Car Hire in Vlora

For general driving rules, insurance, and toll information covering the whole country, see our guide to car hire in Albania.

Driving and Parking in Vlora: What You Need to Know

• The city centre: Vlora is Albania's third-largest city, set where the Adriatic meets the Ionian, with broad boulevards, palm-lined squares, and a lively waterfront promenade (the Lungomare) of cafés and restaurants. It is a good base for the northern end of the Albanian Riviera, and most visitors use the car for the coast and the mountains rather than for getting around town.
• Do you need a car here? Public transport links Vlora with Tirana, including airport minibuses at roughly two-hour intervals, and southbound services run along the coast. Timetables rarely suit a day of several stops, though. A car earns its place on the Riviera, where beaches, viewpoints, and villages are spread along one road and are easiest to link at your own pace.
• Parking: street parking is generally easy to find outside the busiest areas, with paid parking nearer the waterfront. In July and August, arrive early if you want a space close to the promenade, and check any signage before you leave the car.
• Peak-season bottlenecks: the Vlora ring road and the town of Fier, on the main road north toward Tirana and Berat, are known slow points in summer. Plan to cross them outside the middle of the day, particularly on weekends in August, and allow extra time if you are heading to a ferry, a flight, or a fixed return time for the car.
• The Riviera road south: Vlora is the northern gateway to the SH8 coast road. Vlora to Saranda is around 130 km and takes roughly 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours without stops, and closer to 4 hours in peak August traffic.
• Llogara Tunnel and Llogara Pass: about 20 km south of the city, the Llogara Tunnel bypasses the mountain pass, with official estimates putting the saving at around 40 minutes between Vlora and Saranda. A toll of around 250 lek, roughly €2.50, has been reported for cars, so confirm the current position and carry some lek. The older pass road remains open, with hairpin bends, fog, and livestock on the carriageway, and is considerably more demanding in winter.
• Tunnel or pass? The tunnel is the sensible choice if you are on a schedule, driving after dark, or travelling in poor weather. The pass is slower but is the scenic route, so allow extra time and choose it in clear conditions and daylight if the views matter to you.
• From Tirana: Vlora is around 150 km from the capital, roughly 2 hours on a route that is largely motorway, and up to 2.5 hours in peak August traffic. This makes collecting in Vlora a sensible way to start a Riviera trip without a long first leg from Tirana.
• Airport: Vlora International Airport, near the village of Akërni about 10 km north of the city, had no scheduled commercial passenger flights as of mid-2026, and no confirmed opening date. For now, most visitors fly into Tirana, around 2 to 2.5 hours away by road.
• Ferries from Italy: Vlora's port has been reported as a ferry link to Italy, and many visitors also arrive on the longer Bari to Durrës crossing and drive south. Never assume your hire car can travel on a ferry. Taking it out of Albania requires prior written permission from your supplier.
• Emergencies: dial 112 for police, ambulance, or fire services anywhere in Albania, including Vlora.

Top Places to Visit from Vlora by Car

• Orikum — a seaside town south of Vlora with a quieter beach than the city's own, Albania's only marina, and a Roman-era theatre nearby. It is around 20 km south, roughly 15 to 30 minutes by road.
• Zvërnec and the Narta Lagoon — a lagoon landscape north-west of the city, with a small island monastery reached by a footbridge and a calmer, more rural feel than the main beaches. It is around 25 minutes by road from the centre.
• Llogara National Park and Pass — a mountain pass above the Ionian Sea at around 1,000 m, with sweeping coastal views and the start of the descent to the Riviera. It is roughly 30 to 45 minutes south of Vlora, with the tunnel offering a faster alternative to the pass road.
• Apollonia — the ancient Greek and Roman archaeological park near Fier, around 45 minutes north of Vlora. Check opening days before you go, as the site has traditionally been closed on Mondays, and consider combining it with a stop in Fier on the way back.
• Himara — the main base on the Albanian Riviera, around 75 km south, roughly 1 hour 30 minutes via the Llogara Tunnel, or around 92 km and 2 hours 15 minutes over the pass road.

The coast road south breaks naturally into stages. Vlora to the Llogara Pass is about 25 km, the pass to Dhërmi roughly 15 km and 20 minutes, and Borsh to Saranda about 35 km and 45 to 50 minutes, so a one-way drive from Vlora to Saranda can comfortably be split over a day with stops, rather than driven in one push.

The Karaburun peninsula and Sazan Island, part of Albania's only marine park, are explored mainly by boat tour rather than by road, so they work best as a day on the water between days on the road.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Vlora?

Summer is the busiest season, and August in particular. Tirana to Vlora, which takes around 2 hours in normal conditions, can stretch to about 2.5 hours, and the Vlora ring road, Fier, and the Riviera road south all slow down together. If you are travelling in July or August, book your car hire well in advance and plan longer drives for early in the day.

Spring and autumn are better for driving the Llogara routes and the coast, with quieter roads and comfortable temperatures. Winter is quieter still, but the Llogara Pass is considerably more demanding in poor weather, and fog and wet roads are more likely on the mountain stretches. Whatever the season, booking ahead guarantees your price and vehicle class rather than leaving either to chance on arrival, which matters most for one-way trips along the coast.

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Vlora

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys. Collecting in Vlora puts you at the start of the Riviera road rather than two hours from it. If you plan to finish in Saranda, around 130 km south, or back in Tirana, ask your supplier at the time of booking whether a one-way hire is possible, and what it would cost. Car hire in Vlora is available from the following pick-up point:

• Vlora — collection in the city itself, convenient for visitors staying in or near the centre; your booking confirmation shows the exact pick-up details for your hire.