Published: 30 October 2026
How to Get Around Malta in 2027: Bus, Ferry, Car & Taxi
Malta is about 27 km long, and you can get around Malta with the public buses, the Bolt and eCabs apps, a few ferries and — for the north-west beaches and Gozo — a hire car driven on the left. A single bus ticket costs about €2.00 in winter and €2.50 in summer, a 7-day Explore card about €25, and most car journeys between the main towns take 20–40 minutes.
Here are the fares, the routes that matter, realistic journey times, when a car is worth it and how to reach the places we send people to: our base at St Thomas Bay in Marsaskala, the Comino departure in St Julian's and the charter marinas in Ta' Xbiex and Sliema. We cross the island every day of the season, so this is what works in practice.
How to get around Malta by bus: fares, the Explore card and the tallinja app
Malta Public Transport runs the buses under the tallinja name, and they are the backbone of getting around. A single ticket is valid for 2 hours including transfers and costs about €2.00 in winter and €2.50 in summer (summer fares run from mid-June to mid-October). Pay on board in cash — exact change helps — or by card.
If you will ride most days, the 7-day Explore card at about €25 gives unlimited travel on Malta and Gozo; the express “Tallinja Direct” routes cost more, about €3. Current fares are at publictransport.com.mt.
- •Install the tallinja app before you land: live times, journey planning and the only way to know which number serves your stop, because route numbers change.
- •Buses fill up in July and August and a full bus may not stop: leave 30 minutes of slack before a boat departure, and check the last bus of the evening.
Malta bus routes worth knowing and realistic journey times
Route numbers change, so treat this list as a starting point and check the route in the tallinja app before you set off. Valletta is the hub: all of these start or finish in the capital.
- •X1–X4: airport expresses between Malta International Airport at Luqa and the main towns.
- •13: Valletta–Sliema–St Julian's; from Sliema the harbour ferry is often quicker.
- •41/42: Valletta–Ċirkewwa for the Gozo Channel ferry and the northern beaches.
- •222: Sliema/St Julian's–Ċirkewwa, the direct option to the Gozo ferry from the hotel zone.
- •81/85: Valletta–Marsaxlokk (about 25 minutes by car on the same road).
- •91/92/93: Valletta–Marsaskala, about 40–55 minutes — the way to our base at St Thomas Bay.
Malta airport to Valletta or Sliema, Bolt, eCabs and taxis
Malta International Airport is at Luqa: about 20–30 minutes by car to Valletta, Sliema or St Julian's and 15–20 minutes to Marsaskala. The cheapest transfer is an X1–X4 express bus — check which one serves your town in the tallinja app. With luggage or more than two people a Bolt or eCabs ride usually makes more sense: you see the fare in the app before you confirm, while the metered white taxis at the terminal cost more.
Bolt and eCabs work everywhere in Malta and are the default taxi for most visitors; install both, order a few minutes early on July–August evenings in St Julian's and Sliema, and set the pick-up pin precisely — many streets are narrow and one-way. Typical journeys: St Julian's or Sliema to St Thomas Bay in Marsaskala about 25–35 minutes by road; Valletta to Marsaxlokk about 25 minutes.
Ferries: Sliema–Valletta, the Three Cities and the Gozo ferry
Harbour ferries save bus time: Sliema ⇄ Valletta and the Three Cities (Cospicua) ⇄ Valletta are crossings of a few minutes, frequent through the day — check times at vallettaferryservices.com.
For Gozo there are two routes. The Gozo Channel car ferry from Ċirkewwa, at the north tip of Malta, to Mġarr takes about 25 minutes, roughly every 45 minutes by day with a reduced night service. Foot passengers buy the return ticket at Mġarr on the way back — about €4.65 per adult, €1.15 per child (3–12); cars from about €15.70 including the driver. Check the current timetable and fares on the official site.
The fast passenger ferry links Valletta's Lascaris Wharf, below the Upper Barrakka lift, with Mġarr in about 45 minutes: around €7.50 one way, about €12–13 return online, fewer sailings in winter. The fast-ferry operators post timetables at gozofastferry.com; check whether the Sliema route is running on your dates. On Gozo the buses radiate from Victoria.
Car rental in Malta: driving on the left, parking and when it is worth it
Malta drives on the left and the roads are narrow. Nothing is far — the island is about 27 km long — but parking is hard in Sliema, St Julian's and Valletta, where a car is more burden than help; Mdina, about 30 minutes by car from Valletta, allows no cars inside the walls.
A hire car earns its keep in the north-west, where Golden Bay, Għajn Tuffieħa and Mellieħa Bay are spread out and the Golden Bay car park fills on weekends, and on Gozo, where it crosses on the Gozo Channel ferry from about €15.70 including the driver. Rent for those days only, and on north-westerly wind days (the majjistral) check the sea first: the north-west beaches and the Blue Grotto boats can close. Shared e-scooters and bikes come and go — check what is currently allowed where you stay.
How to get around Malta without a car: the main day trips by bus and boat
Most of our guests never rent a car, and it works. Sliema, St Julian's and Valletta have the best bus connections; Marsaskala gives you the quiet south-east with our water sports on the doorstep. The main day trips without a car:
- •Valletta and the Three Cities: on foot, plus the harbour ferries from Sliema and to Cospicua.
- •Comino and the Blue Lagoon: easiest with our 10:00 full-day trip from St Julian's (details below); the mandatory entry pass is not included in any boat trip.
- •Gozo: fast ferry from Valletta (about 45 minutes) or bus 41/42 to Ċirkewwa for the Gozo Channel ferry (check the route in the app).
- •Marsaxlokk: bus 81/85 from Valletta (check the route in the app); the Sunday market runs roughly 07:00–13:00 and is best before 10:00.
- •St Peter's Pool: no bus stop — a 35–45-minute walk from Marsaxlokk, a short taxi, or a stop on our south-coast boat tour from St Thomas Bay.
How to reach our meeting points: St Thomas Bay, St Julian's and the marinas
St Thomas Bay, Marsaskala — our water-sports base, open 09:00–19:00 from April to October: jet skis (no licence, 18+, from €50 for 20 minutes), the 28ft open boat with skipper along the south coast (no minimum age, from €180 for 2 hours), kayaks from €8 an hour and dolphin spotting (1 hour, €120 per person, maximum 6 per boat, mornings from May to September). By bus take the 91, 92 or 93 from Valletta, about 40–55 minutes (check the route in the tallinja app); by Bolt or eCabs it is about 25–35 minutes from St Julian's or Sliema.
Comino & Blue Lagoon — the trip departs daily at 10:00 from Welbee's Supermarket, Pendergardens, St Julian's; arrive 20 minutes early. €30 per person paid online, daily until 15 September, about 30 guests per departure, return transfer included, the whole day at the lagoon, crew on board rather than a guide. From Sliema or Valletta take route 13 or a Bolt. The Comino entry pass is a mandatory government QR, not included in any boat trip, only at blcomino.com/product/blue-lagoon.
Catamaran charters leave from Roland Marina in Ta' Xbiex, next to Sliema, or from Sliema itself, confirmed with your booking, all year with the skipper included. Most activities take a small deposit online and the balance at the meeting point on the day; the Comino trip is paid in full online. If we cancel for sea conditions you get a full refund or a free reschedule.
Frequently asked questions
Is it easy to get around Malta without a car?
Yes. The buses reach nearly every town and beach, the 7-day Explore card (about €25) covers Malta and Gozo, and Bolt or eCabs fill the gaps late at night or with luggage. Add the ferries and you can do Valletta, Comino, Gozo, Marsaxlokk and St Thomas Bay without driving.
How much is a bus ticket in Malta?
A single tallinja ticket is valid for 2 hours with transfers and costs about €2.00 in winter and €2.50 in summer (mid-June to mid-October). Tallinja Direct expresses are about €3 and the 7-day Explore card about €25; current fares are at publictransport.com.mt.
What is the best way from Malta airport to Valletta or Sliema?
The X1–X4 express buses are the cheapest; check which number serves your town in the tallinja app. By car it is about 20–30 minutes, and a Bolt or eCabs ride shows the fare before you confirm; the metered white taxis at the terminal cost more.
Does Bolt work in Malta?
Yes. Bolt and eCabs work everywhere on the island and are what most visitors use instead of taxis: St Julian's or Sliema to St Thomas Bay takes about 25–35 minutes by road. Metered white taxis cost more for the same journey.
How long is the ferry from Malta to Gozo?
About 25 minutes on the Gozo Channel car ferry from Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, roughly every 45 minutes by day; foot passengers pay about €4.65 return at Mġarr. The fast passenger ferry from Valletta takes about 45 minutes, around €7.50 one way — check the current timetable.
