Communications

EXPRESS MAIL

The safest, though not the cheapest, way to send valuable or urgent items.

ALBANIAN COURIER QRr. Industriale Dytësore Vorë, tel. ++355 4 222 7667/+355 4 241 0720, www.albaniancourier.al. Open 08:30-17:30; Sat 09:00-14:00; closed Sun.

DHL QRr. Rruga industriale km 8. Kashar, tel. +355 4 240 6666, www.dhl.al. Open 08:00-18:00; Sat 08:00-12:00; closed Sun.

EMS QRr. Frosina Plaku, Godina 36, K.1, tel. +355 68 206 67 70/+355 4 2455748, www.postashqiptare.al. Open 07:30-20:00; closed Sun.

FEDEX QF-6, Rr. Industriale, Kashar, tel. +355 4 225 3203, www.fedex.com/al /contact. Open 08:00-18:00; closed Sun.

TNT QRr. Mine Peza 2, tel. +355 4223 49 14, www. tntexpress.al. Open 08:00-17:00; closed Sun.

UPS QH-4, Rr. Ismail Qemali, Nr. 32/1, tel. +355 4 225 97 43, www.ups.com/al. Open 09:00-17:30; Sat 09:00-13:00; closed Sun.

Exchange rates: €1=121 lek, $1=115 lek

TELEPHONE CALLS

For international calls, dial 00, the country code, the area code and the subscriber’s number. For domestic calls outside Tirana, dial 0, the city code and the subscriber’s number. Call 14 for domestic directory assistance. Local calls: Tirana numbers have seven digits, all starting with a 2 or a 3. Call 124 for international or 14 for domestic directory assistance. To call Albania from abroad, dial 00 and the country code 355, the city code (Tirana is 4) and subscriber number, or the mobile phone number without the initial zero. Selected Albanian city codes: Berat 32, Durrës 52, Elbasan 54, Gjirokastër 84, Korça 82, Kruja 511, Sarandë 85, Shkodër 22, Tiranë 4, Vlorë 47.

INTERNET

Wifi has conquered Albania quickly. All hotels and most restaurants, cafés and bars have a network you can use for free - the staff is usually happy to hand over the password. Tirana Municipality has over 90 wifi hotpots offering free and safe surfing, filtered for harmful content; look for Tirana Free Wifi along the main square and boulevard, the market and the lake.

INTERNET PROVIDERS

ABCOM (ABCOM- VODAFONE ALBANIA) Broadband internet, data transmission, VPN, wifi, hosting, e-mail solutions, digital cable TV and telephony services. QRr. Pavaresia, Kashar 61, www.vodafone.al/abcom. Open 09:00-21:00.

ABISSNET QRr. Ismail Qemali 18, tel. 355 4 430 00 01/+355 4 430 0123, www.abissnet.al. Open 09:00-20:00.

TRING QRr. Qelqit, Kombinat, tel. +355 4 480 00 00/+355 69 403 80 00, www.tring.al.

MOBILE PHONES

Albania has three mobile network providers, their numbers starting with 067, 068 and 069. You can easily purchase pre-paid SIM cards for around 600 lek at the providers’ shops; you’ll need ID and a local address (which can be that of your hotel). Vodafone has a 1500 lek SIM package for tourists with 20GB data, 500 minutes of calling in Albanian and 10 minutes abroad. National rates for pre-paid calls are between 30-55 lek per minute.

ALBTELECOM Qtel. +355 67 200 01 23, www.albtelecom.al.

ONE Qtel. +355 4 227 5000/+355 68 800 0142, www.one.al.

VODAFONE Qtel. +355 4 228 30 72, www.vodafone.al.

POST

Postal rates for postcards and letters (under 20gr) are: Albania 20 lek Balkans 70 lek Europe 90 lek Elsewhere 100 lek

CENTRAL POST OFFICE Parcels are processed between 08:00-13:00.QF-4, Rr. Reshit Çollaku 4, tel. +355 68 204 47 27/+355 68 204 47 07, www. postashqiptare.al. Open 08:00-16:30; Fri 08:00-14:00.