Albania Travel Basics: Entry Rules, Money, ATMs and SIM Cards

Albania is easy to travel in once you understand a few basics. This guide covers the things most visitors ask before they go: how entry works, which currency to use, how to pay, how to stay connected and what to know about plugs and tipping. Rules and prices change, so treat the figures here as a guide and confirm anything official with your embassy or the Albanian border police before you travel.

Entry requirements

Citizens of the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and many other countries can usually enter Albania without a visa for a stay of up to 90 days, and some nationalities can stay longer. EU citizens can generally enter with a valid passport or national ID card. Make sure your passport is valid for the whole stay, and check the exact rules for your nationality on your government's travel advice page. If you are crossing from Greece, Montenegro or North Macedonia by land, expect a border check and keep your documents handy.

The Albanian lek and the euro

The currency is the lek (ALL). The exchange rate is roughly 100 lek to the euro, but check the current rate. In tourist areas, many hotels, restaurants and shops quote or accept euros, but you will often get a less favourable rate and change in lek, so it is better to pay in lek wherever you can. Prices in villages, local buses and small shops are usually in lek.

ATMs, cards and cash

ATMs are widespread in Tirana, the coastal towns and the larger cities, and they dispense lek. Compare fees before withdrawing, and if the machine offers to convert the amount into your home currency, decline and let your own bank do the conversion. Cards are widely accepted in Tirana, in hotels and in most restaurants in popular areas, but cash is still essential in villages, mountain guesthouses, small beach bars, ferries and furgons. Withdraw enough cash before heading to remote places like Theth, Valbonë or Lake Koman, where ATMs are scarce or absent.

Tipping and bargaining

Tipping is appreciated but not complicated. In restaurants, leaving around 10 percent is customary if service was good, and rounding up is common for taxis and small services. Bargaining is not generally expected in shops with fixed prices, although you may negotiate at markets and for private transfers, so agree on the price before you start.

Mobile data and SIM cards

Albania has several mobile operators, including Vodafone and One, and prepaid tourist SIM cards are inexpensive and easy to buy at shops in Tirana, at the airport and in larger towns. You will need to show your passport when registering the SIM. Coverage is good in towns and along the coast, but patchy in the mountains and along the Lake Koman gorge, so download offline maps in advance. Some visitors use an eSIM instead, which can be activated before arrival. Before you rely on your home plan, check your operator's roaming rules for Albania, since Albania is outside the standard EU roaming zone for many plans.

Electricity and language

Albania uses 230 V and the standard European two-pin plugs (types C and F), so most European devices work without an adapter. Visitors from the UK, the US and elsewhere need a plug adapter. The language is Albanian, but English, Italian and increasingly German and French are spoken in tourist areas, and younger Albanians often speak good English. A few words of Albanian are always appreciated: tungjatjeta for hello, faleminderit for thank you and ju lutem for please.

A short pre-trip checklist

• Confirm entry rules and passport validity for your nationality.
• Carry some lek and a card, and keep a cash reserve for rural areas.
• Download offline maps and the Discover Albania app.
• Buy a local SIM or set up an eSIM.
• Pack a plug adapter if you need one, plus sun protection and walking shoes.
• Take out travel insurance that covers your planned activities.

Once the basics are covered, you can concentrate on what makes Albania special: the beaches of the Riviera, the old stone towns and the mountains of the north.