How to Get to Saranda, Albania

July 13, 2025
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Saranda, called Sarandë in Albanian, is an incredible and budget-friendly summer destination. Here you will find turquoise water, amazing day trips and delicious food. Here is exactly how to get to Saranda for your holiday!

Saranda is a great place to start your Albania trip, or just to visit for a summer beach holiday. I spent around a week here, exploring the city and its surroundings and it was amazing. You can check out my favourite things to do in the city here 🏖️.

If you are currently planning your trip to Saranda and wondering how to get there, this is the guide for you. We will go through the two airports that are nearby, how to navigate local buses and even ferries and more:

Table of Contents

How to get to Saranda:

There are two airports that will get you to Saranda – Corfu Airport and Tirana Airport. Here is how to get to Saranda from both of them:

Flying into Corfu

I have written a full guide on the journey from Corfu to Saranda and vice versa which you can find here. Corfu airport is a great one to fly into as it has tons of affordable flights that connect you to anywhere in Europe and even international.

Essentially, you get to Saranda from Corfu by ferry. There are two main companies that do the journey, Ionian Seaways and Finikas Lines. One essential thing to keep in mind with all of your bookings is that Corfu is one hour ahead of Saranda!

The ferry journey costs between 13-30€ depending on which ferry you choose and takes between 30 minutes to an hour. The faster ones are more expensive. In Corfu, there is a local bus (Line 15) that takes you from the airport to the ferry terminal and vice versa for around 1,80€.

Flying into Tirana Airport

Tirana Airport is Albania’s own airport near the capital Tirana. This is the best option if you are hiring a car or hitting other cities prior to Saranda. Albania has some gorgeous scenery both along the coast and through its mainland so the drive is well worth it.

The drive is around 4 hours but I would really recommend stopping along the way in e.g. Vlore or Gjirokaster. You can hire a car starting at around 30€ per day.

There is also a bus that takes you from Tirana Airport to Saranda for 28€. There are cheaper buses for around 16€ that leave from the South and North Bus Terminals in Tirana, there is a public bus that goes there from the airport for around 4€.

Bus travel in Albania is a little more chaotic. The small buses that take you across the country charge you on board and timetables are usually posted at the bus stations. Look for the word Saranda/Sarande in the window of the buses/vans to find the correct one.

From Vlore to Saranda

The easiest way to get from Vlore to Saranda is by car or bus. The cheapest is definitely by bus – it only costs about 10 Euros.

I found the bus journey from Vlore to Saranda quick and enjoyable – I was actually the only foreigner on the bus, but never felt unsafe or uncomfortable. The drive itself is scenic and depending on the route, you either get a glimpse of the impressive mountainscape of inland Albania or the gorgeous coastline with the famous blue waters.

Check out my full guide for the bus from Vlore to Saranda here: Travelling from Vlore to Saranda by Bus

Where to stay in Saranda?

Check out my full accommodation guides for Saranda here:

Budget to Luxury: Where to Stay in Saranda for Every Traveller

🛌🏿Saranda Boutique Hostel
🏨 Aquamarine Apartments
💎 ArtNest Luxury Hotel & Suites

How many days do you need in Saranda?

I would recommend an absolute minimum of 3 days in Saranda. If you can, spend a week. There are so many things to explore, day trips to go on and amazing tours to take part in.

On top of that, you probably want a day or two to also just relax on the beach or head to Ksamil for some luxury.

Ideally, you need 5-7 days in Saranda.