Development of transport in Albania and opportunities for a sustainable transport

Transport in the Republic of Albania, with all efforts for its development, has not yet reached the contemporary levels and standards. While the transport of passengers and goods, carried out by road transport, has undergone a great development, the same can’t be said for rail transport. Rail transport is a great untapped potential, low cost, with low levels of pollution and no traffic jams. Through this paper we’ll try to provide an analyse of the total demand for freight and passenger transport as well as the possibilities of developing rail transport by comparing it with road transport. The methodology of the study is based on the classical model of transport. Graphs of traffic flows as well as analysis of official statistical data will be the basis for drawing conclusions. The need for the development of rail freight and passenger transport is urgent, as the capacities of national road axes are reaching maximum traffic values. The connections of Rail transport with the countries of the region would affect the reduction of means of transport and would meet the needs of different passengers. Based on the results, we will give some suggestions regarding the development of rail transport.