Malta: Transportation and Getting Around

UPDATED: 2/5/2023

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What is it about relatively small islands or countries that require more coordination to get around?! Malta is comprised of three islands, two of which are inhabited (mainland Malta and the smaller Gozo) plus Comino, which is a common day trip destination to swim in its Blue Lagoon. We visited Malta and Gozo, and in this blog, we’ll cover information and tips on how to get around these islands without a car . . . and why we wouldn’t recommend renting one.

Getting Around the Island of Malta

do not rent a car

Prior to our trip, we did our standard research - a combination of online information as well as our Lonely Planet Malta & Gozo guide book. We consistently read recommendations not to rent a car and having visited the country ourselves, we wholeheartedly agree. In brief, here’s why.

The number of cars in the country has exploded in recent decades, leading to a lot of traffic on the streets. The roads, particularly in populated areas, are quite confusing winding this way and that over and around each other and would be uncomfortable for someone unfamiliar with them given the speed at which local drivers move, as if they are on a race track. Car travel is not always the fastest way to get places with a number of spots reachable via ferry. And, at least in the city of Valletta and likely in other more densely populated spots, a lot of the street parking is for residents only. People who rent cars often end up parking outside of the city, which is only a hassle.

cabs and ecabs app

Other than catching a cab from the airport to our rental in Valletta upon landing, we did not hail any cabs during our visit. We also didn’t particularly see a lot of them hanging around places, though you can certainly call them and arrange for pick-up. What we used probably half a dozen times was their in-country eCabs app, which is Malta’s own version of Uber/Lyft. You can easily find the app on your cell phone or access eCabs on their website here. Using the app worked exactly the same way as those other sites - we could call a car immediately or schedule one in advance for the following day, the app showed the license plate number and details of the driver, and the payment was handled entirely via the app, where tipping could also be added on and driver ratings provided. This was super convenient, easy to use, and we would absolutely recommend it.

bus

Malta has an extensive bus system on the main island with its primary terminal in Valletta. The buses are very affordable for budget travelers. Because the buses are primarily for the local population, they make many stops and depending on your destination, you may need to change buses. As a result, we did not use the buses on Malta at all, but we did use them as our primary method of transit on Gozo and had a positive experience. You can check out all of Malta’s bus routes and details on their website here.

ferry

Sometimes the fastest way from point A to point B is over the sea! Within Malta, there are ferries between Sliema, Valletta, and the Three Cities peninsulas just across the bay from Valletta through Valletta Ferry Services. You can check out their routes and timetable here. We took a ferry from the Three Cities after an afternoon visiting Birgu’s Medieval streets and Inquisitor’s Palace. This ferry ride was 5-10 minutes in length. Travel by car would have been 20-25 minutes. Not to mention that seeing the area from the water provides a new perspective entirely!

We simply showed up at the terminal and were able to pay via cash or credit once the ferry pulled up. They offloaded the prior passengers, quickly gathered payments from our group of new passengers, and were on their way in a heartbeat. There was no line or formality to this ticket buying - customers simply gathered around the man taking payment for the ticket purchases. Make sure to hold on to your ticket when you head to Valletta, since you can use it for free entry up the Barrakka Lift, which offers an elevator or stairs from harbor level up to the city, about 200 feet up. Better yet, at the top, you'll find yourself leaving the lift and stepping into the beautiful Upper Barrakka Gardens with amazing views of the city, harbor, and peninsulas across the harbor.

A ferry (through Gozo Channel) is also the way to get from mainland Malta to the islands of Gozo or Comino. Unfortunately that ferry only leaves from the other end of the island from Valletta, so getting to either spot by ferry requires some planning. An unexpected tip: you do not need to purchase a ticket to travel from Malta to Gozo. The reason: all visitors to Gozo will eventually have to return back across the water, so tickets are only purchased in that return direction to cover the full route. Stepping aboard a ferry with no ticket felt odd, but that is how this works!

Getting Around the Island of Gozo

cabs

There are cabs on Gozo and many await visitors at the ferry terminal. Upon our arrival and not wanting to tackle figuring out the bus system, we caught a cab to deliver us to our Airbnb in the main city of Victoria. This was definitely a more expensive option, though it did give us a chance to talk to a local about the area, its growth in tourism, and its agriculture. The eCabs app, which is available on the island of Malta does not service Gozo. Note that some of the older parts of Victoria may not be car friendly. In our case, the cab dropped us off a 3-5 minute walk from our destination. Not a problem for us, but this is worth noting for anyone hauling large amounts of luggage.

bus

Definitely use Gozo’s bus system to get around. It was so easy to use, very affordable, and on such a small island requires only short periods of time on the bus. Particularly if you stay in Victoria like we did and have access to the main terminal, there are lots of options to get to any spot on the island that might suit your interests. One thing we did learn, though, is that the bus website is not perfectly up-to-date. One of the buses we were planning on taking was not running, as we discovered when we got to the bus terminal; however, there were alternative options available. If you are on a tight timetable for whatever reason, allow extra time to be safe. You can view the route details for Gozo on their site here. Scroll down past the Malta routes to find the Gozo section.

bikes

Prior to our trip, we read online about the option to rent bikes on Gozo. We have done so on other small islands before and thought it might be worth doing. After seeing the roads there (and the hills), this did not seem like a great option. We also didn’t see anyone else riding bikes, but we did experience being in a bus barely making its way through tiny streets built long before buses. Unless you are very into biking and comfortable in different situations, this probably is not a good option. There are, however, bike tours on the island, and that may offer a safe, guided option for those interested.

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