Five Albanian road trips — and what they really cost you in hours
Updated 10 August 2026
The map says three and a half hours; the road takes five. That is not the map's fault — it is the bends, the lorries on the climbs, the tractor in front, and the fact that in Albania you end up stopping whether you planned to or not. The times below are the real ones, with summer traffic in them.
1. Tirana → Saranda and Ksamil
Around 270–285 km depending on the route. Inland — Fier, Tepelenë, the Gjirokastra bypass — is 4 to 5 hours on good asphalt the whole way. This is the route when the point is to arrive.
The coastal route through Vlorë and the Riviera is roughly the same distance but 5–6 hours without stopping, and realistically a full day in summer. Ksamil is another 17 km south of Saranda.
2. The Riviera: Vlorë → Himara → Saranda
The Llogara pass climbs past 1,000 metres in a run of hairpins and drops to the sea within a few kilometres. The newer tunnel cuts about 45 minutes off the crossing and costs around 250 lek. The standard local advice is to drive the pass once for the view and take the tunnel on the way back.
After Dhërmi the road narrows and in August it crawls. The smaller beaches are reached down steep, often unpaved lanes — that is where it matters whether your owner permits leaving the asphalt.
3. Shkodra → Theth
About 76 km and roughly two and a half hours. Since 2021 the road is paved all the way to the village, including the final 15 km that used to be track — so an SUV is no longer a technical requirement.
What remains is the gradient: Qafa e Thores crosses above 1,700 metres on tight hairpins with no barrier in places. The lanes beyond the village — towards Ndërlysaj or Theth's Blue Eye — are still unsurfaced. Plenty of owners forbid this route outright in the rules, so ask before you set off rather than after.
4. The Rruga e Kombit to Kosovo
From Milot to the Morinë border, through the 5.5 km Kalimash tunnel. It is the country's most spectacular motorway and its only tolled one: about 5 euro for a car, paid at the booth by the tunnel. Bring lek — euros are usually taken, but not always with good change.
5. Berat → the Osum canyon
About an hour and a half from Berat. The asphalt runs out before the road does: the last stretch to the viewpoints and the Bogova waterfall is unpaved and turns awkward after rain. This is where an SUV earns its money — and where you need the owner's permission to leave the asphalt.
One thing the map does not show: the Koman ferry, which links Fierza to Koman across the lake. Cars go on board, but places fill quickly in summer and the timetable moves with the season. If it is in your plan, confirm it a day ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Is one day enough for the Riviera?
To drive it, yes. To see it, no. Vlorë to Saranda with stops at Dhërmi and Himara is a full day; most people split it in two with a night in between.
Can I drive a normal car to Theth?
Technically yes — the road is paved to the village. The decision is not only yours, though: many owners forbid that route in the car's rules, so get it confirmed in writing before you leave.
What do the tolls cost?
About 5 euro at the Kalimash tunnel on the Rruga e Kombit and around 250 lek at the Llogara tunnel. There is nothing else to pay on the network.