Plan your Vlora trip
The practical half of the trip, in the order you will need it: how to arrive, where to stay, how to get around, and the few things worth booking ahead.
From the airport to the promenade
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Arrive
Fly into Tirana — Vlorë’s new airport has no scheduled flights. From Tirana airport it is about 155 km: the airport bus costs 1,200 lek single, a fixed-fare taxi about €105–110. Or sail from Brindisi straight into Vlorë’s port.
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Choose your base
The Lungomare if you want to walk everywhere; the Old Beach, north-west of the port, for a quieter beach base; Uji i Ftohtë, Radhimë and Orikum along the south coast road towards the Riviera; Zvërnec and Narta for quiet and the lagoon.
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Get around
The waterfront is walkable. Taxis and minibuses cover the coast; a car is worth it for Llogara, the Riviera, Narta and day trips — UK advice calls Albanian roads hazardous, so drive with care.
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Book the few things worth booking
In July and August, book your room, airport transfer and any boat trip ahead. Everything else — beaches, cafés, the promenade — needs no booking at all.
The facts that decide your arrival
Dated and sourced. Fares and timetables change — the detail pages link to the operators.
Arrival facts
- Vlorë airport
- No scheduled flights The new airport near Vlorë has not opened to scheduled flights; the state moved to terminate its concession in August–September 2026. Fly into Tirana. Due for a re-check
- Tirana airport to Vlorë
- About 155 km by road Due for a re-check
- Airport bus
- Hermes Airport shuttle · 1,200 lek single Nine departures a day each way on the airport’s timetable. From the airport: 03:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00, 22:15 and 00:45. From Vlorë: 01:30, 03:30, 06:00, 07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 20:00. Due for a re-check
- Airport taxi
- Fixed fare about €105–110 per car Published by the airport taxi service; the destination card and fare list differ by €5. Payable in lek, euro or by card. Due for a re-check
- Ferry to Italy
- Vlorë ⇄ Brindisi Booking sites list around four sailings a week for autumn 2026, taking roughly 6–8 hours. Operators and days change with the season. Due for a re-check
- Driving documents
- Licence + 1968 international permit + green card UK advice; other nationalities should check their own government’s guidance. Due for a re-check
Checked · next check by Due for a re-check — confirm locally before relying on it.
Planning by season
- July and August are the busiest months: book accommodation and airport transfers early, expect full beaches and busy evenings on the Lungomare.
- June and September give you warm sea with more space — the best balance for most visitors.
- May and October are quieter; boat trips run roughly from May to October, weather permitting, and ferry timetables change with the season.
- Winter is calm and local. Many beach businesses close; the city, its cafés and the camera’s winter light remain.
Sources and checks
Facts that can change are dated and checked against the sources below. Vlora.live has no relationship with these organisations; if something has changed, please tell us.
- Wikipedia — Vlora International Airport
- Albanian Horizons — Tirana Airport to Vlorë: direct bus, taxi and timetable
- Tirana International Airport — Transport and directions — By bus
- TIA Taxi (Tirana airport taxi service) — Destinations and fixed fares
- Direct Ferries — Vlora to Brindisi ferry
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office — Albania travel advice — Safety and security