Tirana Marathon on Sunday: Vehicle restrictions and changes to city bus routes

The tenth Tirana Marathon, being held this year on Sunday, will bring changes to vehicle traffic on the capital’s main roads. Tirana Municipality and the State Police have jointly prepared traffic diversion measures for the event.

Traffic will be restricted from 08:00 to 16:00.

On 15 November 2026, from 08:00 to 16:00, mixed-transport vehicles, technical vehicles and passenger transport vehicles will not be allowed to travel within the outer ring road. City buses are exempt from the ban.

The closures include Mother Teresa Square and the entire Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard, as well as Gjergj Filipi, Pope John Paul II, Ismail Qemali, George W. Bush, Urani Pano, Ismail Ndroqi and Abdi Toptani streets. The list also includes Zog I Boulevard, New Boulevard, Ded Gjo Luli, Durrës, Kavajë and Myslym Shyri streets, and Ibrahim Rugova and Lek Dukagjini streets.

On Zhan D’Arc Boulevard, traffic will be prohibited from the junction with George W. Bush Street to the junction with Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard. On Bajram Curri Boulevard, the section from the junction by the Tirana District Court bridge to the bridge on Elbasan Road will be closed. On Gjergj Fishta Boulevard, the restriction extends from the junction with Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard to the junction by the Tirana District Court bridge.

The closures also affect the Middle Ring Road, except for the section from the Tirana District Court bridge to Elbasan Road, as well as Luigj Gurakuqi, Dibër, Barrikadave and Mine Peza streets. On Kavajë Road, the restriction covers the section from the bridge near the technology school to the 21 Dhjetori junction.

Vaso Pasha Street will also be closed, along with the section of Ismail Qemali Street from its junction with Vaso Pasha Street to Sami Frashëri Street, and the section of Abdyl Frashëri Street from its junction with Willson Square to Vaso Pasha Street.

Where Elbasan Road meets Zhan D’Arc Boulevard, drivers will be directed to turn either right or left. At the junction with Dibër Road, traffic will be directed toward Barrikadave Street, while at the junction with Hoxha Tahsim Street, drivers will be directed toward Tefta Tashko Koco Street.

Because of the traffic suspension, mandatory diversions will be put in place at the junction of Zogu I Boulevard and Fortuzi Street. The same arrangement will apply on Mine Peza Street to avoid the closed section of Durrës Road, while diversions at the 21 Dhjetori junction will be linked to the closure of a section of Kavajë Road.

At the junction of Myslym Shyri and Sami Frashëri streets, drivers will be directed onto a mandatory route because traffic will be suspended on the section of Myslym Shyri Street leading to the ring road. Meanwhile, mandatory diversions will be in place at the Vasil Shanto junction because of the closure of a section of Bajram Curri Boulevard.

Traffic will also be directed onto mandatory routes at the junction of Pjetër Bogdani and Vaso Pasha streets because travel will be suspended on the section of Pjetër Bogdani Street leading to Ibrahim Rugova Street.

At the junction of Abdyl Frashëri and Vaso Pasha streets, mandatory diversions will direct vehicles away from the closed section of Vaso Pasha Street leading to Ibrahim Rugova Street. A mandatory diversion will also be put in place at the Adem Jashari Street junction because traffic will be suspended on the section leading to Ibrahim Rugova Street.

City bus routes will also change. Services on routes No. 1/A, “Selitë – Kristal – Center – Train Station – Allias,” and No. 1/B, “Kodra e Diellit 2 – Kristal – Center – Train Station – Allias,” will be temporarily suspended.

Route No. 9, “Student City – Jordan Misja,” route No. 11, “Porcelani,” and route No. 16, “Green Line,” will also be temporarily suspended.

Buses on route No. 2, “Teg – Old Sauk – Zoo – Former Train Station,” will be diverted at Willson Square. Route No. 3, “Kashar–Yzberisht–Center,” will be diverted at the 21 Dhjetori junction and Karl Topia Square.

Karl Topia Square will be the diversion point for route No. 4, “Center – QTU–Megatek – City Park,” and route No. 5/B, “Institut – Center.” Route No. 5/A, “Former Autotractor Plant – Center,” will change direction at the bridge on Elbasan Road, while route No. 6, “Laprakë,” will be diverted onto Zogu I Boulevard.

Route No. 8, “Former Train Station – Center – New Sauk/Old Sauk/Sanatorium – Teg,” will change at the Student City roundabout on Elbasan Road. Route No. 10/A, “New Maternity Hospital – Center – Former Airfield,” is scheduled to be diverted at the bridge on Elbasan Road.

Route No. 12/A, “New Dinamo Plant – Sharrë,” will be diverted at the 21 Dhjetori junction toward the Vasil Shanto bridge and then toward the Arrow Buildings; service on the remaining section will be temporarily suspended. Route 12/B, “5 Maji – Sharrë,” will be diverted from Zogu I to the 21 Dhjetori junction, continuing toward the Vasil Shanto bridge and then the Arrow Buildings, while service on the rest of the route will be temporarily suspended.

Route No. 13, “New Tirana,” will be diverted at Willson Square, while the other part of the route will be diverted at Karl Topia Square.

Route No. 15, “Kombinat – Kinostudio,” will change its itinerary on Kavajë Road at the junction with Muhamet Gjollesha Street, known as the 21 Dhjetori junction. The other part of the route will be diverted at the junction with Barrikadave Street.