Speed Limits130 km/h on Albanian Motorways in 2026, 40 Through Towns
130 km/h for cars on Albanian motorways and 90 km/h for lorries of 3.5-12 t. Main interurban roads run at 90, local roads at 80 and built-up areas at 40.
Cars may run at 130 km/h on Albania’s motorways, but most of the network is slower: 90 km/h on main interurban roads, 80 km/h on secondary and local roads, and only 40 km/h inside built-up areas. Police checks concentrate on the SH8 coast road down to Sarandë and the A2 near Fier, and the fine table has no free margin: its lowest band covers anything up to 10 km/h over.
Your case: Roadside payment is the part worth preparing for. An officer can settle the fine where he stops you, and the only protection against paying more than the recorded amount is insisting on an official receipt. Driving in Albania covers the zero alcohol rule, the two items a hire car must carry, and the rest of the Road Code.
The limits, road by road
Article 140.1 of the Road Code sets the passenger-car limits. The motorway figure only applies on roads signed as motorways (autostradë); the SH routes that carry most holiday traffic are main or secondary roads, so 90 or 80 is the ceiling there, and the signs drop it further through villages.
| Road Type | Cars | Goods vehicles 3.5-12 t | Goods vehicles over 12 t |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-up areas | 40 km/h | 40 km/h | 40 km/h |
| Secondary and local roads | 80 km/h | 70 km/h | 60 km/h |
| Main interurban roads | 90 km/h | 70 km/h | 60 km/h |
| Motorway | 130 km/h | 90 km/h | 80 km/h |
Drivers who have held a category B licence for less than 24 months are held to lower limits of 90 km/h and 80 km/h outside towns, and they may not drink anything at all before driving.
Town limits
Inside built-up areas the default for cars is 40 km/h, and school zones and residential streets are often signed lower. It is the figure that catches visitors most often.
What speeding costs
The fine bands come from the same article of the Road Code:
| Over the limit | Fine | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 km/h | ALL 1,000-3,000 | — |
| 10-30 km/h | ALL 2,000-4,000 | — |
| 30-50 km/h outside towns, 20-40 km/h in town | ALL 5,000-15,000 | 1-3 month suspension |
| More than that | ALL 10,000-20,000 | 3-6 month suspension |
Check exact speed limits for your route
Open Speed Limit MapWhat Most Guides Don’t Tell You
Enforcement happens at the roadside
Fixed cameras are still thin on the ground, but mobile radar is common on the busy routes. Fines are usually settled on the spot, so ask for the official receipt every time.
Lorries and cars share the motorway at very different speeds
A heavy lorry at 80 km/h and a car at 130 km/h close on each other at 50 km/h. Take extra care when merging and when pulling out to overtake.
The kit a stop can check
A speed check often turns into a look at the car. The Road Code (article 72.3) requires a warning triangle and a first-aid kit. A reflective vest and a fire extinguisher are sensible to carry but are not on the required list.
Alcohol on top of speed
Albania bans driving after drinking: the limit is zero, and a reading of up to 0.3 g/l already costs ALL 5,000-15,000. Above 0.5 g/l the licence goes for 12-24 months, fines rise by a third to two thirds between 22:00 and 07:00, and a repeat offence above 0.5 g/l ends in permanent revocation.
Phone, seatbelt and red light
A handheld phone costs ALL 5,000-15,000, with a 3-month suspension for a second offence within a year. No seatbelt is ALL 5,000-15,000, and running a red light ALL 20,000-30,000.
How Albania Compares
| Country | Urban | Rural | Motorway | Driving Side |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 40 km/h | 80 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
| Greece | 30 km/h | 90 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
| North Macedonia | 50 km/h | 80 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
| Montenegro | 50 km/h | 80 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
| Kosovo | 50 km/h | 80 km/h | 130 km/h | Right |
On motorways Albania now matches all four neighbours at 130 km/h. The gap is in town, where 40 km/h is lower than in North Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo, though Greece has gone further with its 30 km/h default.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Country | Albania |
| Urban speed limit | 40 km/h |
| Rural speed limit | 80 km/h (90 km/h on main interurban roads) |
| Motorway speed limit | 130 km/h |
| Truck motorway limit | 90 km/h (3.5-12 t), 80 km/h (over 12 t) |
| Driving side | Right |
| Blood alcohol limit | 0.0 (driving after drinking is banned) |
| Camera density | Low |
| Required kit | Warning triangle, first-aid kit |
| Emergency number | 112 |
More Resources
Sources
Full rules, fines & requirements
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Related Questions
Cars may drive at up to 130 km/h on Albanian motorways (Road Code article 140.1). Main interurban roads are limited to 90 km/h, secondary and local roads to 80 km/h, and built-up areas to 40 km/h.
The default limit inside built-up areas is 40 km/h, lower than the 50 km/h most European visitors are used to.
Goods vehicles of 3.5 to 12 tonnes are limited to 90 km/h on motorways and 70 km/h elsewhere outside towns. Above 12 tonnes the limits are 80 km/h and 60 km/h.
Up to 10 km/h over costs ALL 1,000-3,000 and 10-30 km/h over ALL 2,000-4,000. Going 30-50 km/h over outside towns, or 20-40 km/h over in town, costs ALL 5,000-15,000 plus a 1-3 month suspension; anything faster is ALL 10,000-20,000 and 3-6 months.