Malta Transportation

Getting around via Malta's transportation is an adventure, for sure, which most visitors somehow seem to enjoy.

The public bus system will take you everywhere you want to go for just Lm0.15 on most routes, but at the same time you will wonder what keeps many of the buses going. But you must experience this to believe it and most visitors to Malta seem to take it in stride and enjoy it as if it were a curiosity at least as they snake through the narrow, worn roads of Malta.

The Malta Transport Authority recently created a new bus route, 505, that takes visitors to the main attractions in Malta throughout the day. You can jump on and off this bus anywhere along the route for a one-time fee.

One thing you should be aware of is that driving in Malta is a stressful experience and surely it wears on the drivers. But some drivers are fairly rude and mean to the public. If this happens to you just try to cope with it. The Malta Transport Authority and the Malta Tourism Authority are trying to address this issue.

Aside from the buses, you can see much of Malta from the comfort of a boat, small or large, on any of the many tour offerings available at the Strand in Sliema.

You can also get around Malta by car, taxi, bicycle, scooter, or on foot. But remember, the Maltese drive on the left side of the road.

So take care.

Getting to Gozo

*** NOTE To get to Gozo please take the following advice, whether driving or taking the bus (#645 from Sliema Waterfront), LEAVE EARLY!

The ferry costs LM5.70 per car and Lm1.75 per person for a round trip.

It usually takes around 45 minutes to an hour to get to the ferry in Cirkewwa on Malta's west coast from Sliema. And usually the ferry will leave the minute you arrive, so you'll be waiting another 45 minutes to an hour to get on the next ferry Gozo and then the ferry takes another 30 minutes to cross the channel! So it could seem like a really long journey if you don't plan it well.

In summer, it is even more challenging. If you're staying in St. Julian's, Swieqi, or Paceville, and you're planning to take bus #645 to the ferry, your best bet is to actually go to Sliema to get it from the start of the route, regardless of whether you'll be backtracking. The reason for this is that the bus could be full by the time it reaches you wherever you are on the route. So better to be sure and catch it from the start. Again, the earlier the better.

Getting to Comino

Follow the above advice for Comino as well, except note that there is a separate boat service that will take you to the uninhabited island. And again in summer, it can get really busy. Look for signs as you approach the ferry terminal in Cirkewwa that will tell you where to get your boat to Comino.