Sports
Tirana is a major centre for sport in Albania. Tirana's sports clubs include KF Tirana, Partizani, and Dinamo. In football, as of April 2012, the Tirana based teams have won a combined 57 championships out of 72 championships organized by the FSHF, i.e. 79% of them.
In Tirana there are two major stadiums, the Qemal Stafa Stadium, that holds around 20,000 spectators and the Selman Stërmasi stadium which holds around 12,000 spectators. Tirana's sports infrastructure is developing fast because of the investments from the municipality and the government. From 2007 Tirana Municipality has built up to 80 sport gardens in most of Tirana's neighbourhoods.
Transport
The city serves as the meeting point for national roads SH1, SH2 and SH3. Construction of the outer big ring highway started in 2011. In the near future, Tirana will have a transportation hub combining all transportation in one place near Kashar.
Bus
Local transport within Tirana is by bus or taxi. Official taxis have yellow plates with red text.
Coach and minibus (furgon) services also run to the coast and northern and southern Albania from Tirana. International coach services connect to Greece, via Korçë or Kakavije, to Kosovo[a] via the new Durrës-Morine highway, and to the Republic of Macedonia via Struga.
A web and Android application regarding Tirana's public transportation such as lines, directions, times and costs can be found at Tirana Bus Stations. An Android application is available for download at Google Play Apps.
Rail
There are passenger services to Durrës and Librazhd, via Elbasan. As of September 2013, the Tirana Railway Station north of Skanderbeg Square is being dismantled and moved to Vorë. The existing line was replaced with a bus service located alongside the coach terminal at the north end of Boulevard Zogu I. The line extending from Librazhd to Pogradec was discontinued in 2012. There are no international passenger services, although there is a freight-only railway through Shkodër to Montenegro.
Air
Tirana International Airport
Tirana International Airport Mother Theresa (Nënë Tereza in Albanian), also known as Rinas Airport, was reconstructed in 2007. It is 15 km (9 mi) northwest of the city, off the road to Durrës. Airlines using Rinas include Albanian Airlines. Flights run to Athens, London, Rimini, Bari, Genoa, Rome, Bologna, Munich, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Vienna among other places. It is one of the largest airports in the region. Several foreign airlines also serve Rinas Airport: Adria Airways (from Ljubljana), Aegean Airlines (from Athens), Air One (from Bologna, Milan, Pisa, Venice, Verona), Alitalia (from Bari, Rome, Turin), Arkefly (from Amsterdam), Austrian Airlines (from Vienna), Blu-express (from Bergamo, Bologna, Milan, Pisa, Rome, Venice, Verona), British Airways (from London-Gatwick), Darwin Airlines (from Rome), Jetairfly (from Brussels), Livinston Comapgnia Aeree (from Bologna, Milan, Rome, Verona), Lufthansa Regional (from Munich), Meridiana (from Milan, Verona), Small Planet Airlines (from Bari, Genoa,Naples), SunExpress (from Antalya), Pegasus Airlines (from Istanbul Sabiha-Gokcen), Turkish Airlines (from Istanbul Ataturk)
Sea
Tirana is served by the port of Durrës, 36 km (22 mi) distant from the capital. Passenger ferries from Durrës sail to Trieste, Ancona, Otranto, Brindisi, Bari, Genoa (Italy), Zadar, Dubrovnik (Croatia), Koper (Slovenia), Bar (Montenegro), Corfu (Greece) and others. Kavaja is included in the Tirana County also.
Bicycle
The Ecovolis bicycle sharing system was launched in 2011. Bicycles are rented from initially four stations located at Rinia Park and along Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard. A full day ride costs 100 leks. Cycling in the streets has been regarded as quite dangerous such as bike lanes are narrow and occupied by cars. However, in recent years, Tirana is investing in cycling infrastructure. Bike only lanes are located alongside existing sidewalks on Skanderbeg Square, Lana River, and Kavaja Street while combined bus and bike lanes are located on other main streets to alleviate overall congestion.
Sunset over the Adriatic Sea
Notable people
Below are some of the most notable personalities born in Tirana or that spent most of their lives in Tirana:
Abdi bej Toptani, signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence
Agim Sulaj, painter
Albert Brojka, former Tirana Mayor
Aleksandër Meksi, former Prime Minister
Andrea Shundi, Albanian agronomist
Bamir Topi, former President of Albania
Beqir Balluku, former member of the Politburo he was accused as organizer of a coup d'état in 1974, and sentenced to death
Blendi Nallbani, football player
Breanne Benson, pornographic actress
Edi Rama, Mayor of Tiranë
Elsa Lila, singer
Erjon Bogdani, football player
Ermonela Jaho, opera singer
Essad Pasha, politician
Fatos Nano, former Prime Minister of Albania
Gjergj Xhuvani, movie director
Igli Tare, football player
Inva Mula, opera singer
Ismail Ndroqi, mayor of Tiranë
Kledi Kadiu, dancer and actor who lives and works in Italy
Kujtim Çashku, Albanian film director and screenwriter
Leka, Crown Prince of Albania, heir of King Zog I
Masiela Lusha, actress, poet, and writer
Murat bej Toptani, signatory of the Albanian Declaration of Independence
Pandeli Majko, twice Prime Minister of Albania
Rexhep Meidani, former President of Albania
Saimir Kumbaro, film director
Sali Kelmendi, former Tirana Mayor
Skënder Sallaku, comic actor
Vedat Kokona, translator
Klodiana Shala, athlete
Honorary citizens
The following persons are honorary citizens:
George Soros
Norman Wisdom
Wolfgang Schüssel
Ismail Kadare
Nikita Khrushchev
Galeazzo Ciano
Ibrahim Kodra
Azem Hajdari
Anton Yugov
Haxhi Hafiz Sabri Koçi Grand Mufti of Albania.[33]
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
Rrok Mirdita
Baba Reshat Bardhi
Robert Shvarc
Dritëro Agolli
Hysen Kazazi
Sadik Kaceli
Hans Peter Furrer
Mahatir Bin Mohammed
Shefqet Ndroqi
Osman Kazazi (sq)
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Eliza Dushku
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
Franco Frattini
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