Send parcel to Albania

400,000 Albanians in Italy: what do they send home?

Albania is the country of origin of the second largest foreign community in Italy. Many regularly send parcels to family in Tirana, Durrës, Shkodër or Vlorë: clothes, shoes, electronics, Italian products that are hard to find in Albania or cost considerably more there. Often the flow goes the other way: parents who stayed in Albania receive parcels from their children who have settled in Italy. At Christmas and in summer, when many return home, parcels either arrive ahead of them or follow on their way back. Family bonds travel this way too.

Albanian customs: what is different from an EU country?

Every shipment to Albania goes through customs. The parcel may be held for inspection and the recipient may have to pay import duties based on the declared value. For gifts and personal-use items of modest value, clearance is usually quick. For commercial shipments or higher-value goods, an invoice with a detailed description of the contents is required. After booking on europacco.com you receive the waybill and instructions for the customs documentation needed.

How do you write an Albanian address?

Albanian uses the Latin alphabet, so there are no special characters to convert. The format is similar to standard European addresses: name, street and number, four-digit postcode and city. Example: "Erjon Hoxha, Rruga Myslym Shyri 15, 1001 Tiranë". Main postcodes: Tirana 1001, Durrës 2001, Shkodër 4001, Vlorë 9401. The word "Rruga" means street. In Tirana, adding the neighbourhood name (in Albanian "lagje") helps the courier find the address faster, especially in newer residential areas where house numbering is not always consistent.

Tirana or a smaller city: does delivery time change?

Tirana and Durrës have well-developed distribution networks: 5 to 6 business days. Shkodër, Vlorë and Elbasan take 6 to 7 days. The mountain areas in the north (Kukës, Peshkopi) and rural zones in the east are the slowest: up to 8 business days. Narrow, winding mountain roads slow down the last stretch. If the recipient can receive at a city address rather than a remote location, delivery times will be shorter.