Furgons – The Strange Public Transit of Albania
Albania is a strange country and one that is only just starting to unlock its tourism potential. At the time of my visit it was still relatively unknown to the western traveller, occasionally piquing the interest of backpackers seeking to get off the beaten track. Yet, with alternative attractions such as a capital city completely repainted in bright colours, a dictator’s concrete pyramid and thousands of miniature concrete built in a cold war paranoid frenzy, it should be no surprise that Albania appeals to someone like me.
What is a Furgon?
I started my travels in Albania after taking a ferry over from the island of Corfu, in Greece to the port town of Saranda, at the southern tip of Albania. From there, it was to be exclusively ground transportation for me. To get around in Albania, I was to be travelling by Furgon, the Albanian designation for a van and the primary form of public transportation available to most Albanians. Although some cities have plain old bus stations, most of the inner city travel is completed much more informally. Hence taking a Furgon. To spot a Furgon just take a look for a white van (although colours may vary). At the front window of the “bus”, sitting on the dash, is the final destination of the route written on a piece white cardboard.
General Information
One of the advantages of Furgons is that they are inexpensive. This does come with trade-offs as the vans are usually crammed to a point of physical discomfort with other passengers. This is fine on a cool day but can quickly become unbearably hot on a summer day. One of the funniest things I have seen is that the little bit of room provided for an aisle on the bigger Furgons gets used up as people either stand in them or the more creative types bring their own aisle stool. People also bring odd things on Furgons, I have been on many a Furgon with small farm animals such as chickens. No matter what you do you will have an entertaining ride!
The vans will either pick you up at unmarked locations along roadways or, if in a city, at town squares or parks. If the Furgon is at the start of its journey, the Furgon will not leave unless it is packed, so departure times are variable. Your choice of Furgon can be complicated if you are trying to reach a destination outside the terminus of the van. Stops must be confirmed with the driver but they are often willing to stop wherever as long as it is on the way you may just have to walk a little from the main road to the town. Make sure to speak to the driver before you depart!
Since Furgon travel schedules are very flexible, they can offer a good alternative to taking a traditional bus as the latter runs much less frequently and only at fixed and often inconvenient times. They can also be caught in odd locations at the side of main roads, but do check with locals for the latest information, Furgon schedules and habits are constantly evolving and can leave you out in the cold. Although they will take you to the bigger cities, this is the best way to get to smaller centers and other points of interest.
Finally if planning to take a Furgon, make sure to show up at the bus stop in advance. The vans fill up quickly and the Furgon “stations” can be difficult to navigate, especially in large urban centers such as Tirana. You may have to walk around for a while to find your bus, I know I struggled to find mine many times and had to ask for help.
