Best Way to Get Around Malta (Car, Bolt, Bus or Ferry?)

Last updated on May 3, 2026

When I was planning our Malta vacation, one of the biggest questions I had was figuring out the best way to get around Malta. The island may be small—most places are only a 20- to 40-minute drive apart—but with its densely populated cities and narrow, historic streets, I wasn’t sure renting a car was the right move.

If you’re wondering the same thing, this guide breaks down all your options so you can decide the best way to get around Malta for your trip. From public buses and ride-sharing apps to ferries and car rentals, I’ll walk you through how to get around Malta and the pros and cons of each.

The best way to get around Malta

The best way to get around Malta will depend on where you are staying and your comfort level of driving on Maltese streets. For most people, getting around with Bolt, buses, ferries, and walking is the best choice. It’s affordable and easy to use these services without the hassle of a car.

However, if you’re staying in more remote areas of the island, renting a car provides more ease and accessibility. Just make sure you are comfortable driving narrow (and often hectic) historic roads on the left-hand side of the road. Being a former British colony, the country follows British driving rules.

How to get around Malta: quick comparison

Option	Best for	Cost	Good to know
Rental car	Gozo, beaches, remote spots	€€	Drive on the left side of the road. Parking and narrow roads can be stressful. Need an international driver’s license.
Bolt	Short trips, city stays	€–€€	Usually very fast and abundant in the main areas of Malta and Gozo.
Bus	Budget travelers	€	Can be slow in summer and have unreliable time schedules.
Ferry	Valletta, Three Cities, Gozo	€	Scenic and often practical. Good compliment to Bolt.

Do you need a car in Malta?

Personally, I don’t think you need a car in Malta. Even though rental cars are extremely affordable here, Malta’s roads can be very stressful to drive. They are super narrow with lots of confusing one-way streets. Local drivers are very aggressive and fast, and parking is tight and limited.

I truly think Malta may have the narrowest streets I’ve ever seen in a European country, more so than other places I’ve driven, like Spain. You can hire a private driver for your trip for around $100 for a week (possibly more depending on the number of people and where you’re staying).

Renting a Car in Malta

If you want to rent a car because you plan to explore more remote areas or simply want the freedom of going where you want, when you want, then pick up your car at the airport. Most car rental companies have their fleets held there.

Having your own transportation for some of the more rural areas, like Dingli Cliffs, Ħagar Qim, or exploring Gozo Island, is definitely convenient. However, many hotels don’t have parking and require you to walk to a large parking lot five to ten minutes away, so ask what the hotel’s options are for parking before booking.

Just know that, as a former British Colony, they drive on the left-hand side of the road. Which, coming from the United States, would have been a big learning curve for us. Plus, you need to have an international driver’s permit if your driver’s license isn’t in the Roman alphabet (you can get an IDP easily from AAA).

Pros of renting a car in Malta

• 👍🏼 You can go where you want, when you want.
• 👍🏼 It’s fairly affordable, costing between $50 – $100 for a 1-week car rental.
• 👍🏼 Never have to wait for a bus or Bolt to pick you up.

Cons of renting a car in Malta

• 👎🏼 Parking can be difficult.
• 👎🏼 Drivers are fast and aggressive.
• 👎🏼 They drive on the left side of the road.
• 👎🏼 Very narrow roads that can be difficult to navigate.
• 👎🏼 Need an international driving permit if your home driver’s license isn’t written in Roman letters.

➡ Read Next: Where to Stay in Malta: Best Areas & Hotels for All Travelers ⬅

Using Bolt to get around Malta

Bolt is Europe’s version of Uber. It’s a ride-sharing app where certified drivers (in a specific Bolt-labeled car) pick you up and take you wherever you designate. It’s super easy to use, and like Uber offers confidence in the price you will pay, updates on how far you are from the destination, and the opportunity to leave reviews for drivers.

If you’re in Valletta, Sliema, Rabat, Mdina, or the Three Cities, this is definitely the best way to get around. It’s affordable, easy to use, safe, and fast.

We almost exclusively used Bolt to get around Malta. Rides typically cost $5 to $10 at most, and we didn’t have long waits like the bus. The downside is that $5 to $10 (or more if it’s a long distance) adds up quickly. For example, we paid $44 round-trip to go to and from Ħagar Qim from Sliema!

Pros and cons of using Bolt to get around Malta

• 👍🏼 Can get you anywhere you want directly.
• 👍🏼 Comfortable and fast.
• 👎🏼 The most expensive option, with trips costing between $3 – $40.
• 👎🏼 Often still have to wait for the driver to arrive (5-15 minutes depending on where you are).

Taking the bus in Malta

The best way to get around Malta if you’re on a budget is by public bus. Bus rides are €2.50 per person during the peak summer season (June 14 – Oct 18) and €2.00 per person in winter (Oct 19 – June 13).

However, if you will be in Malta for a week or more, or plan to use the bus as your main way of getting around the island, you can purchase special passes at a fixed rate and receive unlimited rides.

The most popular is the 7-day “explore” pass with the Tallinja card, which costs €25 per adult and €7 per child and allows you to ride on the bus as many times as you want or need. They also have a 4-day explore pass, which costs €19.00 per adult. Both include Airport direct buses during that time period.

To use this program, you need to have a physical Tallinja card and pay for this pass up-front, which can be done at one of the following locations:

• Valletta Bus Terminal
• Malta Airport (in the Welcome Hall)
• Buġibba Bus Terminal
• Sliema Ferry Terminal
• Ticket machines at select bus stops and ferry terminals (see them here)

Malta’s bus system is pretty extensive and will take you to almost anywhere on the island, even fairly remote spots. The challenge is that some routes don’t have frequent pick-ups or drop-offs, and there are often closures due to construction.

For example, we tried waiting for a bus after visiting Blue Grotto, but after looking at the schedule, the bus only came once an hour, and we’d have to wait 30 minutes for the bus to arrive. So, we just walked twenty minutes to our next destination instead.

The bus also takes more time to get from place to place because it has to stop frequently. When we looked at walking, vs bus, vs Bolt, most times the bus route would take two to three times as long compared to other options.

Most bus connections operate through Valletta with direct routes to most places. However, if you’re not departing from Valletta, expect to have to switch buses. For that reason, we chose not to use the bus too often unless it had direct routes from where we were. We did take the bus to go to the boat tour at Comino Island and it was super fast and convenient.

Bus is a great way to get around if you are on a tight budget and are staying in or near Valletta or the main bus route in outside cities. We had to walk 18 minutes from where we stayed in Sliema to reach the bus pick-up and drop-off area, which adds a lot of time to our commute on top of waiting for the bus to arrive.

Pros and cons of using the Malta bus to get around

• 👍🏼 Very affordable with a 7-day Explore Pass offering unlimited bus rides for just €25.
• 👍🏼 Well connected with buses going almost anywhere, especially from Valletta.
• 👍🏼 Easy to use and clean.
• 👎🏼 Often have to wait long times before the bus arrives.
• 👎🏼 Not always reliable and may not arrive as planned due to a re-route.
• 👎🏼 Long transit time, often two to three times longer than driving.

Ferries in Malta

Another popular way to get around Malta is by water taxi or ferry. Water taxis between Valletta and Birgu (the Three Cities) cost €2 per rider for a single trip. You can take these really cute old boats called dgħajsa, which have been used in Malta for centuries.

Other destinations use larger ferries. For example, to get from Sliema to Valletta or from Sliema to the Three Cities. The ferry is at the Sliema ferry terminal and costs €1.50 per person for a one-way trip with boats departing roughly every 30 minutes.

It’s a really beautiful and convenient way to get around the main area of Malta. However, it is weather-dependent and not an option everywhere on the island. The night we tried to take the ferry home, it was canceled due to swells in the bay.

There is a high-speed ferry to Gozo that departs from Valletta and takes around 45 minutes to reach the island of Gozo. It’s definitely the fastest, most convenient way to reach the island and can be bundled with your explore pass for a discounted rate. If you pay separately, the tickets will cost €7.50 per person one-way.

Pros and cons of using the Malta ferry and water taxis

• 👍🏼 Can conveniently take you between Valletta, Sliema, The Three Cities, or Gozo.
• 👍🏼 Affordable and scenic.
• 👍🏼 Operates regularly throughout the day.
• 👎🏼 Weather dependent.
• 👎🏼 Doesn’t go everywhere.
• 👎🏼 Have to time your departure and arrival carefully, or you can wait long times.

The ferry runs every hour during the day and every two hours in the early morning and late evenings. You should book your tickets in advance if it’s during the peak tourism season (summer), and make sure you don’t miss the ferry! If not, you’ll be stuck waiting an hour for the next one to arrive.

Getting around Malta from the airport

The one place the bus really shines is going to and from the Airport. There is a designated Bolt area where you can hail a car to get to your accommodation, and it should cost around €20 – €30 to reach almost anywhere on the island.

• Fastest but most expensive: Bolt
• Slowest but most economical: Bus

If you’re on a budget, I’d recommend taking the bus to and from the airport. There are five routes to and from the airport with stops all day long. The ride only costs €3 per person if you don’t have one of the unlimited explore passes.

Bus Route	Destinations	Runs Every…
TD1	Rabat, Buġibba, Mellieħa, Ċirkewwa.	Hour
TD2	St. Julian’s, Pembroke	30 minutes
TD3	St. Julian’s, Sliema, Gżira, Msida	30 minutes
TD4	Valletta, Gozo Fast Ferry	30 minutes
TD5	Rabat, Buġibba	30 minutes

Now that you know the best way to get around Malta, you should be able to navigate the island with ease. Walking is always our favorite way to explore, but given that many of the places you’ll want to visit in Malta are sprinkled across the island, you’ll want to make sure you utilize the different transportation options along with walking.

Explore more in Malta

• Where to Stay in Malta: Best Areas & Hotels for All Travelers
• Complete Guide to Comino Island (Blue Lagoon + Beyond!)
• Is a Comino Boat Tour to Blue Lagoon Worth It?
• 20 Best Restaurants in Malta and Must-Try Maltese Dishes
• What to Do in Malta: 15 Can’t-Miss Things to See and Do
• The Best Malta Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know
• What to Pack for Malta in Summer: Complete Packing Guide