Getting around · Valletta · Malta
Getting around Valletta
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Dion Hinchcliffe, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
Valletta itself is small enough to cross on foot in 15 minutes, though its streets are steep and stepped. Buses from the terminus outside City Gate reach almost every town in Malta, and ferries link the city with Sliema and the Three Cities. Not for Valletta.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- MLA
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- Explore card
Ways to get around
Walking
Everything in Valletta is within walking distance; Republic Street runs the length of the peninsula from City Gate to Fort St Elmo. Expect steep slopes and stairs on the cross streets.
Bus
Malta Public Transport runs the island's buses from the Valletta terminus beside the Triton Fountain to Mdina, Marsaxlokk, the beaches and the Gozo ferry at Ċirkewwa.
Buses can be slow in traffic and full in summer; a tallinja card or app ticket is easier than paying cash.
Ferry
Short ferry crossings run from Valletta to Sliema across Marsamxett Harbour and to the Three Cities across the Grand Harbour, each taking about 5–10 minutes.
The Barrakka Lift connects the Upper Barrakka Gardens with the Grand Harbour ferry landing.
Boat
Traditional dgħajsa water taxis cross the Grand Harbour between Valletta and Birgu or Senglea, a short and memorable ride.
Ride-hailing
Ride-hailing apps and local cab companies operate across Malta and are useful at night or for the airport.
Car
Malta drives on the left. A car helps for Gozo and remote beaches, but traffic is heavy and parking in Valletta is very limited.
Tickets and passes
Explore card
Malta Public Transport sells multi-day unlimited-travel cards for visitors, useful if you plan several bus trips a day.
Heritage Malta Multisite Pass
A pass covering Heritage Malta museums and sites such as Fort St Elmo, the archaeology museum and the temples; the Hypogeum is booked separately.
From the airport
Malta International Airport at Luqa is about 8 km south of Valletta. Malta Public Transport airport buses, including the X4, reach the Valletta terminus in about 25–30 minutes. Taxis from the official desk in arrivals charge fixed fares and take about 20 minutes.
Do you need a car?
Not for Valletta. Buses, ferries and ride-hailing cover the main sights; consider a car only for a day or two on Gozo or for remote beaches, remembering that Malta drives on the left.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Mdina and Rabat | About 30–40 minutes by bus | Bus from Valletta terminus |
| Gozo | About 45 minutes by fast ferry | Fast ferry from Valletta, or bus to Ċirkewwa and the Gozo Channel ferry |
| Comino and the Blue Lagoon | About 1–1.5 hours by bus and boat | Boat tour from Sliema, or bus to Ċirkewwa and a short boat |
| Marsaxlokk | About 30–40 minutes by bus | Bus from Valletta terminus |
| Blue Grotto, Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra | About 40–50 minutes by bus | Bus to Wied iż-Żurrieq and Ħaġar Qim |
| Popeye Village | About 1 hour by bus | Bus towards Mellieħa and Anchor Bay |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Valletta?
Not for Valletta. Buses, ferries and ride-hailing cover the main sights; consider a car only for a day or two on Gozo or for remote beaches, remembering that Malta drives on the left.
+How do you get from the airport to Valletta?
Malta International Airport at Luqa is about 8 km south of Valletta. Malta Public Transport airport buses, including the X4, reach the Valletta terminus in about 25–30 minutes. Taxis from the official desk in arrivals charge fixed fares and take about 20 minutes.
+What is the best way to get around Valletta?
Walking: Everything in Valletta is within walking distance; Republic Street runs the length of the peninsula from City Gate to Fort St Elmo. Expect steep slopes and stairs on the cross streets.