When will the Tirana-Durrës train run, and what does it mean for property?
Not before the end of 2027. In July 2026 the infrastructure minister told parliament the civil works were complete and the stations still being built, and the ministry's search for an operator plans passenger service for the fourth quarter of 2027. The EBRD expects 22 minutes from Tirana to Durrës and 12 minutes from Tirana to the airport; the project's cost has passed €118 million (ACQJ, May 2026).
Data compiled by Fedir AlpatovUpdated
The project in figures
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Tirana-Durrës 37.9 km; Tirana-airport 15.4 km | Ministry operator call, via Monitor |
| Works | more than 34 km of line rebuilt and about 5 km of new track to the airport | EBRD, 2021 |
| Journey time | Tirana-Durrës 22 minutes, Tirana-airport 12 minutes, at up to 100 km/h | EBRD, 2022 |
| Funding at the start | EBRD loan €36.9 million, EU grant up to €35.5 million, bilateral grants €2.75 million | EBRD, 2021 |
| Cost now | above €118 million, against a winning bid of €69.6 million in 2020 | ACQJ, May 2026 |
| Stations | eight built or renovated, among them Kashar, Vorë, Sukth, Shkozet, Durrës and Tirana, for €10.2 million | Shqiptarja, 2025 |
| Operator | tender planned for Q4 2026; a 10-15 year contract with 4-6 electric trains | Monitor, June 2026 |
Sources · 5
- DATA-KB2-RAIL-000537.9 km (Tirana-Durrës)Tirana-Durrës-Rinas railway: operator call and route lengthsConfidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026-06verified 2026-10-21Monitor: Durrës-Tirana-Rinas railway in service at the end of 2027; search for a private operator begins
- DATA-KB2-RAIL-000136.9 EUR million (EBRD loan)Tirana-Durrës railway and airport branch: original funding (2021)Confidence: HIGHPeriod: 2021verified 2026-10-21EBRD: EBRD and EU support rehabilitation of Albanian railway
- Confidence: HIGHPeriod: 2022verified 2026-10-21EBRD: Next phase of work on Mediterranean corridor brings Albania closer to the EU
- Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026-05verified 2026-10-21ACQJ: Millions more, years later: what is happening with the Tirana-Durrës railway
- Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2025-08verified 2026-10-21Shqiptarja: work continues on 8 stations of the Tirana-Rinas-Durrës railway
Timeline
| Date | Step | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Works start | ACQJ |
| 2024-2026 | Earlier completion dates missed | ATA |
| Q1 2026 | Planned handover of the stations, missed | Shqiptarja |
| 27 May - 26 July 2026 | Call for a private operator | Monitor |
| 16 July 2026 | Minister: civil works complete, stations under construction | Albanian Daily News |
| Q4 2027 | Planned start of passenger service | Monitor; Albanian Daily News |
| Not yet tendered | Extension of about 4 km to central Tirana | ACQJ |
Sources · 5
- Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026-05verified 2026-10-21ACQJ: Millions more, years later: what is happening with the Tirana-Durrës railway
- DATA-FORECAST-0007Tirana–Durrës–Rinas railway: construction to finish end-2026; testing and operation 2027 (Minister Bilali, 2026-06-17)tirana_durr_s_rinas_railway_construction_to_finishConfidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026–2027verified 2026-09-09ATA — "Bilali: Hekurudha Tiranë-Durrës-Rinas operacionale në 2027-ën"
- Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2025-08verified 2026-10-21Shqiptarja: work continues on 8 stations of the Tirana-Rinas-Durrës railway
- DATA-KB2-RAIL-000537.9 km (Tirana-Durrës)Tirana-Durrës-Rinas railway: operator call and route lengthsConfidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026-06verified 2026-10-21Monitor: Durrës-Tirana-Rinas railway in service at the end of 2027; search for a private operator begins
- Confidence: MEDIUMPeriod: 2026-07verified 2026-10-21Albanian Daily News: Electrification of Tirana-Durrës railway by end-2027
What it can mean for property
No study has measured a price effect from the railway yet, and the line has missed several opening dates, so treat it as a plan until trains run.
If it opens as planned:
- Durrës becomes a 22-minute train ride from Tirana. The Durrës city-centre district has a live median asking price of €1,665/m² (64 flats, Oct 26, 2026), against €1,500/m² for Durrës as a whole.
- Shkozet, Sukth and Vorë get stations between the two cities.
- Tirana airport is 12 minutes from Tirana by train.
Until the 4 km extension is built, the Tirana end of the line stops short of the city centre, so check the distance from a flat to the station itself.
Questions and answers
No passenger trains run on the rebuilt line yet. The government’s target is the end of 2027.
22 minutes, and 12 minutes from Tirana to the airport, according to the EBRD, at speeds of up to 100 km/h.
Nobody has measured that yet, and the line has missed earlier opening dates. Price a flat on today’s market and treat the train as a possible bonus.
Eight stations are being built or renovated, among them Kashar, Vorë, Sukth, Shkozet, Durrës and Tirana, plus the branch to the airport.
Sources
- EBRD: EBRD and EU support rehabilitation of Albanian railway. EBRD, 2021-02-03 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- EBRD: Next phase of work on Mediterranean corridor brings Albania closer to the EU. EBRD, 2022-10-27 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- ACQJ: Millions more, years later: what is happening with the Tirana-Durrës railway. Albanian Center for Quality Journalism (ACQJ), 2026-05-12 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Albanian Daily News: Electrification of Tirana-Durrës railway by end-2027. Albanian Daily News, 2026-07-17 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Monitor: Durrës-Tirana-Rinas railway in service at the end of 2027; search for a private operator begins. Monitor.al, 2026-06-09 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- Shqiptarja: work continues on 8 stations of the Tirana-Rinas-Durrës railway. Shqiptarja.com, 2025-08-18 (accessed 2026-10-21)
- ATA — "Bilali: Hekurudha Tiranë-Durrës-Rinas operacionale në 2027-ën", 2026-06-17 (accessed 2026-09-09)
- Domlivo Price Index: median asking price per m² of flats for sale, by city and district. Domlivo (accessed 2026-10-19)
What is missing
Gaps we know about: questions we have no reliable data for yet.
- Exact station sites, including the Tirana terminal, are not given in an official source we could open.
- No fare or timetable has been published.