The difference in price between a licensed company and an unlicensed service is usually very small, but the risks are very high. Here we explain what you risk when traveling with unlicensed transport and how to check a company before booking.
During the tourist season, there are many offers for transportation on social networks and in traveler groups. Some of them come from people or companies that do not have a license to transport passengers. Their price is often almost the same as that of a licensed company, so you save almost nothing. But when something goes wrong, your group bears the consequences. Here's what you need to know.
Licensed passenger transport companies must have the means of transport insured for this activity. When traveling with someone who works without a license, car insurance often does not cover paid passenger transport. In the event of an accident, this can mean that medical expenses and damages are not covered, or that the procedure takes a long time and ends without a solution.
When traveling with family, children, or a group of clients, this is the biggest risk, even though it is the one that is least seen.
A licensed company must keep its vehicles in good technical condition and work with drivers who have the appropriate qualifications. With unlicensed services, no one guarantees this. Worn tires, uncontrolled brakes or a tired driver after many hours at the wheel are real dangers, especially on the mountain roads to Theth, Valbona or Gjirokastra.
Traffic police regularly check vehicles transporting tourists, especially during the summer. If the vehicle does not have a license and the proper documents, the driver may be escorted to the police station and the minibus may be confiscated. In some cases, the police also check the passengers.
At best, the group is left standing on the road, often far from the city, with suitcases in hand. Finding a minibus at the last minute, especially at night or in season, is very difficult and extremely expensive. An emergency transfer just to get back to the hotel can cost several times more than the entire trip you had booked. Add to this the hours lost, hotel nights paid for but not used, and flights that you may miss.
For trips to Montenegro, KOSOVO OR North Macedonia, a vehicle transporting passengers for a fee must have the relevant documents. With an unlicensed service, the border police may stop the vehicle for verification and request clarification about the vehicle, the fee, and the passengers.
This verification can turn into a wait that lasts for hours, up to 24 hours, while the group waits at the border not knowing when it will leave. In the worst case, the vehicle turns back and you are left without transportation, with a hotel booked on the other side of the border.
Unlicensed services rarely issue a tax invoice or contract. Without one, if the driver doesn't show up, is very late, or ends up asking for more money, you have no documentation to complain about or request a refund. For agencies and companies, the lack of an invoice also means that the expense cannot be declared.
Whether you are a travel agency, DMC or event organizer, your responsibility to your clients is yours. An accident or a canceled trip with an unlicensed supplier can cost you not only money, but also the reputation you have built over the years. Read why DMC agencies choose licensed transportation.
Before you pay, ask for a few simple things. A serious company will give you without any problem:
If someone avoids these questions or only accepts cash without a receipt, this is a sign that you should be careful.
Minibus.al is part of Take Transfers & Tours SHPK, a company licensed for passenger transport in Albania, the Balkans and Europe, with NUIS M22427504U. Ask us for the documents whenever you want.
Also read our guides: how to choose the right minibus and driver AND What you need to know before traveling with a group.
For about the same money, you can choose a safe trip or a risk you can't control. When it comes to the people traveling with you, licenses and insurance aren't details: they're basics.
Ask for the company name, NUIS, and passenger transport license. A licensed company will provide you with this information without any problem and issue an invoice for the service.
Often not. Private car insurance usually does not cover paid passenger transportation, so in the event of an accident, damages may not be covered.
The driver may be escorted to the police station and the minibus may be confiscated. In the best case scenario, passengers are left standing on the street and have to find alternative transport immediately, which is very difficult and very expensive at the last minute. In some cases, the police also check the passengers.
If the border police ask for clarification about the vehicle, the payment, and the passengers, the wait can last for hours, up to 24 hours. In the worst case, the vehicle is turned back and the group is left without transportation.
Usually the difference is very small. The price of a licensed company includes insurance, vehicle maintenance, qualified drivers, and taxes, so for almost the same money you get a safe and guaranteed service.
Yes. Minibus.al is part of Take Transfers & Tours SHPK, a company licensed for passenger transport in Albania, the Balkans and Europe, with NUIS M22427504U.
Minibus with driver for transfers and tours. We respond 24/7.
Leonard works every day with groups of travelers from all over the world visiting Albania and the Balkans. On the Minibus.al blog, he shares practical tips on transportation, routes and destinations, so that your trip is safe and stress-free.
Albanian Albanian 
English
Italian
German
Greek
Hebrew
French
Serbian
Turkish
Spanish
Polish
Maltese
Slovak
Hungarian
Swedish