Getting Around Malta By Public Transport in 2025

Dreaming of soaking up Malta’s sun‑drenched beaches, historic streets and hidden coves without the stress of driving? You’ve come to the right place. In this guide to getting around Malta, I’ll share my experience of travelling around Malta without a car.

I’ve travelled around many European islands without a car over the last couple of decades. Malta is one of the most well set up for travelling car-free.

Many people will tell you that getting around Malta without a car is difficult.  But the reality is that it’s not.  From the reliable Tallinja buses to ferries taking you to Gozo, Malta’s public transport network is great once you know the ropes.

I’ll walk you through all the key details of transport in Malta, including details about Malta buses, ferries and taxis.

Some posts on this site contain affiliate links to products or services I’ve found useful. If you make a purchase through these links I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). This helps keep the travel blog running, so thank you.

Getting around Malta and Gozo without a car: the benefits

If you’re wondering if it’s possible to get around Malta by public transport, the short answer is yes. Not only is it possible, but you can experience many benefits by travelling around Malta and Gozo without a car. Here are just a few:

Budget

Buses are so cheap in Malta and Gozo that public transport is a winner if you’re watching the budget.  Just think how many delicious ice creams you could buy with all that money you’ll save.

Experiencing slow travel

Not having a car to get you quickly from A to B can actually be an advantage.  There are loads of wonderful walking routes across Malta and Gozo and you don’t need to be a hiking pro to do them. 

On my trips, I’ve seen much more of the countryside and rural way of life than if I’d been whizzing past in a car to get to the next lookout point.

People watching fun 

I don’t think I’ve been to a single country yet where I haven’t encountered an interesting character or episode on a bus.  Come to think of it, I’ve probably been another traveller’s five minutes of funny as my feet mark out the latest salsa steps on my own local bus in Cambridge.

Photo opportunities

Let’s face it, if you’re seeking content for your socials, you’re going to discover more interesting and unique photo opportunities if you’re out and about than if you’re always in the car.

Sustainability

If you’re feeling guilty about your flight emissions then at least taking more sustainable transport when you’re at your destination might ease your guilt, just a little bit.

Plus, if travelling without a car on holiday means you don’t own a car at all, that’s even more sustainability goodness right there.

Getting to and from the airport in Malta

Bus

There are several direct airport buses in Malta. These buses are quicker than the regular local buses and run on four routes:

• Valletta and the Valletta fast ferry to Gozo – TD4
• Rabat, Buġibba, Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa – TD1
• St. Julian’s and Pembroke – TD2
• Gżira, Sliema and St. Julian’s – TD3

The direct airport buses have free Wi-Fi and extra room for bags. Single fares are €3.

Other local buses in Malta run regularly from the airport to the main destinations of Cirkewwa, Floriana, Mellieha, Mosta, Rabat (Mdina), Sliema and the capital, Valletta.

The direct airport bus to Valletta (TD4) takes 25 minutes, compared to bus #88, the local bus for getting from the airport to Valletta, which takes 55 minutes.

Bus tickets are available inside the arrivals hall or on the bus.

Taxis and transfers

Buses in Malta get very full up at peak times and the airport buses can get especially crowded and uncomfortable. So the airport route is one where I recommend you consider alternatives to the bus.

Taxis are available outside airport arrivals.  However, if you’re on a budget, one of the main taxi apps in Malta (eCabs, Bolt and Uber, details below) may work out cheaper.

My experience of using taxi apps for the airport in Malta has been positive. The cost of an Uber or a Bolt will vary, depending on demand, but you can expect to pay around €9 – €12 to go to Valletta.

For an even more reliable airport service, book an airport transfer with Kiwitaxi. Their prices are reasonable and someone will meet you in arrivals with a sign with your name on. With a pre-booked transfer you can make sure you don’t have to compete with everyone else who’s just arrived on your flight and is trying to get a taxi.

Getting around Malta by bus

Buses are a great option for getting around Malta. They’re great value for money and are mostly reliable. It’s possible to use the bus to get to many of the top Instagram spots in Malta.

Alongside Maltese, English is one of the official languages of Malta, therefore if you need to ask for help whilst getting around Malta by public transport it’s super easy if you’re an English speaker.

Malta buses ticket price

• Single journey ticket – €2.5 during the day and €3 at night (day fares are €2 in winter).
• 12 journey Tallinja card – €19 for 12 single journey tickets and can be shared.
• 7 day Explore Flex card – €25 for unlimited journeys for 7 days.

Bus tickets in Malta are valid for two hours from the time of purchase.  You can use the ticket to get on any bus within that two hour period. 

There are no machines to validate your paper ticket, just show it to the driver. When getting off the bus, most buses have doors in the middle, use these and not the front doors.

How to buy a bus ticket

You can buy your multi-journey Tallinja card at the Malta public transport kiosks, at airport arrivals, at Valletta cruise port and other outlets and ticket vending machines. 

For single trips, purchase the ticket on the bus. Pay by cash or contactless card (I pre-load a Monzo debit card when I travel). 

If paying by cash, note that buses do not give any change.  This is strictly adhered to. Make sure you have the correct coins. I’d advise keeping your euro coins for this purpose even if you have a contactless card. 

On a few occasions on my travels, the contactless card machine wasn’t working and I didn’t have change.  This resulted in the driver kindly giving me a free journey or getting off and waiting for the next bus.

The main bus station in Valletta is located outside the old city walls, on your left as you walk out of Valletta via the city gate. However, some bus stops are situated around the corner, at the end of the first row of bus stops. Many routes also stop at Triq Sant’ Anna in Floriana, just outside Valletta.

You can find information on bus routes and timetables on the Malta Public Transport website.

My experience of using buses in Malta

If you’re used to buses in a different country or have a certain idea of how buses work, a couple of interesting experiences I had with public transport in Malta might come in useful. 

The airport route from Mellieha to Malta airport is the busiest European bus I’ve ever been on.  The driver was determined to get everyone and their luggage on the bus, even if it meant sitting on top of each other. 

This can also be the case on other key routes at peak travel times (rush hour in the morning and early evening).

If crowds make you anxious, treat yourself to a taxi or a private transfer for your airport journey, it will be money well spent.

On another occasion, the local ‘airport’ bus didn’t actually stop at the airport.  Instead, it only took the outer road.  The driver didn’t let anyone know, so I was very grateful for a kind passenger who told me it wouldn’t stop any nearer (due to road maintenance) and showed me where to get off. 

Locals really are your best friend in this situation.  When you get on the bus ask one or two people if the bus is for the airport and they’ll hopefully let you know where to get off if the bus is taking a scenic route that day.

All that being said, these events were odd exceptions to the many excellent journeys I made by bus as I was getting around Malta. 

Buses were generally on time, well signposted and helped me have a fabulous time during my travels in Malta.

Trains in Malta

Malta doesn’t have any train routes, unless you count the cute tourist train that does a tour around Victoria in Gozo.

Getting around Malta by ferry

There are two ferry routes that take you from Malta to the smaller island of Gozo. I highly recommend you make the trip, Gozo is wonderful. Find out more with my 5 day Malta itinerary.

Valletta – Gozo Ferry

The route is run by two ferry companies, Gozo Fast Ferry and Virtu Ferries operating as a combined Gozo High-Speed service.

The journey time is 45 minutes.  For peace of mind, I recommend buying your ticket in advance.  Check out my article on the ferry to Gozo for all the details.

The ferries are large and seating is comfortable. Snacks and drinks are available to purchase from the café bar onboard.

The Valletta to Gozo ferry terminal is small and located at the Lascaris Wharf Terminal (also shown on Google maps as Gozo Fast Ferry).  Not to be confused with the cruise ship port, where you see ships so large they look like skyscrapers on the water.  

On arrival, if you already have a ticket, head straight to the boarding queue to have it scanned.  Staff are available to help you get your luggage on the ferry if required.

Cirkewwa – Gozo Ferry

If you’re staying in a hotel in the north of Malta, you can take the ferry from Cirkewwa to Gozo, run by Gozo Channel. Journey time is 30 minutes and the cost is €4.65.

You can pay online in advance or buy on the day. If you choose to pay in person it can feel a bit odd as you only pay on the return journey, at Gozo Mgarr harbour.

As you’re stood in the queue to board on the way to Gozo, you may find yourself questioning this and feeling an innate desire to run up to someone behind a counter and empty out all your coins.  

If you’ve bought a ticket online you only need to validate it on the way back from Gozo.

Ferries run every 30 minutes. It gets busy in summer, so you may have to wait in Cirkewwa for the next but one departure.

To get to the ferry terminal in Cirkewwa, take bus #41 or #42 from Valletta, from stop ‘Valletta B6’. Buses run regularly throughout the day.

Malta or Gozo to Comino ferry

• Several companies run ferries from both Malta and Gozo to the stunning island of Comino, home to the Blue Lagoon.
• Tickets can be bought online in advance or in person from representatives at the harbour.
• There are also a few other ways to get to the Blue Lagoon on Comino.

Sliema – Valletta Ferry

If you’re based in Sliema but want to have a day out in Valletta, rather than take the bus, why not travel by ferry.

Daytime travel costs €2 for a single or €3.80 for a return (at night it costs slightly more).

Ferries run regularly and the journey takes about 15 minutes. More information is available on the Valletta Ferry Services website.

Valletta – The Three Cities Ferry Or Traditional Boat

For a beautiful day out from Valletta, take a trip to the Three Cities, across the water. The same company that runs the Sliema ferry also runs this route and tickets cost the same.

However, one of my favourite ways of getting around Malta is to take a traditional Maltese boat across to the Three Cities instead. These wooden boats were a once common sight in Malta and are now greatly reduced.

The departure point is just down from the Fast Ferry terminal, marked as Lascaris Water Taxi Station on Google Maps.

On the return from the Three Cities, you can either wait where you got off or if you’re at another point in the harbour you may be able to just wave to a passing boat to signal you’d like to return.

The cost is super cheap (especially if you’ve ever been on a gondola in Venice), from €2 per person.

Taxis in Malta

Even if you’re travelling in Malta without your own car, occasionally it might be convenient to take a taxi. Malta has plenty of options.  In addition to the official white taxis, there are the apps eCabs (mainly Malta), Bolt (Gozo and Malta) and Uber (mainly Malta). 

Download both apps from your app store before you arrive in Malta.  For more details check out my article on Uber in Malta.

You can book taxis via the apps for a specific date/time. The advance bookings I made turned up on time and were good value.

On Gozo, demand gets busy at peak times so pre-book if timing is critical for you.  The average cost of a taxi ride via Bolt on Gozo was €11 (e.g. Mgarr Harbour to Xaghra).

You can either complete your card details in the app or pay in cash. Paying by card directly to the driver isn’t currently an option.

Other ways to travel around Malta

Bike rental

Standard and electric bikes are available to rent in Malta and Gozo.

Daily costs vary, one of the best value deals on Gozo is from On 2 Wheels in Marsalaforn.  At a price of from €30 per day, it’s great value for an electric bike. Use it to visit the most Instagram-worthy places on Gozo.

Having rented both types of bike, I can confirm that the hilly terrain definitely makes the extra cost of an electric bike worth the investment. It’s such a fun way to explore iconic sights like Ramla Bay and Wied il-Ghasri.

Boat rental/jetski rental

If you feel like splashing out on a treat, hire your own boat at one of the Gozo beaches. The prospect of this may seem a bit scary at first but the experience of driving your own boat is out of this world and really not hard at all (apart from the parking, which I am not good at).

Being your own boss out on the water, deciding where to go and when, is an experience not to be missed.

Boats can be rented from Xlendi and Hondoq-ir-Rummien. Cost is dependent on the type of boat and starts at around €120 for 3 hours. Jetskis are also available to rent from the same places and are a total buzz.

Day Trips

There are plenty of wonderful day trips on Malta which will take you to the key sights and hidden gems.

Walking

The small size of Malta and Gozo, in particular, makes it a great place to combine public transport with hiking. Options include walking the Victoria Lines, following coastal routes and hiking all of Gozo, or a sunset hike at the Dingli Cliffs on the southwestern side of Malta.

Whichever path you choose, getting around Malta without a car means you’ll experience one of the best ways to see Malta and take in plenty of stunning views as you do.

If you’re still considering renting a car to get around, check out my article on hiring a car in Malta and Gozo for all the details.

Alternatively, you can rent a scooter to travel around Malta. There are plenty of stunning locations to see on road trip in Malta.

I hope this guide to getting around Malta by public transport has inspired you to plan your own itinerary for Malta. If so, I’d love to hear all about your experience in the comments below.

More Malta resources

5 Day Malta Itinerary

10 Best Boutique Hotels Malta: A Guide to Where to Stay

15 Best Beaches on Gozo and How to Get to Them

15 Best Blue Lagoon Malta Boat Trips

Ferry to Gozo, Malta: Cheap & Fast Ways to Get to Gozo

Gozo Hiking: Take the Slow Lane

Gozo Inland Sea Dive Site and the Blue Hole (Malta)

Hondoq ir-Rummien Bay on Gozo: A Complete Guide

How to Get to Blue Lagoon Malta and Best Things to Do

Is There Uber in Malta?

Malta is in What Country?  Where is Malta Located on the Map & Other Facts

Places to Go in Malta & Gozo: 5 Best Swimming Spots

Ramla Bay Gozo: Explore an Iconic Red Sand Beach

What Language Do They Speak in Malta?  A Guide

Wied il-Għasri Beach, Gozo, Malta: The Complete Guide