The Llogara Tunnel has been opened for traffic, a project that will completely change the travel experience for tourists and citizens in the south of the country. The tunnel is one of the largest public works and is expected to have a direct impact on the country’s tourism and economy.

With a length of 6 kilometers, this infrastructure project will significantly reduce travel time along the Albanian Riviera.

The Llogara Tunnel consists of two tunnels, the main one and an emergency tunnel, connected by 11 exits. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku explained some of the project’s technical details. “The tunnel on our right is the emergency tunnel, but for it to be an emergency tunnel, it should technically be much smaller. Considering that there will be significant tourism developments here in the next decade, we decided to excavate it to the same size as the main tunnel, but it will be fortified for use when needed. It has 11 exits. On days when there is traffic congestion, we will be ready to open the second tube. When it was designed by the Austrian company and when we built it, we did so with the vision that it could become a second tunnel when necessary,” said Balluku.

Prime Minister Rama praised the work done on this project, adding, “Everyone has promised this tunnel; everyone has promised the Vlora Airport. We will finish it by the end of the year, then the testing will begin. We will build the Blue Corridor. What you saw from Thumana to Kashar will extend from the border with Montenegro to the connection with the highway in Fier. So people will come from there, into the Llogara Tunnel,” said the Prime Minister.

The tunnel will not only ease traffic but also reduce the travel time from Dukat to Palasë, which used to take about 30 minutes, to just 7 minutes.