Malta airport to your hotel, area by area

Getting out of Malta airport is easy and usually cheap. The one thing to be clear on is which area you’re heading to, because that decides which bus you take and how often it runs. I’ve laid it out by destination, which is how I’d think about it with a suitcase in hand.

Valletta, on the TD4

For the capital there’s no debate. Malta Public Transport’s TD4 leaves every 30 minutes from the airport bus terminal, which Gozo’s tourism ministry puts about 100 metres from the arrivals door, and it costs €3. You pay on board in cash or by contactless, there’s no booking, and it ends in Valletta, calling at the Gozo fast ferry too.

If you’ll use the buses a lot, I’d buy the Explore Flex in the tallinja app before landing. It’s €21 for 4 days or €27 for 7, includes the Airport Direct lines, and you collect the card from machines in baggage reclaim. How every card works is in Malta buses.

If you’d rather have a paper ticket or a card that isn’t in an app, the Malta Public Transport office in the arrivals hall opens daily from 08:00 to 19:30, with machines beside it and at the stop itself that work 24 hours a day. The WHSmith in the terminal sells tickets too, from 10:00 to 19:00. Land late and the machines are your only option before boarding, although the driver will always take a contactless card. It’s the same tap-and-go you use on a London bus, so there’s nothing to learn.

Sliema, St Julian’s and Pembroke

The area where many people stay has two lines. Two lines serve the area every half hour. The TD3 calls at Msida, Gżira, Sliema and St Julian’s, and the TD2 does a loop of St Julian’s and Pembroke. Both cost €3.

One warning from gov.uk that I’d keep in mind with luggage. It says pickpockets have worked the Valletta to St Julian’s routes, especially on packed summer buses. That’s no reason to avoid them, just a reason to keep your bag in front of you.

Buġibba, Mellieħa and the north

Here the frequency drops. The TD1 serves Rabat, Buġibba, Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa hourly for €3.50, and the TD5 serves Rabat and Buġibba hourly for €3. If you’ve just missed one, it’s a long wait, and Gozo’s tourism ministry allows one to two hours by bus to Ċirkewwa, depending on the time of day.

This is where I’d most seriously consider a taxi, especially heading straight for Gozo. Linking up with the boat is covered in the Malta to Gozo ferry.

How much is a taxi from Malta airport?

The official airport taxi service is Malta Taxi. Airport taxis run on fixed fares, and Gozo’s tourism ministry says there’s a booth in the arrivals hall where you buy a prepaid ticket before heading out to the rank. The only fare published by an official source is to Ċirkewwa, €32, and a standard taxi carries four people if the luggage fits.

I haven’t found the fares to Valletta, Sliema or St Julian’s published anywhere official, so I won’t quote numbers I can’t back up. What I would do is pay at the booth. Malta’s tourism authority advises agreeing a fare before getting in, and Spain’s foreign ministry notes that many taxis don’t use the meter. If you prefer apps, Uber, Bolt and eCabs operate in Malta, and I compare them in taxis in Malta.

Other buses from the airport

Not everyone is heading for the coast. Ordinary routes also leave the airport at the standard day fare (€2.50 in summer, €2 in winter). The 201 goes to Rabat and Dingli, the 214 to Marsa, Rabat and Buġibba, the 119 to Marsaskala, and the 71, 72 and 73 to Żurrieq, Safi and Qrendi. The 117, 135 and 218 serve Mater Dei Hospital and the University.

In short

One last practical point for British travellers. The buses take contactless cards from UK banks just as they take euros in cash, and the prepaid taxi booth takes the guesswork out of paying in a new currency after a flight.

By day, the direct bus without a second thought. At night, with four of you, or with a Gozo ferry to catch, a prepaid taxi. And if you haven’t picked an area yet, where to stay in Malta will help, because which airport bus serves your hotel is part of the decision.