Given that Malta is the world’s tenth smallest country, it’s a great candidate for getting around on public transport! We love using public transport in countries and cities all over the world, and we were able to get everywhere we wanted to in Malta. It can be so tricky to navigate transport in a different country. From knowing where to get tickets or how to pay, to finding the routes and timetables. We’ve taken our experience using the public transport in Malta and laid out everything you might need to know to use the system to see this beautiful country.
While you’re planning your trip to Malta, don’t forget to read our posts on where you should stay and the best things to do on your trip!
In this article:
- Modes of transport
- Paying the fare
- Cost of travel
- How to find timetables and routes
- Important things to know
Modes of Transport
There are two main modes of public transport in Malta: buses and ferries.
Bus
Buses are by far the main mode of public transport in Malta, with roughly 80 routes across the country. Buses run from or through all the major cities, including Valletta, Sliema, St Julian’s, Mdina, and Victoria, as well as the airport and Ċirkewwa, where you can catch the Gozo Channel Ferry across to Gozo. You can use the public bus system to go pretty much anywhere you may want or need to go.
Ferry
Considering Malta is an archipelago nation consisting of three main islands, it’s no surprise that ferries are a common mode of transport. There are many private ferry companies and tour boats that operate around the coast. Many people choose to visit Gozo using one of these private companies, or the Gozo Channel Ferry from the north of Malta.
There is also a public ferry, which is what we will focus on for this post. There are two routes of public ferries, both starting or ending in Valletta, the capital. One route heads to Sliema, and one goes to Cospicua. If you catch the ferry from Cospicua to Valletta, you will also recieve a ticket for the Upper Barrakka lift, so you can get into the centre of Valletta.
Paying the Fare
Bus
You may find information online about how Malta’s bus system is free. This is true, but only for residents of the country. Tourists must pay for bus journeys upon boarding.
In terms of how to pay, there are a couple of options. The method that we found the easiest and most cost-effective for our itinerary was to tap on to the bus with our bank-issued card. This will purchase you a two-hour ticket, meaning that you can transfer buses without paying again. You can also pay for a two hour ticket with cash upon boarding the bus. Keep in mind that you will likely need to pay in exact change if you opt for this method.
You could also choose to purchase a Tallinja card for your time in Malta. This could be cheaper, but isn’t necessarily, so make sure to calculate if this is a good option for you. For tourists, there are three main Tallinja cards: the Explore Flex Card, the Explore Card and the 12 Journeys Card.
The Explore Flex card is similar to the Oyster system in London, or the Opal system in Sydney. It is a plastic card that can be topped up with monetary value, which can then be used to pay for public transport in Malta. The Explore Card offers unlimited bus travel for seven days, and costs €21. The 12 Journeys Card allows 12 single journeys on bus services for €21.
If you are wanting to buy a Tallinja card, you can check here for locations they are available for purchase. We would highly recommend buying it at the airport upon arrival, so you are set for the rest of your trip.
Ferry
You can also purchase ferry tickets with card or cash upon boarding or at the ticket booth at the ferry stop. Unlike buses, ferry tickets are single ride only, so you will need to either buy a return ticket or purchase a ticket for each direction.
Cost of Travel
Bus
Bus fares are based on whether you are catching a day time or night time bus. The bus numbers are different for these, with any night bus route number having an ‘N’ at the start. Day route fares cost €2.50, while night route fares are €3.
Tallinja cards may offer you a cheaper fare, depending on how often you are intending to catch a bus during your time in Malta. For example, we spent seven days in Malta, and we planned to catch nine day time buses and one night time bus. This would bring our fare total to €20.50 (the prices were slightly lower for individual rides at the time of our visit). We opted to pay for each of these buses individually, as that would save us €0.50 over the week.
If you are are intending to catch more than €21 worth of buses, it is definitely worth purchasing either the Explore Card for seven days of unlimited travel or the 12 Journeys Card.
Ferry
Ferry prices also change based on the time of day. Day time single tickets are €2, and night time singles are €2.50. The equivalent return tickets are €3.80 and €4.20.
How to Find Timetables and Routes
It’s all well and good to know that public transport in Malta is available, but without knowing the schedule, it’s not actually that useful. Thankfully, schedules for buses in Malta are quite easy to find.
Google Maps
The Malta bus system is integrated into Google Maps. This means you can easily plug in your start and end points, and you will recieve detailed information on which bus routes you need to catch, and the times of the services.
One issue with this, however, is that the system does not have real time data. When a bus was delayed or running early, Google Maps did not update to give us the accurate information.
This is where the Tallinja App came in handy!
Tallinja App
The Tallinja App is the official app for public transport in Malta, particularly the bus. If you purchase a Tallinja card, you can register it in the app, but you can also use it to see bus routes and real time data. We used this in conjunction with Google Maps to find the right route and track the buses to know when the most suitable service for us was.
Ferry Timetable
Unfortunately the Valletta Ferry Service is not integrated with Google Maps and is not featured on the Tallinja App. Thankfully though, the schedule is pretty consistent and easy to remember!
The ferries run every half hour between Valletta and the two destinations: Sliema and Cospicua. To Sliema, ferries depart Valletta on the hour and half hour, and return from Sliema at 15 and 45 past the hour. Between Valletta and Cospicua, they depart on the hour and half our from Cospicua, and at 15 and 45 past from Valletta. You can see more about the ferry schedule here, including any seasonal variation in the first and last ferry of the day.
Important Things to Know
- Delays and cancellations are very common. We had a few instances where the bus we were wanting to catch simply never arrived. Make sure to plan extra time in case there are any delays.
- Timeliness isn’t always a given. Similar to other countries in southern Europe, the timetables are more of a guide than they are a rulebook. Make sure you’re checking the real time data to know when your bus is expected to arrive.
- Some bus routes are quite infrequent. Some of the routes only have a bus every half hour or hour, so make sure you check ahead. If you are intending to use the bus to get to the airport or ferry port for a departure, make sure you allow plenty of extra time just in case.
- Buses can be crowded. Particularly in summer when there are many tourists on the island, the buses can be busy and hot. Prepare to potentially stand for part of your journey.
- Ferry fares are sometimes only able to be paid in cash. We did not have any issues, but we have heard of the card machines being out of order meaning cash payment is required.
Public transport in Malta can be a game changer on helping you save money while you travel around the country. Keep in mind that it is not always 100% reliable, but with some planning ahead you can definitely make it work for you. Hopefully our information helps you to make the most of your time and money in making your way around Malta. Let us know if you have any questions or want to share your experience with the public transport in Malta!
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