Sofia to Tirana flights
Tirana lies 327 km (203 mi) south-west of Sofia, -1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there, and where to book.
A nonstop flight would take about 1 h 10 min gate to gate, based on the distance and typical cruise speed with taxi and climb allowed for; connecting itineraries add the layover on top.
| Sofia | Tirana | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Bulgaria | Albania |
| Population | 1.2 million | 418,495 |
| Elevation | 562 m (1,844 ft) | 113 m (371 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+3 (Europe/Sofia) | UTC+2 (Europe/Tirane) |
| Nearest large airport | SOF, 8 km out | TIA, 13 km out |
Clocks in Tirana are 1 h behind Sofia right now, so a 1 h 10 min journey lands only 10 min later by the destination clock.
What changes when you arrive in Tirana
Crossing from Bulgaria into Albania: money changes from the Lev to the Lek (ALL); the dialling code becomes +355; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648800.
Airports at each end
Leaving Sofia
Sofia is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Sofia Airport (SOF), 8 km (5 mi) from the centre, whose 11,811-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft.
Arriving in Tirana
Tirana is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA), 13 km (8 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,843 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport (OHD, 79 km).
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa | TIA | 13 km (8 mi) | 9,843 ft | 126 ft |
| Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport | OHD | 79 km (49 mi) | 8,366 ft | 2,313 ft |
Book a flight to Tirana
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Flights are sold here by AirOrSeaTravel through our booking partner, Nuitée, which takes the payment; the ticket is issued by the airline. How this works.
Staying in Tirana
Our booking partner lists 2,927+ places to stay in Tirana (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 742 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (453), and 12 are five-star. Across 567 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 9.2 out of 10. Guests have left 285,691 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Tirana
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Tirana from Sofia?
327 km (203 mi) in a straight line, south-west of Sofia.
How long does it take to get from Sofia to Tirana by air?
About 1 h 10 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds for a nonstop flight. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Sofia and Tirana?
Tirana is 1 h behind at the moment (Europe/Tirane against Europe/Sofia).
Which airports are used for Sofia to Tirana flights?
Typically Sofia Airport (SOF) to Tirana International Airport Mother Teresa (TIA); Tirana also has OHD.
What currency do I need in Tirana?
The Lek (ALL).
Where can I stay in Tirana?
Our booking partner lists 2,927+ places to stay in Tirana, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.