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[[Hitchhiking]] in Albania can go surprisingly well. Even though Albania is still one of the poorest countries in [[Europe]], the country's living conditions have improved greatly in the past years.
People are usually friendly and ready to help. Be aware some drivers expect money, since private taxi is a major form of public transport. Make sure that before you board a vehicle the driver is not an informal cab-driver. A simple 'no taxi' phrase should be enough to avoid misunderstandings. Some found it useful to learn "por.... jo para.... jo problem?" (but.... no money... no problem?) and ask it as they stop (yes/no = po/jo, and mirë (pronounced mir) = fine/good). The phrase "ska lek" is an easy way of saying you do not want to pay (it translates as "no money"). Some drivers will refuse to take you for free, but still every other driver should pick you up. Hitchhiking with a sign can be useful to differentiate yourself from the other people using public transportation. However, putting "no taxi" on your sign makes you just another roadside attraction, and is probably best avoided.
Many private minibuses join the main cities via the main roads. There are no bus stops, so they may stop when they see you hitchhiking. They are quite cheap, for example a ride from [[Tirana]] - [[Shkodër]] (120 km) costs 400 Lek (about EUR 3). Thus, it may happen that they pick you for free if you say that you don't have money.
