).
We drove into Albania ourselves and found the border crossings to be super relaxed and quick, making this a great option if you want the freedom to explore some of the most beautiful places in Albania that are off the beaten path.
Here are the main land borders you can use to enter Albania:
🇲🇪 From Montenegro: The main crossings include Hani i Hotit and Muriqan, with Muriqan connecting directly toward the Shkodër region. Hani i Hotit is one of the key northern border points and carries a significant amount of traffic between the two countries.
🇽🇰 From Kosovo: The main crossing is Morinë, connecting Kosovo with northern Albania and providing a direct route toward Kukës and Tirana. The Morinë/Vërmicë crossing is one of the major road connections between the two countries. (This is the one that we took).
🇲🇰 From North Macedonia: Qafë Thanë is the main crossing on the route between Ohrid and Albania, while Tushemisht is another option farther south near Lake Ohrid. Qafë Thanë/Kjafasan is one of the region’s major international road crossings.
🇬🇷 From Greece: Albania has several road crossings with Greece, including Kakavijë, Kapshticë, Qafë Botë, and Tre Urat. Kakavijë and Kapshticë are the main crossings used for international road travel though.
🚘 Is It Easy to Road Trip to Albania?
We definitely think so! Albania is particularly convenient to add to a Balkan road trip because you can cross into the country from Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, or Greece without needing to fly between destinations. There are also so many cool places you can visit driving between each one.
Just make sure you check the requirements of your rental car company before crossing a border. Some rental companies have restrictions on taking vehicles into neighboring countries, so you’ll want to make sure Albania is specifically permitted before picking up your car.
🚌 How to Get to Albania by Bus
Want to know how to get to Albania without a car? There are also international buses connecting Albania with several neighboring countries. This can be a great option if you’re traveling around the Balkans without renting a car, and there are plenty of routes heading into Tirana as well as northern cities like Shkodër.
Some of the international bus routes you can look into include:
🇲🇪 Podgorica → Shkodër: 1 1/2 hours – $19
🇲🇪 Kotor → Shkodër: 2 hours – $15
🇽🇰 Pristina → Tirana: 4 hours – $24
🇲🇰 Skopje → Tirana: 6 hours – $24
🇲🇰 Ohrid → Tirana: 3 hours -$20
🇬🇷 Thessaloniki → Tirana: 4 1/2-5 hours – $48
🇬🇷 Athens → Tirana: 13 hours – $54
💡 Bus schedules in the Balkans can change depending on the season, so make sure to check the current departure times when booking your trip.
🌊 How to Get to Albania by Sea
If flying isn’t your plan, there are a few ways to reach Albania by water. You can either take a ferry from Greece or Italy, or you can go on a short visit as a port of call on a cruise.
🇬🇷 How to Get to Albania from Greece by Ferry
This is actually how I went to Albania the first time ever. While in Corfu, my sister and I saw that there were ferries to Albania, so we decided to visit for the day. We loved it so much, and it really made me excited to travel to Albania again 8 years later.
You can easily travel to Albania from this Greek island in just 30 minutes- an hour. Tickets online are around $30-45 each way right now to Sarande, which is a part of the Albanian Riviera in the south west of the country.
We actually booked in person though, and remember it being much cheaper (granted it was a long time ago). Ferries leave at 8:50 and 9 am, so we suggest booking the day before.
🇮🇹 How to Get to Albania from Italy by Ferry
Albania is also connected to Italy by ferry across the Adriatic Sea. Durrës is the main arrival point, with services connecting it to Italian ports including Bari and Ancona, as well as other seasonal connections.
The Bari to Durrës route is particularly convenient, with ferry departures operating throughout the year and the ability to bring both passengers and vehicles. This makes it a great option if you’re doing a European road trip and want to bring your rental or personal car into Albania.
Suggested Read: What to Do in Bari, Italy: The Capital of Puglia
🛳 How to Get to Albania by Cruise
Another way to visit Albania is by cruise. Both Sarandë and Durrës receive cruise ships, making Albania a popular stop on Mediterranean and Adriatic itineraries.
Cruising can be a great way to get a taste of Albania if you’re already planning a Mediterranean cruise, especially if you want to visit places like Sarandë and explore the Albanian Riviera for the day. There are also itineraries that include Albania alongside other destinations in Greece, Croatia, Italy, and the wider Mediterranean.
Since we were working on cruise ships ourselves, we’ve spent a lot of time exploring destinations this way. If you’re interested in visiting Albania by cruise, check the itinerary carefully to see which port you’ll be visiting and how much time you’ll actually have in the country. A port day can give you a great introduction to Albania, but you’ll experience much more by staying for several days.
🛥 How to Get to Albania by Private Boats or Charters
Since Albania has an extensive coastline along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, it is also possible to arrive by private boat or yacht. This can be a particularly interesting option for travelers sailing around the Adriatic or Ionian coast.
Just make sure you follow the required border, customs, and immigration procedures when entering Albania by sea.
How to Get to Albania: Final Tips & What’s Next
Getting to Albania is actually much easier than you might expect. Whether you’re flying into Tirana, taking a ferry from Greece or Italy, driving across one of the country’s land borders, or hopping on an international bus, there are plenty of options depending on where your trip begins.
We’ve personally arrived in Albania by ferry from Greece and traveled around the country by car, and we loved having the flexibility to explore at our own pace. No matter how you choose to arrive, Albania is a fantastic country to add to a larger Balkan itinerary or to visit as a destination on its own.
Here are a few final tips to keep in mind when planning how to get to Albania:
✈️ Compare multiple airports and routes. Tirana will usually be your easiest option, but connecting through another European city can sometimes save you money.
🚗 Check your rental car’s border policy. If you’re road tripping through the Balkans, make sure your rental company allows you to take the car across international borders.
📑 Double check your visa requirements. Entry requirements depend on your nationality and can change, so make sure your documents are in order before your trip.
⛴️ Consider the ferry if you’re already in Greece or Italy. It’s a fun alternative to flying and can make it easy to combine Albania with another country.
🚌 Book international buses ahead of time when possible. Routes and schedules can vary, especially depending on the season.
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👀 What’s Next?
Now that you know all of the most beautiful places in Albania to visit, let’s dive a bit deeper! Here are our other Albania travel guides:
🤩 The best places to visit in Albania
📸 24 best photo spots in Albania
🏙️ How to spend one day in Tirana
💎 How to visit Lumi i Shales
🏔️ Theth travel guide
🏞️ How to visit Osum Canyon
🏖️ Albania Riviera travel guide
🌊 How to visit Gjipe Beach
📖 Complete guide to planning a trip to Albania
So are you ready to experience the incredible country of Albania? Whether you get there by air, land, or sea, we know you are going to enjoy your time there.
Want to learn more about visiting Albania once you get there? Check out our other Albania travel guides! We have more guides coming every week, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest article updates, as well as exclusive discounts.
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