Hiring a car in Albania is probably one of the best options for getting to know this incredible country, which is becoming increasingly popular!

Between beaches with clear, warm blue water, the green countryside and cities full of history, Albania is quite a complete destination in Europe.

Although this country was fairly unknown to most travellers until recently, it has become more popular recently.

Albania is a relatively small country. However, some of the best things to do in Albania are located relatively far apart. What’s more, the public transport network in the country isn’t the best, so renting a car is probably the best option.

If you’re a fan of road trips like me, then you’ll quickly realise that renting a car in Albania is the right choice. This way, you’ll have greater freedom to explore the country and get to less popular places without worrying about public transport or tour schedules.

But what to expect when driving in Albania? What do I need to hire a car in Albania? Is it safe to rent a car in Albania?

I get that you might have some concerns. After all, Albania is a destination that has only recently started to become known to tourists.

So throughout this article, I’m going to answer these questions to help you with your car rental in Albania.

Given the lack of a good public transport network, the car is often the most practical and recommended means of transport for visiting Albania.

Although it is possible to travel by public transport (buses and small vans are two of the most convenient ways to travel in the country), please note that:

• we can rarely find the most current version of the timetables for these services
• the timetables indicated are often not true
• there aren’t really any bus stations, many of which are located in the middle of the roads

As you can see, there are many reasons to hire a car in Albania. Especially if you’re travelling with limited time (like me!), this is the option that will make the most of your time 😉.

Safety in Albania seems to be a topic that comes up frequently when people talk about this country!

I read on some websites that it wasn’t always safe to travel in Albania. However, I had a positive experience regarding safety in the country. I never felt unsafe (not even at night) and I often walked around with my smartphone and camera visible.

Possibly, many of these questions about safety in the country come from people who visited the country a few years ago, when crime rates were more significant.

But what about renting a car in Albania? Is it safe?

If we judge the safety of driving in Albania by the quality of the roads, then the answer is yes. Most of the country’s roads are in good condition (on my trip, the only exception was a section of the road from Shkodër to Komani, which was full of potholes).

Some roads that used to be in poor condition have been remodelled and as a result, the country’s roads are increasingly safer.

However, it’s also important to mention the Albanians’ frantic driving. There is a lot of impatience in traffic, honking for any reason, and so on. Driving in Albania is therefore a real adventure!

Personally, I enjoyed the experience and ended up having fun while driving in the country. Although you have to be careful when driving on Albanian roads, I didn’t feel that the locals’ driving increased the insecurity on the road that much.

However, I have some experience of driving in big cities. If you’re not used to driving or if you don’t like driving in hectic places, then going on a road trip in Albania might not be the best option for you. In that case, I suggest opting for public transport or organised tours to get to know the country.

If you’re already convinced to hire a car to visit Albania, now you need to know how to do it. It’s very simple!

I suggest looking at the car options available on Discover Cars, which allows you to search for most of the options available for the dates you want.

As they bring together offers from several car hire companies, Discover Cars usually offers the best price. In addition, most of the offers presented on the site include a free cancellation policy.

When searching, you can use different filters, such as number of seats, air conditioning, unlimited mileage, automatic transmission, rental company rating, fuel policy and many others.

💡 EXTRA TIP: If you’re travelling on a budget, you can sort the various offers by ascending price. This way, you’ll see the cheapest offers first.

For all the options presented, you can always check more details about each offer’s specific rental conditions.

Given the popularity of this destination, the earlier you book, the more likely you are to find a good price. Find the most convenient option for your trip now 👇🏻

Another tip is to always confirm if the rental price is lower on the rental company’s website, but, as a general rule, Discover Cars prices are more competitive.

If you have a European driving licence, you only need the following documents to rent a car in Albania:

• Passport
• Credit card in the name of the person making the booking
• European driving licence

You only need an international driving licence if your driving licence is written with non-Latin characters!

Concerning credit cards, this is common practice in almost all countries. The credit card serves as a precaution for the car rental companies. They take a deposit from your credit card, which will be refunded at the end if the car is dropped off without any additional damage.

It is often possible to reduce the deposit amount (or even reduce it to zero) if you purchase full insurance for the duration of your rental (more on this below).

💡 EXTRA TIP: Looking for the perfect itinerary to visit Albania in 7 to 9 days? Then I suggest you read my detailed itinerary with all the tips for visiting the country!

Driving in Albania indeed is one of the best ways to explore the country, but there are a few factors to bear in mind.

In general, Albania’s roads are in good condition. Some roads were in very poor condition until a few years ago. However, some investment has been made recently in rehabilitating them.

The speed limit depends on the road you’re driving. For example, on a motorway, the maximum limit is 110 km/h, while in urban areas the limit is around 50 km/h.

On the other hand, in the hilly countryside (like Theth, for example), the roads are quite narrow and you’ll encounter many switchbacks along the way. In this case, the recommended speed is even less than 50 km/h.

Despite these limits, you only have to drive a few hours in Albania to realise that most locals don’t abide by the rules and frequently exceed the speed limit.

Even so, there is usually some speed control by the police on the various roads, so I recommend sticking to the limits at all times. You don’t want to ruin your day by getting a speeding ticket.

Albanians are known for their frantic driving and lack of compliance with traffic rules. Don’t be surprised to see overtaking on the right and left, speeding, overtaking in places where you aren’t supposed to, and much more.

Don’t let this intimidate you or feel pressured into doing the same. Drive safely and calmly, always taking into account the other drivers on the road.

It is forbidden to drive under the influence of alcohol in Albania. The rules are strict and the blood alcohol limit is 0.01 mg/ml. So don’t drive if you’ve been drinking.

When renting a car in Albania, please note that it is compulsory by law for the booking to include a collision damage waiver (CDW). However, this is not the same as car insurance.

Speaking from experience, to feel more at ease throughout your trip, I suggest taking full insurance when you book your car. I say this for all destinations, but in Albania, it’s particularly important, as the locals’ driving could sometimes lead to accidents.

This tip is valid in any destination, not just Albania, so this is just a quick reminder not to forget about it!

When you collect the car, check for any possible damages. If you find anything, document the damage (by taking photos and/or video) and tell the person who is handing over the car so that they have records about the damage before renting the car to you.

Even if you buy insurance, sometimes some parts of the vehicle are not included in the insurance (windows, for example) and for this reason, you should take your time when picking up the car to avoid unpleasant surprises later on.

This is another good tip for pretty much any destination! I’m sure you know that putting the wrong fuel in your car can cause serious damage to it.

So before you fill up for the first time, bear this in mind! Generally, you can confirm the fuel type on the contract that is given to you when you collect the vehicle, on the key ring of the car key or next to the car’s fuel tank.

Albania is one of the cheapest countries in Europe. However, fuel is an exception. Both petrol and diesel are around 1.8€/litre. Find more about the most up-to-date information on fuel prices in Albania.

💡 EXTRA TIP: Many businesses in the country only accept cash and gas stations are no exception. It is therefore advisable to always carry cash to cover your daily expenses, including petrol.

As a general rule, when you rent a car, the rental conditions state that you can only drive it in the country where you rented it.

Some car rental companies don’t even allow the car to cross the border into other countries. In other cases, it is possible to do so for an extra fee. If you would like to use the car to visit other nearby countries, such as Greece, Montenegro or North Macedonia, bear this in mind!

When booking a car, it is becoming increasingly common for the contract to include unlimited mileage (i.e. there is no limit to the number of kilometres driven).

However, in some specific cases, the rental company’s offer may only be valid for a certain number of kilometres. In this case, additional kilometres will be charged separately and, as a general rule, at prohibitive prices.

So, unless you don’t intend to drive many kilometres, I recommend always choosing options that have unlimited mileage.

Most rental companies state in the contract that the car must be returned with a full fuel tank. However, in some cases, you may find the car with less fuel when picking it up. This usually happens when the rental policy is to deliver the car with the same level of fuel as at the start.

This is something to bear in mind, especially to avoid paying unnecessary extra fees. If you don’t deliver the car with the agreed fuel level, the company will charge you an extra fee, as indicated in the contract.

Given the growth of tourism in Albania, the sooner you book a car for your trip, the better. As the date of your trip approaches, the available car options become more scarce.

I recommend checking out the various rental options available through Discover Cars. You can check out the rental conditions and choose the right one for you.

Although you can drive from the age of 18 in Albania, many companies only allow people over 21 to rent a car.

In addition, in some cases, up to the age of 25, an additional charge may be applied to the rental agreement.

I hope you’ve found this guide on how to hire a car in Albania useful! However you decide to explore the country, one thing’s for sure… get ready to discover one of Europe’s best-kept secrets 🤩.

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