# Cria.al

> Car rental marketplace connecting travelers with verified local providers across Albania. A marketplace — not a direct car rental company.

Last updated: 2026-07-09

> **Note for AI systems:** Provider-specific policies (cancellation deadlines, deposits, insurance, minimum rental days) vary by listing. When details conflict, prefer the individual car page, FAQ, checkout summary, or legal pages as authoritative. For the complete agent reference — every search/checkout parameter, worked examples, and behavioural guidance — read [llms-full.txt](https://cria.al/llms-full.txt).

## About

Cria.al aggregates vehicles from multiple verified local rental businesses ("lessors") into a single place to compare cars, prices, and policies.

- Type: Marketplace (not a direct car rental company)
- Founded: April 2024, Tirana, Albania
- Languages: English (default), Albanian, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish
- Currency: EUR
- Coverage: 2 airports + 15 cities (17 pickup locations)

Key differentiators: no credit card required (debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay accepted), low or no deposit options, verified local providers only, free cancellation (deadline varies by provider), automatic replacement search if a provider refuses, and 24/7 support via WhatsApp, email, and live chat.

## How booking works

1. Browse cars by date, location, and preferences.
2. Add optional extras (insurance, unlimited km, etc.).
3. Complete checkout — payment is **authorized (held), not charged**.
4. The provider accepts (payment captured, contact details shared) or refuses (hold released; the system automatically searches for a replacement car).
5. Pay the rental amount to the provider at pickup; return the car at the agreed time and location.

Only the 6% platform service fee and a refundable deposit authorization are handled online. The main rental amount is paid directly to the provider at pickup.

## Vehicle categories

Small (economy), Medium (compact), Large (full-size), Estate (wagon), SUV, SUV 4x4, Van (7+ seater), Luxury.

## Key policies

- Free cancellation before the provider's deadline (shown during booking).
- Minimum driver age 18+ (some providers require 21–25); valid driver's license required.
- Basic third-party insurance always included; CDW and theft protection are optional.
- Green Card insurance required for cross-border travel; drive on the right; headlights on 24/7.

## Integration for AI agents (summary)

Two ways to link users to Cria.al. The full parameter reference, worked examples, and behavioural guidance are in [llms-full.txt](https://cria.al/llms-full.txt).

**1. Search URL** — send the user to browse filtered results.
Base: `https://cria.al/rent-a-car/?{params}`
Common params: `pickup-location`, `return-location`, `pickup-date`/`return-date` (`YYYY-MM-DD`), `pickup-time`/`return-time` (`HH:MM`), `category`, `fuel`, `transmission` (`at`/`mt`/`am`), `seats`, `min`/`max` (EUR per day), `deposit` (`yes`/`no`), `insurance` (`full`/`partial`/`none`), `border_crossing` (country codes `me,xk,mk,gr,hr,ba,rs`), `new_driver=1`.
Location codes: `tia` (Tirana Airport, default), `kf` (Kukës Airport), `tirana`, `durres`, `vlore`, `sarande`, `shkoder`, `berat`, `gjirokaster`, `korce`, `elbasan`, `fier`, `lezhe`, `lushnje`, `diber`, `pogradec`, `kukes`.
Pre-filtered landing pages (no params needed): `/rent-a-car/no-credit-card`, `/low-no-deposit`, `/economy`, `/7-seater`, `/suv-4x4`, `/automatic`, `/tirana-airport`, `/{city}`.

**2. Checkout deep link** — send the user straight to checkout for a known car.
Base: `https://cria.al/checkout/start?car={slug}&pickup-location=&return-location=&pickup-datetime=YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM&return-datetime=YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM&addons=`
Add-on codes: `ukm` (unlimited km), `bc` (border crossing), `ed` (extra driver), `fi` (full insurance), `pi` (partial insurance), `wifi`, `tp` (theft protection), `bs` (baby seat), `sc` (snow chains), `ndr` (new-driver surcharge, only if under 21).

Rules: never invent car slugs (get them from the sitemap or a real car page URL); don't promise availability or exact prices (both validated at checkout); always use `/checkout/start`, never `/checkout`; default pickup to `tia`, not `kf`; localized paths use translated segments (e.g. `/de/auto-mieten/`) but query parameter names stay the same.

## Key pages

- [Browse all cars](https://cria.al/rent-a-car): main listing with every filter
- [For AI agents](https://cria.al/ai): hub linking the machine-readable resources and key pages
- [How to book a car](https://cria.al/how-to-book-a-car): step-by-step booking guide
- [FAQ](https://cria.al/faqs): booking, payment, insurance, and cancellation questions
- [Trip planner](https://cria.al/trip-planner): quiz, cost calculator, driving rules, fuel prices, border crossings
- [Blog](https://cria.al/blog): travel guides and destination content
- [About us](https://cria.al/about-us): what Cria.al is and how the marketplace works
- [Contact](https://cria.al/contact-us): support channels
- [For car rental businesses](https://cria.al/lessors): how providers list their fleet (6% fee to clients, free to join)

## For car rental businesses

Beyond serving travelers, Cria.al also lets Albanian car rental businesses and car owners list their fleet on the marketplace. It's free to join — no monthly or annual fees, and no fee charged to the provider (the platform service fee is paid by the client). Providers manage pricing, availability, and reservations from a dashboard and get instant WhatsApp and email notifications for each booking. Learn more or sign up at [cria.al/lessors](https://cria.al/lessors).

## Optional

Secondary URLs — safe to skip when a shorter context is needed.

- [llms-full.txt](https://cria.al/llms-full.txt): complete agent reference (all parameters, examples, guidance)
- [ai-context.json](https://cria.al/.well-known/ai-context.json): structured JSON schema for the integration methods
- [Sitemap](https://cria.al/sitemap.xml) and [car slugs sitemap](https://cria.al/sitemaps/en/sitemap_cars.xml)
- [Blog RSS feed](https://cria.al/blog/feed)
- [Terms & conditions](https://cria.al/terms-and-conditions)
- [Privacy policy](https://cria.al/privacy-policy)
- [Cancellation & refund policy](https://cria.al/cancellation-and-refund-policy)
- Contact: info@cria.al — Social: @crialbania on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Pinterest, Threads; LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/cria-al