Malta International Airport is in Luqa, less than 10 kilometres from Valletta, and there’s only one terminal, so finding your way is easy. The airport buses stop just outside the arrivals hall, and getting from Malta Airport to Valletta on the TD4 bus takes around 15 minutes according to the timetable. To Sliema and St. Julian’s, the bus takes half an hour or a little longer, and a taxi costs a fixed price, which you pay at the desk in the arrivals hall.
The short answer is that the bus is best if you’re travelling light and staying close to a stop, while a fixed-price taxi or a Bolt can be worth it if there are several of you or you land late. Here you’ll find all the options with prices and journey times, where to get off, and how to carry on to Gozo.
If you’d rather drive yourself from the airport, you can compare prices on rental cars at Booking.com.
Contents
Quick overview
- Bus TD4 to Valletta: €3 (around £2.50), 12 to 16 minutes according to the timetable, runs every half hour from 5.20am to 12.50am.
- Bus TD3 to St. Julian’s, Sliema and Gżira: €3 (around £2.50), about 30 minutes to St. Julian’s and 37 to 45 minutes to Sliema and Gżira, runs every half hour from 5.15am to 12.45am.
- Bus TD2 to St. Julian’s, Pembroke and Paceville: €3 (around £2.50), 25 to 40 minutes, runs every half hour from 5am to 12.30am.
- Bus TD1 to Bugibba, Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa: €3.50 (around £2.90), about 40 minutes to Bugibba and 67 minutes to the ferry at Ċirkewwa, runs once an hour from 5am to midnight.
- Bus 119 to Marsaxlokk: €2 (around £1.70) in winter and €2.50 (around £2.10) in summer, about 27 minutes, runs once an hour from 6am to 10pm on weekdays.
- Taxi: fixed price per car, for example €17 (around £14) to Valletta, €20 (around £17) to Sliema and St. Julian’s and €37 (around £31) to Ċirkewwa.
- Bolt, eCabs and Uber: often around €12 to €20 (around £10 to £17) to Valletta, Sliema and St. Julian’s, and the price is shown in the app before you book.
How to find the transport at the airport
Once you’ve collected your luggage and gone through customs, you come out into the arrivals hall, which the airport calls the Welcomers’ Hall. This is where you’ll find both the bus company’s sales office and the taxi desk, so you can sort out your ticket before heading outside.
Malta Public Transport has an information and sales office in the arrivals hall, open every day from 8am to 7.30pm. Outside the office there’s a ticket machine that’s available around the clock, and there’s another one at the bus stop just outside the terminal. You can also buy cards at WHSmith in the arrivals hall or pay directly on the bus. It’s all on the airport’s page about the buses.
The bus terminus is signposted as soon as you leave the arrivals hall, and it’s right in front of the terminal. Taxis also leave from the forecourt in front of the terminal, but you buy the fixed-price ticket at the desk inside the arrivals hall. If you book Bolt, eCabs or Uber, the app shows where to meet the driver, and it’s not always at the nearest exit.
The airport buses used to be called X1 to X4. Today they’re called TD, which stands for tallinja Direct, and they run with few stops between the airport and the main towns. Look for TD on the sign at the front of the bus.
1. Bus TD4 from Malta Airport to Valletta and the fast ferry to Gozo
The TD4 is the quickest way from the airport to Valletta. The bus goes straight to the bus terminus by City Gate, continues to the Lascaris stop on the quayside, where the fast ferry to Gozo departs, and then runs through Floriana back to the airport. The timetable allows 12 to 16 minutes from the airport to Valletta, but in the morning rush hour and late afternoon, traffic can make the journey longer.
The bus runs every half hour, every day. The first departure from the airport is at 5.20am and the last at 12.50am, so the TD4 is also an option if you land late in the evening. The departures are in Malta Public Transport’s TD4 timetable, and the official tallinja app shows when the next bus is due.
The airport buses are built with plenty of space for suitcases, so there’s room for your luggage. The TD4 suits you if you’re staying in Valletta or Floriana, or if you’re heading on to Gozo by fast ferry. The catch is that the bus can be full in high season. Then you’ll have to wait half an hour for the next one or take a taxi.
Fares and tickets
A journey on the TD2, TD3 and TD4 costs €3 (around £2.50) per person, and the TD1 costs €3.50 (around £2.90). The fare is the same all year round. The regular buses are cheaper: a single ticket costs €2 (around £1.70) in winter and €2.50 (around £2.10) in summer, and it’s valid for two hours with free changes. Children under 4 travel free. All fares are on Malta Public Transport’s ticket page.
If you’ll be using the bus a lot, there are cards for tourists. Explore Flex gives unlimited travel for 4 days from €21 (around £18) or for 7 days from €27 (around £23), and according to the bus company it’s also valid on the airport buses. The 7-day Explore Adult card for €25 (around £21), on the other hand, isn’t valid on the TD routes, so check what your card covers before you buy it. The 12-journey card costs €19 (around £16) and can be shared with others, but a trip on an airport bus deducts 2 journeys from the card.
You may hear about the tallinja card. You have to apply for the personal tallinja card with a photo and ID, and it usually takes up to two weeks to be delivered, so it rarely makes sense for a short holiday.
Where to buy your ticket
The easiest option is to pay the driver when you get on. You can pay in cash or by card, phone or watch, so you don’t need a ticket in advance. If you’re paying cash, try to have small change so things move faster for everyone in the queue.
If you want an Explore Flex card or the 12-journey card, you can buy it at the sales office in the arrivals hall or from the machines outside the office and at the bus stop. The cards can also be bought and topped up in the tallinja app. If you travel without a valid ticket, you risk a €50 fine (around £40), so always pay when you board.
Where should you get off?
Valletta: The bus terminus by City Gate and the Triton Fountain is the stop for the whole of Valletta. From here you walk through the city gate into town, and most hotels are within a 10 to 15-minute walk. The streets are steep and there are lots of steps, so with a large suitcase it can be worth taking a taxi for the last stretch. If you want to stay right in the thick of it, you can see hotels in Valletta here.
Lascaris: The next stop is on the quayside below Valletta, where the fast ferry to Gozo departs. If you’re going straight on to Gozo, get off here. If you’re staying down by the waterfront below the Upper Barrakka Gardens, it’s also a good place to get off.
Floriana: On its way back towards the airport, the bus runs through Floriana just outside Valletta’s city walls. If you’re staying in Floriana, you can stay on until the Bombi stop or walk the few minutes from the bus terminus. You’ll find Valletta’s sights, such as the Upper Barrakka Gardens and St John’s Co-Cathedral, in my guide to things to do in Malta.
2. Bus TD3 to St. Julian’s, Sliema and Gżira
The TD3 is the bus to Sliema. It runs from the airport to St. Julian’s, follows the coast past Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay to Sliema and continues through Gżira, Msida and Floriana back to the airport. The timetable allows about 30 minutes to St. Julian’s, 37 minutes to Tower Road in Sliema and 43 to 45 minutes to Sliema Ferries and Gżira.
The bus runs every half hour, seven days a week. The first departure from the airport is at 5.15am and the last at 12.45am. The ticket costs €3 (around £2.50), the same as the TD4, and you pay the driver or use your Explore Flex card. You’ll find the timetable on the Malta Public Transport website.
Because the bus runs in a loop, the journey to Sliema is longer than to St. Julian’s. So if you’re staying in Gżira or at the southern end of Sliema by The Strand, staying on the bus isn’t a detour. Traffic in the area is heavy during the day, so allow a little extra time if you land at rush hour.
Where should you get off the TD3?
Spinola and Balluta: These two stops are at Spinola Bay and Balluta Bay in St. Julian’s. Staying here puts you near the waterfront restaurants and a little way from the party streets of Paceville.
Torri and Chalet: These stops are on Tower Road, the seafront promenade along Sliema’s northern coast. From here you can walk to the hotels along the water and into Sliema’s shopping streets.
Ferries: This stop is on The Strand, where the ferry to Valletta and the harbour boat trips depart. It’s the best stop if you’re staying in the southern part of Sliema or at Tigné Point, and you can see hotels in Sliema here.
Ponsonby: This stop is by the water in Gżira, just past Sliema. If you’re unsure whether to stay in Sliema, St. Julian’s or Valletta, read my guide to where to stay in Malta.
3. Bus TD2 to St. Julian’s, Pembroke and Paceville
The TD2 also goes to St. Julian’s, but it covers the northern part with Pembroke, Paceville and Dragonara. From the airport, the bus runs via San Ġwann to St. Julian’s and on to the Park & Ride in Pembroke, Paceville and Dragonara, finishing at Spinola before heading back towards the airport. The timetable allows 21 to 28 minutes to the first stop in St. Julian’s and about half an hour to Paceville and Spinola, a little more in the late afternoon.
The bus runs every half hour from 5am to 12.30am, and the ticket costs €3 (around £2.50). The departures are in the tallinja app and on the bus company’s airport bus page. If you’re heading to Spinola Bay or Balluta Bay, the TD3 is often just as quick, so take whichever bus leaves first.
Paceville and Dragonara: Get off here if you’re staying in Paceville or at one of the large hotels on the Dragonara peninsula. Paceville is Malta’s nightlife hub, and it’s noisy until late into the night, so it’s best if you want to go out yourself. If you’re travelling with children, I’d choose Sliema or Spinola Bay instead. If you want to stay in the area, you can see hotels in St. Julian’s here.
Pembroke: The Park & Ride stop is in Pembroke, north of Paceville, where it’s quieter than in the nightlife streets.
4. Bus TD1 to Bugibba, Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa
The TD1 is the bus to the north of Malta. It runs from the airport via Rabat near Mdina to Bugibba and Qawra in St. Paul’s Bay, on via Xemxija and Mellieħa, and finishes at the ferry port in Ċirkewwa, where the Gozo ferry departs. The timetable allows about 19 minutes to Rabat, 38 to 40 minutes to Bugibba, 54 minutes to Mellieħa and 67 minutes to Ċirkewwa.
The bus runs once an hour, on the hour, from 5am to midnight. The ticket costs €3.50 (around £2.90), making it the most expensive of the airport buses, but also the longest journey.
There’s also a TD5 from the airport via Rabat to Bugibba once an hour during the day. It takes a little longer, about 50 minutes, but it gives you an extra departure if you’ve just missed the TD1. The catch with the TD1 is that there’s an hour between departures, so check the time in the tallinja app before you head out to the stop. If there are several of you, the taxi to Bugibba for €28 (around £23) or to Mellieħa for €33 (around £28) is worth working out.
Where should you get off the TD1?
Rabat: The stop is close to Mdina, the old capital on the hill in the middle of the island.
Bugibba and Qawra: The bus has several stops in Bugibba and Qawra, and the stop at the Bugibba bus terminus is close to the seafront promenade. There are lots of large holiday and family hotels here.
Mellieħa and Ċirkewwa: Mellieħa is close to the beach at Għadira Bay, and the ferry to Gozo departs from the last stop at Ċirkewwa.
5. Bus 119 to Marsaxlokk
If you’re staying in the fishing village of Marsaxlokk in south-east Malta, there’s no airport bus. Instead, the regular bus 119 runs from the airport via Birżebbuġa to Marsaxlokk and on to Marsaskala. The timetable allows about 27 minutes to the Lucjan stop in Marsaxlokk and a good three quarters of an hour to Marsaskala.
On weekdays the bus runs once an hour from 6am to 10pm, and at weekends it has its own timetable. As it’s a regular bus, the ticket only costs €2 (around £1.70) in winter and €2.50 (around £2.10) in summer, and you pay the driver just as on the airport buses. The departures are in the tallinja app.
Bus 119 leaves from its own stop at the bus terminus in front of the terminal, so look for the route number on the signs. The catch is the long gaps between departures and the last bus at 10pm. If you land later, the fixed-price taxi to Marsaxlokk is €15 (around £13), one of the cheapest journeys from the taxi desk. Marsaxlokk is one of the areas in my guide to where to stay in Malta, and it suits you if you want to stay somewhere quiet by the water close to the airport.
6. Fixed-price taxi
Taxis from the airport run around the clock at fixed prices. You buy a prepaid fixed-price ticket at the taxi desk in the arrivals hall before going out to the cars. The price is per car, not per person, and a standard taxi seats four, while a minibus seats eight. If you have a lot of luggage, mention it at the desk so you get the right vehicle.
According to the airport’s price list, a taxi costs €17 (around £14) to Valletta and Floriana, €18 (around £15) to Msida and €20 (around £17) to Sliema, St. Julian’s, Paceville, Gżira and Swieqi. To Pembroke it costs €21 (around £18), to Mdina and Rabat €22 (around £18), to Bugibba, Qawra and St. Paul’s Bay €28 (around £23), to Mellieħa €33 (around £28) and to the ferry at Ċirkewwa €37 (around £31). Marsaxlokk is the cheapest at €15 (around £13).
The airport states that an administration fee may be added to the prices, and on 25 December and 1 January the journey costs €4.50 (around £3.80) extra. See the full list on the airport’s taxi page. You can also book a taxi in the Malta Taxi app, which the airport refers to.
The taxi is the right choice when there are three or four of you, when you land after the last bus, or when you’re staying in Valletta with a large suitcase. Four bus tickets to Sliema cost €12 (around £10), while the taxi costs €20 (around £17) and takes you right to the door.
7. Bolt, eCabs and Uber
In Malta, many people use the Bolt app or the Maltese company eCabs instead of a regular taxi, and Uber also operates from the airport. The advantage is that you see the price in the app before you book, and outside rush hour it’s often lower than the fixed taxi fare. Expect around €12 to €20 (around £10 to £17) to Valletta, Sliema and St. Julian’s, but the price goes up when lots of people book at the same time, for example when several flights land one after another.
Bolt and Uber show in the app where to meet the driver, and the pick-up point for app cars isn’t always right by the exit, so follow the signs and the map in the app. According to Bolt, the pick-up point at the airport can be moved, and the app is what counts.
With eCabs, you can book as soon as you’ve landed or book the car in advance with your flight number, so the company can track whether your flight is delayed. The price is locked when you book, and you can pay by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or cash. According to eCabs, the cars wait just outside the arrivals terminal, but there may be a waiting-time charge, so only book once you have your luggage.
Shuttle bus and private transfer
If you’d like everything sorted before you leave home, you can book a shuttle bus from the airport to your hotel here. You pay per person and share the vehicle with other travellers, so the journey can take longer because the bus stops at several hotels.
If you’re landing late with children, or there are several of you with lots of luggage, you can instead book a private transfer from Malta Airport here. The price covers the whole car, and the driver takes you straight to your hotel.
On to Gozo straight from the airport
If you’re staying on Gozo, you can get there the same day you land. There are two ways: the large car ferry from Ċirkewwa at the northern end of Malta and the fast ferry from Valletta. Both sail to Mġarr harbour on Gozo.
The car ferry from Ċirkewwa: Take the TD1 to the last stop at Ċirkewwa in about 67 minutes, or take a taxi for €37 (around £31). From here, Gozo Channel sails to Mġarr, and according to the ferry company the crossing takes about 25 minutes. The ferry sails every day, usually every 30 to 45 minutes depending on the season, so you rarely have to wait long. The times are in Gozo Channel’s timetable.
The clever part is that you don’t pay anything at Ċirkewwa. The ticket is bought in Mġarr on Gozo and covers the return journey, and a return ticket for foot passengers costs €4.65 (around £3.90), while children aged 3 to 12 pay €1.15 (around £1). It’s a good idea to buy your ticket when you arrive in Mġarr, as the queue is longer when everyone is heading home. If you’ve hired a car, the ticket for the car is also bought in Mġarr or online. See the rules at Gozo Channel.
The fast ferry from Valletta: Take the TD4 to the Lascaris stop, which is on the quayside where the fast ferry departs. The crossing to Mġarr takes about 45 minutes, and a standard ticket costs about €7.50 (around £6.30) each way. There are fewer departures than with the car ferry, and bad weather can cancel sailings, so check the times at Gozo Highspeed before you travel. It’s the quickest way to Gozo if the departure fits with your flight.
From Mġarr, bus 301 runs to Gozo’s main town, Victoria, in about 15 minutes. If you want to stay on the island, you can see hotels on Gozo here, and in my guide to things to do in Malta you can read about the Ċittadella in Victoria and the lagoon at Dwejra.
Getting back to the airport
The airport buses run in a loop, so you take the same route back, and the bus finishes at the Airport 3 stop in front of the terminal. From the bus terminus in Valletta, the TD4 runs roughly every half hour from 5.30am to just after 1am, and the timetable allows about 20 minutes to the airport via Lascaris and Floriana.
From Sliema, take the TD3 from the Ferries stop on The Strand. The bus runs via Gżira and Msida, and the timetable allows about 32 minutes to the airport. From St. Julian’s and Paceville, the TD2 leaves from Spinola and Paceville and reaches the airport in about 25 minutes according to the timetable. From Bugibba and Ċirkewwa, the TD1 runs once an hour in the opposite direction.
Traffic in Malta can be heavy, especially in the morning and late afternoon, so take a bus earlier than the timetable says you need to. The fixed taxi prices from the desk only apply from the airport, so on the way back it’s easiest to book a Bolt, an Uber or a car with eCabs. If you’d like the journey arranged in advance, you can book a shuttle bus from your hotel to the airport here.
If you’re coming from Gozo, remember to factor in the crossing. With the car ferry and the TD1, allow two to three hours from Mġarr to the airport including waiting time, and the fast ferry and the TD4 are quicker when the departures line up.
Which option should you choose?
Here’s my recommendation based on where you’re staying:
Valletta: Take the TD4. It runs every half hour, gets there in about 15 minutes according to the timetable and costs €3 (around £2.50). With a large suitcase and a hotel deep inside the city, the taxi for €17 (around £14) is a good alternative.
Sliema and Gżira: Take the TD3 and get off at Torri, Chalet, Ferries or Ponsonby. If there are several of you, the taxi for €20 (around £17) or a Bolt is quicker.
St. Julian’s: Take the TD3 to Spinola and Balluta and the TD2 to Paceville, Dragonara and Pembroke. Take whichever leaves first.
Bugibba, Qawra and Mellieħa: Take the TD1 if it fits with your flight, otherwise the TD5 to Bugibba. If there are three or four of you, the taxi to Bugibba for €28 (around £23) is cheap per person.
Marsaxlokk: Take bus 119, or take a taxi for €15 (around £13) if you land in the evening.
Gozo: Take the TD4 to Lascaris and the fast ferry if the departure fits. Otherwise, take the TD1 or a taxi to Ċirkewwa and the car ferry, which sails frequently.
If you land at night: The last TD4 leaves at 12.50am and the last TD3 at 12.45am. If you land later, a taxi or a Bolt is the only option until the buses start running again at around 5am.
Practical tips for getting from Malta Airport to Valletta and beyond
Look for TD, not X. The airport buses used to be called X1 to X4, and that’s still what it says in many places online. Today they’re called TD1 to TD5, and you’ll find them all on Malta Public Transport’s Airport Direct page.
Don’t buy the wrong bus card. The airport buses cost more than the regular buses, and not all tourist cards are valid on them. According to the bus company, Explore Flex covers the TD routes, while the 12-journey card deducts 2 journeys for each trip on an airport bus.
Download the tallinja app. The app shows where the bus is and when it will reach your stop. It’s especially useful for the TD1 and bus 119, which only run once an hour.
Choose your hotel with the bus in mind. If you’re staying close to a TD3 or TD4 stop, getting there is easy and cheap. If you’re staying far from a stop or up a steep street, the taxi can be worth the money. In my guide to where to stay in Malta, you can see which area suits you.
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