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Malta follows left-hand traffic.
Malta Guide · 09
Getting AroundMoving through Malta & Gozo
Malta in motion
Small islands do not always mean short journeys.
Distances are compact, but traffic, transfers and island geography can make the clock tell a different story.
Getting from A to B
The trick is choosing the right mode for the journey.
Malta and Gozo are easy to explore without a car. Buses cover most towns and sights, harbour ferries bypass awkward road journeys, and ride-hailing fills the gaps.
A car is most useful for remote bays, trailheads and several scattered stops. Around Valletta and the harbours, buses, ferries and walking are often simpler.
Transport at a glance
The essentials before you set off.
A quick snapshot of how movement across the islands works.
Gozo Channel
About 25 min
Ċirkewwa to Mġarr, with passengers and vehicles.
Fast ferry
45 min
Valletta to Mġarr, Gozo by high-speed passenger ferry.
Public transport
Malta + Gozo
The scheduled bus network serves both main islands.
Harbour ferries
Two crossings
Valletta connects by ferry with Sliema and the Three Cities.
Airport buses
TD1-TD5
Direct services link the airport with major visitor hubs.
Ride hailing
App based
Bolt, Uber and eCabs operate across Malta.
Best planning tool
tallinja app
Use live information and journey planning before leaving.
By bus
The network that holds the islands together.
Buses reach most towns, beaches, sights and ferry terminals across Malta and Gozo.
The everyday network.
Use standard routes for most journeys. Valletta and Victoria are the main hubs.
Fewer stops, quicker links.
TD services connect selected destinations more directly than regular routes.
Selected late connections.
N-prefixed services operate on selected corridors after the daytime network thins out.
Check before you leave.
Traffic can shift timings, so use live journey information for departures and connections.
From the airport
Straight onto the bus network.
Airport Direct serves major visitor hubs, with regular routes adding more connections.
Ċirkewwa
Via Rabat, Buġibba and Mellieħa.
St Julian's
For St Julian's and Pembroke.
Sliema
Via St Julian's, Gżira and Msida.
Valletta
Direct towards the capital.
Buġibba
Via Rabat towards St Paul's Bay.
By sea
Sometimes the shortest road is water.
Ferries can turn long harbour road journeys into short crossings.
About 25 min
Gozo Channel
The Ċirkewwa-Mġarr crossing carries passengers and vehicles around the clock, subject to conditions.
Ċirkewwa ⇄ Mġarr, Gozo
45 min from Valletta
Gozo Highspeed
A fast passenger service links Valletta with Gozo, with additional Sliema and Buġibba services.
Valletta / Sliema / Buġibba ⇄ Gozo
Harbour shortcut
Sliema Ferry
The Sliema-Valletta catamaran avoids the road around Marsamxett Harbour.
Sliema ⇄ Valletta
Grand Harbour
Three Cities Ferry
The Valletta-Bormla ferry puts Birgu and the Three Cities within an easy walk.
Valletta ⇄ Three Cities
Fast-ferry and harbour services can be altered or suspended when sea or weather conditions deteriorate. Check the operator before building a tight connection around a sailing.
Taxis & ride hailing
The easiest answer when time matters more than budget.
Taxis and ride-hailing are widely available around the airport and larger towns.
Book, see the price, track the car.
App-based services are useful for airport transfers, evenings out and awkward bus connections.
BoltUbereCabs
Airport taxis run 24 hours.
At Malta International Airport, pre-paid taxi tickets are sold from the booth in the Welcomers' Hall at fixed rates by destination.
Late, direct, luggage-heavy.
A taxi is useful when buses are sparse, with heavy gear or for early flights.
Driving in Malta
Freedom on the map, patience on the road.
A car opens up remote coastlines, but adds traffic and parking.
Rent a car for the places, not for the distance.
A car is ideal for linking remote swimming spots, trailheads, viewpoints and villages.
For Valletta and the inner harbour, traffic and parking can erase the time saved.
Left-hand trafficSeat belts compulsoryWhite bays where permitted
Keep left.
Vehicles are driven on the left side of the road.
Belt up.
Seat belts are compulsory for people travelling in the car.
Parking needs attention.
Use designated bays and read local signs. Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time.
Add time, not stress.
Peak traffic can make short distances slow, especially through central Malta.
On foot & two wheels
The last kilometre is often the best part.
Historic centres are best on foot; cycling is more pleasant on quieter roads.
Best inside the old cores.
Valletta, Mdina, Birgu and many village centres are best explored on foot. Expect steps, slopes and summer heat.
Useful, but route choice matters.
Cycling infrastructure is uneven, so quieter rural and coastal roads are usually more enjoyable.
Walk, ferry, then bus.
A ferry, walk and bus combination can beat a single long road journey.
Getting around Gozo
Smaller island, different rhythm.
Gozo is compact, but the coast and villages are spread out.
Use Victoria as the hub.
Most bus routes radiate through Victoria, making it the natural interchange for the coast and villages.
01Arrive at Mġarr and connect by bus towards Victoria or the coast.
02Expect some cross-island journeys to require a change in Victoria.
03Use taxis or ride hailing to fill gaps when timetables do not line up.
Gozo becomes a very flexible day.
A car makes it much easier to combine several rural or coastal stops without returning through Victoria.
01The vehicle ferry runs between Ċirkewwa and Mġarr.
02Roads can be narrow inside villages and around older centres.
03For a walking-heavy Victoria day, leaving the car parked can still be easier.
The simple rule
For towns, use buses and walk. For remote coast, trailheads or several scattered stops, a car is more practical.
Further reading
Check the live information before you travel.
Official timetables, fares, ferry services and airport transport.
Malta Public TransportJourney planning, routes, service alerts and visitor information.
Airport DirectTD1-TD5 routes, frequencies and current fares.
Gozo ChannelVehicle ferry timetable, fares and operational notices.
Gozo HighspeedFast ferry schedules, routes and fare information.
Valletta Ferry ServicesSliema and Three Cities timetables and fares.
Malta Airport TaxisOfficial 24-hour taxi information from Malta International Airport.