Getting around Malta is straightforward enough once you know how the system actually works — and genuinely frustrating if you don't. The bus network covers the island well, fares are reasonable, and for many visitors a hire car is more hassle than it's worth. For others, particularly anyone staying outside the main tourist belt or planning day trips across Gozo, having your own wheels makes a real difference. This guide covers the honest version: what works, what doesn't, and where the gaps are.
See our trip costs guide for a broader picture of what Malta costs day to day, and travel basics for sim cards, currency, and other practicalities before you arrive.
Malta's bus network is run by Malta Public Transport and covers virtually every town and village on the island. Almost all routes pass through Valletta, which is both the system's great strength and its most obvious weakness — if you want to get from Sliema to Marsaxlokk without going into the capital first, you're looking at a long ride with a change in the middle.
Fares are seasonal. Right now, in summer (14 June–18 October), a single journey costs €2.50. That drops to €2.00 in winter (19 October–13 June). Night buses (the N routes), the Tallinja Direct services, the X300, and special routes all cost €3.00 regardless of season. A single ticket gives you two hours of travel, so if your connection is quick you can make one ticket cover a change in Valletta.
From the airport, the old X1, X2, X3 and X4 routes were all discontinued on 20 April 2025. The service to Valletta is now the TD4 (Airport Direct), a Tallinja Direct route that takes roughly 12–25 minutes depending on traffic and costs €3.00. Buy your ticket on the bus or at the terminal — it's a reasonable option if you're travelling light and heading straight into Valletta.
Other useful routes: Route 15 runs between Valletta and Sliema Ferries. Route 41 goes from Valletta up to Ċirkewwa, the northern terminal for the Gozo ferry — useful if you're heading to Gozo without a car. Route 222 connects Ċirkewwa directly to Sliema Ferries, cutting out Valletta entirely if you're coming from the north. For the south, Routes 81 and 85 both serve Marsaxlokk from Valletta, with Route 81 running daily.
Buses can run late, particularly in the afternoon heat and during summer when tourist numbers push up passenger loads. The Tallinja app shows real-time positions and is genuinely useful — download it before you travel.
There is no 24-hour bus pass in Malta — that's a common misconception. The options for tourists are: a single 2-hour ticket (€2.50 in summer, €2.00 in winter), a 12-journey card for €19, or the 7-day unlimited Explore Card for €25.
The Explore Card is worth it if you're making three or more bus journeys a day — at summer rates, you break even after ten single trips. It covers unlimited travel on standard routes for seven consecutive days and is sold at the airport, at Valletta bus terminus, and at various retail outlets. It does not cover Tallinja Direct (TD) routes, the X300, or night buses, which still cost €3.00 per journey on top.
The 12-journey card at €19 suits a shorter stay or anyone who won't be busing every day. Both cards are loaded onto the Tallinja card and validated on board. Check the full breakdown at publictransport.com.mt before you travel, as pricing and route inclusions do get updated.
There are two ferry crossings you'll actually use: the Gozo Channel ferry and the Valletta–Sliema/Valletta–Birgu harbour ferries.
The Gozo Channel crosses between Ċirkewwa (Malta) and Mġarr (Gozo), runs around the clock, and is operated by Gozo Channel. Foot passengers pay approximately €4.65 return — one of the better-value crossings in the Mediterranean. The crossing takes about 25 minutes. No booking required as a foot passenger; you just turn up and board. Car bookings in summer are a different matter — queues at Ċirkewwa can stretch considerably, particularly on Sunday evenings when Maltese families return from Gozo. If you're taking a car, check the Gozo Channel site for the booking system.
The harbour ferries — Valletta to Sliema and Valletta to Birgu (the Three Cities) — are fast, pleasant, and genuinely useful. Valletta's waterfront geography means that without the ferry you're looking at a long bus or taxi ride to cross what is visually just a few hundred metres of water. Fares are modest and services run frequently during the day. These are operated separately from the main bus network.
For Comino and the Blue Lagoon, the crossing is a boat trip rather than a scheduled ferry. Group boat trips cost roughly €20–45 per person depending on your departure point — around €13–30 from Bugibba, €25–45 from Sliema. Simple return crossings from Malta (Cirkewwa/Marfa) cost €13 per adult with Ebsons or €15 with Comino Ferries Co-Op; from Gozo (Mgarr), €9 with Bella Comino or €13 with Ebsons (cave tour usually included on return leg). Since May 2025, a free timed landing pass must be booked in advance through the official booking system before you set foot on Comino. Don't skip this — wardens are checking.
Honestly? It depends entirely on where you're staying and what you want to do.
If you're based in Sliema, St Julian's, Valletta, or Bugibba, and you're happy to plan around bus times and the odd taxi, you probably don't need one. The bus covers the main sights, a taxi to the airport costs a fixed €17 in a white official cab, and Bolt fills in the gaps. For a week in the tourist belt, a hire car mostly means paying for parking you can't find.
If you're staying in the south — Marsaxlokk, Żurrieq, Żebbuġ — or in Gozo for more than a day, a car becomes considerably more useful. Bus frequency outside the main routes drops sharply, and some of the island's best spots (Dingli Cliffs, the inland villages, much of rural Gozo) are genuinely awkward without your own transport.
Economy hire starts at roughly €18–28 per day in shoulder season. Parking in Valletta is essentially not viable; in Sliema and St Julian's it's expensive and competitive. Maltese roads are narrow, signage is occasionally baffling, and roundabout etiquette is a law unto itself. None of this is insurmountable, but it's worth factoring in. See travel basics for driving licence requirements and what to check on the hire contract.
Bolt operates in Malta and is the most practical option for on-demand rides. The app works well, prices are transparent before you book, and availability in the main tourist areas is generally good. For late nights when buses have thinned out, or when you're carrying luggage, it's the sensible default. Fares are cheaper than official taxis for most journeys.
Official white taxis operate at fixed fares from the airport — €17 to Valletta is the standard rate, set by the Malta Airport authority. This is fair for a taxi; the TD4 bus at €3.00 is the budget alternative if you're travelling light. Outside the airport, metered taxis exist but are less common. Agree a fare upfront if the meter isn't running.
The main gap with Bolt is rural areas and Gozo — driver availability drops off sharply once you leave the main towns. Don't rely on it for a return from a remote beach at 6pm in August; the wait can be long or the pickup simply won't materialise. Plan accordingly or hire a car for those days.
Hop-on hop-off bus tours. These cost significantly more than a standard bus pass, run on fixed tourist circuits, and don't get you anywhere the public bus doesn't also go. The commentary is generic and the open-top experience in August is either sunburnt or cancelled for wind. Save the money.
Organised day-trip coaches to Mdina and Valletta. Both are easy to reach independently by public bus. Mdina is a 20-minute ride from Valletta on Route 52 or Route 53; Valletta is the hub of the entire network. Paying for a guided coach adds cost and a fixed timetable to journeys you can make on your own for €2.50 each way. The guides aren't always local — we've heard commentary that wouldn't pass a basic fact-check.
Renting a car just for airport transfers. Between the TD4 at €3.00 and the fixed-fare white taxi at €17, there is no scenario where a hire car makes sense purely for airport runs. Factor in the time to collect the car, the drop-off faff, and the cost, and you're paying more in every direction.
Ferries from tourist beaches to Comino without booking the landing pass. Since May 2025, you need a timed slot booked in advance to land on Comino. Boat operators will still sell you a trip; wardens on the island will turn you away if you don't have a pass. Book it before you book the boat. Details and current availability are on the official Comino booking system — check visitmalta.com for the current linked process.
In summer (14 June–18 October), a single 2-hour bus ticket costs €2.50. Tallinja Direct routes, night buses, and the X300 cost €3.00.
No. The closest options are a 12-journey card for €19 or a 7-day unlimited Explore Card for €25.
Take the TD4 (Airport Direct), formerly known as the X1/X4 routes, which were discontinued in April 2025. The fare is €3.00 and the journey takes roughly 12–25 minutes.
Approximately €4.65 return. No booking needed as a foot passenger — just turn up at Ċirkewwa and board.
Not if you're staying in Sliema, St Julian's, or Valletta and sticking to main sights. Yes, if you want to explore rural Malta or Gozo independently.
Yes, Bolt works well in the main tourist areas. Availability drops off in rural areas and on Gozo, so don't rely on it for remote locations.