When a shipment to Gjirokastër simply cannot wait for standard freight, Pony Express provides a dedicated on-board courier (OBC) who hand-carries your consignment from collection anywhere in the UK through to delivery in this UNESCO-listed hill town in southern Albania. Your courier travels as an accompanying passenger on the next available flight, keeping the shipment in sight from pickup to hand-over. Pricing is by quote — call 0800 288 4052 or email sales@ponyexpress.co.uk for an instant assessment.

How on-board courier delivery works

A dedicated courier collects your shipment from any UK address, clears security as excess baggage or cabin freight, and flies on the fastest scheduled routing — typically via a European hub — into Tirana International Airport "Nënë Tereza" (Rinas), then travels the final stretch south through the Vjosë and Drino valleys to Gjirokastër, roughly a three-and-a-half hour road transfer from the capital. The courier remains with the goods throughout, so there is no hand-off, no warehousing, and no risk of the shipment being delayed at a consolidation hub.

What we carry to Gjirokastër

• AOG aircraft parts and time-critical engineering components
• Legal, notarial and financial documents needing signature same-day
• Medical samples, devices and pharmaceuticals
• Museum, archival and heritage-conservation items — fitting for a city built around Gjirokastër Castle and its Ottoman-era stone houses
• Prototypes and trade-show exhibits

Customs and clearance

Albania sits outside the EU customs union, so we prepare export paperwork, commercial invoices and, where needed, an ATA Carnet before departure, and the on-board courier walks the shipment through Albanian customs at Rinas in person rather than leaving it to a broker's queue.

Frequently asked questions

How fast can a courier reach Gjirokastër? Door-to-door delivery is typically same-day to next-day from collection, depending on flight availability into Tirana.
Can you collect out of hours? Yes — we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Do you offer standard collection and delivery too? Yes, alongside OBC we can arrange scheduled international collection and delivery.
What does it cost? Every OBC run is quoted individually against route, weight and urgency — call for a live quote.
Is the shipment insured? Yes, goods-in-transit cover applies throughout the journey.