Hiring a car in Malta, when it helps and when it doesn't

Hiring a car in Malta is one of those decisions that can make the trip or complicate it for no reason. The island is small, the buses reach nearly everywhere and parking around Valletta is an adventure. But there are corners, especially on Gozo, where a car makes all the difference. For a British driver there’s a head start, too, because you’re already on the correct side of the road.

Is it worth hiring a car in Malta?

For me it depends on where you’re staying and what you want to see. If your base is Valletta, Sliema or St Julian’s and you’re doing the capital, the Three Cities, Mdina and a beach or two, buses and the ferry will do, and a car will only give you parking headaches. If you want to explore Gozo properly, the western cliffs or the southern temples in a day, a car saves a lot of changes.

The tourism authority puts it simply, a hire car makes sense for the farther reaches of the island. I’d hire by the day or for the Gozo part of the trip, not for the whole stay. The alternatives are compared in getting around Malta.

Collecting the car at the airport

The airport says more than 30 hire companies operate there, international brands and local firms alike. What catches people out is that the desks aren’t in the terminal. You collect the keys on Level 1 of the Park East car park, a separate building about three minutes’ walk away, following the ‘Rental Cars’ signs in the terminal and lifts.

Chauffeur-driven cars are available too, according to the tourism authority, and Gozo has its own hire garages, so if you only want a car there you can cross on foot and hire on the island.

How much does car hire cost in Malta?

The only official figure I’ve found is from Malta’s tourism authority in 2024, which quoted daily rates of €16 to €28. It’s dated, and I wouldn’t trust any headline rate without looking at the insurance. That’s where people go wrong. The tourism authority advises comprehensive insurance for anyone renting or driving in Malta, and with gov.uk describing some roads as in poor condition, I wouldn’t hesitate.

Licences and paperwork for British drivers

gov.uk says you can drive in Malta on a UK photocard licence. If you still have an old paper licence, you may need to update it to a photocard or carry the correct international driving permit as well, so sort that before you fly. The hire company will set its own rules on age and how long you’ve held a licence.

Scooters, motorbikes and electric cars

The tourism authority also mentions scooter, motorbike and bicycle hire. On the Valletta Waterfront, according to the cruise port, you can rent electric cars, scooters and e-bikes for getting around the city and nearby. For an afternoon in Valletta that strikes me as far more sensible than a car.

Taking it to Gozo

This is the point I’d check most carefully. Spain’s foreign ministry recommends making sure your hire car insurance covers damage during the ferry crossing and while on Gozo. Ask before signing and, if you can, get it in writing.

The Gozo Channel ferry charges €15.70 return for car and driver, €12.80 at night in winter, and other passengers pay their own €4.65. Ċirkewwa has an area set aside for cars boarding. The full details are in the Malta to Gozo ferry.

Before you set off

One thing I’d do at the desk is photograph the car all round before driving off, and again when you return it, so any argument over scratches is settled by the pictures.

Traffic keeps left on both islands, the general limits are 80 km/h outside towns and 50 km/h inside unless signed otherwise, and the signs are in English. gov.uk also says local driving standards are poor. All of that, plus parking tips, is in driving in Malta.

For parking, Transport Malta runs free public car parks on both islands, with attendants you can tip if you like. And a word of caution from gov.uk, which lists theft from parked cars among the crimes tourists have suffered, so leave nothing on show. If Gozo is the heart of your trip, see Gozo too.