Getting around Malta
Malta has no railway or metro. Buses cover both main islands, ferries cross the harbours and the channel to Gozo, and taxis and hire cars fill the gaps. Fares on this page were read on the operators' own sites as of November 2026. Traffic keeps to the left.
Airport
Every scheduled flight to the Maltese islands lands at one airport. Gozo and Comino are reached from it by bus or taxi to the ferry:
Getting from the airport to your base
Taxis & ride-sharing
White Taxis
Licensed taxis in Malta and Gozo are all white. Malta taxis carry a black roof sign, Gozo taxis a red one, and a Malta taxi may not take fares on Gozo. Hailed or picked up from a rank, the meter applies, and Transport Malta sets the maximum: a €3.50 initial charge, €2.50 for the first kilometre and €1.60 per km up to 5 km, falling with distance (as of November 2026). At a taxi booth, such as the one at the airport, you book and pay a set fare instead.
Ride-Hailing Apps
Bolt offers rides and airport transfers in Malta on its own Malta page, Uber takes ride requests in Valletta, and eCabs is a local app-booked cab firm. Prices move with demand, so compare the app quote with a white taxi or booth fare before a long trip, especially late at night.
A Taxi for the Day
For a day of Mdina, the Dingli cliffs and the southern temples without driving on the left, agree a half-day or full-day price with a driver before you set off. On the meter, Transport Malta sets a maximum waiting charge of €25 an hour once the taxi has been stationary for at least three consecutive minutes (as of November 2026), so a fixed price is usually the clearer deal.
Hotel Transfers
Many hotels arrange airport pick-ups; ask for the price in writing and book ahead if you land late. Compare it with the Malta Taxi booth fare at the airport and with Airport Direct, which costs €3 a person (€3.50 on TD1) as of November 2026.
Public transportation
Malta Public Transport Buses
One operator, Malta Public Transport, runs the buses on Malta and on Gozo, with main terminals at Valletta, Bugibba, Cirkewwa and Victoria. As of November 2026 a single day-route ticket costs €2 in the winter fare season (18 October 2026 to 12 June 2027) and €2.50 in summer, while night routes cost €3. Pay the driver in cash or by contactless card; the ticket covers transfers for two hours. Plan routes in the tallinja app.
Tallinja Travel Cards
Visitors usually buy one of the operator's travel cards from sales offices, ticket machines (including one at the airport) or retail outlets. As of November 2026: the 12 Single Day Journeys card costs €19, can be shared and lasts six months from first use; Explore Flex gives unlimited bus travel for 4 days (€21) or 7 days (€27), Airport Direct included; Explore Adult gives 7 days for €25 without the TD routes; Explore Child (ages 4 to 10) is €7. Under-4s ride free. An adult personalised tallinja card costs €25 to register, plus postage, and is typically delivered within two weeks, so it rarely suits a short trip.
Airport Direct Buses
The old X1 to X4 airport routes were replaced by a mix of routes on 20 April 2025. Airport Direct (tallinja Direct) now runs: TD1 to Rabat, Bugibba, Mellieha and Cirkewwa, hourly; TD2 to St Julian's and Pembroke and TD3 to St Julian's, Sliema, Gzira and Msida, both every 30 minutes; TD4 to Valletta and the Gozo fast ferry, every 30 minutes; TD5 to Rabat and Bugibba, hourly. Fares are €3, or €3.50 on TD1, as of November 2026; the Explore Flex cards include them.
Renting a car
A hire car helps on Gozo and for the cliffs, coves and temples away from the main bus corridors. Malta drives on the left, and the standard limits for cars are 50 km/h in built-up areas and 80 km/h on other roads unless signs say otherwise, under Malta's Motor Vehicles Regulations. Distances are short, but traffic around the harbour towns is heavy, so allow more time than the map suggests.
Good to Know
- •Malta International Airport lists more than 30 car hire companies at the airport; each sets its own minimum age, deposit and insurance terms, so compare them when you book
- •A UK photocard licence is accepted, says the UK Foreign Office; holders of an old paper licence may also need an International Driving Permit. Drivers with other licences should confirm with the hire company
- •Hire cars must carry a fire extinguisher, a warning triangle and a first aid kit, according to the rules Malta reports to the EU
- •Taking a car to Gozo: the Gozo Channel standard return fare for a car up to 5.3 metres and its driver is €15.70 as of November 2026; buy online or at the Mgarr booths, with tickets validated before boarding in Gozo
- •Valletta charges for driving in: the Controlled Vehicular Access (CVA) scheme charges on weekdays from 08:00 to 18:00 for vehicles entering before 14:00, with the first 30 minutes free, then €0.82 per hour or part of an hour up to €6.52 (as of November 2026); entry after 14:00 on weekdays, at weekends and on public holidays is free. Ask your hire firm how it passes CVA bills on
Watch Out For
- •Drive on the LEFT, roundabouts included, with speeds posted in km/h
- •Alcohol: as of November 2026, Maltese law sets a blood-alcohol limit of 0.5 mg/ml for standard drivers and 0.2 mg/ml for probationary licence holders and commercial-vehicle drivers; zero applies to buses, coaches, priority vehicles and vehicles carrying passengers for a fee. The safe plan is not to drink at all before driving
- •Buses and other listed vehicles have priority lanes on some roads; other cars may enter them only in an emergency
- •Parking in Valletta, Sliema and St Julian's is scarce in the day; the bus or the harbour ferry is often quicker
- •The UK Foreign Office warns that some roads are in poor condition and local driving standards are poor, so keep a margin and photograph any existing damage at pick-up
Ferries & boats
Boats are part of everyday transport here, not just sightseeing. Short crossings link Valletta with Sliema and the Three Cities, a car ferry shuttles between Cirkewwa and Gozo, and a fast ferry runs from Valletta to Gozo. Fares below were read on each operator's site as of November 2026:
- Valletta harbour ferries - Valletta Ferry Services runs Sliema to Valletta across Marsamxett Harbour and Valletta to Cospicua in the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour, every day on a winter schedule from 1 November to 31 May. Adult day fares are €3 single and €5 return (children €1 and €1.50); a personalised tallinja card rides free, and Three Cities passengers get a ticket for the Upper Barrakka lift up into Valletta
- Gozo Channel ferry from Cirkewwa - Gozo Channel's car and passenger ferry links Cirkewwa, at the northern tip of Malta, with Mgarr on Gozo daily, in about 25 minutes. Return tickets cost €4.65 standard, €4.05 for departures from Mgarr after 20:00 and before the first morning trip from November to March, or €1.15 for children aged 3 to 12, as of November 2026. Buy online or at the Mgarr booths; tickets are validated before boarding in Gozo. Airport Direct TD1 runs to Cirkewwa
- Valletta to Gozo fast ferry - Gozo HighSpeed sails from its terminal in Valletta's Grand Harbour to Mgarr in about 45 minutes; it is a passenger-only service, so cars go on the Gozo Channel ferry. The adult one-way fare is €7.50 and children aged 4 to 10 pay €3; the same operator also lists Sliema and Bugibba routes. Airport Direct TD4 stops for the fast ferry, and Explore Flex add-ons include a return crossing
Quick cost comparison
| Transport | Typical Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Bus single (day route) | €2 winter, €2.50 summer; €3 night (Malta Public Transport, as of November 2026) | Occasional trips, valid two hours with transfers |
| Bus travel card | €19 for 12 journeys; Explore Flex €21 (4 days) or €27 (7 days), as of November 2026 | Several rides a day |
| Airport Direct bus | €3 a person, €3.50 on TD1 (as of November 2026) | Low-cost airport transfer |
| White taxi (metered) | €3.50 initial charge plus distance; Transport Malta maximum rates (as of November 2026) | Door-to-door trips and late arrivals |
| Valletta harbour ferry | €3 single, €5 return by day (as of November 2026) | Sliema or the Three Cities to Valletta |
| Ferry to Gozo | Gozo Channel €4.65 return (foot), €15.70 car up to 5.3 m and driver; Gozo HighSpeed €7.50 one way (as of November 2026) | Day trips and stays on Gozo |
| Car hire | Varies by season and car class; compare dated quotes | Gozo and the far coasts |
Need more travel tips?
Next: tipping, plugs, SIM cards and what to pack for Malta, on the local tips page.