The buses reach almost everywhere, cost very little, so most visitors never need a car. The network works through interchanges rather than in straight lines, so a trip between two neighbouring towns can send you via Valletta. For the price, it is hard to complain.
Transfers and hire cars are both cheaper booked ahead than taken on the day.
Getting the hang of it
The buses are modern and air-conditioned
The white and green buses came in when the old fleet was retired in 2011. They are air-conditioned, mostly low-floor, and a lot more comfortable than their reputation.
Pay with cash or a contactless card as you board. There is no need to buy anything in advance unless you want a visitor card.
What a trip costs
Valletta Bus Terminal
The main interchange sits just outside the walls at Floriana, and a great many routes start or pass through it. If you are crossing the island, you will probably change here.
Buses fill up at the terminus, so in summer you get a seat by boarding here rather than joining halfway along.
What to do in Valletta
A full bus will drive straight past
On busy routes to the north in July and August, a bus that is already full does not stop. This is the single most common complaint about the network and it is a real one.
Board at an interchange rather than at a stop halfway along, and give yourself more time than the timetable says.
When it is quieter
Last buses go earlier than you expect
Sundays and public holidays run a reduced timetable. The last services on most routes leave earlier than visitors assume, and the night network only covers a handful of corridors.
If you are out late, plan the trip back before you go out. Bolt, Uber and eCabs all operate here.
Nights out and getting home
What it costs
Fares if you are visiting
- Single journey, summer
- €2.50. The summer rate applies from mid-June to mid-October.
- Single journey, winter
- €2.00. The winter rate applies from mid-October to mid-June.
- How long a ticket lasts
- Two hours, with free transfers inside that window. One fare covers a journey with a change, which matters on a network built around interchanges.
- Night routes
- €3.00.
- tallinja Direct routes
- €3.00, except route TD1 at €3.50. These are express services and the visitor cards do not cover them.
- Paying
- Cash or contactless card as you board.
Visitor travel cards
- Explore Adult, 7 days
- €25. Unlimited travel on day and night routes for seven days. Excludes tallinja Direct.
- Explore Child, 7 days
- €7, for children aged 4 to 10.
- 12 Single Day Journeys
- €19, with the same two-hour free transfer on each journey.
- Where to buy
- Sales offices at the airport arrivals hall, the Valletta and Buġibba terminals, and Sliema Ferries.
Anyone with a personalised tallinja card travels free on day routes, night routes and selected special services. It also covers the Valletta ferries and the Barrakka Lift. tallinja Direct still charges. The card has a one-off registration fee, currently €25 for an adult and €5 for a concession card for over-60s and EU Disability Card holders. Children under 4 travel free without one. Staying more than a couple of weeks, it pays for itself straight away.
Routes, timetables and fares are set by Malta Public Transport, and the seasonal fare changes on fixed dates each year. Check there before travelling, particularly for night routes and Sunday services.