Parking in Tirana becomes significantly more expensive, residents spend at least 15 million euros per year

As parking spaces in the capital are dwindling, with the numerous construction projects and the closure of municipal parking lots, the cost of leaving your car near your apartment and when you go to work is increasing.

In recent months, large private parking lots in the center of the capital have increased their rates by 60-70%, especially for long-term stays, while the Municipality's parking lot is always full and cannot cope with demand, creating queues and traffic on the streets. Along the same lines, daily or monthly parking in neighborhoods is also becoming increasingly expensive.

At “Toptani Shopping Center”, the minimum parking fee is 300 lek (up to 2 hours). For 5-7 hours, the fee is 1000 lek, while previously the fee for 6-8 hours of stay was 600 lek and over 8 hours was 800 lek. (now 7-10 hours costs 1400 lek).

Official sources from the company Gener 2, which manages the Toptani center and the parking lot underneath it, told "Monitor" that "Toptani is a private entity and parking fees and rents are set in accordance with market conditions."

"Parking is for the benefit of visitors within the center. With the increase in their number, it has become necessary to have more free spaces and car traffic, without blocking our capacities."

Earlier, the nearby “Plaza” hotel also increased the parking prices. The minimum payment is 300 lek for one hour (from 200 lek previously) and 400 lek for 1-2 hours. Up to 800 lek for a 5-6 hour stay (from 600 lek previously) and 1000 lek for 7-8 hours (from 900 lek previously).

Even in the city, parking for 1 hour is now 300 lek in many places, up from 200 lek before. For 24 hours, parking now costs an average of 600-800 lek even in neighborhoods.

Even monthly parking has become more expensive, at least 10 thousand lek per month, while in more central areas, it costs 15-20 thousand lek per month. Previously, you could find them for 8-10 thousand lek per month.

Often, the problem is not only the cost of parking, but also finding it. In the area near Lake Tirana, two large municipal parking lots, with much cheaper costs than in the center, have been closed to be fenced off pending the construction of the towers, making it almost impossible for those who want to get out in the fresh air to get to the Dam by vehicle.

The Municipality's parking lot at the former Bus Terminal has also been closed for a while. The same fate is expected for the parking lot at the "Selman Stërmasi" Stadium, as it will be given as an investment project that develops state-owned properties with the private sector, the one at the Delegations Park and the Asllan Rusi Sports Palace.

The reduction in parking spaces, coupled with the increase in buildings and vehicles in circulation, has automatically led not only to higher fees, but also to headaches for those who cannot find a place for their vehicles.

Parking costs in the capital, at least 15 million euros per year

With the rapid urban development of the capital, unaccompanied by space management and significant improvements in public transportation, residents' spending on public or private parking is expected to increase rapidly, especially in the capital.

In the Municipality's parking lots alone, citizens' expenses are 650-700 million lek per year, according to data from the Tirana Municipality's medium-term budget 2025-2027, or about 7 million euros.

"Arena S&P", owned by the FINMAN Group (Alb-Star), which manages underground parking in the "Air Albania" stadium area, declared revenues of 226 million euros in 2024 (about 2.3 million euros).

For other large parking lots in the capital, operating in hotels or shopping centers, it is difficult to find detailed data, as they operate under the name of the parent company, such as "Gener 2" at Qendra Toptani, or "The Plaza Tirana".

Based on data from "Arena S&P", which has a similar size, the annual revenues of the other two operators fluctuate around 2-3 million euros.

In total, from the Municipality's parking lots alone and the three largest private paid parking lots, citizens' expenses are estimated at around 15 million euros. This is the minimum amount, while the expenses on parking lots in neighborhoods remain incalculable.

A Monitor survey about a year ago on traffic and parking found that nearly 84% of respondents always encountered problems finding parking.

"Over 30,000 parking spaces have been removed and no new parking has been added, it has remained in the initial phase, while needs increase. Roads have not been improved and there is only one road to get to a place," said one commentator.

In addition to the difficulties, parking has an increasingly high cost. 46% of respondents said that their monthly parking expenses range between 5-10 thousand lek per month and 17% from 10-20 thousand lek.

As a result, if you were to own a car in Tirana today and use it to go to work, especially families with children who need to accompany them to school, the cost of parking alone could reach 30-40 thousand lek per month, which is approximately the minimum net wage.

Meanwhile, public transportation leaves much to be desired, especially during the summer months, where air conditioners are mostly out of order, making the use of a private vehicle necessary for many.

Buying a parking space is like buying a house.

Today, if you are going to buy a new house, it is necessary to think about parking, which has become significantly more expensive due to increased demand. Prices for purchasing underground parking spaces in residential complexes start at 13 thousand euros and reach up to 60-80 thousand euros, when in the past you could buy an apartment for 60-80 thousand euros.

In suburban areas like Kinostudio or near Rrugës Bardhyl, prices range from 15,000 to 25,000 euros for a standard parking spot in new construction. In Unaza e Vogël and areas slightly closer to the center, prices range from 20,000 to 30,000 euros, according to developers.

While in central areas such as the former Blloku, Paris Municipality, 'Selman Stërmasi' Stadium and 'Kosovarivë' Street, prices increase significantly, reaching from 25,000 to 35,000 euros, with rare cases exceeding 50,000 – 80,000 euros for places with limited access or in luxury buildings.

The number of cars per inhabitant in Tirana exceeds the EU average.

While parking spaces are dwindling, cars are coming and going. According to data from the General Directorate of Road Transport, there were a total of 367 thousand vehicles registered in Tirana by the end of May, or 34% of the total number of vehicles in the country (a total of 1.08 million vehicles).

In Tirana (the city alone) there are already 611 cars per 1000 inhabitants, or more than one in two inhabitants has a vehicle. At these levels, Tirana has exceeded the Union average of around 590 vehicles per 1000 inhabitants (for 2024, the latest available data, according to Eurostat) and 30% higher than the national average by May 31, 2026, which according to INSTAT population data and DPSHTRR has reached 464 cars per 1000 inhabitants.

In addition to the residents of Tirana, a large influx of vehicles arrives in the capital every day, congesting traffic and increasing the demand for parking spaces.

Parking problems in Tirana are increasingly appearing in the experiences that tourists share on social networks and international forums. In discussions published on Reddit, visitors who have traveled through Albania by car praise the landscapes, hospitality and improved road infrastructure, but single out the capital as one of the most problematic spots for parking.

A tourist who traveled from Theth to Ksamil writes that Tirana offers an interesting urban experience, but that "finding parking was a challenge."

Another visitor, who explored the country in a rental car, advises tourists to only take their vehicle when leaving Tirana, as traffic and parking in the capital can be problematic. The difficulties are not limited to the lack of free spaces.

Some tourists also report situations where they have been asked to pay for parking on the street by private individuals, creating confusion over the rules and authorized spaces. The comments suggest that as Tirana attracts more and more visitors, the city's capacity to manage parking and mobility is being tested./ Monitor