Transport in Albania has been rather undeveloped during the Communist period (between 1945 and 1990), after which the country has had to make significant investment into transport infrastructure.
History
During
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, occupying forces opened up new road sections mainly in the mountainous areas of the country. In King Zog's period, further road construction took place. The total length of Albania's roads more than doubled in the first three decades after
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and by the 1980s almost all of the country's remote mountain areas were connected, at least by dirt roads, with the capital city of
TiranaTirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
and ports on the Adriatic and
Ionian SeaThe Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
. Private ownership was not allowed and the only vehicles circulating were trucks, agricultural and government vehicles, buses, motorcycles, and bicycles. The country's roads, however, were generally narrow, poorly marked, pocked with holes, and in the early 1990s often crowded with pedestrians and people riding mules, bicycles, and horse-drawn carts.
Railway
After 1947, a significant infrastructure undertaking was the construction of the country's rail network as Albania was considered as the only state in Europe not to have standard rail service. By 1987, 677 km of railway were constructed in total linking the main urban and industrial centers for the first time since the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the collapse of Communism, the network fell into disregard.
After Communism
Central government funding of local road maintenance effectively ended in 1991, and the breakdown of repair vehicles because of a lack of spare parts threatened to close access to some remote areas. A group of
GreekGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
construction companies signed a protocol with the Albanian government in July 1990 to build a 200 kilometer road across the southern part of the country, extending from the Albanian-Greek border to
DurrësDurrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
. The project was scheduled to last four years and cost US$500 million. Despite the poor quality of Albania's roads, most of the country's freight was conveyed over them in a fleet of about 15,000 trucks. According to official figures, in 1987 Albania's roadways carried about 66 percent of the country's total freight tonnage.
In 1991 the Albanian government lifted the decades-old ban on private-vehicle ownership. In the early 1990s car imports numbered about 1,500 per month. Traffic in the capital remained light, but traffic lights and other control devices were urgently needed to deal with the multiplying number of privately owned cars. Albanian entrepreneurs also imported used Greek buses and started carrying passengers on intercity routes that did not exist or had been poorly serviced during the communist era.
The population is known for owning a large fleet of Mercedes Benz vehicles stemming from their durability on the inherited roads, the rough rural roads where half of the population resides, personal preferences, and the cheap price for buying used ones. Albania is probably one of the few, if not the only country in
EuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
where vehicles imported from the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and from left hand traffic jurisdictions (for example the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) can be found on the streets without any modifications brought from expats living abroad.
Since the beginning of the transition, foreign donors have funded no less than ten urban transport plans and studies for Tirana, prepared mainly by foreign consultants (in some cases invited by the City, in others hired directly by the donor organization). In most cases, the principal recommendation of these studies was to strengthen the public transport sector.
Highways
- Total: 18,000 km
- Paved: 12,920 km
- Unpaved: 5,080 km (2002 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Since the fall of
communismCommunism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, Albania is gradually upgrading its main roadways to acceptable standards. Compared to the 1990s, road infrastructure has significantly improved, however national roads are partially up to European standards being under continuous reconstruction. Albania has only one motorway, the A1 stretching from Rreshen to Kalimash along SH30. Some roadways lack standards to be considered motorways such as unfinished
overpassAn overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
es, roundabouts on highways, uncontrolled access points, some inadequate entrance and exit ramps, and very narrow or lack of emergency lanes. Furthermore unclear road signage, lack of
lightingLighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
at night, indiscriminate usage of highways by agricultural and animal driven vehicles, and poor driver/pedestrian discipline make for a challenging driving. Rural segments are in bad conditions while national roads suffer from the above handicaps. On recent years as construction work is underway on major roadways, extra caution and patience is required from motorists.Inconveniences such as
detoursDetours has been praised by music critics and her fans, scoring a 75 on the website Metacritic. Many deem this album as marking Crow's return to prominence, linking the tracks to her original sound as heard on The Globe Sessions.-Track listing:...
, sudden stops, and abrupt ends to paved surfaces with little prior notice can be expected. In recent years, traffic fatalities have increased especially during holiday periods as traffic flow doubles mainly with expats returning home. Some experts attribute the increase to the use of alcohol, excessive speed, unqualified drivers, and unaccustomed users of Albanian roads such are expats. Police patrols have been deployed and
speed radarsA radar speed gun is a small doppler radar unit used to measure the speed of moving objects, including vehicles, pitched baseballs, runners and other moving objects. Radar speed guns may be hand-held, vehicle-mounted or static...
installed on major roadways. Albanian drivers are prone to using visual and acoustic aids such as
headlight flashingHeadlight flashing refers to the act of either briefly switching on the headlights of a car, or of momentarily switching between a headlight's high beams and low beams, in an effort to communicate with another driver or drivers...
, constant use of high beams at night, and honking on a regular basis. Daytime running lamps must be turned on outside urban areas.
In Albania, roads are generally classified as follows:
- Rrugë : The lowest level of road type found in urban and rural areas. These segments are marked with a "Rr #" on a blue field or as "Rruga" on a white field in urban areas.
- Superstradë: Single carriageway (1x1) marked with "SH #" on a blue field.
- Autostradë: Double carriageway (2x2) usually marked with "A #" on a green field, though the "SH #" signage is also used.
Major cities are linked with first class national roads called (
Superstradë). There is a double carriageway (
Autostradë) connecting the port city of
DurrësDurrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
with
TiranaTirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
,
VlorëVlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, and
KukësKukës is a town in Albania located at 42.09°N, 20.43°E in the district and county with the same name. It has a population of about 16,000 . The town is set among the mountains of northern Albania. It is famous for its role during the Kosovo conflict for taking in 450,000 refugees from Kosovo...
. The major priority at present is the completion of the Tirana-Elbasan Motorway (2x2) including the construction of a tunnel. Similarly, another major project,
Durrës-Kukes Motorway (A1)The Albania-Kosovo Highway is a 4-lane highway being built between Albania and Kosovo...
involved the construction of a 5.6 km tunnel. The second priority is the construction of European corridor 8 linking Albania with the
Republic of MacedoniaMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
and
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
(known as
Rruga e Arbërit) passing north east of Tirana to current SH6. The third priority is the construction of the Southern Axis of Albania that would pass across the central and southern part of the country; it is sometimes referred to as
Boshti i Jugut. It is unclear whether the envisioned Adriatic-Ionian motorway connecting
CroatiaCroatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
with
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
along the Adriatic and
IonianThe Ionian Sea , is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea. It is bounded by southern Italy including Calabria, Sicily and the Salento peninsula to the west, southern Albania to the north, and a large number of Greek islands, including Corfu, Zante, Kephalonia, Ithaka, and...
coasts will pass through the Southern Axis or current SH4 Road.
When all three corridors are completed Albania will have an estimated 759 kilometers of highway linking it with its neighbors. In October 2010, prime minister
Sali BerishaSali Ram Berisha is an Albanian politician and cardiologist, currently the Prime Minister of Albania and the leader of Democratic Party of Albania ....
announced plans to build several major highways. In 2010, the Albanian government received 50 million Euros from the EBRD for the reconstruction of rural roads. The latter have been lagging behind in the post-communist road reconstruction campaigns.
Major Routes
A1 MotorwayThe A1 motorway refers to the segment between the towns of Rrëshen and Kalimash in Northern Albania. It is part of the greater Albania-Kosovo Highway stretching in Albania, from the Adriatic port city of Durrës to the border town of Kukës with Kosovo. The preceding and following segments are...
(Rrëshen - Kalimash)- A2 Motorway
The Albanian A2 is a central corridor from Tirana to Elbasan and connect Tirana so with the Pan-European Transport Corridor VIII. This stretch will have 21 viaducts and two tunnels, each with 2.3 kilometers in length. In the long run, a further construction of Berat in the south Albanian,...
(Tirana - Tepelena) planned
- SH1 Road
Albanian National Road SH1 is part of the North-South Corridor which connects Hani i Hotit in the Albanian-Montenegrin border with Kakavija in the Albanian-Greek border thus forming part of the Adriatic-Ionian motorway. It forms the main road connection between the Albanian capital, Tirana and...
(Tirana - Hani i Hotit MNEMontenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
)
- SH2 Road
Albanian National Road SH2 is a highway in Albania linking the port city of Durrës with the metropolis and the capital of Albania, Tirana. SH2 was the first highway to be reconstructed in Albania following the end of communism in 1991.-Route:...
(Tirana - Durrës)
- SH3 Road (Tirana - Elbasan - Pogradec - Korcë - Kapshticë GR
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
)
- SH4 Road (Durrës - Fier - Gjirokastër - Kakavijë GR
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
)
- SH5 Road (Shkodër - Pukë - Kukës RKS
Kosovo , officially the Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognised state and a disputed territory in the Balkans...
)
- SH6 Road (Milot - Bulqizë - Peshkopi)
- SH7 Road (Rrogozhinë - Elbasan)
- SH8 Road (Fier - Vlorë - Saranda)
- SH9 Road (Qafë Thanë/Kjafasan MK (FYROM)
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
- SH3)
- SH30 Road (Milot - Rrëshen; Kalimash - Morinë RKS
Kosovo , officially the Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognised state and a disputed territory in the Balkans...
)
- SH52 Road (Vlorë - Fushë Krujë)
- SH72 Road (Lushnjë - Berat)
- SH75 Road (SH4 - Ersekë - Korcë)
As of 2011
- Fushë-Krujë
Fushë-Krujë is a city in the Krujë District in Albania. The city has gained a wider fame due to President George W. Bush's visit on Sunday, 10 June 2007. Fushe-Kruje was also the site of one of Skanderbeg's famous battles....
- MilotMilot is a municipality in the Kurbin District, Lezhë County, northwestern Albania.-History:In 7 September 1457 the Battle of Ujëbardha occurred in Milot. It was the Second Siege of Krujë when an Albanian army led by Skanderbeg broke the surrounding Ottoman army. The defeat was chronicled in...
, part of Durrës-Kukës CorridorThe Albania-Kosovo Highway is a 4-lane highway being built between Albania and Kosovo...
: Autostradë
- Levan
Levan is a municipality in the Fier District, Fier County, southwestern Albania....
- VlorëVlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
: Autostradë, part of European Corridor 8. (24.20 km)
- Levan
Levan is a municipality in the Fier District, Fier County, southwestern Albania....
- Tepelenë: Superstradë (70 km)
- Shkodër - Hani i Hotit MNE
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
: Superstradë, part of the Adriatic-Ionian-Highway (35 km)
- Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
- RrogozhinëRrogozhinë is a municipality in Kavajë District, Tirana County in Albania. The population currently is 28,758. The football club is KS Egnatia Rrogozhinë....
: Autostradë (35 km)
- Qafë Thanë/Kjafasan FYROM
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
- PogradecPogradec is a city in southeastern Albania, situated on the shores of Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 . The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about...
: Superstradë
- SH56 Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
- Ndroq
- Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
- ElbasanElbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
: Autostradë
- Saranda - Butrint
Butrint was an ancient Greek and later Roman city in Epirus. In modern times it is an archeological site in Sarandë District, Albania, some 14 kilometres south of Sarandë and close to the Greek border. It was known in antiquity as Βουθρωτόν Bouthroton or Βουθρώτιος Bouthrotios in Ancient Greek...
: Superstrade
- Berat
Berat is a town located in south-central Albania. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000 people. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat...
- ElbasanElbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
: Superstrade
- Southwestern portion of Tirana's Big Ring: Autostrade
2006-2010
- Milot
Milot is a municipality in the Kurbin District, Lezhë County, northwestern Albania.-History:In 7 September 1457 the Battle of Ujëbardha occurred in Milot. It was the Second Siege of Krujë when an Albanian army led by Skanderbeg broke the surrounding Ottoman army. The defeat was chronicled in...
- RrëshenRrëshen is a small Albanian city and the administrative seat of the Mirditë District, in northern Albania. In 2001, it had a population of 9,240 people.-The City:...
- MorinëMorinë is a settlement in eastern Albania, on the border with Kosovo. The Kosovo side of the border is Vrbnica.Morinë is an important town on the highway that connects the Kosovan capital of Pristina to Albania and thus to the Adriatic Sea....
RKSKosovo , officially the Republic of Kosovo is a partially recognised state and a disputed territory in the Balkans...
: Superstradë and Autostradë, part of the Albania-Kosovo HighwayThe Albania-Kosovo Highway is a 4-lane highway being built between Albania and Kosovo...
- Saranda - Qafë Botë GR
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
: Superstradë
- Librazhd
Librazhd is a town in eastern Albania, capital of the Librazhd District. It has a population of approximately 9,998. Librazhd is the nearest town to the Shebenik-Jabllanice National Park...
- Qafë Thanë/Kjafasan FYROMMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
: Superstradë occasionally 3 lanes, part of European Corridor 8.
- Lushnjë
Lushnjë or Lushnje is a city in Central-West Albania located at 40.95°N, 19.71°E. It is the center of the District of Lushnje in the County of Fier and has a population of about 54,813. The town was founded in late medieval times by a Turkish widow called Salushe. She built a rest stop on the...
- FierFieri is a city in southwest Albania, in the district and county of the same name. It is located at , and has a population of 82,297 . Fier is from the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Apollonia.-History :...
: Autostradë, part of European Corridor 8 (21.70 km)
- Himara - Saranda: Superstradë
- Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
- Qafë Plloçë: Superstradë (29 km)
- Tepelenë - Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
: Superstradë
- Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
- KrujëKrujë is a town in north central Albania and the capital of the municipality and the Krujë District. It has a population of about 15,900. Located between Mount Krujë and the Ishëm River, the city is only 20 km from the capital of Albania, Tirana....
: Superstradë
- Bajram Curri
Bajram Curri was an ethnic Albanian politician and activist within the Vilayet of Kosovo, Ottoman Empire. He is awarded the title Hero of Albania....
- MargegajMargegaj is a municipality in the Tropojë District, Kukës County, northern Albania. The Valbonë River valley and the village Valbonë are located in the municipality....
: Superstradë
- Hani i Hotit MNE
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
- Razëm: Rrugë
- Koplik - Dedaj - Boge: Rruge
International Routes
In 2006, Albania joined the
E-road cooperationThe international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe . The network is numbered from E 1 up and its roads cross national borders...
but did not ratify the AGR (European Agreement on Main International Traffic Arteries) treaty. As such, Albania is the only country in Europe not being part of the
E-road networkThe international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe . The network is numbered from E 1 up and its roads cross national borders...
. For orientation purposes, the following routes only formally pass through the country. Thus information in parentheses is tentative:
-
E86European route E86 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Krystallopigi, Greece and ends in Gefyra, Greece.The road follows: Krystallopigi - Florina - Gefyra....
: (KorçaKorča is a village in the municipality of Hadžići, Bosnia and Herzegovina.-References:...
) - Kristalopigi – Flórina – Vévi – Géfira
-
E762European route E 762 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and ends in Albania....
: SarajevoSarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
– PodgoricaPodgorica , is the capital and largest city of Montenegro.Podgorica's favourable position at the confluence of the Ribnica and Morača rivers and the meeting point of the fertile Zeta Plain and Bjelopavlići Valley has encouraged settlement...
– AlbaniaAlbania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
(Hani i Hotit - Shkodër - Tirana)
-
E851European route E 851 is a road part of the International E-road network. It begins in Petrovac, Montenegro, passes through northern Albania and ends in Pristina, Kosovo....
: PetrovacPetrovac can refer to:* Petrovac , town and municipality in Serbia* Petrovac , town in municipality of Budva, Montenegro* Petrovac , municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina...
– AlbaniaAlbania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
(Muriqan - Shkodër - Pukë - Kukës OR Muriqan - Shkodër - Milot - Rrëshen - Kukës) – PrizrenPrizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
– PristinaPristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
-
E852: OhridOhrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
– AlbaniaAlbania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
(Qafë Thanë - Elbasan - Tirana)
-
E853: IoanninaIoannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
– AlbaniaAlbania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
(Kakavijë - Gjirokastër - Fier)
Minibuses
Public transport in Albania is mainly characterized by the use of
furgons, the equivalent of minibuses, vans or shuttles, though
busA bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
transport is also available.
TiranaTirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, the capital city does not have a central
bus stationA bus station is a structure where city or intercity buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. It is larger than a bus stop, which is usually simply a place on the roadside, where buses can stop...
. Thus, minibuses and buses depart from various places around the city. Prices can be negotiated with the driver before departing. A similar situation is also observed in other towns.
Railways
Total: 447 km
country comparison to the world: 120
Standard gauge: 447 km gauge (2006)
Railway links with neighbouring countries:
GreeceTransport in Greece has undergone significant changes in the past two decades, vastly modernizing the country's infrastructure. Although ferry transport between islands remains the prominent method of transport between the nations islands, improvements to the road infrastructure, rail, urban...
- no
Macedonia-Railways:total:standard gauge: 1.435-m gauge note:...
- no
KosovoTransport in Kosovo is complicated by political issues relating to international recognition. The Republic of Kosovo is one of the newest countries in the world, having declared independence in 2008 from Serbia. It is currently recognised as a sovereign state by 82 nations, of which 81 are members...
- no
Montenegro-Airports:Montenegro has two international airports, with their IATA Airport Codes:* Podgorica Airport - TGD* Tivat Airport - TIVPodgorica Airport has a new and modern terminal building, and Tivat Airport underwent terminal expansion and can now handle night landings.There are also airports at...
- yes (freight service only)
Waterways
- Total: 43 km plus Albanian sections of Lake Scutari
Lake Skadar, also called Lake Scutari and Lake Shkodër is a lake on the border of Montenegro with Albania, the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula. It is named after the city of Shkodra in northern Albania .- Geography :...
, Ohër Lake, and Big Prespa Lake (1990)
Albania's main seaports are
DurrësDurrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
,
VlorëVlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
,
SarandëSarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
, and
ShëngjinShëngjin is a coastal town in the Lezha District, northwestern Albania. The town is home to one of Albania's entry ports, Port of Shëngjin....
. By 1983 there was regular ferry, freight, and passenger services from Durrës to
TriesteTrieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In 1988 ferry service was established between Sarandë and the Greek island of
CorfuCorfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
. A regular lake ferry linked the
MacedonianMacedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
town of
OhridOhrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
with
PogradecPogradec is a city in southeastern Albania, situated on the shores of Ohrid lake. It is the capital of the District of Pogradec, in the County of Korçë, located at 40.87°N and 20.70°E with a population of around 30,000 . The total area of the district is 725 km². Pogradec alone occupies about...
. The estimated total displacement of Albania's merchant fleet was 56,000 tons in 1986. The limited capacity of the wharves at Durrës caused severe bottlenecks in the distribution of foreign food aid in 1991. As of 2011, the
Port of DurresThe Port of Durrës or Durrës Harbor is a biggest port of Albania in the city of Durrës, Albania.It is an artificial basin that is formed between two moles, with a west-northwesterly oriented entrance approximately wide as it passes between the ends of the moles...
is undergoing major renovations.
Ferry services within Albania are:
- Lake Komani Ferry operates between Koman and Fierza in Northern Albania
- Butrint Cable Ferry crosses the Vivari Channel at Butrint
Butrint was an ancient Greek and later Roman city in Epirus. In modern times it is an archeological site in Sarandë District, Albania, some 14 kilometres south of Sarandë and close to the Greek border. It was known in antiquity as Βουθρωτόν Bouthroton or Βουθρώτιος Bouthrotios in Ancient Greek...
in Southern Albania
Pipelines
- Crude oil 207 km; natural gas 229 km (2008)
The construction of 1.2 billion dollar
AMBO pipelineAMBO pipeline is a planned oil pipeline from the Bulgarian Black Sea port of Burgas via the Republic of Macedonia to the Albanian Adriatic port of Vlorë.-History:The pipeline was proposed already in 1993...
will begin in 2007. This will connect the port of Burgas in Bulgaria with the port of Vlora in Albania. It is expected to ship 750000 barrels (119,240,471.3 l) to 1000000 barrels (158,987,295 l) of crude oil each day.
Ports and Harbors
|Albanian ports and marinas
Port
|
County |
CoordinatesA geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on the Earth to be specified by a set of numbers. The coordinates are often chosen such that one of the numbers represent vertical position, and two or three of the numbers represent horizontal position...
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External
LinkIn computing, a hyperlink is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow, or that is followed automatically. A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document. Hypertext is text with hyperlinks...
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| Port of Durrës The Port of Durrës or Durrës Harbor is a biggest port of Albania in the city of Durrës, Albania.It is an artificial basin that is formed between two moles, with a west-northwesterly oriented entrance approximately wide as it passes between the ends of the moles...
|
Durrës County The County of Durrës is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Durrës and Krujë and its capital is Durrës. The city is 40 minutes away from Tirana by car. It has the largest sea port in Albania....
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41°18′35"N 19°27′26"E |
|
| Port of Sarandë The Port of Sarandë or Sarandë Harbor is a port of Albania in the city of Sarandë, Albania.-External links:*...
|
Vlorë County The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë and its capital is Vlorë. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773....
|
39°52′15"N 20°0′11"E |
|
| Port of Shëngjin The Port of Shëngjin or Shëngjin Harbor is a port of Albania in the city of Shëngjin, Albania....
|
Lezhë County Lezhë County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Kurbin, Lezhë and Mirditë and its capital is Lezhë.Lezhë has a small western shoreline on the Adriatic Sea. On land, it borders the following counties:*Shkodër: north...
|
41°48′20"N 19°35′35"E |
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| Port of Vlorë The Port of Vlorë or Vlora Harbor is a port of Albania in the city of Vlorë, Albania....
|
Vlorë County The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë and its capital is Vlorë. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773....
|
40°27′1"N 19°29′0"E |
|
| Marina of Orikum |
Vlorë County The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë and its capital is Vlorë. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773....
|
40°20′25"N 19°28′20"E |
|
| Port of Himarë |
Vlorë County The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë and its capital is Vlorë. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773....
|
40°5′52"N 19°45′10"E |
|
Merchant Marine
country comparison to the world: 91
Airways
In 1977 Albania's government signed an agreement with Greece, opening the country's first air links with non-communist Europe. As a result,
Olympic AirwaysOlympic Airlines was the flag carrier airline of Greece, with its head office in Athens. It operated services to 37 domestic destinations and to 32 destinations world-wide. Its main base was at Athens International Airport, with hubs at Thessaloniki International Airport, "Macedonia" and Rhodes...
was the first non-communist airline to fly into Albania. By 1991
TiranaTirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
had air links with many major European cities, including
ParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
,
RomeRome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
,
ZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
,
ViennaVienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, and
BudapestBudapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Tirana was served by a small airport, Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza, located twenty-eight kilometers from the capital at the village of
RinasRinas is a village in the county of Durrës, Albania, about 25 km Northwest of the capital, Tirana. It is the site of Tirana International Airport....
. Albania had no regular domestic air service. A Franco-Albanian joint venture launched Albania's first private airline,
Ada AirAda Air Sh. p.k. was a regional airline based in Tirana, Albania. It operated scheduled services from Albania to Bari, Italy, and overnight freight services for DHL. Its main base was Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza...
, in 1991. The company offered flights in a thirty-six-passenger airplane four days each week between Tirana and
BariBari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
,
ItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and a charter service for domestic and international destinations.
As of 2007 Albania has only one international airport: Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza. The airport is linked to 29 destinations by 14 airlines. It has seen a dramatic rise in terms of passenger numbers and aircraft movements since the early 1990s. In December 2007 it served over 1 million passengers and had 43 landings and takeoffs per day.
Airports
country comparison to the world: 164
A number of regional airports have been renovated but cannot become functional for civil flights as per the over 20 years monopoly over Albanian airspace that holds Tirana International Airport's shareholder company since 2005. Negotiations have been ongoing to revise the contract terms and open airports for both domestic and external flights earlier than the above time frame.
Kukes Airport is expected to open in early 2008, making this the second civilian airport in Albania. A local news paper announced on March 16, 2007 that the Italian government would help rebuild the airport in
GjirokasterGjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
. The airport would be dual functional, both a civilian and military airport. The first phase of construction is expected to start in September 2007. Currently there are two feasibility studies being conducted for airports in Vlora and Korca. The plan for Saranda airport was completed however there is no known investor willing to put in money at the time.
Total paved runways
3
Gjader/Gramsh
- RWY 16 APPR 151°/RWY 34 APPR 331° Length 2800 m x 60 m
- RWY 17 APPR 167°/RWY 35 APPR 347° Length 2200 m x 25 m
Kucova
- RWY 14 APPR 134°/RWY 32 APPR 314° Length 2840 m x 65 m
Kukes
- RWY 19 APPR 192°/RWY 01 APPR 012° Length 1800 m x 45 m
Tirana/Rinas
- RWY 18 APPR 176°/RWY 36 APPR 356° Length 2750 m x 45 m
Total unpaved runways
-
- total: 5 (2008)
- over 3,047 m: 1
- 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
- 914 to 1,523 m: 1
- under 914 m: 1
Government
Informational
See also
- Vehicle registration plates of Albania
In Albania, vehicle registration plates are issued by the regional directorates of transport.-New format:A new format similar to the post-1994 Italian and post-2009 French plate designs has been introduced since 16 February 2011...
- Border crossings of Albania
The following list includes the border crossings of Albania, via air, sea, and land. Recently, some major border crossings have been reconstructed by the EU presence in Albania.-Sea border crossings:*Port of Shëngjin*Port of Durrës*Port of Vlorë*Port of Himarë...
- Tourism in Albania
Tourism in Albania is characterized by the archaeological heritage inherited from Greek, Roman and Ottoman times, unspoiled beaches, challenging mountain ranges, Cold War artifacts, unique traditions, unequivocal hospitality, delicious traditional cuisine, and the wild and peculiar atmosphere of...