Due to the islands’ small size, moving around in Malta and Gozo is quite easy. The most common mode of Malta public transport is the use of public buses. The public route buses are pocket-friendly to both the expats and locals. Back in the early 20th century, there was a railway transport that was used for public transportation, but it is no longer used. The good thing about using public buses is that they have fixed charges to avoid overcharging and you can buy the tickets beforehand.
Bus routes and schedule
The public buses operate as from 5.30 in the morning and 11:00 at night. During the weekends you can get public transport in Malta and Gozo at night. That is Friday, Saturday or during public holidays.
Another option for transport apart from buses is walking and cycling. The two are cheaper and faster than public buses. A word of caution though, you shouldn’t be in a rush while walking or cycling.
The main bus station is nearby Valletta which is the capital city of Malta. There are other bus stations that enable you to connect with other places on the island. The most crucial areas in the island are cruise ship port which is in Valletta, Bugibba, Malta international airport, Victoria town in Gozo and Cirkewwa terminal. If you are in Cirkewaa ferry station, you can be able to catch another ferry that can take you to Gozo.
How to get tickets and cost
Bus tickets can either be pre-purchased at Valletta and the airport or otherwise directly from the driver.
Cost of tickets:
- Winter: €1.50
- Summer: €2.00
- Night: €3.00
There are different cards available for tourists, expats and locals that they can use on public buses. These cards are commonly known as ‘tal-linja cards’.
Cost of tal-linja card:
- Explore card-goes for €15 for children and €21 for adults. It provides unlimited transport throughout the island for a whole week (7days). You can use these cards in both Malta and Gozo. Unfortunately, you cannot share the card with friends or family members.
- 12 single day journey card – it cost €15 but can be shared by friends and family. It guarantees travel for 12 rounds, and you can use it during the day or six nights’ journeys.
Travelling from Malta to Gozo by public transport
Because the two are islands, you will use a ferry to move from Malta to Gazo. You will first have to take a bus in Malta up to Cirkewwa Ferry Terminal where you will board the Gozo Channel ferry that will cross you over to Mgarr in Gozo.
The ferry ride takes only 20 minutes and its available daily (45 minutes after each ferry ride) for transport. The cost for using the ferry is €4.65 for adults, and if you are going to Gozo with your car, it is €15.70. You will buy the ferry tickets before getting on the ferry on your way back to Malta.
To get to Cirkewwa, you can use buses from these routes: X1, 102, 221, 222, 42, 41, and 250 which are in different towns and centers on the island.
There are at least 14 Malta bus routes that are offering public transportation in Gozo. These public buses are in Mgarr Gozo and can be used to travel to other parts of Gazo. During your exploration in Gozo, you can still use the cards and tickets issued in Malta.
