Getting a boat to Comino without missing your slot

Getting a boat to Comino looks like the simplest part of a Malta holiday, and it’s where plenty of people come unstuck, because since 2025 there are two things to line up rather than one. The boat gets you there, but what lets you step onto the Blue Lagoon is a separate, free booking with a life of its own.

Where Comino boats leave from

There are two natural starting points. The closest is Mġarr, Gozo’s harbour, where the Ministry for Gozo reckons on about 15 minutes by the small ferries and water taxis that run frequently. The other is Ċirkewwa, at the northern tip of Malta, with a crossing of about 35 minutes.

On top of that, in summer plenty of trips leave from Gozo and combine Comino with the coastal caves, and private charters are there if you want to go at your own pace. If what you’re after is a half day with swims off the boat, I compare the options in my guide to Malta boat trips. Here I’m focused on getting there, swimming and getting back.

One honest caveat. Visit Malta named specific operators in 2023, a family-run firm based at Mġarr and a service from Ċirkewwa every half hour from May to October, but that’s 2023 information and their 2026 timetables and fares remain unconfirmed. That’s why I’m not quoting prices, which vary from one operator to the next.

Which boat suits you?

It depends where you’re staying. On Gozo, Mġarr wins hands down. On Malta, Ċirkewwa is the obvious choice. Direct buses run there, the 41 and 42 from Valletta, the 221 from Buġibba, the 222 from Sliema and the TD1 from the airport, and the Ministry for Gozo reckons the airport to Ċirkewwa run takes about an hour, whether by bus or taxi. For fares and passes, check my Malta bus guide.

Malta Public Transport also sells an add-on for its Explore Flex card called the Golden Comino Escape, summer only. Its website lists it at €53 with the 4-day Explore Flex and €59 with the 7-day one. I’d only bother if I were buying that card anyway.

The one condition I wouldn’t skip is registration. The MTA’s booking portal asks you to make sure your operator is registered with Transport Malta to run to the Blue Lagoon. If it isn’t, that’s your problem.

Matching the boat to your lagoon slot

This is my order. First I book the free slot for the Blue Lagoon on Comino on the MTA portal, which takes bookings up to two months ahead. Then I find a boat that drops me as the slot opens and picks me up before it ends. The portal says ferry timetables aren’t linked to the system, though most operators try to match the slots, and that missing your boat is on you.

There are two cases where you don’t need a QR code. When you’re on a boat trip and don’t get off, and when you only walk through on the paved paths to other parts of the island without stopping at the lagoon.

Timing matters at the lagoon itself. The portal explains that if you turn up late you only get what’s left of your slot, and if you’re early you may be asked to wait. Wristbands let you leave and come back within the slot, and they’re handed back when you go.

Going via Gozo

Reaching Mġarr from Malta is part of the plan. The Gozo ferry run by Gozo Channel takes about 25 minutes from Ċirkewwa, can’t be booked and costs €4.65 for the round trip, which you pay on the return leg. From Mġarr harbour the hop to Comino is short, and in summer some trips add the caves.

The Ministry for Gozo also mentions kayaking across from Gozo, for experienced paddlers and with guided tours available. It sounds lovely if you already paddle, not as your first go in open water.

Weather and getting back

The MTA portal is clear that it isn’t responsible for weather cancellations, which are between you and your operator. I’d check the forecast the night before and keep the boat’s number handy. I’d also leave a comfortable margin for the return, because Comino has no shops or services if you’re stranded. For what to do once you’re there, see Comino.